1. Morsi sworn in as Egyptian president

Mohamed Morsi was sworn in as Egypt’s first freely elected civilian president on June 30 and formally received a transfer of power and pledge* of support from the military, which has ruled since last year.

The swearing-in, aired live on national television, was delayed because of a dispute between Morsi, who did not want it broadcast, and judges, who insisted on it, one of the judges told the state’s Al-Ahram newspaper.

2. U.S. storms kill 13

Millions across the mid-Atlantic region sweltered* on June 30 in the aftermath of violent storms that pummeled* the eastern United States with high winds and downed trees, killing at least 13 people and leaving 3 million without power during a heat wave.

Power officials said the outages wouldn’t be repaired for several days to a week, likening the damage to a serious hurricane. Emergencies were declared in Maryland, West Virginia, Ohio, the District of Columbia and Virginia, where Gov. Bob McDonnell said the state had its largest non-hurricane outage in history, as more storms threatened.

3. Kenyan church attacks kill 17

Masked* attackers killed at least 17 people on July 1 in gun and grenade* attacks on churches in a Kenyan town used as a base for operations against al-Qaida-linked insurgents* in Somalia.

At least 45 people were wounded in the simultaneous attacks on Garissa, in the north of the East African country, which has suffered a series of blasts since sending troops into Somalia last October to crush Somalia’s al Shabaab militants.

4. Microsoft HQ in Athens attacked

Assailants* attacked the offices of Microsoft in Athens on June 27, driving a van through the front doors and setting off an incendiary* device that burned the building entrance, police said.

There were no reports of injuries in the pre-dawn attack on the American company’s headquarters in the Greek capital. There was no immediate claim of responsibility.

5. Big Ben to be renamed Elizabeth Tower

London’s Big Ben clock tower is to be renamed Elizabeth Tower to mark the queen’s 60th year on the British throne.

The announcement on June 26 followed four days of celebrations earlier last month to mark 86-year-old Queen Elizabeth II’s Diamond Jubilee.

The landmark, part of Britain’s Houses of Parliament, is officially called the Clock Tower but is commonly known as Big Ben, the name of the giant bell in the tower that chimes the famous bongs in the capital.

6. Subway work unearths

ancient road in Greece

Archaeologists* in Greece’s second-largest city have uncovered a 70-meter section of an ancient road built by the Romans that was the city’s main travel artery* nearly 2,000 years ago.

The marble-paved road was unearthed during excavations* for Thessaloniki’s new subway system, which is due to be completed in four years. The road in the northern port city will be raised to be put on permanent display when the Metro opens in 2016.

7. Australia deadlocked on asylum seekers

A bill to allow asylum seekers to be sent offshore for processing was defeated in the Australian Senate on June 28, leaving the divisive issue of asylum seekers at a stalemate*.

The bill had passed the House of Representatives, or lower house, by 74 votes to 72 on June 27 after an emotional debate sparked by another crowded asylum-seeker boat sinking off the remote Australian territory of Christmas Island.(SD-Agencies)