World News (September 16, 2019)

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Freeport, Bahamas (BBC News) – Homes among the city of Abaco and Grand Bahama Islands were destroyed as Hurricane Dorian ravaged the archipelago for two days after landing on the islands September 1st. Prime Minister of the Bahamas, Hubert Minnis, stated that some areas of the island have been ‘decimated’ as the death tally rises to over 50.

“This is apocalyptic devastation,” says Lia Head-Rigby, helper in a relief group that is helping with the Abacos region.

The town of Marsh Harbour contained houses with no roofs, debris, overturned cars, and high water levels after a mile of destruction. Parts of the Bahamas have received a staggering 35 inches of rain. Dorian moved at a pace of 1 mph over the Bahamas and is set on a course for the Carolinas and Florida in America.

Relief efforts are being made to help some 60,000 people on the island. 13,000 houses and private properties have been destroyed or 45% according to the International Red Cross.

“Our priority at this time is to search, rescue, and recover. It will take all of us as a caring community-government, church, business, and individuals- to help restore the lives of our people,” stated Prime Minister Minnis.

 

Kashmir, India ( Aljazeera)- The Indian government revoked the special status of Kashmir that has been in place for nearly 70 years. A presidential decree on August 5th revoked Article 370 of India’s Constitution to guarantee rights to Kashmir, a majority Muslim state within Northern India. The protection of Kashmir included rights to a constitution and legislative power to create all laws except defense, communications, and foreign affairs.

India sent thousands of military troops to impose a curfew, shut down communication, the internet, and arrested political leaders. The move increased already high tensions in the region, including the neighboring country of Pakistan. India and Pakistan wanted to claim Kashmir as their own territory which the two have been feuding over for 30 years.

High tensions have marked Kashmir for a month. 16-year-old, Asrar Khan was killed by tear gas pellets in Kashmir’s main city, Srinagar, outside of his home during the month-long blackout.

Amnesty campaigns have started to end the blackout in Kashmir.

“The blackout has now been going on a month and cannot be prolonged any further by the Indian Government as it has grossly impacted the daily lives of the Kashmiri people. It is tearing families apart,” Aakar Patel, head of Amnesty International India, told Aljazeera.

 

Canberra, Australia (CBS News)- The outlook of the coral reefs is looking very poor according to The Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority. The updated report which was released earlier this month, states that the 133,360 square miles of coral reef is dying at a fast rate due to the coral bleach caused by global warming.

Threats such as coastal development and human activities are also a threat to the coral reefs on Australia’s northern coast.

Coral bleaching can happen when corals are under stress from environmental factors not native to its region. They react to this by secreting algae in their tissues, causing the bleach of colors. Without this most corals do not survive.

The Great Barrier Reef has had four major bleachings, in 1998, 2002, 2016, and 2017. The United Nations’ World Heritage Committee is concerned by the recent bleaching in 2017. The most recent report has labeled the reefs in danger by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).