Croatia
Catholic Croats flocked to the capital city Zagreb Sunday to vote on a referendum that would ban same-sex marriage in the Balkan state. Because the Croatian constitution does not define marriage, the referendum seeks to change the constitution to define marriage as a “union between a man and a woman,” Agence France-Presse reported. According to AFP, about 3.8 million people will vote on the referendum. Although center-left activists have already expressed opposition, surveys showed 68 percent of voters plan to vote yes to the referendum against the 27 percent who plan to vote against it, according to AFP.
Italy
A fire in a textile factory in the town of Prato in the Tuscany region killed four people Sunday. Authorities have not released the nationalities of the four casualties of the blaze, who were alive inside the Chinese-run structure, but they are believed to be Chinese, according to AFP. AFP reported that 14 Chinese workers were living in the factory before it burned down. Two of the victims died from burn injuries. Another died of smoke inhalation. According to AFP, authorities have yet to identify the cause of the fire.
Jordan
Five European clowns performed on Sunday for Syrian children refugees in the Zaatari Camp, situated near the border between Jordan and the civil war-torn country. The clowns, part of the Mabsutins, a group affiliated with the U.S.-based Clowns Without Borders, performed in front of 60 children in the camp, which houses more than 100,000 refugees. According to The Associated Press, children make up 40 percent of the refugee population of Zaatari.
Lebanon
Syrian tensions have traveled into the neighboring country of Lebanon, as clashes between supporters and opponents of President Bashar al-Assad killed nine people over the weekend. According to the AP, the Lebanese state news agency reported that an additional 70 people were wounded over the weekend. Fighting began Saturday when a Sunni man shot the brother of a leader of an Alawite militia. Violent faceoffs happened against the Sunni district of Bab Tabbaneh, which supports the rebels, and the Alawite district of Jabal Mohsen, which supports the Assad regime.
South Africa
Mandla Mandela, grandson of anti-Apartheid revolutionist Nelson Mandela, will be charged with assault and brandishing a gun at another man by South African courts. Mandla was reported to have drawn a gun to a 44-year-old teacher in Johannesburg whose car collided with that of Mandla’s guest. The teacher had to undergo surgery to remove a blood clot from his brain, according to South Africa’s Sunday Times. Mandla’s spokesman denied the incident, saying it was “pure fabrication.” Mandla is set to appear in court on Friday.
Thailand
A popular coup in Bangkok launched on Sunday led to violent clashes between police and protesters, and forced the Thai prime minister to flee from a police compound. According to Reuters, about 30,000 people gathered in the streets of the capital city near the Government House, the office of Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra. Protesters tried to penetrate the compound by throwing stones and petrol bombs against authorities, who countered with teargas. Authorities urged Bangkok residents to stay indoors from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. that day, as 42 people were injured during clashes.
