April 1, 2013:
North Korea’s parliament has decided to expand its nuclear weapons defense program. According to North Korea, a state of war is being entered between North and South. This is due to anger towards US-South Korea military drills and UN sanctions against its February nuclear test. At the same time, Pak Pong-ju took up the post as prime minister, the same position he was fired from six years ago. Read more at: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-21995224
The Libyan Prime Minister’s aid was kidnapped at the edges of Tripoli on March 31. The authorities launched a search after his car was found abandoned. This is a part of recent unrest due to the changes in power in the Libyan government four months ago. Read more at: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-21995485
The Islamist militant group Hamas, which governs the Gaza Strip, is introducing a ban against co-ed schools for children aged nine years and older. This is a practice already in place in Pakistan, and it is believed that this ban is a way of asserting the Islamist credentials of Hamas. Similar conservative laws have been put into place in the past, but have not been strictly enforced. Read more at: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-21995395
April 2, 2013:
The UN General Assembly has adopted a treaty that prohibits states from the exportation of conventional weapons which can violate arms embargoes or be used in acts of genocide, crimes against humanity, war crimes, or in acts of terrorism. States are also required to prevent conventional weapons being introduced into the black market under this new treaty. Read more at: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-21998394
Mick and Mairead Philpott and their friend Paul Mosley have been found guilty of murdering the Philpott’s six children. The motive was to frame a former mistress in order to create the grounds of a custody battle – the children dying was not intentional, but the fire that killed them was. Read more at: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-derbyshire-21875816
April 3, 2013:
After North Korea named Guam as a list of possible targets for nuclear attack, the US has sent a missile shield to the island to protect it from mid-range missiles. To clarify: North Korea is not believed to have the technology to attack the US mainland with a nuclear weapon. Still, the US seems to feel that it’s better to be safe than sorry. Read more at: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-22021832
A missile was fired by Palestinian militants in Gaza into Israel – the second in two days. The missile was fired after Israel carried out air strikes in Gaza. No one was injured, and Israeli defense Minister Moshe Yaalon released a statement saying that Israel would refuse to allow the firing to become routine. Read more at: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-22010969
April 4, 2013:
Connecticut has passed gun control measures to respond to the Newtown shootings earlier this year. Passed 105 to 44, the restrictions include a gun offender registry, background checks on all firearm buyers, and a ban on magazines holding more than 10 rounds. It also expanded its assault weapons ban by a grand total of 100 firearms, including the ones used by Adam Lanze in the shooting. Read more at: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-22024289