News
Co-ordinated Armed Attacks Shake Mali as Security Forces Respond Across Multiple Cities
Mali has been hit by a wave of coordinated attacks after explosions and sustained gunfire were reported in the capital, Bamako, as well as several northern and central regions of the country.
The military confirmed on Saturday that active fighting was underway, stating that defence and security forces were engaged in repelling attackers. Authorities described those behind the assaults as unidentified “terrorist groups” and said efforts were ongoing to restore full control.
Witnesses said that loud explosions and heavy gunfire were heard around Kati, which hosts one of Mali’s major military bases just outside the capital. Security forces reportedly deployed soldiers to seal off roads in the area and tighten movement restrictions.
Additional attacks were reported in the northern cities of Gao and Kidal, as well as Sévaré in the country’s central region. Analysts have described the violence as one of the largest coordinated militant offensives Mali has experienced in recent years.
The country has long faced instability from insurgent violence involving jihadist groups linked to Al-Qaeda and Islamic State, alongside separatist movements in the north.
Early reports suggest the separatist Azawad Liberation Front (FLA), which seeks an independent Tuareg state, may have concentrated its operations in northern cities. At the same time, the jihadist group Jama’at Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin (JNIM) is believed to have launched simultaneous strikes across several locations nationwide.
Although military officials said the situation was under control, unconfirmed reports indicate that clashes may still be continuing in some areas. While some residents described relative calm in parts of Bamako, others reported ongoing gunfire and heightened security presence.
Checkpoints were established on roads leading to Bamako’s international airport, with security personnel conducting vehicle searches. One resident returning from Ethiopia said flights into the city had been cancelled early on Saturday, though the full operational status of the airport remains unclear.
The UK Foreign Office has advised against all travel to Mali following the attacks and said Bamako International Airport had been temporarily closed.
Ulf Laessing, who leads the Sahel programme at the Konrad Adenauer Foundation in Mali, described the incident as the largest coordinated jihadist assault the country has seen in years.
The United States Department of State’s Africa bureau strongly condemned the violence, offering condolences to victims and reaffirming support for the Malian government and its people. Meanwhile, the U.S. Embassy urged American citizens in the country to shelter in place and avoid travel due to security concerns around the airport and Kati.
News
Tiger Woods Accepts Five-Year Driving Ban After Reckless Driving Plea
Golfing legend Tiger Woods has agreed to plead to a reckless driving charge as part of a deal with prosecutors, avoiding the original charge of driving under the influence following a rollover crash in Florida.
The 50-year-old accepted a five-year suspension of his driving licence and a $1,000 (£742) fine under the plea agreement reached with prosecutors in Martin County.
Woods was arrested following the March crash. He passed a breathalyser test but declined further testing for other substances.
He initially pleaded not guilty to misdemeanor charges of driving under the influence and refusing to submit to testing. Following the incident, Woods said he was seeking treatment and taking time to focus on his health.
Florida State Attorney Thomas Bakkedahl said he was satisfied with the resolution of the case and insisted Woods had been treated like any other defendant.
“No one was injured in the crash, although Woods was forced to crawl through the passenger door to escape the vehicle after it rolled over.
Police body-camera footage released in April showed Woods in the aftermath of the crash. He appeared calm as he told officers: “I looked down at my phone, and all of a sudden, boom.”
Woods told police he had not consumed alcohol that day. He also acknowledged taking prescription medication earlier that morning, although the names of the medication were redacted from the footage.
Officers said they suspected his normal faculties had been impaired by an “unknown substance”. Authorities later reported finding two white pills in his pocket, which were identified as hydrocodone, an opioid commonly prescribed for pain.
After the incident, Woods acknowledged the seriousness of the situation and said he was stepping away to seek treatment and focus on his wellbeing.
The crash was the second time Woods had been arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence.
News
Norway’s King Haakon Takes Oath as Nation Mourns Late King Harald
Norway’s King Haakon VIII has sworn an oath before parliament in Oslo, marking the first major formal step in his reign following the death of his father, King Harald V.
During Tuesday’s ceremony, parliament also observed a minute’s silence in honour of Harald, who died on Friday.
Haakon’s wife, Queen Mette-Marit, was absent from the formal ceremony as she continues to recover from a lung transplant.
Following the parliamentary proceedings, mourners began gathering at the Royal Palace in Oslo to pay their respects to the late king.
King Harald’s coffin is lying in state at the palace, where members of the public will be able to pay their respects until 8 September.
News
Nepal Flood Death Toll Surpasses 1,000 as Rescuers Search for Trapped Workers
The death toll from devastating floods along Nepal’s border with Tibet has surpassed 1,000, according to the country’s disaster management authorities.
More than 3,900 people remain missing, including over 600 workers believed to be trapped inside a vast network of mud-filled tunnels at hydropower projects along the Trishuli River.
Rescuers have been pumping air into the tunnels in an effort to keep those trapped alive. A team managed to enter one of the tunnels on Monday but was forced to withdraw after finding no survivors.
Nepalese Prime Minister Balendra Shah said 279 people had so far been rescued from the affected sites.
The international rescue effort is being led by Chinese and Nepalese military personnel, with experts from India, South Korea and Australia also taking part.
Families of the missing workers have expressed frustration over the pace of the rescue operation.
Nepal relies heavily on hydropower and has invested extensively in projects along its mountainous river systems. Authorities said at least 11 hydropower projects, either completed or under construction, were damaged by the floods.
Rescuers began pumping air into one tunnel over the weekend, but relatives of those trapped said the measure should have been introduced sooner.
Prime Minister Shah said rescue efforts had been intensified, describing the floods as an extraordinary disaster and warning that climate change was increasing risks across the Himalayan region.
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