International Headlines
Jul 9: China Crash
China’s stock market has crashed: this month the value of its companies has dropped by more than $3trillion. This collapse is likely to hinder promised efforts to reform the economy and may undermine the standing of leaders including President, Xi Jinping. However, economists say that China’s capacity to consume will remain “resilient”. They also say the heavy-handed way the government has handled the dramatic slide poses a risk.
Jul 8: WHO Inadequate?
An independent report has decreed that the World Health Organisation (WHO) lacks the "capacity and culture" to deal with global health emergencies. The report, which was commissioned by the WHO, says it was too slow to act over the Ebola crisis and calls for an urgent overhaul of the organisation. WHO admits it was "overwhelmed" by the Ebola outbreak and says it has plans for reform.
Jul 7: Greece in Crisis
Greece has voted in a referendum to reject the terms of a bailout. Greek PM Alexis Tsipras will address a summit of eurozone leaders today, the leaders will follow this with a full summit. Meanwhile, Greek banks, which are on the verge of collapse, will remain closed for two more days. The European Central Bank will maintain emergency cash support for Greek banks.
Jul 4: Euthanasia
Ovidio Gonzalez, a 79-year old Colombian man has become the first person in the country to die legally by euthanasia. He was suffering from terminal throat cancer and in unbearable pain. Colombia is one of the few countries in the world where euthanasia is legal and the health ministry has issued guidelines for hospitals, but the Catholic Church is opposed to it.
Jul 3: BP Pays Billions
The international oil and gas company BP will pay $18.7bn (£12bn) in settlement following the Gulf of Mexico oil spill in 2010. Over 125 million gallons of oil polluted the sea and 11 people died after an explosion at the Deepwater Horizon oil rig. The settlement, which was agreed with the US Department of Justice, is the largest paid by a single company in US history.
Jul 2: Giving to Charity
Prince Alwaleed bin Talal, 60, a Saudi Arabian billionaire, is donating his entire $32bn (£20bn; €29bn) fortune to charity. He said he had been inspired by the Gates Foundation and that his money would be used, among other things, to "foster cultural understanding", "empower women", and "provide vital disaster relief”. The donation will take place over several years, overseen by a board of trustees headed by Prince Alwaleed.
Jun 29: Tunisia Attack
People in Sousse in Tunisia have held a march to denounce Friday’s attack on a beach in which a gunman killed at least 38 people, most of them tourists. The protestors marched through the town, many of them holding candles, expressing sympathy with relatives of the victims. A separate rally was held in Tunis. A security clampdown has been implemented after the attack, which was claimed by Islamic State.
Jun 27: China Dictates to Glastonbury
China has objected to the Dalai Lama appearing at Glastonbury next week, one of Europe's largest music festivals, saying that his visit was tantamount to giving him a platform to engage in anti-China activities. Chinese spokesman Lu Kang said "China resolutely opposes any country, organisation, body or individual giving any kind of platform to the 14th Dalai Lama to engage in anti-China splittist activities".
Jun 26: Setback for Democracy
Myanmar’s parliament has voted over whether to remove the army's veto over constitutional change, which would lead to fuller democracy. The vote received a majority but fell short of the 75% needed to win. It is expected that Aung San Suu Kyi's National League for Democracy will see big gains in the forthcoming election – their 1990 election win was ignored by the military junta who ruled at the time.
Jun 24: More Spying
WikiLeaks, the whistleblower website, has said that the United States National Security Agency (NSA) spied on French Presidents Jacques Chirac, Nicolas Sarkozy and Francois Hollande from 2006-12. Wikileakes cites "top secret intelligence reports and technical documents" from the NSA. Both the US and France have declined to comment.
Jun 23: War Crimes Report
United Nations investigators have said that war crimes may have been committed by both Israel and Palestinian militants during the 2014 Israel-Gaza conflict. The UN team have reported evidence of "serious violations" by both sides. Israel, who refused to co-operate with the investigation, has dismissed it as "politically motivated and morally flawed", while Hamas said it wrongly equated "the victim and executioner".
Jun 21: Religious Repression
As Ramadan gets underway, Uighur Muslims in north western China’s Xinjiang district face repressive restrictions on their religious practices: Muslim party members, civil servants, students and teachers have been banned from fasting during the holy month, and restaurants are being penalised for shutting during the day. An Uighur spokesman said "the increase in controls could cause sharp resistance" and that China is attempting to control the Islamic faith.
Jun 20: Age of Consent
A row has arisen over the enforcement of laws around rape and the age of consent in Zimbabwe. Top prosecutor Johannes Tomana has been criticised after questioning whether all cases involving sex with girls under 16 should be treated as rape, and endorsing the idea that 12-year-old girls can give consent. There is ambiguity in the law, and judges are allowed discretion in how they interpret it.
Jun 19: Protect the Planet
Pope Francis has published the encyclical, a 192 page letter, which aims to inspire everyone to protect the Earth. The encyclical, which is the highest level teaching document a pope can issue, lays much of the blame for global warming on human activities. The Pope blames human selfishness and urges the rich to change their lifestyles to avert the destruction of the ecosystem
Jun 18: Medal for Dalai Lama
His Holiness the Dalai Lama will be honoured with the Philadelphia's 2015 Liberty Medal for his efforts to promote compassion and human rights around the globe. The medal comes with a $100,000 cash prize and is given annually by the Constitution Center to those who strive to secure liberty for people worldwide. His Holiness will travel to Philadelphia for a ceremony on October 26.