Terrorists ambush military in Burkina Faso
The African country of Burkina Faso’s military had their reconnaissance team on a mission Sunday, and they were ambushed by jihadist insurgents in the northern city of Djibo, killing one of the soldiers. “The two units managed ‘to neutralise six terrorists,’… Army chief Moise Miningou …in the same statement, said five other troops were killed on Thursday also in the north.”[1]
Pakistani and Indian artilleries trade fire over de facto line
Three civilians were reported killed from military artillery attacks at the de facto line between Pakistan and India, “when shells fired by the Pakistani army hit homes at two locations along the Line of Control in the Kupwara area of Indian-controlled Kashmir on Sunday evening.” “Since Friday, Pakistan’s military has charged India with repeated violations of the [2003] ceasefire along the frontier.”[2]
The Locust Plague in East Africa is the worst in 70 years
Locusts have been plaguing East Africa nearly since the beginning of the year. The second two months of the plague has become twenty times worse than the first two. About 6 million people are affected in Ethiopia as several of other countries endure the plague. “The locust swarms also have been sighted in Djibouti, Eritrea, Tanzania and Congo.” “The current situation in East Africa remains extremely alarming as ... an increasing number of new swarms are forming in Kenya, southern Ethiopia and Somalia,” a new FAO assessment said.[3]
Houthi rebels of Yemen convict 10 journalists of coverage for Saudi coalition
A court in Sanaa, the capital for the Yemeni rebels, convicted four journalists for "treason" and espionage, and the other six were convicted similarly, “including ‘spreading false news and rumours’ to aid the coalition.” The four are sentenced to death as the others will be released after a prison sentence. A “rights group said the detained reporters were beaten, deprived of water and forced to hold cinder blocks for several hours.”[4]
April 14, 2020
Tornadoes destroy, leaving more than a million without power on Monday
Southern states reported 41 tornadoes on Easter day in Mississippi, Louisiana, Alabama, Georgia, Tennessee, and South Carolina. The following states reported deaths: Mississippi (11 deaths), Georgia (7 deaths), Tennessee (3 deaths), and South Carolina (9 deaths). About a million people were out of power, feeling the destruction of the tornadoes. The intense winds were not the only destructive attribute of the tornadoes. Its hail grew up to the size of a tennis ball.[5]
Egypt acts on terrorism lead
Gunfire broke out during a raid performed by Egyptian Special Forces to seize bombs and people involved in a terrorist operation. Extremist jihadists were planning a bombing on security forces in al-Amireya, Egypt. “The ‘terrorist cell [was] neutralized’ several hours after the raid began.” One police officer “was killed, and another wounded during the shootout.”[6]
UK gangs force youth to maintain drug trade
A task force was commissioned in the United Kingdom to resolve an observation of gangs, manipulating youth to maintain the drug trade, at the end of 2019. During the first four months of the operation, “the taskforce has been involved in 272 arrests, 145 seizures of drugs, including class A substances, and the confiscation of £108,000.” The age range of the youth that they have found range from 11 to 20. “Among the arrests made since lockdown conditions were imposed on 23 March was that of a 16-year-old girl in Preston who was found to have a sizeable quantity of cash.”[7]
An incident caused Uganda to have a nationwide blackout
A huge mass of vegetation known as a floating island in Lake Victoria drifted into a hydro power plant, causing it to go down. The entire nation was in a blackout. “Heavy rain, clogging of the lake's tributaries, and pollution could also explain the island's movement” as the lake’s water level is the highest in fifty years.[8]
April 15, 2020
Germany arrests ISIS terrorists
Five Tajik nationals were arrested on Wednesday in the North Rhine-Westphalia state of Germany. They were planning attacks on US troops in the country. Four of the five were arrested in the evening during raids of several apartments. The fifth was arrested earlier in the day.[9]
Insurgents attack in two location in DR Congo
CODECO, which stands for the Cooperative for the Development of the Congo,“ is an armed political-religious sect drawn from the Lendu ethnic group.”[10] This militant group attacked the village of Koli in the Ituri province and Beni of the North Kivu province. The Koli village attack targeted the Hema ethnic community "in their sleep and killed 22 civilians over the weekend”, and the Beni attack took place on Tuesday, resulting in the death of a variety of people from “two soldiers, one civilian, [and] five militants.”[11]
