Colombia, Israel-Palestine, Solomon Islands.

Today's three stories you should know.

Colombia

A major landmark in Colombia today as the first leftist president in the country’s history was sworn in. Gustavo Petro, a former member of the M-19 guerrilla group, triumphed in June’s general election on a campaign promise to fight inequality. Colombians have been reluctant to vote for left-wingers in the past because of their perceived ties to rebel groups. But, with the government’s long war with the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia group coming to an end in 2016, voters began to focus more on social and economic issues such as poverty and corruption.

More from Reuters here.

Israel-Palestine

A ceasefire between Israel and the Palestinian Islamic Jihad group appeared to be holding on Monday after three days of Israeli air raids on the occupied Gaza Strip. Forty-four Palestinians, including 15 children, were killed and at least 350 civilians wounded. The Israeli military said it was targeting top Islamic Jihad officials, two of whom were killed. Islamic Jihad responded by firing scores of missiles into Israel, almost all of which were intercepted. No Israelis were killed or seriously wounded.

More from the New Arab here.

Solomon Islands

An odd (but certainly timely) row has broken out between the US and the Solomon Islands. The Solomon’s Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare has been accused of snubbing U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman by not showing up at a ceremony to mark a key battle of World War II. Sherman and U.S. Ambassador to Australia Caroline Kennedy attended the event in the Solomon’s capital Honiara to mark the Battle of Guadalcanal. Several analysts theorized that Sogavare had not shown up because of tensions between Washington and Beijing since US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s visit to Taiwan last week. The Solomons signed a security pact with China earlier this year. Sogavare’s office denied that his no-show was a snub.

More from AP here.