The Central African Republic
The Central African Republic is in total chaos. “Largest forgotten humanitarian crisis of our time,” the UN Get involved: Charity Water and Save the Children are on the ground helping in the Central African Republic Image sources: flickr user hdptcar and UNHCR Photo Unit Story sources: CNN, CNN, Amnesty International, The Guardian The Central African Republic is a former French colony. In Mar. 2013, a …
Syria Wants to Talk
Syrian government ready to negotiate with opposition. “We want to end this conflict yesterday,” – Syrian Government In 2011, 15 children were arrested in Syria for graffiti. The kids were beaten and tortured in prison. Syrians protested the arrests of the kids (they were freed). Meanwhile, Arab Spring protests spread across the Middle East. Syrian forces responded by shooting protesters. …
200 Migrants Dead in Mediterranean
Smuggler’s fishing boat capsizes in Mediterranean. “…the boats will not stop,” Doctors without Borders Over 2,000 migrants have died this year getting to Europe. Most of them die crossing from Libya to Italy in shoddy boats. Yesterday, a boat packed with 600 people capsized off Libya. 373 people were rescued by Italian Coast Guard & Irish Navy. Over 200 people …
Boko Haram Captives Freed
Nigerian army says it rescued 178 captives. Freed captives not part of 200+ missing Chibok girls. The Nigerian army says it freed 178 Boko Haram captives. 101 children, 67 women, and 10 men are among the rescued. Captives were held in Borno State, Boko Haram’s stronghold. Boko Haram has killed ~5,500 people since 2014. In April, Nigeria elected President Muhammadu …
NASA Finds Earth’s Cousin
NASA’s Kepler space telescope finds 12th Earth-like planet. “Today, Earth is a little less lonely.” Jon Jenkins, Kepler scientist The NASA Kepler mission/telescope was launched in 2009. Its goal was to find habitable planets in the Milky Way. The Kepler space telescope is now 64 million miles from Earth. It has found 1,000+ planets, 12 of them potentially habitable. The …
US and Cuba Officially Normalize Relations
US flag will fly in Havana for 1st time in 54 years. “A new stage will begin…toward normalization,” Pres. Raul Castro Sources: CNN. NBC. In 1959, Fidel Castro led the Cuban Revolution. The revolution ousted US-backed President Fulgencio Batista. Castro instituted a socialist state & seized US property. He also executed former officials from President Batista regime. In 1961, the …
ISIS Ice Truck Bomb
ISIS kills 120, wounds 140 with holiday bomb. People used vegetable boxes to collect children’s body parts. Ramadan is an important Islamic holiday & lasts for 1 month. Muslims don’t eat or drink from sunrise to sunset that month. Ramadan marks the first revelation of the Quran to Muhammad. A huge festival called Eid al-Fitr celebrates the end of Ramadan. …
The New Al Capone Escapes from Prison
Top drug trafficker escapes from Mexico prison. “Guzman is the new Al Capone of Chicago.” – Chicago DEA Sources: CNN. ABC. WaPo. Joaquin “El Chapo” Guzman broke out of a Mexican prison 7/12. He used a secret tunnel to escape the maximum security prison. This is his 2nd jail break. In 2001, he escaped in a laundry cart. A giant …