Armed conflicts and attacks
Destruction of cultural heritage by ISIL
The United Nations confirms the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant has completely destroyed the Temple of Bel in Palmyra, Syria, after earlier reports that the structure was mostly intact. (BBC) (Al Jazeera English Online)
Somali Civil War (2009–present)
Al-Shabaab claims to have killed scores of African Union troops in a successful attack that captured a compound in Janaale, south of Mogadishu. (Al-Jazeera), (AP)
War in North-West Pakistan
Six suspected militants are killed in a United States drone attack in the tribal area of North Waziristan. (IANS via Yahoo! News India)
Arts and culture
Pope Francis releases a letter granting priests the ability to grant absolution to women who have received an abortion. (Washington Post)
Conflict-of-interest editing on Wikipedia
Wikipedia concludes a large-scale operation blocking hundreds of users centered on networks of for-pay edits violating the encyclopedia's guidelines. (BBC) (The Guardian) (Ars Technica)