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THE WEEK SO FAR [New Statesman](New Statesman Via Acquire Media NewsEdge) 1. Africa Aid agencies began to distribute supplies in Somalia on 12 July, as north-eastern Africa suffers worst drought in 60 years. Ten million people have been by the crisis so far. An estimated 3,000 people are leaving Somalia to seek assistance in Kenya and Ethiopia each day. 2. Europe More than 110 people, including 50 children, were killed after a tourist boat sank on the River Volga in Russia on 10 July. The had a capacity of 120 passengers but was carrying 208. The Russian police have launched an investigation into the tragedy. 3. Asia The half-brother of the Afghan president, Hamid Karzai, was assassinated on 12 July. Ahmad Wali Karzai was shot dead at home by his bodyguard. His death is a blow to Nato, which fears that it will create a power vacuum in Kandahar, where he controlled the regional council. 4. Middle East A diplomatic spat broke out between Syria and the US after Hillary Clinton, US secretary of state, claimed that President Bashar al-Assad had "lost legitimacy". Crowds attacked the US embassy in Damascus, erecting Syrian flags on the complex. 5. North America Human Rights Watch has called on Barack Obama to investigate whether the former US president George W Bush sanctioned the use of torture. In a 107-page report on the matter, the campaign group claims that there is "overwhelming evidence" against the Bush administration. 6. Finance Eurozone finance ministers acknowledged officially for the first time on 12 July that a Greek default may be necessary. The Dutch finance minister, Jan Kees de Jager, told reporters that the option of a default was "not excluded anymore". Bond yields for Spain and Italy increased markedly in response due to fears that the contagion would spread. 7. Media The final edition of the News of the World sold 3.8 million copies on 10 July. News International announced the newspaper's closure on 7 July, following further phone-hacking revelations. News International's owner, News Corporation, also announced that it will put its plan to take over BSkyB before the Competition Commission, no doubt aiming to avoid letting the recent scandal jeopardise the takeover bid. 8. Economy UK inflation fell unexpectedly during June, according to figures released on 12 July. The Consumer Prices Index fell from 4.5 to 4.2 per cent, providing a boon to the Bank of England, which this month refused to increase interest rates to fight inflation. Analysts said the fall was due to "aggressive discounting" by retailers. 9. Technology Apple has accused the mobilephone maker HTC of infringing its patents. The accusation is the latest in an increasingly bitter battle between major phone and tablet PC makers. Apple was involved in a similar spat with Samsung in June. 10. Science Neptune celebrated its first "birthday" on 12 July. The planet was discovered one Neptunian year (164.79 earth years) ago, on 24 September 1846. QUOTE OF THE WEEK "I am surprised we have the monkey at the despatch box instead of the organ grinder" Alan Johnson mocks Jeremy Hunt in the Commons Ahmad Wali Karzai's burial, 13 July WEBSITE OF THE WEEK Hasjamesmurdoch resignedyet.com - a web page with just a single word 38 People killed in an alleged US drone strike in north-western Pakistan 7 Middle name of David and Victoria Beckham's baby girl, Harper TWEET OF THE WEEK "Yesterday: last ever News of the World. Today: UK terror threat reduced. Coincidence?" @chibnall (Chris Chibnall, TV writer) (c) 2011 New Statesman Ltd. |