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British Exit Could Send Ripple Effects across the entire Eurozone

Economists analyze the impact of a ‘Brexit’ on the U.K. and Eurozone.

As the British plan to hold a public vote over whether to remain in the E.U. this summer, economists analyze the possible impacts of a positive vote on the national and European economy.

In the meantime, Prime Minister David Cameron is preparing a series of talks with E.U. leaders, that may convince the British people to vote for the E.U. But E.U. officials said that negotiations with the British government were already hammered out, so a referendum is more than likely to take place later this year.

Official surveys show that there’s a 36 percent chance for Britons to say goodbye to the E.U. The figure was consistent with another report issued by a group which represents institutional investors.

Nevertheless, the risk of a ‘Brexit’ is not considered minor. So, shareholders should be ready for whichever outcome. Still, the Brexit will hit the U.K. the most, analysts believe, for at least three reasons.

First, the referendum may be followed by political instability, despite Cameron’s pledge that he would stay in office even after an exit. But that won’t last long because he had already announced that he is not interested to be reelected. Plus, Brexit supporters in the U.K. legislature are unlikely to allow Cameron negotiate details after the divorce.

Second, a positive vote would destabilize even more Northern Ireland, experts think, because of new restrictions such as limitation in the movement of goods and people. The Irish have said that EU membership brought peace to the region.

Third, a new trading agreement between the U.K. and E.U. should be negotiated in case of Brexit. It is unlikely that the E.U. will agree to make any concessions in case of a Brexit vote.

Plus, Cameron dismissed the possibility of a trading agreement similar to those applied to Switzerland and Norway because those agreements mean that the U.K. would have to allow E.U citizens to live and work in the country. And this right is the major reason Britons might vote to leave the E.U.

Experts also think that a Brexit may damage the country’s reputation among investors and the national currency. Yet, Brexit would certainly send ripple effects outside the country’s borders. Ireland would have to suffer the most because of low wages, inflation and weak exports, the Economic and Social Research Institute reports.

Experts also think that a Brexit could undermine E.U.’s cohesion and expose the European community to economic shocks triggered by non-eurozone countries.
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North Korea’s Top Negotiator Dies in Car Crash

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Kim Yang Gon, 73, died Wednesday in a car crash, a state-run news agency reported.

According to a state-run news organization, Kim Yang Gon, North Korea’s top negotiator died in car crash. The new agency declined to provide more details.

Kim Yang Gon, 73, was a key high-rank official who was in charge with handling the tense diplomatic relationships with South Korea for years. The report comes after a series of other incidents involving high-ranking officials who died in similar circumstances.

Kim Yang Gon was in office since the time of former North Korean leader Kim Jong Il, who died in Dec. 2011. The official’s death was revealed Wednesday by the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA).

In August, Kim Yang Gon managed to restore peace between the two countries after an armed conflict at the border. He ran the governmental department that handles peace negotiations and other issues with South Korea.

Kim was especially popular at Pyongyang and one of the most trusted men of the current leader Kim Jong Un and his family. People who knew him said that he was very close to Kim.

Nevertheless, when people hear about the death of a top official in North Korea, they suspect that the government done it. Many politicians were either purged in ‘accidents’ ot bluntly executed. For instance, Kim Jong Un ordered his own uncle execution a couple of years ago, and the media called the deceased a “human scum” and other unflattering descriptions.

As for Kim Yang Gon, the state-run media used a totally different wording praising him on every occasion. KCNA called the official “closest comrade-in-arms” to the current leader, who played a huge role in the communist revolution.

The government ordered a state funeral where only high-ranking officials were invited. Mourners were also invited to pay homage to the great man. But some political analysts see Kim Yang Gon’s death circumstances at least ‘suspicious.’

Han Park of the University of Georgia where he teaches international relations recalls that the man before Kim Yang Gon in office also died in a car crash. Park is especially interested in North Korea, and managed to negotiate the release of two U.S. journalists from the country six years ago.

But Park cannot envision that between Kim Yang Gon and the supreme could have been a disagreement. Nevertheless, he underscored that many top officials died in traffic accidents.