Brazilian drug lord arrested in Mozambique
Gilberto Aparecido dos Santos is known as a drug lord of São Paulo-based First Capital Command (PCC), one of the most powerful gangs in Brazil. Interpol, US drug officials and Brazilian federal police implemented the sting operation in Maputo, the capital of Mozambique, arresting him with two other people in a luxury hotel.[12]
Inspector found no evidence of executive powers interference in JEDI bid process
JEDI, the Joint Enterprise Defense Infrastructure, is the largest-ever cloud computing contract. The ten billion dollar contract was awarded to Microsoft. In chapter 1 of ‘Read the Story of the World’, I noted on February 14, 2020 that Jeff Bezos of Amazon convinced the courts to suspend the contract for an investigation of interference by Donald Trump, who has publicly revealed his disliking of the company. The investigation found no evidence of “influence or pressure on Defense Department personnel who handled …[the] cloud computing contract”[13]
April 16, 2020
South Korea fills a parliament seat with a North Korean defector for the first time
Thae Yong Ho’s most prominent government role was an embassy minister of North Korea in London, and he moved his family to South Korea in 2016, settling in the district of Gangnam. He campaigned, aligning his agenda with the United Future Party, “a harder line on North Korea’s nuclear ambition and its record of widespread human rights abuses.” The position that he won represents the district of Gangnam.[14]
The management of the COVID 19 has killed more than the virus in Kenya
“Police have killed at least 12 people while enforcing a dusk-to-dawn curfew that began more than two weeks ago”. The count is not accurately accounted for as the country only has 10 deaths due to the virus. The enforcement is currently “recorded 35 ‘watertight’ cases of police brutality related to curfew enforcement” according to The Kenyan government’s Independent Policing Oversight Authority.[15]
Concerning the brutality of the police, “Wilfred Olal, who coordinates a network of social justice centres in slums across Kenya that is trying to keep track of curfew-related deaths since the measure was put into place 19 days ago.” “To be honest, we’ve lost count. It’s dozens. There are many more… At least one a night since curfew began”.
April 17, 2020
Fishing boat stranded for more than two months in the Bay of Bengal
A fishing boat, carrying more than 500 people, was rejected by Thailand and Malaysia for two months and eighteen days in the Bay of Bengal until Bangladesh received them on Wednesday. The majority of the crew were Rohingya people, and sixty died, including the captain, who was killed, for attempting to rape a woman. 482 people survived the ordeal.[16]
Nigeria curfew enforcement abuses kill at least 18
I reported yesterday that Kenya’s law enforcement struggled with implementing the COVID 19 curfew, and Nigeria is struggling as well. As twelve Coronavirus deaths are recorded, eighteen people were “extrajudicially executed.” 105 human rights violations by security officers were reported in two-thirds of the country’s states.[17]
President of Myanmar releases nearly 25,000 prisoners
Myanmar has an annual tradition of granting unconditional amnesty to prisoners at the New Year. President Win Myint pardoned 24,896 people today, including 87 foreigners. The coronavirus did not seem to affect the number, since about 23,000 people were released last year. “Myanmar has reported 85 cases and four deaths from the coronavirus.”[18]
Saudi Arabia’s youngest princess has been in prison for about a year
Princess Basmah bint Saud bin Abdulaziz al-Saud is a rights advocate that have been known for calling “for Saudi Arabia to become a constitutional monarchy, a change that would have separated the position of monarch from the country’s executive branch – a fundamental change to its current status of an absolute monarchy.” She also criticized Saudi Arabia’s involvement in the Yemen war. Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman has been silencing opposition under his absolute executive position. “In early March, Bin Nayef and the last remaining full brother of King Salman, Ahmad bin Abdul Aziz al-Saud were arrested in their homes and accused of plotting against the crown prince.” Princess Basmah plead for her freedom on Twitter today, marking a year in prison. She is detained with her daughter, and she, seeking medical attention for her critical condition, has been imprisoned without explanation.[19]
[2] “Civilians Killed as India and Pakistan Trade Heavy Artillery Fire in Kashmir.” The Globe and Mail, The Associated Press, 12 Apr. 2020, www.theglobeandmail.com/world/article-india-pakistan-troops-trade-heavy-fire-in-kashmir-three-killed.
