A wave of chronic kidney disease (CKD) is killing an extraordinary amount of sugar cane field workers in Central America. It’s so prevalent that communities are gaining nicknames like “The Island of Widows” as a result of the death tolls.
Chichigalpa, Nicaragua, a town roughly the size of Palo Alto, California, has seen the death rates from CKD increase five-fold in the last 20 years. It’s a pattern that has the extremely painful disease rising through El Salvador and Nicaragua. Continue reading →
Islamic terrorist organization Boko Haram set off a series of bombs in the northern Nigerian city of Maiduguri killing at least 10.
Lt. Col. Sagir Musa told the BBC that the attacks were aimed at the military’s task force within the city. Maiduguri has been considered the home base for Boko Haram operations. Continue reading →
Human Rights Watch has reported that Syrian government forces are dropping Russian-made cluster bombs on populated areas in an attempt to destroy rebel forces.
Cluster bombs are banned by 77 countries because of the threat they pose to civilian populations in war zones. For example, if a cluster bomb does not completely detonate upon impact, the remaining bombs can act as land mines and explode when picked up or stepped on. Continue reading →
Iran’s unwillingness to stop its race to create nuclear weapons has resulted in the European Union leveling more sanctions against the nation.
EU Foreign Ministers meeting in Luxembourg passed measures strengthening restrictions against banks, trade and gas exports. The actions were taken in an attempt to hamper the ways Iran has earned revenues for their nuclear program. Continue reading →
French police arrested 12 people in weekend raids resulting in the discovery of one of the biggest bomb plots in the nation in almost 20 years.
Prosecutors on Friday announced that one suspect was killed after firing on police officers. Five of those detained have been released but seven remain in custody including two that Paris prosecutor Francois Molins said had connections to an international Islamic Jihadist network. Continue reading →
A 15-year-old Canadian girl who posted a video plea on YouTube seeking help in her battle against cyber-bulling and stating she needed “somebody” killed herself Wednesday night in her home.
Amanda Todd had been fighting cyber-bulling since 7th grade. She was on an online video chat when someone flattered her into exposing herself. The person then captured the image and threatened to send it to her friends unless she “put on a show” for them. The person had her address, school and names of friends, family and school classmates. Continue reading →
A private group is opening the first abortion clinic in Northern Ireland.
Northern Ireland is not governed under the UK’s Abortion Law and the group will only be able to provide abortion services during the first nine weeks of pregnancy to comply with the country’s abortion laws.
Anti-abortion groups are calling for the group’s clinic to not be allowed to open. Continue reading →
The 2012 outbreak of West Nile Virus is only 20 cases away from topping 2006, the second worst year on record.
The Centers for Disease Control has officially confirmed 4,249 cases of West Nile virus this year. The number of deaths from the virus has risen to 168.
The record is 9,862 CDC confirmed cases in 2003. Continue reading →
Unemployment in Greece reached 1 in 4 adults for the first time in the nation’s history according to figures released today.
Greece’s statistical authority reported that the country lost 1,000 jobs a day over the last year. Over 1.26 million citizens were without a job in July. Government budget cuts and a deepening recession ahead for the next year was likely to increase that number. Continue reading →
In a major blow to Spain’s economy, ratings group Standard & Poor’s lowered the country’s credit rating to BBB-, one level above junk status, warning that other downgrades were possible.
The country is expected to be asking for a bailout in the midst of drastic spending cuts, tax increases and youth unemployment over 50%. Continue reading →