This Week in the World

Refugees sewing lips together in protest at borders
Refugees stranded at the Greece-Macedonia border have sewn their lips together in protest of the restrictions placed on their movements. A group of Moroccans, Pakistanis and Iranians are stranded at the border because of a policy put in place by Balkan states to slow the flow of refugees passing through the region. They have also blocked rail traffic and demanded they be allowed to pass through Europe in protest. Last week, Slovenia said that passage for passport-free travel would be allowed only for those fleeing Syria, Iraq or Afghanistan and those they are calling economic migrants should be sent back. Many human rights groups have questioned this policy.

Tensions rise between Turkey and Russia due to downed jet
A Russian warplane was shot down Tuesday, Nov. 24 in Turkey for violating Turkish airspace. The Turkish prime minister said Turkey had a duty to act against a violation to their borders. Russia has now warned citizens against travelling to Turkey, declaring it unsafe. Russia has also deployed a warship to the coastline close to where the plane had crashed. Turkish military said the plane violated Turkish airspace and was warned “10 times in five minutes. In contrast U.S. officials said the Russian jet’s penetration of the Turkish border only lasted seconds. NATO has cautioned both nations to show restraint but has also said that they “stand in solidarity with Turkey.” The U.S. has also backed Turkey. Syrian military officials stood with their Russian allies, saying that “Turkey committed a gross violation of Syrian sovereignty.”

Twenty-one die in fire in a Chinese coal mine
Thirty-eight miners were working underground when a late-night fire began on Nov. 21. One missing person was also reported, and the work safety employee at the mine said the missing person was being searched for. The fire in the Xinghua mine, in the city of Jixi, began when an angle belt caught. Mining accidents in China are some of the deadliest in the world; last year 931 people were killed. China is the world’s largest producer of coal and it attempting to improve the working conditions of these mines. Many accidents are said to be caused by corrupt bosses who prioritize profits over their workers safety.

Four killed in suicide attack in northern Cameroon
At least four civilians and four suicide bombers have been left dead, with dozens wounded after a suicide attack on the Cameroon-Nigeria border on Nov. 21. The male, first suicide bomber detonated his bomb, killing four people including himself. Minutes later, three female bombers detonated their bombs, luckily not killing anyone else. Terrorist group Boko Haram is suspected to be behind the two separate attacks. This year alone Boko Haram has claimed responsibility for a number of attacks on Nigeria and its bordering countries.

New Ebola case found in Liberia
A new case of Ebola has been identified in Liberia, a country which was declared free of the disease in September. The patient is a 10-year-old boy who has been said to have no known history of contact with an Ebola survivor. Health officials are currently investigating the origins of the boy’s case. Since the beginning of the outbreak Liberia has reported more than 10,500 cases with more than 4,800 deaths.

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