Last Week’s News

A summary of the most important news that happened last week in the world

Africa

Protests in Nigeria intensify as security forces kill dozens of people

Protests against SARS (Special Anti-Robbery Squad), a police unit known for its unjustified brutality on the Nigerian people, intensified during the week. On Tuesday night, during a peaceful manifestation in Lagos, the security forces opened fire on the demonstrators killing dozens of people. Following the police attacks, 17 police stations have been destroyed in Lagos. On Tuesday alone 38 people were killed across the country by the police. Demonstrators are asking the government to dismantle SARS units and to prosecute its most violent officers. Last week, President Muhammadu Buhari promised to disband SARS, however, little has been done since. Officers won’t be dismissed or prosecuted, but simply moved to different units.

Americas

Indigenous Colombian demonstrators march on the capital to protest against mass killings

The movement has been called the ‘Minga Indígena’ and it seeks to accelerate the pace of the peace deal stipulated four years ago with the country’s biggest rebel group, the FARC (Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia). The peace deal was supposed to put an end to the conflicts and provide basic support, such as education, health care and safety, in the areas destroyed by the civil war. According to the indigenous Colombians, even though the FARC left their lands, the government never sent the promised support and new criminal groups arrived. The human rights group Indepaz, announced that during this year 233 civic leaders have been killed and 68 mass killings, (defined as three or more deaths) have taken place across the country. These killings are the continuation of a conflict that has been going on for decades between the military and the FARC causing 200.000 deaths and displacing 6 million people.

Asia

Afghanistan: Explosion kills 24 people and wounds 57 at Kabul Tutoring Centre

This Saturday a suicide bomber on foot detonated his explosives at the entrance of the Kabul Tutoring Centre, killing at least 24 people. Peace talks continue between the Taliban and the Afghan government but violence doesn’t stop. Early Saturday a bomb has been detonated in the eastern Ghazni province in Afghanistan, killing eight civilians and a police officer.

Religion

Pope Francis openly declares his support for same-sex civil unions

The statement was made in the documentary movie ‘Francesco’ that premiered on Wednesday at the Rome Film Festival. “What we have to create is a civil union law. That way they are legally covered,” declared Pope Francis in the movie. Pope Francis already declared his support for the LGBT community several times, however, the Vatican dismisses this last statement as old news.

Science

Archaeologists discover 2000 years old cat etching in Peru

The image stretches for 40 yards on one of the hills of Nazca Lines Site in Peru. The figure has pointy ears, round eyes and a striped tail resembling a common cat. The archaeological discovery was made by chance during maintenance work at the UNESCO site. It dates between 200 B.C. and 100 B.C and it’s now the oldest prehistoric geoglyph of the site.