42 dead after earthquake hits Indonesia
Last Friday, at least 42 people were killed in a deadly earthquake in Indonesia. Hitting the island of Sulawesi with a magnitude of 6.2, the earthquake was the country’s third deadly disaster in a week, following an air-jet crash and a landslide. According to The New York Times, the earthquake damaged roads and bridges, flattened houses, a local hospital and set off various landslides. Over 600 people have been reported injured and officials expect the numbers of injuries and fatalities to rise as the efforts to recover individuals stuck beneath the rubble continue.
Prospects of Tokyo summer Olympic games appear uncertain
As COVID-19 cases have continued to rise in Japan and other nations across the globe, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) has begun to acknowledge that holding safe Olympic games might not be possible this summer. According to a Reuters report, Taro Kono, a member of Japan’s cabinet, claims the Games “could go either way.” The longest-serving IOC member, Dick Pound, has also voiced that there is no guarantee that the Games will continue as planned. If forced to cancel, it would be the first time since WWII that the Olympic games have been canceled.
Prime Minister of the Netherlands steps down
Prime Minister Mark Rutte and his entire cabinet stepped down last Friday after a parliamentary report concluded that tax authorities unfairly targeted poor families over child care benefits. According to The New York Times, Rutte and his cabinet will remain in control of the country until elections which are scheduled to take place in March. However, If his party wins, he could serve another term.
Pigeon spared from death row
A racing pigeon named Joe, after president-elect Joe Biden, was spared the death sentence after it showed up in Melbourne, Australia after flying away from a pigeon race in Oregon. Fearing the spread of germs from the foreign bird, Australian officials insisted on killing it, but when the story gained national attention online, they decided to let Joe live. While they are not sure how Joe got all the way from Oregon to Australia, their best guess is aboard a cargo ship.
Fiji to lead the UN Human Rights Council
Much to the chagrin of China, Russia and various other nations vying for the position, the Pacific island nation of Fiji won the election last Friday becoming the president of the United Nations’ top human rights body. The small island country with a record of support for human rights initiatives was supported by a secret ballot by 29 of the 47 members of the Human Rights Council, a body whose mission is to promote and protect human rights around the world.