And this is all the more puzzling since high-ranking officials have a tight security when they travel around the country. Most of the times, streets are cleared beforehand to allow them to pass in safety. Still, this is why many top officials loved to speed. So, theoretically, accidents can happen.
Image Source: India Times

Out-of-the-Ordinary Christmas Traditions You Probably Never Heard Of

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In Norway, you need to do the cleaning before Christmas Eve because brooms and other cleaning tools are hidden for fear that witches and evil spirits might steal them. For this purpose, men fire their guns to chase them away. In some parts of Norway, people light a candle every night through New Year’s Day. But the most famous Norwegian Christmas tradition is related to a huge Christmas tree that the country gives to the United Kingdom and the British light it up in the Trafalgar Square. The tradition is a reminder of the help British people gave to Norwegians during World War 2.

Couple gazing at the famed Christmas Tree in Trafalgar Square on an ordinary-for-this-season rainy day in London.

In Ireland, some people leave slices of traditional pie and alcoholic beverages for Santa Claus on Christmas Eve. In some parts of the country, on Christmas Eve, people light up a tall candle at a window shortly after sunset to help Mary and Joseph find their way.

In Sweden, authorities in Gävle have been building a gigantic straw goat to mark the start of the Advent ever since the mid-1970s. The goat is made of straw to remind people that baby Jesus came to the world in a humble manger. It takes two days to assemble the goat, and vandals seek all opportunities to burn it down before Christmas Day. Some of them pose as Santas to trick guardians and allow to get near the goat. The straw monument made it to Christmas Day only ten times in 50 years.

The Swedish straw goat in Gävle.

In Russia, Serbia, Ethiopia, Egypt and Ukraine, Christians celebrate Christmas 13 days later, on Jan. 7. This is because the Orthodox Church in these countries never adopted the Gregorian Calendar introduced by Pope Gregory in 1582. People there along with all Orthodox Christians in the world do not consume meat, eggs or diary products for 40 days before Christmas. The tradition is a remembrance of the 40-day-and-40-night-long fast of Moses before receiving the tablets with the Ten Commandments from God. The fasting period is accompanied by prayers, charity, cleansing of the soul within the Church, as believers strive to make their hearts a proper place for child Jesus to be born.

In Venezuela, authorities in the capital city close down main roads after 08:00 a.m. to allow people to roller skate their way to early church services.

In Japan, Christmas is not an official holiday, so expect to see stores open and people going to work or school. But in a recent tradition, families gather on Christmas Day to have dinner at KFC or they place orders for the famous fried chicken in advance. Traditionally, the Japanese eat a sponge cake on Christmas.

Japanese Christmas cakes on display.

In Greenland, people put a bright star in their home’s windows, as during that time of the year the sun never rises. Greenland also doesn’t have any Christmas trees so the country has to get them from Denmark. The trees are usually decorated on Dec. 23. On Christmas Day, families gather to eat the traditional kiviak, which is raw meat from a polar bird that was buried wrapped in sealskin for seven months and left to decompose. Although it may sound gross to some of us, the kiviak is a very popular food among the Inuit people.

In Slovakia, on Christmas Eve, the family gathers for dinner and the father takes a hearty spoon of a traditional dish and throws the food up at the ceiling. The larger the amount of the mixture sticks to it, the richer the family would be next year. Moreover, the traditional Christmas meal in Slovakia has a dozen of main dishes that symbolize the 12 Apostles.

Image Source: Pixabay.com , Geograph.org.uk , Wikipedia.org, and Amoeba.com

UN: Weather-related Disasters Killed 606,000 People, left 4 Billion Homeless

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According to a recent United Nations report, weather-related disasters killed more than 600,000 people and left over 4 billion homeless worldwide in the last two decades. The report also shows that extreme weather may have triggered 90 percent of all natural disasters on the planet.

The report, which was released Monday, shows that extreme temperatures, floods, hurricanes, droughts and other extreme-weather events affected thousands of communities prompting for international aid and rescue.