[3] Embury-Dennis, Tom. “Locust Plague up to 20 Times Larger than Last Wave Could Devastate Parts of East Africa.” Independent, 11 Apr. 2020, www.independent.co.uk/news/world/africa/locust-plague-africa-somalia-kenya-ethiopia-east-africa-a9460816.html.
[4] “Yemen's Houthi Rebels Sentence Four Journalists to Death.” Al Jazeera, 11 Apr. 2020, www.aljazeera.com/news/2020/04/yemen-houthi-rebels-sentence-journalists-death-200411175244133.html.
[5] Kesslen, Ben. “ Deadly Tornadoes Rip through the South.” NBC News, 13 Apr. 2020, www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/least-11-dead-tornadoes-rip-through-south-n1182446.
[6] Naar, Ismaeel. “Egyptian Forces Exchange Fire with ‘Terrorist’ Group near Al-Amireya.” Al Arabiya, 14 Apr. 2020, english.alarabiya.net/en/News/middle-east/2020/04/14/Egypt-police-exchange-fire-with-terrorist-group-near-al-Amireya-Source.html.
[7] Grierson, Jamie, and Amy Walker. “Gangs Still Forcing Children into 'County Lines' Drug Trafficking.” The Guardian, 13 Apr. 2020, www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2020/apr/13/gangs-still-forcing-children-into-county-lines-drug-trafficking-police-covid-19-lockdown.
[8] “Ugandan Floating Island Causes National Power Cut.” BBC News, 14 Apr. 2020, www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-52286296.
[9] “Five Suspected ISIS Terror Cell Members Arrested in Germany: Prosecutor .” Al Arabiya, AFP, 15 Apr. 2020, english.alarabiya.net/en/News/world/2020/04/15/Five-suspected-ISIS-terror-cell-members-arrested-in-Germany-Prosecutor-.html.
[10] “DRC Says Army Killed 16 Codeco Militants in Eastern Part of Country.” BusinessDay, 6 Jan. 2020, www.businesslive.co.za/bd/world/africa/2020-01-06-drc-says-army-killed-16-codeco-militants-in-eastern-part-of-country/.
[11] Nigam, Aanchal. “DR Congo: 29 People Killed In Eastern Region In Two Attacks.” RepublicWorld.com, 15 Apr. 2020, www.republicworld.com/world-news/rest-of-the-world-news/dr-congo-29-people-killed-in-eastern-region-in-two-attacks-this-week.html.
[12] “Fuminho: One of Brazil's Most Wanted Criminals Arrested in Mozambique.” BBC News, 14 Apr. 2020, www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-52288303.
[13] Nakashima, Ellen, and Aaron Gregg. “Pentagon's Inspector General Finds No Evidence of Undue Influence in $10 Billion Cloud Computing Contract.” SFGate, The Washington Post, 15 Apr. 2020, www.sfgate.com/news/article/Pentagon-s-inspector-general-finds-no-evidence-of-15202939.php.
[14] Kim, Hyung-Jin. “North Korean Defector Wins South Korean Parliament Seat.” Times, AP, 16 Apr. 2020, time.com/5822422/north-south-korea-political-defector/.
[15] Ombuor, Rael, and Max Bearak. “Coronavirus: Kenya Police Kill at Least 12 People in Attempt to Enforce Curfew.” Independent, 16 Apr. 2020, www.independent.co.uk/news/world/africa/coronavirus-kenya-lockdown-curfew-police-brutality-deaths-a9468391.html.
[16] “60 Rohingya Died Abroad Vessel Drifting for Weeks, Say Survivors.” Dawn, AFP, 17 Apr. 2020, www.dawn.com/news/1549904/60.
[17] “Nigerian security forces kill 18 during curfew enforcement.” Al Jazeera, 16 Apr. 2020, https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2020/04/nigerian-security-forces-kill-18-curfew-enforcement-200416142503603.html.
[18] “Myanmar to free almost 25,000 prisoners in largest amnesty in years.” Reuters, 17 Apr. 2020, https://www.reuters.com/article/us-health-coronavirus-myanmar-prisoners-idUSKBN21Z0FR.
[19] Chulov, Martin. “Outspoken Saudi princess reveals that she is in prison.” The Guardian, 17 Apr. 2020, https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/apr/17/outspoken-saudi-princess-reveals-that-she-is-in-prison.
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