10 things that happened around the world this week you should know about

Dec 19 2017, 7:57 pm

The world continues to churn out political chaos, carry out fascinating research, produce dramatic technology and make discoveries every week, but it can be difficult to keep up with what’s happening everyday. Starting today, we’ll be bringing you a weekly roundup of what’s making the headlines in news, health, science and culture globally to keep you in the loop!

So be sure to check back every Friday for the top stories trending around the world! Here’s 10 things that happened outside of Vancouver over the past week that you should know about:

1. NATO summit in Wales calls for Russia to withdraw troops from Ukraine

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Said to be the most crucial NATO summit in decades, this Thursday saw a strong call for action to end the conflict that has killed more than 2,600 people to date in Ukraine. The summit has called on Russia to remove their troops from Ukraine and end the annexation of Crimea, threatening fresh sanctions from both the EU and the US against Russia on Friday. NATO has offered Poroshenko a 15 million euro package to assist with Ukraine’s security. Separately, Poroshenko has also expressed optimism that the scheduled talks in Minks on Friday with representatives from Moscow, Kiev and OSCE (Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe) will allow for a ceasefire agreement with the rebels.

Along with Ukraine, the top of the summit’s list is to focus on the future of Afghanistan and discuss how to deal with the rise of the Islamic State.

2. Joan Rivers passes away

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Image: Komo News

At the age of 81, one of the world’s most beloved female comedians passed away on Thursday. Best known for her standup routines and her stints on the E! Network, Rivers was a fresh face in a male-dominated arena when she burst on to the scene. After being hospitalized on August 28 for a cardiac arrest during a surgery on her vocal cords, Rivers was intensive care and passed away surrounded by family and friends.

3. Bus carrying 50 passengers swept away by flooding in India

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Image: AP Photo/Dar Yasin

In Kashmir, a bus carrying 50 wedding guests was swept away by a heavily flooded stream yesterday. To date, only one body has been found while four passengers were able to swim to safety. There has been increased difficulty accessing the site, as landslides and heavy rains have blocked paths to investigate the scene. The accident comes after a series of many others, which has disrupted the traditional wedding season due to the flooding being the worst in 22 years in the region.

4. World’s (possibly) biggest dinosaur uncovered in Argentina

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Fresh fossils in Argentina represent 70% of what might have been the world’s largest sauropod dinosaur, which is being called Dreadnoughtus schrani. The creature measures 26m from the head to tail, and weighs in at 60 tonnes – you can visualize its intimidating size as being two-thirds the size of a Boeing 737. What makes this discovery unique is the fact that a majority of the skeleton’s composition has been dug up, making the analysis of elements such as bone strength, blood pressure and digestion easier than before with regards to dinosaurs of this mass and size.

5. European Central Bank (ECB) cuts interest rates, again

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Image: Shuttershock

Following their already record-low levels, the ECB shocked analysts by announcing yet another cut in interest rates on Thursday and that they would soon start buying packages of bank loans in order to stimulate the economy. The rates were lowered from 0.15% to 0.05%, which will likely be too small a change to affect the market, but the new package deals will allow commercial banks in the eurozone to withdraw cheap four-year loans from the central bank – if they issue credit to businesses and households.

6. Four volcanoes around the world erupt

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Image: Oliver Bluett, AFP/Getty

Volcanoes in Papua New Guinea, Ecuador, Iceland and Indonesia have been shaking things up this week. Check out the photos in this gallery from the National Geographic.

7. Hospitalization for eating disorders has increased dramatically, says new report

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Image: Shuttershock

A new study this week says that the number of patients aged 10-19 being hospitalized for eating disorders from 2006-2007 to 2012-2013 has skyrocketed, with a 42 per cent increase in only the last two years and only a sharper incline expected.

8. Nigerians continue to flee from Boko Haram after seizure of Bama

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Boko Haram, the Nigerian Islamist militant group, carried out an attack on the northeastern town of Bama on Monday, and this has since led to 26,000 people to flee as Boko Haram quickly gained control. Witnesses say bodies still litter the ground, as the group patrolled the streets preventing people from burying the dead. When in the past the group has aimed to cause mayhem, analysts suggest their reason for gaining control “may be inspired by the Islamic State’s example of declaring a caliphate in Syria and Iraq.”

9. Google’s new drone may change the future of humanitarian relief

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Up until recently, Google’s Project Wing – being run at Google’s tech arm Google X – was a secret. In the long run, Google hopes that their drone will be used to deliver humanitarian relief after natural disasters, when access to certain areas may not be possible. In such an event, the drone would be able to deliver small items, such as medicines or batteries.

10. At least 18 people killed in twin Afghan car bombings

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Image: Al-Jazeera

In the past couple of months, the Taliban has been targeting government facilities in an effort to disrupt the presidential election, which the country is still grappling with due to the results being contested. This week, the terror continued as two car bombs that targeted local police and intelligence offices exploded in the city of Ghazni, south of Kabul. At least 18 people were killed, more than 130 others were injured and the fatalities include eight police officers, nine intelligence staff and a civilian.

 

Featured image: Oliver Bluett, AFP/Getty

DH Vancouver StaffDH Vancouver Staff

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