In Africa

Coup in Mali: Mali President Amadou Toumani Toure was ousted from power last week by a military coup. Recently, the United States, France and the European Union announced that while they would continue providing humanitarian aid, they would withhold other forms of aid. Neighboring West African countries have expressed their dismay over the recent events.

In Asia

Obama attends nuclear summit: President Obama attended a nuclear summit in South Korea. There, the president spoke with his South Korean counterpart about the dangers of a nuclear-armed North Korea. North Korea rejected those claims, emphasizing the country’s goals to continue its nuclear program. Obama faced criticism after reporters caught a private conversation between him and Russian President Dmitry Medvedev where Obama said that he would be more “flexible” about a missile defense shield after his re-election.

In Europe

Gunman dead: French police shot and killed suspected killer Mohammad Merah. He jumped out of a window from his Toulouse flat and was shot in the head. Police were on high alert after several murders by a then unidentified gunman ridding a scooter. Merah targeted the Jewish school Ozar Hatorah in Toulouse where he killed a teacher and three children in front of the school. Merah admitted also to the murder of three soldiers. Police are now investigating if he had any accomplices, including Merah’s brother.

In Latin America

Earthquake hits Chile: A 7.1–magnitude earthquake shook central Chile on Sunday. The quake caused minimal damage and no major injuries were reported and an expected tsunami did not come into fruition. Twenty-five thousand people were evacuated from the region for precautionary reasons.

In North America

Seeking justice for Martin: Communities across the United States have come together in an effort to bring awareness and justice for Floridian 17-year-old Trayvon Martin. Martin was fatally shot by neighborhood watch volunteer George Zimmerman, who is Latino, in Sanford, Fla. on his way home from his father’s girlfriend’s house. Martin’s family has said his death was racially motivated. Zimmerman, who has not been charged for killing Martin, maintains that he shot him in self-defense after a face-to-face altercation that left him with a broken nose. Martin’s family attended a forum on racial profiling and hate crimes on Capitol Hill on Tuesday.

JeffCo fire: A massive fire in Jefferson County in Colorado has burned more than 4,000 acres, killed two people and burned several homes. The Lower North Fork Fire is currently not contained and believed to have been started by a Colorado State Forest Service prescribed burned. Nine hundred homes have been evacuated because of the fire danger.

Cheney receives heart transplant: Former Vice President Dick Cheney, 71, received a heart transplant. Cheney had previously suffered five heart attacks and other heart disease related conditions and treatments. It is reported that Cheney waited more than a year to receive an organ transplant, a longer than usual wait.

WV house fire: Eight people, six of which were children, died in a house fire in West Virginia. Authorizes said that there were no working smoke alarms in the house. The cause of the fire is still under investigation. It is believed that the victims died in their sleep.