February 4, 2013:
Peace talks held at the UK Prime Minister David Cameron’s country retreat between Pakistan and Afghanistan are the third of their kind as the two countries struggle to create stable peace between their two countries. The Afghan President Hamid Karzai and the Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari hope to sign an agreement within six months that strengthens economic ties and solves security issues. Read more at: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-21310575
February 5, 2013:
In the House of Commons, Parliament members have approved the Marriage (Same Sex Couples) Bill with a majority of 225 votes. Helen Grant, junior justice minister, acknowledged that there were some divided opinions in the Tory party over the legislation, but that it is nonetheless a step forward. Read more at:http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-21346220
Trial of the five men accused of abducting, raping, and murdering the 23-year-old woman in Delhi continues. The first witness, the woman’s male friend who was also attacked, has been providing a testimony against them. He is the first of 80 witnesses that will be produced by the prosecution. The five denied the charges – if convicted, they will face the death penalty for their actions. The woman died on the 29 of December from internal injuries in a hospital in Singapore. Her friend, 28, is still in a wheelchair as he is unable to walk due to his injuries. A sixth suspect, a 17-year-old, is facing trial in a juvenile court. Read more at: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-india-21332426
The Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, is pushing for world leaders to declare Hezbollah a terrorist state. Israel has blamed the terrorist attack in Bulgaria (July 2012) that killed five Israeli tourists and a bus driver on Hezbollah and Iran. Iran has denied any involvement, and there is no comment from Hezbollah. Netanyahu believes that Hezbollah and Iran have a worldwide terrorist network and that it is time for world leaders to take action against what should be named as a terrorist state. Read more at: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-21342199
February 6, 2013:
After the assassination of anti-Islamist politician Chokri Belaid, the Tunisian Prime Minister Hamadi Jebali has pushed for a reforming of the government. Until the elections, the country will form a non-partisan government of technocrats, or technical experts in the field of administration. Jebali hopes that the new government will be one of citizens without any political affiliation. Read more at: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-21359260
In its latest cost-cutting drive, the US postal service has announced that it will end the delivery of first-class mail on Saturdays, beginning in August 2013. Last year, the postal service lost 16 billion dollars and has been struggling to make the required payments to the government. It has already cut approximately 193000 jobs and reduced costs by 15 billion dollars. Read more at: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-21357663
February 7, 2013:
As women’s organizations in India campaign for the better protection of women and their rights, the Human Rights Watch has revealed today that child victims of sexual abuse are mistreated and humiliated by Indian police and that the government systems dealing with abuse issues are inadequate. According to a government study in 2007, two thirds of Indian children are abused and 6159 of the 12500 students surveyed were subject to some form of sexual abuse. 7,200 children are raped every year in India, and perhaps more go unreported. Read more at: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-india-21352102