Minister of Culture of Mali Fadima Toure Diallo appeals for the preservation of heritage in Mali, in St. Petersburg, Russia, Tuesday, July 3, 2012, with one of the city landmarks, equestrian statue of Peter the Great, seen in the background. Muslim extremists continued destroying the heritage of the ancient Malian city of Timbuktu on Monday, razing tombs and attacking the gate of a 600-year-old mosque, despite growing international outcry.The International Criminal Court has described the destruction of the city's patrimony as a possible war crime, while UNESCO's committee on world heritage was holding a special session this week to address the pillaging of the site, one of the few cultural sites in sub-Saharan Africa. (AP Photo/Dmitry Lovetsky)