UKRAINE PM RESIGNS
Ukraine Prime Minister Mykola Azarov offered his resignation early Tuesday in an effort to end the country’s political crisis. This was followed by news that the Ukrainian Parliament had voted to repeal nine of the 12 anti-protest laws that reignited the anti-government protests two weeks ago.
SYRIAN DEFENSE MINISTER’S HOMETOWN BOMBED
According to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, the hometown of Syria’s Defense Minister was hit by a suicide bomb yesterday evening, killing at least 13 soldiers from the Syrian army. The attack, which was carried out by a fighter linked with al-Qaeda groups, happened as representatives of the Syrian government and opposition are still gathered in Geneva. Read more from Reuters.
ISLAMISTS KILL 99 IN NORTHERN NIGERIA
At least 99 people were killed in a small Nigerian village after being attacked by a group of Islamist militants from Boko Haram, Al Jazeera reports. During the Sunday attack, the gunmen shot people as they were attending a church service and burned some 300 houses.
SHOTS FIRED AS THAI PM MEETS ELECTORAL COMMISSION
One protester was injured by a gunshot as anti-government demonstrators in Thailand gathered outside an army facility where Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra was meeting with the Electoral Commission, The Bangkok Post reports. Despite recommendations to postpone the upcoming vote to prevent the situation from escalating further, Shinawatra announced the election would take place Sunday as planned.
MORSI APPEARS IN COURT
Former Egyptian President Mohamed Morsi appeared in public for the second time since his ousting in July 2013, as he stands trial for escaping from prison during the uprising in 2011, Al-Ahram reports. Morsi supporters are gathering in Cairo, where they clashed with the police. Earlier today, two gunmen on a motorbike shot a police officer dead in the capital. Read more from AFP.
SUSPECTED WAR CRIMINAL CALLS THE HAGUE “SATANIC”
Ratko Mladic, the former Bosnian Serb commander accused of serious war crimes, appeared before the Hague this week to testify in the trial of his former leader, and lashed out at the court. Read here what he had to say.
FAREWELL
American folk singer and political activist Pete Seeger has died at age 94.
COW FLATULENCE SPARKS FIRE
We don’t know if it was silent, but it certainly could have been deadly. Flatulence from 90 cows in a German farm shed caused an explosion Monday when their gas was met with a static electric charge. One of the animals was treated for burns.