UN investigators estimate for the last decade there were 335 annual weather-related disasters, which represents a 14 percent hike from an earlier decade and almost double the number of such events recorded in the late 1980s and early 1990s.

Nevertheless, researchers acknowledged that they weren’t able to calculate how many of those events were directly associated with climate change. But they expect the upward trend to continue for the next decade, as well.

Though the report is not focused on climate change, the UN found that atmospheric greenhouse gas levels rose to record breaking levels in the last three decades.

UN investigators explained that a natural disaster needs to meet at least one of four criteria to be deemed so: (1) it must result in at least 10 casualties, (2) over 100 people need to be affected, (3) the event needs to be serious enough for authorities to declare a state of emergency or (4) call for international disaster relief.

Nearly half of these disastrous events were caused by flooding, UN report shows. Floods were tied to 157,000 deaths and nearly 3 billion people affected in the last two decades. About 95 percent of people affected by floods are located in Asia.

Researchers explained that Asia is more exposed to flooding because of its complex hydrological system and its vast and varied territory.

Debarati Guha-Sapir, a co-author of the UN report and a disaster management expert at the UCL University in Louvain’s Centre for Research on the Epidemiology of Disasters in Belgium, declined to link floods worldwide to global warming.

“Whether it’s increasing due to global warming, I think it’s safe to say the jury’s out on that,”

said Guha-Sapir.

He noted that floods do increase worldwide and we should stop focusing on ‘ifs and whys’ and start taking action to manage floods and extreme weather events in our communities.

The UN report was released a week before the climate meeting in Paris, which is expected to bring long-term solutions to an ever warming planet.
Image Source: Pixabay

The United Nations Celebrates 70 Years Today

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The United Nations celebrates 70 years today and landmarks around the world are being lighted in blue to mark this special event.

Among them, the Maracana Stadium in Rio de Janeiro, the Opera House of Sydney or the ancient city of Petra, Jordan. Many more landmark buildings, as well as landscapes will be bathed in blue light to commemorate UN Day and the 70th celebration. A 300 landmarks list has been published on the occasion and it can be found on the United Nations website.

With the blue flag bringing hope in the world, the United Nations is the most active promoter of human rights, peace and development. United Nations Secretary General, Mr. Ban Ki-moon stated in front of the General Assembly:

“By turning the world United Nations Blue for a day, we can light the way to a better tomorrow”.

All 193 states represented in the General Assembly have declared their commitment to the UN Charter and the UN aims once more in light of the 70th celebration of the United Nations. The resolution was adopted by consensus, a rare feat in the UN body.

Reaffirming the commitment to ‘we the peoples’, the Charter signals every government’s commitment to the eradicating poverty, bringing forth the efforts to help the marginalized and vulnerable and development around the world.

During the same speech in front of the United Nations General Assembly, the Secretary General referred back to his experience in South Korea and the United Nations making it better.

“I know first-hand the power and the value of the UN blue. When war came to Korea, I lost my home, my school, all I knew. But help came, bearing the United Nations flag.”

The United Nations blue flag is the symbol of hope for millions of people worldwide. The relentless and sustained efforts of the United Nations bodies have pushed the Millennium Development Goals forth. A new agenda has been set in place, acknowledging that the work is not done.

The United Nations celebrates 70 years today. In light of this celebration, Mr. Ban Ki-moon declared that in order to curb conflict, despair and oppression, the United Nations is as necessary as ever.

Photo Credits: Flickr

After Chernobyl Exploded, Nature Took Over

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After Chernobyl Exploded, Nature Took Over

The area known as Chernobyl has been abandoned for decades, ever since 1986, but Tom Hinton wanted to see the area for what it is today and we cannot say he want disappointed. After Chernobyl exploded, nature took over and a land that was inhabited by people years ago is now the playground for hungry wolves the dancing darkness of the night.

Hinton described his experience as a “primordial” one. He felt things that humans have not been able to feel for hundreds, or maybe thousands of years. Out there, in a world destroyed by human pride, nature took such a firm grip that you would never want to go there ever again. It is as if you will go there and it will claim you as punishment for the destruction that humanity caused.

