Myanmar
Myanmar’s state-run newspaper, the Global Light of Myanmar, reported on Wednesday, April 4, that seven members of the Myanmar military were sentenced to hard labor for killing the 10 Rohingya men last year. The bodies of the 10 Rohingya men were found in a mass grave in September 2017. The sentences are a result of an investigation lead by Myanmar’s military into the deaths. The police officers and civilians who were also found guilty in playing a role in the killings have not been sentenced yet. Since August 2017, more than 670,000 Rohingyas sought refuge in Bangladesh from murder, rape and destruction endured in Myanmar. The United Nations has asserted that the amount of ethnic cleansing that is occurring in Myanmar “bears the hallmarks of genocide.”
Russia
On Thursday, April 5, a woman died in a Russian hospital after being accidently given formaldehyde instead of saline after a surgery. Formaldehyde is a toxic compound used for embalming corpses. The 28-year-old was being treated for an ovarian cyst at the Ulyanovsk hospital, when she was given a fatal dose of the compound. Doctors at the hospital attempted to remedy the situation by giving her 10 liters of saline. The patient lapsed into a coma and was transferred to a Moscow hospital. She died there in intensive care. Russian authorities are now investigating the situation. A senior doctor at the Ulyanovsk hospital has been fired.
India
On Tuesday, April 10, a mass funeral was held for the 24 children who died in in a school bus accident on Monday, April 9. The school bus plunged into a gorge in Himachal Pradesh, a mountainous region in India. Eyewitnesses report that the bus skidded when it turned a corner and fell off the road. Most of the victims were younger than 10 years old. The bus driver and two teachers were also killed.
Brazil
On Tuesday, April 10, inmates at the Santa Izabel Prison Complex, a Brazilian prison, attempted a mass breakout. The inmates were aided by an outside group who were armed and used explosives. The state security service reported that the prison guards fought against attackers from inside and outside the prison. 19 prisoners and one guard died, while four other guards were injured. It is unclear if any prisoners managed to escape. This is not the first time in recent years that Brazil endured a prison rebellion. In 2017, in Manaus, which is in Brazil’s Amazon region, 56 people were killed in a mass prison breakout.
Syria
On Saturday, April 7, 40 people were killed in a suspected chemical attack in Syria. The attack took place in Douma, a rebel-held area in Syria’s eastern Ghouta region. Rescue workers, medics, and Syrian opposition activists report that the chemical attack was launched by the Syrian government. The Syrian government denies these allegations. After the chemical bombs were dropped, more than 500 patients were admitted to hospitals portraying the symptoms of exposure to a chemical agent. Many of the victims who were admitted were women and children. In February, Syrian forces under the rule of President Bashar al-Assad have actuated attacks on Eastern Ghouta, which have resulted in more than 1,700 people dead.
Compiled by Stephanie Meyer
