South Sudan: The Newest Nation in the World

Last Saturday, the Republic of South Sudan declared its independence, creating the newest nation in the world -- the 193rd nation to join the United Nations. The new country has been in the making since a referendum last January, when nearly 4 million southern Sudanese voted to secede from Sudan by a margin of more than 98 percent. The region has been involved in civil wars for at least the past 50 years, and the days-old nation is already battling several armed groups within its new borders. Many issues still remain unresolved -- the oil-rich region continues to rely on pipelines that run through Sudan, and a revenue-sharing agreement has not been reached. The new nation, which is comprised of more than 200 ethnic groups, has a largely rural economy, and poverty, civil warfare, and political instability will be the biggest of many challenges for the new administration. Gathered here are scenes from South Sudan as it made its debut on the world stage this weekend. [35 photos]

A Sudan People's Liberation Army (SPLA) soldier stands in line during a rehearsal for the Independence Day ceremony in Juba, on July 5, 2011. (Reuters/Goran Tomasevic) 

70th anniversary of the Nazi invasion of the Soviet Union

Wednesday marked the 70th anniversary of the Nazi invasion of the Soviet Union. Moscovites and World War II veterans attended a predawn ceremony in downtown Moscow and throughout the day, people gathered at the Tomb of the Unknown Solider outside the Kremlin. Officials held a wreath-laying ceremony at the tomb during the day. In St. Petersburg, an early morning ceremony outside a church honored victims of the invasion. In Minsk, Belarus, there were candlelight vigils and re-enactments. (21 images)

A Belarus honor guard stands in front of eternal fire during a ceremony marking the 70th anniversary of Nazi invasion in the town of Brest, 360 kilometers (223 miles) southwest of Minsk, Belarus, early Wednesday, June 22, 2011. AP / Sergei Grits

Vancouver: After the Riot

Last Wednesday, June 15, thousands of Vancouver Canucks hockey fans gathered in their city's Rogers Arena to watch the final game of the Stanley Cup playoffs against the Boston Bruins. After the Canucks lost and the crowds poured out into the streets, some fans began rioting, smashing storefront windows, looting, and overturning cars. The following day, many volunteers gathered in downtown Vancouver to help clean up and repair the damage. They wrote thousands of emotional messages on the plywood covering storefronts, sidewalks, and police vehicles -- messages expressing anger at the rioters, pride in the city, and gratitude toward police and emergency workers. The spontaneous display of sentiment on these sheets of plywood appears to be important enough to the history of the city that the Museum of Vancouver will be saving them once they come down. (Also, be sure to read about The Lst Time Canadians Rioted After the Stanley Cup Finals) [24 photos]

 

A Vancouver Canucks fan videotapes the chaos around an overturned burning pickup truck in downtown Vancouver, British Columbia, during rioting after the Canucks lost Game 7, the final and deciding game of the Stanley Cup playoffs to the Boston Bruins on June 15, 2011 (Reuters/Anthony Bolante) 

Arizona wildfire rages on

A vast wildfire, measuring half the size of the state of Rhode Island and described as the second worst fire in Arizona history, continues to surge across eastern Arizona. The fire has jumped past firefighter's containment lines to reach the edges of residential areas, prompting more evacuation orders. Winds carrying burning embers continue to ignite smaller fires, causing new concerns about the prospect of extinguishing the 13-day-old fire. The Wallow Fire has destroyed approximately 337,000 acres and threatens main electrical lines that supply power as far away as west Texas. Thousands have evacuated. Paula Nelson (35 photos total)

Smoke from the Wallow Fire covers highway 60 in Springerville, Arizona. Several mountain communities have emptied in advance of the fire, and a utility that supplies power to customers in southern New Mexico and west Texas issued warnings of possible power interruptions due to the fire's spread, June 9, 2011. (Marcio Jose Sanchez/Associated Press)