Hinton wanted to see how far the region of Chernobyl had changed ever since the reactor’s explosion, so he went to the abandoned area, somewhere close to the Belarus-Ukraine border. People have not been around there for many years, so the howling of the wolves was also intensified by the feeling that, if you are out there, you are truly alone.

In 1986, when the reactor exploded, many people’s lives ended and for those who had lost their loved ones, the end of the world had come. Chernobyl pushed people away from across 1,600 square miles in both Ukraine and Belarus. People wanted to get out of death’s way, a death caused by one man who valued his pride above the lives of thousands.

That world is changed now, with concrete buildings that that feel like paper, waiting to fall off at any moment. Vegetation sprung all over and many animals inhabit the area, ranging from long-legged elks to wolves. After Chernobyl exploded, nature took over and it seems like there is not going to be much change in that anytime soon.

Chernobyl serves as an example as to why the communist regimes were a complete failure and how only knowledgeable people should be appointed for delicate matters. Communism favored nepotism and the knowledge that anyone can do something right. Thus, anybody can run a nuclear test and try to see what comes of it. Wrong. Years later, nature claimed what man failed to protect.

Photo Credits wikimedia.org

YouTube Subscriptions: The Ad-free Sub

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Everybody is trying to get their hands on information that would benefit them and show the world a new are of YouTube subscriptions: the ad-free sub.

YouTube Subscriptions: The Ad-free Sub

The wild hunt for YouTube’s ad-free subscription is on. Everybody is trying to get their hands on information that would benefit them and show the world a new are of YouTube subscriptions: the ad-free sub. After years of having to use adblock, we can finally enjoy some YouTube videos without having ads blocking them from every direction.

A good number of YouTube users have been asking for this for years, partly because of the annoyance that the ads brought and party because of the sheer psychological pressure that marketing is putting on them. You see some super advertised product 100 times, you give in and buying after having lied to yourself that you actually need it, then you end up not using it at all.

People are getting smarter and they realize that they don’t want to spend all of their money on things advertised on the internet, so the logic is very simple: I want to be able to see some YouTube videos, or listen to some music, so instead of paying $100 on some product I see on the internet every month, why not give YouTube $10 and I won’t see anything annoying ever again?

Yes, that’s right, the new YouTube subscription is going to be called YouTube Red and it is going to cost $10 every month, courtesy to some of our people who have researched the information. We are talking about the end of all ads and a bright new feature for our eyes whenever we will access YouTube.

Everything started earlier this year, once YouTube started emailing channel owners, more commonly known as YouTube Partner Program members, in order to ask them to agree with the terms to come. Their deadline is on the 22^nd of October and, unless they agree with the new terms and services, their monetized videos are going to be switched to private until they do so.

Well played YouTube. We can all see that they mean business and they are not giving people who are making money from YouTube much of a chance.

While we are not certain that October 22^nd is the release date of YouTube Red, we can definitely expect some good news prior to this date. So you can all calmly put all the money away, because YouTube is making sure that we will never have to deal with ads ever again. It has come a long way, but we are finally proud that the ad era is slowly, but surely, coming to an end.

Photo Credits blouinnews.com

U.N.: Death Rate of Children under Age 5 Cut by 53%

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The chances of a child to die in his or her first five years were reduced to a half in the past 25 years, a recent UN report shows. Nevertheless, another long-term U.N. goal was missed by a wide margin.

U.N. researchers explained that children in developing countries are at the highest risk of dying in their first month. The U.N. report was a collaboration of the United Nations with the World Health Organization (WHO) and World Bank.

Flavia Bustreo of the WHO believes that the figures can be improved and child mortality can get further down if world leaders could find new ways of preventing neonatal mortality.

WHO researchers think that the best solutions should focus on prevention. Newborns should have a pediatrician around that can train parents on how to better take care of their babies and can prevent silent killers including severe sepsis and asphyxia.

Breastfeeding should also be encouraged and early vaccinations for common diseases, WHO scientists also suggested.

