Second-largest diamond discovered in Botswana
The Lucara Diamond firm reportedly found the second-largest gem quality diamond in company mines in Botswana, a south African country between Namibia and Zimbabwe. The 1,111-karat diamond, called the Karowe AK6 after the mine in which it was found, is the largest diamond to be found in Botswana and the largest find in 110 years. The largest diamond in the world, a 3,106-karat gem, was discovered in South Africa in 1905. It was cut into nine smaller gems, some of which are the British Crown Jewels. Two other large karat diamonds were found in the same mine, one gem 813 karats and the other 374 karats. Botswana is the world leader in diamond mining and exports.
Scotland Yard’s Crime Museum opens to the public
Home to Scotland Yard’s crime artifacts, from a spade used to bury a murder victim to the revolver of the last woman to be executed in the U.K., the Crime Museum opened to the public after more than 140 years. The museum, founded in the 1870s to educate police recruits, contains weapons and other evidence from high-profile cases from as late as the 1820s. Only law enforcement officials were allowed to use the then-private museum. Exhibits include the medicine case of poisoner and Jack the Ripper suspect Dr. Neil Cream and the tools used by the 1949 acid bath murderer, as well as the nooses used to hang criminals. The more disturbing parts of the collection, such as human remains, will not be on display.
Study shows that more Mexicans leaving U.S. than entering
A study conducted by Pew Research Center, a nonpartisan group based in Washington D.C., found that one million Mexicans returned to Mexico from the U.S., while only 870,000 Mexicans migrated to the U.S. Uneven economic recovery is cited as the reason for the net loss of 140,000 people. The research group found that existing border controls have made it difficult for Mexicans to illegally cross the border. While the U.S. has increased efforts to deport illegal immigrants, the study showed that the majority of Mexicans returned of their own accord, and the most common reason for returning to Mexico was to reunite with family.
90 killed in Myanmar landslide
On Nov.22, at least 90 people were killed in a landslide at a jade mine in Kachin state in northern Myanmar, according to witnesses. A pile of dumped waste material from the mining company collapsed, burying the victims. A state-run newspaper reported that many of the victims were asleep at home when they were buried by the landside. At the time of the landslide, dozens were reportedly missing. Local community groups, the army, the police and the Myanmar Red Cross undertook rescue operations.
Largest Austrian state powered completely by renewable resources
Lower Austria, the largest of Austria’s nine states, announced that all of its electricity is produced by renewable resources. The state invested $3 billion in solar, wind and biomass power plants to replace fossil fuel plants, which were all closed. It also refurbished the Danube River hydroelectric stations, which produce two-thirds of the state’s electricity. With 38,000 green jobs created since 2002, the state has a goal of 50,000 new jobs by 2030. In total, Austria produces three-fourths of its electricity from renewable resources.
Colombian government to pardon 30 FARC prisoners
The Colombian government said in a statement that it would release 30 FARC guerrillas serving time for minor crimes from prisons across the country. The government said the decision was made to set a peaceful tone with the leftist rebel group. FARC, or the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, has been in contention with the Colombian government since 1964. The two sides formally initiated peace talks last September when Colombian president Miguel Santos and FARC chief Rodrigo Londoño, also known as Timochenko, agreed to sign a final peace deal by March 2016.
Solar thermal plant to give electricity to one million Moroccans
The plant in Ouarzazate, capital of Ouarzazate Province in south-central Morocco, will use the sun’s warmth to melt salt, which will retain enough heat to power steam turbines and generate electricity for the entire city. Arabian Company for Water and Power Development, or ACWA Power is running the project and said the plant’s mirrors will move and track the sun throughout the day, optimizing the amount of solar heat captured. The plant is just one part of the country’s plan to generate 42 percent of its energy with renewable resources by 2020 and will be one of the world’s largest solar plants with an area of approximately 45 square miles, the size of the country’s capital, Rabat.
