Ruling on militant who attacked shrines

War crime judges will deliver a historic judgment today against a Malian militant who admitted attacking Timbuktu's fabled shrines, in a case which could send a strong message against cultural destruction.

Prosecutors say Ahmad al-Faqi al-Mahdi, born in 1975, was a member of the Ansar Dine, one of the militant groups linked to Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb.

Conference on govts' use of tech

Government officials and tech start-ups will be sharing the room in a conference today to discuss how governments can adopt "cutting-edge initiatives and technology".

The event, organised by the GovInsider publication, will feature speakers from various countries, including Singapore, South Korea and Estonia. Subjects include "Cutting-edge apps and what's next".

Markit to issue data on US economy

Markit services will give estimates for service and composite flash purchasing managers' index for the United States for the month of September today. The data, collected from a representative panel of over 400 private-sector companies, will reflect the strength of the economy as the quarter winds down.