The recent report is a valuable document for the incoming meeting of world leaders in New York by the end of the month. Attendees are expected to discuss and negotiate the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), a new long-term and multi-phase plan designed to tackle worldwide poverty.

SDGs will be adopted gradually during the next 15 years and are expected to be a continuation of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) which were set in place 25 years ago and are slated to expire this year.

One MDG said child death rate in the first five years should be reduced by two-thirds by 2015. So far, the rate was trimmed by 53 percent, the recent U.N. report shows. Geeta Rao Gupta, head of the United Nations’ arm fighting for children rights’ worldwide (UNICEF) said that the recent report shows the organization made a tremendous progress in reducing child mortality.

Yet, Gupta added that the number of children under five who die from perfectly preventable causes is still too high. Gupta believes that redoubling efforts should reduce the mortality rate even more.

The main cause children fail to reach their fifth year of life is malnutrition, the U.N. said. But the good news is that the mortality rate of these children is falling at a faster pace than it did between 1990 and 2000.

According to the recently published U.N. report, children in sub-Saharan Africa have a 12 fold risk of dying before they are 5 years old than those in the Western world. On the other hand many poor states in Africa reached the two-thirds target. The report also shows that 16,000 children under age 5 die every day across the world.

Image Source: Wikipedia

Myanmar President Urges Irrawaddy Delta Residents to Seek Shelter

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Myanmar President Urges Irrawaddy Delta Residents to Seek Shelter as the Floods are Rapidly Taking Over the Region

Thein Sein, Myanmar President, asked residents in the Irrawaddy Delta to evacuate to safe shelter amidst alarmingly rising river levels and floods burdening the region.

The embankments in the Irrawaddy Delta face the greatest threat, as the low-lying areas are most predisposed to rivers overflowing here as their levels rise.

The Irrawaddy Delta is home to approximately 6.2 million people or 12 percent of the country’s population. As the monsoon that heavily hit Southeast Asia recently displaced millions, this new internal displacement adds to the number of victims.

So far, Yangon is not under threat of the disastrous floods, albeit being located next to the Delta. As of yet, Myanmar’s Ministry of Social Welfare, Relief and Resettlement announced that 81 lives have been lost as the heavy rains prompter rivers to overflow and flood the Irrawaddy Delta.

A total of four areas are declared disaster zones as the floods take head across Myanmar. International relief efforts have been stepped up, with the U.S. announcing that an aid package is prepared to help the victims of the flooding.

Amidst the natural disaster taking hold of Myanmar, political tensions intensify as well. The leader of the Myanmar opposition, Aung San Suu Kyi declared that the monsoon and the floods that heavily impacted Myanmar residents could be used as an excuse to bypass the general election set for November.

In a parallel with the aftermath of the 2008 Nargis Cyclone, when Myanmar’s constitution was written under military supervision, thus enabling the overreaching attributions of the military in the governmental affairs of the country, the Nobel Peace Prize laureate warned that the scenario could replay itself, albeit under different circumstances.

The 2008 Cyclone Nargis was reported to have killed 140,000 people and displaced hundreds of thousands as well. In an atmosphere of confusion, the military-drafted constitution was confirmed, albeit many independent reports question the results of the voting and the procedure.

However, even the fact that Myanmar called out for international help to cope with the effects of the natural disaster is a step away from the situation in 2008.

However, Aung San Suu Kyi stated in a Facebook video:

“Generous donations which are uncoordinated tend to go astray or to prove less effective than they might be if they were part of a well laid plan”.

The Irrawaddy Delta is not only home to 12 percent of Myanmar’s population, but also the rice producing hub of the country. The Secretary of the Myanmar Rice Federation, Soe Tun declared that so far, the rice production hasn’t been affected by flooding.

180 acres of the Ayeyarwady paddy were destroyed, while 101,000 acres were flooded, according to Myanmar’s Ministry of Agriculture and Irrigation.

