The week has been a historic one, with Britain’s referendum vote, in an unprecedented and unexpected turn of events, calling for the U.K. to leave the European Union.
More than a week before the vote, Labour MP Jo Cox was killed outside Birstall Public Library. Her suspected killer, who appeared before the court on Saturday, said, “Death to traitors, freedom for Britain” when asked to give his name.
In the hours leading up to the historic vote, the British pound rose and fell as the “remain” and “leave’” camps alternated reported leads. The decision to leave the EU, though not yet officially declared to the EU by the Brits, devastated global markets and led to the resignation of British Prime Minister David Cameron, who said he will leave office by the fall.
Elsewhere, Rome elected anti-establishment Five Star Movement candidate Virginia Raggi as its first female mayor, and LeBron James led the Cleveland Cavaliers to the first ever 3-1 NBA finals comeback, winning the championship over the Golden State Warriors. It is the first championship title for the city of Cleveland since 1964.
A searing heat wave killed at least six people as a dozen wildfires burned through parts of the western United States. Mexico saw by violent clashes between riot police and protesters from the National Coordination of Education Workers who are demonstrating against President Enrique Pena Nieto’s education reform. And the fight for gun policy reform surged forward in the United States. House Democrats revolted after measures to introduce gun legislation introduced after the Orlando Pulse nightclub shooting earlier this month failed. Civil Rights icon and Georgia Rep. John Lewis staged a sit-in on the House floor to demand a vote on gun policy reform, but the act of disobedience came to an abrupt end after nearly 26 hours, despite not having reached a deal on a vote.
Meanwhile, funeral services began and mourning continued for some of the 49 victims of the Orlando massacre.
Ousted Egyptian president Mohamed Morsi was sentenced to an additional 25 years in prison, along with six people, two of which are Al Jazeera employees, who were sentenced to death for allegedly passing national security documents to a Qatar and Doha-based TV network. Morsi had previously been sentenced to death in other cases.
