Battle of Gallipoli remembered

25/04/09 13:04 CET

world news

| |

The 94th anniversary of the disastrous First World War Battle of Gallipoli is being marked today.

Thousands of people gathered for a dawn service on the former battlefield in Turkey. On April 25, 1915, Australian and New Zealand troops under British command landed on the Gallipoli peninsula to wage a campaign against the Ottoman Turks. The fighting dragged on for more than eight months. Among those killed were almost 9,000 Australians, close to 3,000 New Zealanders, 10,000 French soldiers and 21,000 British. More than 80,000 are estimated to have died on the Turkish side. April the 25th is a public holiday in both Australia and New Zealand, known as ANZAC Day, with dawn services held in numerous cities. The forces were known as the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps.More about: Australia, History, Turkey

| |

Mali: Rebel groups agree to creation of Islamic state

Two Rebel groups have agreed to merge and create an independent Islamic state in Northern Mali. After seizing Azawad – an area larger than France – two months ago, the groups had initially disagreed, with the secular Movement for the Liberation of Azawad (MNLA)…