Uncategorized

World News You May Have Missed

There’s been a lot of news to catch up on lately, what with Australia winning gold left, right and centre while we sleep. So here’s a few crucial stories you may have missed this week. 70 people have been killed […]

There’s been a lot of news to catch up on lately, what with Australia winning gold left, right and centre while we sleep. So here’s a few crucial stories you may have missed this week.

Source

70 people have been killed in a suicide bombing at a hospital in Quetta, Pakistan. The attack killed mostly lawyers and journalists who had gathered at the hospital to mourn the loss of a fellow lawyer who had been shot down and killed earlier that day. The attack has been claimed by both Isis and a Pakistani Taliban faction known as Jammat-ul-Ahrar (JuA). A nation-wide strike was in place on Tuesday as lawyers protested the killings. The attack was one of the worst of its kind in the nation’s history.

Source

Emperor Akihito of Japan, who has ruled for 27 years, has stated he does not know if he can continue carrying out his duties effectively, due to his age and declining health. At 82 years of age, the Emperor has continued to rule through open heart surgery and prostate cancer treatment. Although the Emperor does not carry any political power, he is seen as a symbol of unity for the people of Japan. However, it is traditional in Japanese culture, for emperors to continue ruling until death. In order for Akihito to abdicate, in favour of his son, there will need to be legal change. It will be the first time an emperor has abdicated the throne in Japan for 200 years.

Source

The longest hunger strike in the world continued by Indian woman, Irom Sharmila, has come to an end after 16 years. She ended her hunger strike on Tuesday with a lick of honey from her finger. Sharmila has been protesting the Armed Forces Special Powers Act which has allowed soldiers the power to arrest without a warrant, and in some cases shoot to kill, in several states of India. Her protest began in 2000, when 10 civilians were shot down by armed forces in Manipur. Sharmila has been arrested and taken to court over a dozen times under the claim she’s been illegally attempting to commit suicide. A drip in her nose has been force feeding Sharmila for over 10 years. It is believed she will continue her fight by running as a candidate in an upcoming election in Manipur.

Source

Mudslides in eastern Mexico have claimed the lives of 43 citizens after Hurricane Earl hit much of area and Central America. As many as 15 children were killed in one village alone, as their homes were buried with mud, dirt and trees. The mudslides were caused by torrential rain softening the land, mostly in hillside communities. A new storm, Tropical Storm Javier, is still lashing the region.

There’s a big wide world out there. Let’s not forget about what’s happening in it.