Europe
Breivik could have been stopped sooner, inquiry concludes
An independent inquiry into Anders Behring Breivik’s attacks on a Christian youth camp in July 2011, which left 77 people dead and more than 240 wounded, has concluded that Norwegian police could have prevented the bombing of central Oslo and stopped Mr Breivik’s shooting spree faster. Police took an “unacceptable” amount of time to get to Utoeya Island, where the camp was based. Among the observations made by the report is that a two-man local police team reached the shore of the Utvika lake but chose to wait for better-trained colleagues rather than cross to Utoeya themselves. Norwegian Prime Minister Jens Stoltenberg said he regretted the mistakes that had been made but stopped short of saying there would be ministerial resignations. A verdict in Mr Breivik’s trial is due on 24 August.
North America
Obama and Ryan clash in Iowa
US President Barack Obama and recently-announced Republican vice-presidential candidate Paul Ryan have traded blows on the campaign trail in the state of Iowa. The Obama campaign, seeking to portray Mr Ryan as an ideologue, released an online ad attacking his budget proposal. President Obama also reminded voters in the agricultural state that Mr Ryan had, alongside other Republican congressmen, blocked a farm bill that would assist farmers and ranchers hurt by the ongoing drought. Mr Ryan has demanded large cuts to the legislation, which would also have provided food stamps for the poor. For his part, Mr Ryan said the President was “spending our children into a diminished future” and encouraged voters to ask him “where are the jobs”. Three months from election day, President Obama has a slim poll lead over the Republicans.
Latin America
Ecuador to make Assange asylum decision “this week”
Ecuador’s president Rafael Correa has said he hopes to decide this week whether to grant Julian Assange, the Wikileaks founder, political asylum in his country. He will consult advisers tomorrow before announcing his decision. Mr Assange took refuge at the Ecuadorian embassy in London on 19 June to avoid extradition to Sweden, where he faces rape and assault charges that he denies. If he leaves the embassy, he also faces arrest for breaching the terms of his bail. Currently the police cannot enter the embassy to arrest him without breaching international diplomatic protocol. Wikileaks has released thousands of confidential documents, including US diplomatic cables, which has made Mr Assange many powerful enemies.
Africa and Middle East
Wrecked Ugandan helicopters found in Kenya
A Kenyan military official has announced that the remains of two Ugandan military helicopters, intended to reinforce the African Union fighting Islamic extremists in Somalia, have been found in the remote Mount Kenya forest by the Kenyan Wildlife Service. It is unknown what happened to the 14 people who were believed to be on board. Four helicopters were due to make a stop in Kenya, but only one made its rendezvous. The fourth also crashed, but all seven people on board were rescued.
Nine dead in union riots at South African platinum mine
Clashes between rival unions at a South African platinum mine have killed nine people, including two policemen attacked by a mob, and three workers killed by officers. The violence is linked to a battle for membership between a new and a long-established trade union. The mine is owned by Lonmin, a leading platinum producer, and is located in North West province, near Pretoria. South Africa’s workforce is one of the most unionised in the world, and there has been a recent surge of inter-union violence at its mines, with another firm, Aquarius Platinum, briefly shutting a facility after an attack that killed three and injured 20. South Africa accounts for three quarters of global platinum output.
Asia and Russia
China hosts Assad aide for talks on Syria crisis
Bouthaina Shaaban, a senior aide to Syria’s President Bashar al-Assad, has flown to China for talks on the crisis, officials say. The Chinese Foreign Ministry confirms he is due to meet the Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi later today, as part of its effort to implement the UN’s six-point peace plan. China has twice vetoed UN resolutions against the Assad regime.
Meanwhile, fear and hunger is taking root in Syria’s major cities as humanitarian institutions, such as the Syrian Arab Red Crescent, struggle to distribute food and aid to those affected by the crisis. UN humanitarian chief Valerie Amos is due to arrive in Syria to assess the situation today. More than a million civilians are estimated to have fled their homes and tens of thousands have sought refuge in Syria’s neighbours, including Turkey, Jordan, Lebanon and Iraq.
Indian yoga guru and campaigner calls off hunger strike
Baba Ramdev, the Indian anti-corruption campaigner, has called off his hunger strike a day after police stopped him from marching to parliament in Delhi to stage a demonstration. Mr Ramdev says he is campaigning for the recovery of bribe money allegedly held overseas, and is demanding stronger anti-corruption laws. On Monday, police stopped Mr Ramdev and his followers from marching to parliament and held them for allegedly “violating prohibitory laws”. The yoga guru’s supporters, and the audience for his daily television show, number in the millions.
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