Hurricane Matthew hits Haiti
CNN reported that hurricane winds in southern Haiti reached up to 125 mph, destroying homes and flooding villages. Around 350,000 people were affected; 15,623 displaced people are living in shelters and almost 300 people are confirmed dead.
Pakistan passes legislation against honor killings
According to CNN, honor killings are now illegal in Pakistan under a new law. Pakistan’s prime minister, Muhammad Nawaz Sharif, was placed under pressure to indict those committing violence against women. A killing now leads to a minimum sentence of 25 years in jail, even if the murder is pardoned by the family.
Iraq prepares to end ISIS control
Reports from CNN state that living quarters are being brought in for the troops of Iraq’s 9th Armored Division to stay in Erbil, Iraq. This will be an improvised base as an assault is prepared to end ISIS control of the second largest city in Iraq.
Hundreds in India arrested for IRS scam
According to NPR, thousands of American taxpayers lost tens of millions of dollars to phone scammers posing as tax collectors. The scammers asked for the taxpayers’ names and proceeded to tell them they owed money from audit miscalculations and that police would come to arrest them if the payment was not made. Indian police questioned more than 700 and arrested over 70 suspects during their investigation of this scam.
Shortages in medicine lead to death in Venezuela
NPR reported that Venezuela currently suffers from a lack of food, water, electricity and medicine. Though Venezuela is going through an economic crisis, they currently refuse donations from other countries and turn back shipments from the U.S., keeping out all medicine.