Photo Credits: asiapacific.anu.edu.au

Pope Francis Signs Resignation of U.S. Bishops Accused of Sexual Abuse Cover Up

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Archbishop John Nienstedt and Auxiliary Bishop Lee Piche of St Paul and Minneapolis

After years of sexual abuse allegations, the Catholic Church is finally taking serious action against churchmen in high positions around the world.

Cover-ups and sex-related scandals are no longer swept under the rug by the Catholic Church in a new brave attempt by leader Pope Francis to bring justice to victims of clergy sex abuse.

The archbishop and deputy archbishop of St. Paul and Minneapolis have been laid off duty by Pope Francis since Monday following the prosecution charged the archdiocese for failing to protect children and covering up the unspeakable conduct of one of the priests of the archdiocese.

The two accused are John Nienstedt, the Archbishop of St. Paul and Minneapolis and his Auxiliary Bishop, Lee Anthony Piche.

A separate case sees the Vatican indicting the former ambassador to the Dominican Republic on accusations of child pornoghraphy, child prostitution and sexual misconduct.

All of these cases will be also be in the attention of the new Vatican tribunal installed by Pope Francis to specifically address the issues of child sexual abuse in any manner by Catholic clergy around the world.

In the case of the archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis, the canon law was invoked to let the two men resign due to ‘grave’ motives that do not allow them to keep office any longer. These ‘grave’ motives are in fact the prosecution’s case against the two former high-position clergymen stating that they fully ignored and covered up the reports of one priest having molested children.

While the name of the priest of the archdiocese was not unveiled for the press, it is known that currently he is charged with the sexual abuse of two boys.

The current developments have been sourced by Mrs. Jennifer Haselberger who worked as an archivist for the Archbishop of St. Paul and Minneapolis. She was labeled a whistleblower when she revealed to the public the intricate system through which records of complaints directed at certain individuals who allegedly abused minors sexually were hidden and then made lost along with backgrounds.

This came in stark contrast to demands coming from the U.S. Bishop for this type of behavior to no longer be tolerated.

Former diocesan canon-lawyer, Mrs. Haselberger stated at the time of her revelations that she had warned Nienstedt about all the risks brought about by sweeping records under the carpet and ignoring calls for justice. The result was her slowly being pushed out until she eventually resigned.

But that was just the beginning of the story. With the public’s attention caught by the Haselberger’s allegations, Archbishop Nienstedt was drawn into the ensuing scandal. He was accused of sexual misconduct himself, but refused at the time to step down.

Now, both the Archbishop and Auxiliary Archbishop of St. Paul and Minneapolis were relieved of duties by Pope Francis after invoking the diocesan canon-law and without clear indications as to what the grave reasons could be.

This leaves an open question as to whether the two could be trialled by the upcoming Vatican court since they are no longer members of the Catholic clergy.

An even more powerful case is that of former Vatican ambassador to the Dominican Republic. The start of July will see the trial of Jozef Wesolowski in the Vatican court on charges of child sexual abuse, possession of child pornography, and child prostitution.

Wesolowski is 66 years old and is the highest ranking official of the Vatican to be arrested for sexual abuse charges involving minors. During his time as papal nuncio in the Dominican Republic, Wesolowski was reported to be seen walking around the beaches in civilian attire, looking to pick up the child prostitutes on the shores.

When he was recalled in Rome in August 2013 the Vatican did not give details for his removal. In January 2014, it was announced that Jozef Wesolowski will be trialed in the criminal court of Vatican for child abuse and pedophilia.

The evidence to the case is overwhelming. Over 100,000 files on the personal laptop showcasing disturbing images and videos of children and young teens between 13 and 17 involved in sexual relations with either adults or with each other.

The criminal trial is not only conducted in the Vatican Court. Jozef Wesolowski is facing the same charges in the Dominican Republic and in Poland. He was defrocked in June 2014 and now awaits his trial.

All these cases are just a step forward to curbing the worrying practices within the Catholic church, that seem to surface more and more. Hopefully, efforts to bring clergymen in the face of justice are just beginning will pick up the pace in the years to follow.

