Good Morning, Australia! – A Tiger tragedy in Tbilisi – Months of warnings about Greece’s economy might actually be close to coming true this time – Dozens are killed by Boko Haram’s parting gift – And more in your CareerSpot World News Briefs:
One of the Tigers that escaped from the Zoo in Tbilisi, Georgia after a devastating flood has attacked and killed a man. Shortly thereafter, police shot the beast to death. The Zoo lost some 300 animals to the flood – either drown or shot to death by police – and authorities are warning that another tiger, a bear and a hyena were still on the loose. At least 20 people died in last Sunday’s flood.
Greece’s central bank is for the first time warning that the country might really default on its debts and leave the European Union – describing what might befall the country as a “painful course”. But Greek Finance Minister Yanis Varoufakis said it is unlikely Athens will reach a deal with his European counterparts in Luxembourg later today.
Ukraine has charged two of its own soldiers with murdering two women who sympathized with Russian-backed separatists in the east. Government prosecutors in the Donetsk region say the soldiers broke into the women’s home in Luhanske earlier this week and fatally shot them. The women were a mother and daughter, aged 77 and 45.
A large sack of bombs that was abandoned at a Boko Haram encampment in Nigeria exploded, killing at least 65 people. After the proper military moved out, civilian defense found the sack and carried it to the town of Monguno. As people gathered around to see what was inside the sack, the explosives went off.
Chad has banned full-face veils after the Boko Haram suicide bombing that killed more than 20-people on Monday. Prime Minister Kalzeube Pahimi Deubet says the ban applies everywhere, not only public places. Boko Haram staged its first attack on Chad, after Chadian forces joined the regional coalition to put down the terrorist group.
Al Qaeda wasted no time in exacting revenge for the death of its latest Number Two via American drone strike in Yemen: Two men blamed for tipping off the Americans were executed on a beach, and their bodies displayed crucifixion-style from an overpass. That particular treatment of victims is usually the modus operandi of Islamic State, rival to Al Qaeda for the leadership of Sunni jihad.
Elsewhere in Yemen, Islamic State claims responsibility for the car bombings at the headquarters of the Houthi group in the capital Sana’a as well as at several mosques (graphic video alert). At least 50 people were killed or injured. IS considers the Shiite Houthis to be “apostates”.
Former Turkish Prime Minister Suleyman Demirel is dead at 90. From 1965 forward, he oversaw Turkey’s material and public works modernization, worked to grow the backwards economy, and came back after two military coups. Demirel was Prime Minister five times and president from 1993 until his eventual retirement in 2000.
North Korea is facing its worst drought in a century, according to its state-run news agency. That’s raising fears of food shortages even worse than the famine of the 1990s during which it is believed hundreds of thousands of North Koreans died. About a third of the rice patties have dried up, and meager rain has not made up for months of dry weather.