Africa
Protests erupt in Ethiopia – Protests ensued in Ethiopia’s Amhara region for five days straight as of print because of the country’s government’s decision to dissolve a paramilitary force. Ethiopia’s states have their own special forces to protect borders and fight rebels. A partial curfew was imposed in the city of Gondar while Ethiopia’s Prime Minister said the country is committed to its decision.
Democratic Republic of the Congo introduces new holiday – The Democratic Republic of the Congo introduced a new public holiday to honor Simon Kimbangu. Kimbangu, who founded a church in 1921, fought for the liberation of Black people from colonial rule. He was later arrested and charged with undermining public security and disturbing the peace. Kimbangu’s church is recognized by the World Council of Churches and has around six million believers.
Asia
Dalai Lama speaks on incident with adolescent – The Dalai Lama was seen in a video asking a boy if he wanted to suck his tongue. Video footage showed the Dalai Lama kissing the child on his lips. His office apologized saying he often “teases,” people he meets in an innocent and playful way. The video saw plenty of criticism on social media channels. Sticking a tongue out can be a form of greeting in Tibet.
Tiger population growing in India – India Prime Minister Narendra Modi praised the country’s effort to save tigers after the country released a report highlighting its 50th anniversary of the Project Tiger campaign. The campaign was launched in 1973 when the animal’s population became low. The country is home to around 3,167 tigers and is home to more than 70 percent of the world’s tigers.
Europe
Pope appears for Easter Mass – Pope Francis led Mass on Easter Sunday, and according to reports, he appears to look in good health. He recently had complaints of breathing difficulties and spent time in a hospital. Pope Francis expressed “deep concern” over recent violence between Israelis and Palestinians. Thousands of people from around the world attended the Mass at St. Peter’s Square.
New study finds hallucinogenics in Spanish people from 3,000 years ago – A new study published in the Scientific Reports journal found that people were using hallucinogenic drugs in Spain 3,000 years ago. The discovery was made thanks to hair found at a burial site in Menorca. The burial site held around 200 human graves and is believed to be Europe’s oldest direct evidence of people taking hallucinogenic drugs.
Latin America
Big cats seized from Mexican ranch – Police near Mexico City raided a ranch because of “suspicious activity” where they found 25 exotic animals like lions, pumas and a Bengal tiger. Pumps that are thought to have been used to steal petrol from fuel pipelines were also discovered. In recent years, a large number of big cats have been seized from criminals in Mexico. In total, 47 animals were found at the property, along with seven dead animals that were stuffed.
Four killed in kindergarten attack in Brazil – Four children were killed by a man with hatchet in southern Brazil. Four others were injured, and police said the attacker surrendered at one of their stations. Two years ago, a 18-year-old man killed two staff members and three toddlers in the city of Saudades. Brazil President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva offered his condolences on Twitter. The suspect had allegedly targeted the vic- tims at random.
North America
Four killed at Kentucky bank – Four people were killed at the Old National Bank in Kentucky by a 23-year-old white man who used a rifle during the shooting. Others were injured, and the gunman was told he would be fired from his role at the bank, according to reports. The shooter wrote a note to his parents and friend suggesting he was going to shoot at the bank, according to police.
Woman charged with bank robbery charges – Bonnie Gooch, a 78-year-old woman in Missouri, was arrested for carrying out a third bank robbery. She allegedly handed a note to a teller in the state demanding thousands in cash. Prior to the incident, she was charged with two bank robberies. Gooch is in jail with a bond amount of $25,000. Police are working to determine if underlying health factors contributed to the incident because of her age.
