The Ruminator

Unheralded stuff: 8 January 2014

• Lord Sutch
• 0
• Posted on January 8, 2014January 14, 2014

Here’s a collection of links to stories I haven’t noticed on Stuff or the Herald. Most of it is depressing because hey, we live in a depressing world. But there we go. Also, I realise this isn’t an ideal newswire because it’s what I consider important. You may have seen some of these. Or not:

Months after most of us seemed to stop caring, the first shipment of chemical weapons left Syria. They’re going on a boat that will sit in the middle of the ocean until the next shipment is ready to go. Once all 1300 tonnes have been collected a US ship will come along and neutralise the chemicals. Sounds like a Michael Bay film.

Up in northern Syria, a group calling themselves the Islamic State of Iraq and Levant has killed media activists, relief workers and other civilians that were held captive by the al-Qaeda-linked group.

2.2 million people. That’s about half the size of New Zealand. It’s also the number of people who are in desperate need of aid in Central African Republic where half of its population is homeless. Just stop and think about those numbers for a second. Meanwhile today’s Herald leads its world news with stories of a 27 foot wave for surfers. Come the fuck on.

There were 25 deaths in Iraq when the military conducted strikes on Ramadi. The capital of the western province. For context four people died in the Boston marathon bombing.

350 police officers were “purged” in Turkey in what seems to be a move to counter corruption.

JP Morgan is going to pay US$1.7 billion to victims of Ponzi master Bernie Madoff after it admitted it could have done a “better job”. That’s real big of you JP Morgan, but what about the rest of the world who you fucked over with the GFC and subprime mortgage issue?

A 10 year old girl was sent on a suicide mission in Afghanistan. She now claims that she was pressured into it. But she would say that wouldn’t she (actually she probably was. What the fuck Afghanistan?)?

Iran has agreed to talks with members of the EU that could result in it having a limited nuclear programme. They’ve made a lot of progress since that Mahmoud Ahmadinejad fella left office.

A group of journalists have staged a protest in Burma’s biggest city after one of their own was given a lengthy prison sentence. The reporter was doing a story into government corruption and must have pissed off the wrong people. Anyway, good on you Burmese journalists. You do that thing.

In Brazil, illegal land grabs are now being punished with some of these illegal settlers being evicted. The land in question is Amazonian and home to the Awa tribal group.

In Bangladesh, elections have been held that caused untold violence. Three people died yesterday, 18 people died on Sunday. For context, four people died in the Boston Marathon bombing.

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