The 10 Most Important Things In The World Right Now

Good morning! Here's what people will be talking about on Tuesday.

1. The Israeli military says it has launched a counter-offensive on the Gaza Strip against Hamas called Operation Protective Edge in "order to stop the terror Israel's citizens face on a daily basis." The Israeli army hit at least 30 sites in the Palestinian territory early Tuesday and has already called up 1,500 reservists. (Continue reading at The New York Times)

2. Afghan presidential candidate Abdullah Abdullah has rejected preliminary results from last month's election that favored rival Ashraf Gani, alleging widespread fraud. Abdullah's camp called the results a "coup against people's votes." (Continue reading at Reuters)

3. British scientists have developed a blood test for people with memory problems that predicts the onset of Alzheimer's disease within the next 12 months with an 87% accuracy. The test could be available within two years. (Continue reading at The Guardian)

4. Typhoon Neoguri hammered the southern Japanese islands of Okinawa on Tuesday, bringing ferocious winds, heavy rain, and waves over 40-feet high. Hundreds of thousands of people were evacuated ahead of the storm, which officials said could be one of the strongest to hit Japan in decades (Continue reading at The Associated Press).

5. A number of Swiss banks have threatened to block the accounts of American clients who fail to provide information confirming they are compliant with U.S. taxes. The move follows increased pressure from U.S. authorities to crack down on banks believed to be helping citizens avoid taxes. (Continue reading at The Financial Times).

6. Marcel Kittel of Germany won the third stage of the Tour de France, which ran from Cambridge to The Mall in London. After the victory - his second of this year's race - the 26-year-old said: "Emotionally, this win is close to the one I got on the Champs-Elysees in Paris last year." (Continue reading at BBC)

7. In Britain, there are growing calls for a wide-ranging investigation into the alleged cover-up of suspected child abusers in Westminster, The Guardian reports. The permanent secretary at the Home Office, Mark Sedwill, will be appointing a senior legal figure to conduct a review into what happened to a dossier relating to alleged pedophile activity at Westminster which was passed to the home secretary, Leon (now Lord) Brittan in 1983. The dossier then disappeared.

8. North Korean leader Kim Jong-un was shown limping across stage at an event marking the 20 year anniversary of his grandfather, Kim Il-sung. The footage was broadcast by state media. (Continue reading at The Guardian)

9. Passengers on a roller coaster at California's Six Flags Magic Mountain were trapped off the ground for about three hours after the ride struck a tree branch and slipped off the tracks. A few people were also injured. (Continue reading at USA Today).

10. Washington state retailers can now legally sell marijuana. Shortages are expected as the nation's second legal recreational marijuana market opens for business. (Continue reading at The Los Angeles Times)

And finally ...

In China, 100 panda figures made from bamboo scraps were displayed in the "1st Panda" show as part of an effort promote environmental awareness. (Continue reading at Xinhuanet).