Sunday, August 25, 2013

57 Buildings Burnt Down in Myanmar Riot

Over a thousand Buddhists rampaged through Htan Gone, Myanmar, over Saturday night and into Sunday morning.

It began Saturday afternoon when a Muslim man was arrested for attempting to sexually assault a young woman.

A mob gathered and demanded that the police give the man to them.

When the police refused, the mob began burning Muslim buildings.

They continued through the night, until security forces showed up, fired shots into the air, and dispersed the mob.

In the wake of the riot forty-two homes and fifteen shops had burnt down.

Luckily, no injuries were reported due to the events.

Saturday, August 24, 2013

3 UN Peacekeepers Wounded in Congo

Three UN peacekeepers have been injured in the latest fighting in Congo.

M23 rebels renewed the fighting on Wednesday.

Since then UN and Congo forces have exchanged artillery fire with the rebels.

UN helicopters have also gone on the offensive against rebel positions near Goma.

The fighting has killed six civilians and an unknown number of rebels.

Congo accuses Rwanda of aiding the rebels, not just financially, but this time with actual troops.

Rwanda denies the accusations of sending troops.

Over 1000 Dead, 3600 Suffering After Chemical Weapon Attack in Syria

There is no doubt that a chemical weapons attack occurred in Damascus, Syria, on Wednesday. Even Iran now admits that it happened.

Over one thousand people died from the use of some sort of chemical weapons, while more than thirty-six hundred have been treated for symptoms.

What is in question is who committed the atrocity.

Rebel forces blame the government, who in turn accuse the rebels of the act.

Syria's government is known to have a stock pile of the weapons, while the rebels terrorist members likely have them available as well.

It is also possible that weapons belonging to the government fell into the hands of rebel forces.

The UN is attempting to investigate the area, but is very unlikely that any conclusive proof will be found.

Both sides will be doing all they can not to seem guilty, but also working to make the other look responsible.

Friday, August 23, 2013

Bales Sentenced to Life in Prison Without Parole

Robert Bales, who murdered twenty-two people, in an Afghanistan village, on March 11, 2012, was sentenced on Friday.

He was given the maximum sentence of life in prison with a chance for parole.

In June he plead guilty to avoid the death penalty.

Bales showed no emotion while the verdict was read at Joint Base Lewis-McChord.

Family members, of those who had been killed, had flown from Afghanistan for the trial and sentencing.

They were severely disappointed in the lack of a death sentence, saying that it was not justice.

Washington Police Issue Manhunt for Murderer of 88 Year Old Veteran

Police in Spokane, Washington are looking for sixteen year old Kenan Adams-Kinard, on charges of first degree murder.

He and another youth were caught, on surveillance tape, beating an eighty-eight year old WWI vet to death.

The other sixteen year old was arrested on Thursday, but has not been cooperating with police.

Authorities do not normally release information when the suspects are below eighteen, but felt the severity of the crime warranted the release.

No description, beyond the photo, has been released.

Anyone with information should call the Spokane Police Department at 509-755-2677.

He was found and arrested early in the morning on August 26.

Rim Fire Burning More Than 106,000 Acres in California

The Rim Fire exploded in growth, Thursday night and Friday morning, and has now burnt over one hundred and six thousand acres, in California.

Eleven thousand of those acres in Yosemite National Park, but in a mostly unused part of it.

Twenty-two hundred fire fighters are battling the blaze, which is only two percent contained.

One firefighter has been injured battling the blaze, which has destroyed sixteen buildings and threatens nearly five thousand homes.

Concerns are extremely high that the fire will continue to grow, as it's size allows it to create it's own wind and weather patterns.

Smoke and ash are causing air and breathing problems for Reno and Tahoe.

As for Yosemite, it remains open as most of the tourist areas are more than twenty miles from the flames and winds are pushing the smoke and ash in other directions.

The fire's explosive growth could see it made the top priority in the country.

Hasan Found Guilty

Nidal Malik Hasan was found guilty of killing thirteen people during a shooting rampage at Fort Hood, Texas, on November 5, 2009.

Friday's verdict found him guilty on thirteen counts of murder and thirty-two counts of attempted murder.

His trial now moves to the sentencing phase, where he very likely could see the death sentence for his crimes.

Hasan had made no effort to mount a defense, even stating that he committed the murders as an act of war against the US.

28 Army Reservists Injured in North Carolina Bus Accident

Twenty-eight Army reservists were injured in a bus crash in North Carolina.

Friday afternoon the bus slipped off the road while trying to make a turn and ended up on it's side.

One of the reservists was seriously injured, requiring a helicopter to fly in for a medevac.

Forty-five soldiers were aboard the bus, when the accident occurred, on their way from Charlotte Douglas International Airport back to base in Salisbury.

3 Missing After Helicopter Crashes off Shetland Coast

A helicopter crashed off the Shetland coast of the UK, on Friday.

Eighteen people were aboard when the Super Puma L2 suddenly lost all power, near the islands north of Scotland.

Three of those are still missing, while the other fifteen all received injuries, seven of them serious.

Several boats and three helicopters searched into Friday night, looking for the three missing men.

42 Killed in Explosions at Mosques in Lebanon

Soldiers guard the crater left by one of the bombs
Forty-two people were killed on Friday as two different mosques were hit by bombings.

The Lebanese Red Cross said that more than five hundred were injured by the blasts.

Both bombs struck in Tripoli at Sunni mosques, as people were leaving prayers.

Fourteen people were killed at the Taqwa mosque, while the al-Salam mosque saw twenty-eight deaths.

Hezbollah was initially blamed for the attacks, but they denied any involvement and condemned them as atrocities.