News

As unbelievable as it may seem, a “Judge in Australia says incest may no longer be a taboo and the only reason it is criminal is potential birth abnormalities, which can be solved by abortion” and contraception (Telegraph, July 10, 2014).

In response to incessant rocket fire from Gaza, Israel retaliated with a military offensive. Since then, dozens of Israelis and more than 600 Palestinians have been killed (BBC, July 23, 2014). Reacting to the carnage, “The UN’s top human rights official has condemned Israel’s military actions in the Gaza Strip, saying that war crimes may have been committed… She also condemned Hamas for ‘indiscriminate attacks’ on Israel” (ibid.). However, the EU has offered another perspective.

Less than a year after Typhoon Haiyan (the strongest storm ever to hit land) struck the Philippines and killed more than 6,300 people, another powerful storm, Typhoon Rammasun (a Thai word for god of thunder), packing 100 mph winds pounded the Philippines this week. The typhoon toppled trees, destroyed thousands of homes, displaced nearly half a million people and left some 40 people dead (Houston Chronicle, July 16, 2014).