Image Source: Catholic Herald

U.S. Citizen Dies in Lion Attack in Lion Park, South Africa

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A female American citizen is reported to have died in the Johannesburg Lion Park following a lion attack.

So far, the name of the American citizen has not been released for publicity, yet numerous accounts are signaling the same happening.

The United States Embassy located in Johannesburg has received the news from officials of the Lion Park. Scott Simpson, operations manager in the Lion Park also confirmed the gruesome news.

It seems that the woman was accompanied by another person in their car trip across the park, enjoying the adventure. However, they might have failed to strictly uphold the safety policy of the park and left the windows of the cars open.

It was reported that a lion managed to get in, drag the woman out of the car and injure the driver who tried to push it away.

The woman who seems to have been in her 40s was severely injured. Witnesses immediately called the emergency services, hoping to save the woman’s life. Unfortunately, by the time they arrived, the victim had already passed at approximately 2:30 PM.

Mr. Simpson declared that:

“They had their windows all the way down, which is strictly against policy. The lion bit the lady through the window. Unfortunately, she did pass away”.

Following the incident the lion that provoked the woman’s death is now found in an enclosure. That is not to say that such incidents are of common place in the Lion Park.

Furthermore, venturing against the safety recommendations of the park, which are visibly attached everywhere around the area may lead to unintended consequences.

The United States Embassy that has been announced of the incident is ready to offer all needed assistance for repatriation of the body and other legal matters that need to be taken into account.

The South Africa Lion Park is a renowned tourist destination looking to take a glance at wildlife from the comfort of their cars. Lion cubs may be petted by visitors in specially arranged enclosures, yet some safety measures are recommended otherwise.

Earlier in 2015 it was reported that another Australian tourist this time was attacked by a lion while also driving with lowered windows. He was lucky enough and simply got a few scratches and a video to brag with on social media.

Image Source: rudijeggle.co.za

Pakistan Sentences 10 Men to Life in Attack on Nobel Prize Winner Malala Yousafzai

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A Pakistani tribunal Thursday sentenced 10 men to life in prison for their role in a 2012 assassination attempt on education activist and Nobel winner Malala Yousafzai.

“They have received life sentences for the Malala case, but there is further legal action ongoing against them too so their jail terms may be enhanced,” explained one lawyer who was involved in the case.

Life imprisonment is equivalent to 25 years in prison in Pakistan. Lawyers and government officials did not provided details about the sentencing, or if other legal action has been taken against the men, who have the right to make an appeal to the court.

Ms. Yousafzai, 17 years old, became famous worldwide after writing an online diary in which she told her experience with the Pakistani Taliban, who had controlled, between 2007 and 2008, much of the Swat valley, where she was born and lived. Her views on Taliban policies, especially their banning of girls’ education, stirred the group’s anger. The Taliban labeled her an enemy of Islam and a Western puppet.

In October 2012, Malala Yousafzai was on going home after school when two gunmen forced the school van to stop, and then shot her in the head. Two other girls were wounded. Malala was 15 years old at the time, but already an important figure in Pakistan because of her fight for women’s rights and education.

Ms. Yousafzai was kept alive by military doctors in Pakistan. After that, she was flown to the United Kingdom in order to receive treatment and she stayed in the country.

The Taliban were pushed out of Swat, once a tourist attraction in northwestern Pakistan, after a military operation in 2009. Militants continue to target community leaders whom they believe are collaborating with the government.

Lawyers in Mingora, the main city in the Swat valley, said the Pakistani Taliban chief is still wanted in connection with the assassination attempt on Ms. Yousafzai.

Pakistan’s army announced in September last year it arrested the 10 alleged militants which were accused of taking part in the attack on Ms. Yousafzai. A Taliban spokesperson rejected the military’s announcement, adding only three fighters were involved. The Pakistani Taliban have mentioned they would try again to kill Ms. Yousafzai.

For her campaign for girls’ education, Ms. Yousafzai received the Nobel Peace Prize last year, an award she shared with Indian children’s rights campaigner Kailash Satyarthi.

Image Source: International Business Times

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