King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia dies at 90.
King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia dies at the age of 90 from lung infection. His brother, Salman, will assume the throne. (Image courtesy of Dylan Martinez/Reuters)
King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia died early Friday, January 23. The late king was hospitalized for pneumonia in December 2014, but the cause of death has not yet been confirmed. The late King Abdullah was one of the wealthiest, most powerful, and highly respected political figures in the world. He sent Saudi pilots to help the American campaign against the Islamic State, allowed women to work in supermarkets, and provided a scholarship program that provided tens of thousands of men and women the chance to study in the Western world. He was also known for his small progressions in slowly modernizing his ultraconservative country; for example, he allowed women to vote. King Abdullah will be succeeded by his half- brother, Salman.
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Argentina’s President deems prosecutors death not a suicide.
Prosecutor Alberto Nisman, who was accusing top Argentinian officials of conspiring with Iran on an attack on a Jewish community centre, was found dead in his apartment. (Image courtesy to Marcelo Capece/Agence France-Presse — Getty Images)
President Cristina Fernández de Kirchner abruptly switched her opinion about the death of prosecutor Alberto Nisman. She now suggests that his death was an attempt to defame and destroy her, instead of a suicide. Alberto Nisman was the lead prosecutor in a case concerning the 1994 bombing of a Jewish centre in Argentina that killed 85 people. Nisman had always accused Iran of organizing the attack but recently included Mrs. Kirchner and her top aides of trying to overthrow his investigation. He was scheduled to testify 19 January and the announcement of his death, just hours before his testimony, raised suspicion of a government cover-up to protect the president. Thousands of people protested and demanded a full and thorough investigation. Investigators are still looking into the case.
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Brazil states of Sao Paulo, Rio de Janeiro, and Minas Gerais facing worst droughts in 80 years
Rio de Janeiro and Minas Gerais are now asking residents and industries to reduce their water consumption by 30% to conserve water (Image courtesy of Luis Moura)
At this time of year, Brazil is typically in a rainy season. However, recently, there has been little rainfall, and the ongoing drought shows no signs of abating. The drought has come during times of increased temperatures during the summer months where there are high demands for energy, putting pressure on the hydroelectric dams whose energy production has decreased due to the lack of rain.
Many industries and agriculture are also being affected. In Sao Paulo, hundreds of thousands of residents have been experiencing frequent water supply cuts, and in the city Cantareira, the reservoir system has dropped to 5.2% capacity. In Rio de Janeiro, the reservoir level has dropped to zero for the first time since construction. The situation is more dire than is has been for 84 years, when record keeping first began.
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OPEC’s market share falling, and there are internal conflicts as oil prices plunge.
OPEC global share of oil production is down to 42% amid rising North American production and falling oil prices (Image courtesy of Reuters)
Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) seems to be determined to keep producing oil for the global market despite its dropping prices. In 2013, OPEC members exported $825 billion US in oil. This year, that figure is expected to drop to $390 billion this year. Ed Morse, the global head of commodities with Citi Research has predicted that OPEC will not survive.
Additionally, there is conflict between countries that are heavily reliant on oil revenue, such as Iraq, Venezuela, and Algeria, and countries that can sustain their economies on low oil prices, such as Kuwait and Saudi Arabia. North American oil production in the US has also been a factor in lowering oil prices, leaving OPEC countries with pressing financial issues.
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Ten months after Ebola outbreak officially confirmed, tide finally turns for the better
Ebola is expected to cost the three most affected countries $1.6 billion (Image courtesy of WHO)
The number of Ebola cases in Guinea and Sierra Leone is at its lowest since August, and in Liberia, since June. The disease has infected an estimated 21 797 and has killed at least 8 675 people. Fortunately, the situation is more promising than before. However, officials lack information about cases that remain; Only half the reported cases in Guinea and Liberia are from known contacts, meaning half the infections come from unknown sources. Many agree that the response to the outbreak was too slow; it took too long to build treatment centres. In addition, many countries that sent soldiers did not fully commit their resources.
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