ISIS captures factory workers in Syria
On April 8, members of ISIS captured more than 300 workers from the cement company Al-Badiyeh in Damascus, Syria’s capital. A local official said he saw approximately 125 workers transported to suburban areas that are known for being controlled by ISIS. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported that 140 factory workers escaped the factory before the militants arrived. For more information, visit nytimes.com.
Only radiotherapy machine used to treat cancer patients in Uganda breaks
Thousands of people in Uganda are unable to receive cancer treatment after the only radiotherapy machine, stationed at Mulago Hospital in the country’s capital of Kampala, broke last week. Purchasing a new machine will cost the hospital $1.8 million. Approximately 44,000 people are referred to the hospital every year and approximately 75 percent of those referrals require radiotherapy, which is used to kill cancer cells. For more information, visit bbc.com.
China becomes leading country in annual executions
Amnesty International, a human rights group, announced that China is leading the world in the number of executions conducted each year. The group stated that, in 2015, the number of executions in the world increased by more than 50 percent from 2014. CNN reported that Amnesty does not publish the number of executions conducted by China due to concerns of the Chinese government’s manipulation of those statistics; however, they believe, according to information they received, that China’s number is in the thousands, as research group Death Penalty Worldwide cited there were more than 2,400 executions in China is 2014. For more information, visit CNN.com.
Suspects of Paris and Brussels terror attacks arrested
Mohamed Abrini and Osama Krayem, who are suspected of assisting the terrorists involved in the Paris attacks on Nov. 13 and Brussels attacks on March 22, were arrested April 8 by Belgian authorities. Abrini, who was the only remaining suspect of the Paris attacks, which left 130 people dead, was on the list of Europe’s most wanted and was classified as “armed and dangerous.” For more information, visit CNN.com.
Central African Republic locals accuse U.N. peacekeepers of rape
Senior U.N. official Jane Holl Lute traveled to the Central African Republic last week after locals accused U.N. peacekeepers and other non-U.N. officials of raping and abusing over 100 women, girls and boys. Allegations of rape and abuse have been casted since U.N. officials sent peacekeepers to the area two years ago in an attempt to promote peace after political violence became rampant. The U.N. published a report in December, explaining what happened in previous allegations of sexual assaults by peacekeepers in the area. For more information, visit CNN.com.
U.S. freelancer released from Syria
Kevin Dawes, a freelance photographer from the U.S., was released by the Syrian government last week after he was detained by the Syrian government in 2012. Dawes had traveled to Syria from Turkey, where he had worked as a medical aid worker. Officials say that although his detention in the country was not heavily-covered by the media, they believe his release is a good sign that Syria will release other freelance journalists, including Austin Tice, a former U.S. Marine who was kidnapped in Syria in 2012. For more information, visit washintonpost.com.
