Brazilian soccer star warns international visitors against coming to Brazil for Rio Olympics
Guanabara bay, the Olympic water sports venue, is the subject of water quality concerns. (Image courtesy of dutchwatersector.com)
Less than three months before the Olympics in Rio de Janeiro are to begin, Brazilian soccer star Rivaldo has sent an ominous warning to international visitors to stay away. He emphasized the violence in the city, referencing the killing of a 17 year old girl over the weekend. The country’s leaders, however, are trying to convince the world that Rio is safe and ready for the games. In spite of this, they are in the process of dealing with host of other problems such as an economic downturn and political issues regarding President Dilma Rousseff. There are also concerns about the prevalence of Zika virus in the country, and whether the Olympic venues will be ready on time.
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Obama heads to Asia as part of his farewell tour to the world
Obama’s travel agenda includes implementing the Iran nuclear deal and ratifying a 12 nation Pacific Rim trade deal. (Image courtesy of Escambray)
US President Barack Obama has been travelling around the world almost once every month since March, focusing on finishing items on his foreign policy agenda. This week, he will be visiting Vietnam for the first time, and Japan to see the site of the world’s first atomic bombing. In the past months, Obama has visited various locations such as Cuba, Argentina, Britain, and Germany. His schedule also includes visiting Canada in June, Poland in July for a NATO summit, and Laos for the East Asia summit. The final year of international travel will allow Obama to affirm his foreign policy legacy before his term concludes next January.
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Bangladesh cyclone kills 11, forces 100 000 from their homes
Bangladesh, a delta nation, is prone to cyclones. (Image courtesy of AP)
A powerful cyclone hit Bangladesh’s southern coastal region 21 May, killing 11 people when houses collapsed in Bhola, Chittagong Cox’s Bazar, and Patuakhali districts. Dozens of villages have been flooded by the waters of Cyclone Roanu. Most of the islanders were moved to safety after a cyclone warning in the afternoon.
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A third of birds in America threatened with extinction
The wood thrush is an American bird whose population has decreased by 70% in the last 40 years. (Image courtesy of Isaac Sanchez)
The State of North America Bird Report has published a number of worrying statistics for the future of birds. The commission finds that of 1 154 bird species in North America, 432 have low or declining populations and face serious habitat loss, invasive predators, and climate change. However, the report also found that populations of certain species, such as waterfowls, wood ducks, and birds of prey, have increased as the result of increased habitat protection, hunting restrictions, and bans on pesticides.
Source and more information can be found here.
EgyptAir flight MS804: What we know
Analysis of the events prior to flight MS804’s crash. (Image courtesy of Flightradar24)
On 19 May 2016, an EgyptAir plane flying overnight from Paris to Cairo crashed into the Mediterranean Sea, killing all 66 passengers and crew on board. During the flight, 3 minutes before the plan lost contact with the Egyptian radar, smoke was detected in the avionics area. Efforts are now being placed on finding the plane’s flight data and voice recorders in the Mediterranean; unluckily, flight MS804 landed in one of the deepest parts of the ocean. Officials still have not concluded if the fire was deliberate or mechanical.
Source and more information can be found here.
