Global news is a vital part of news today and can directly affect MHS students. In order to inform our readers, The Mentor has compiled small summaries describing some of the largest happenings in the world today. We encourage the reader to read about these topics, as well as others, in greater depth.

Bomber attacks French school in Afghanistan

A suspected suicide bomb attack took place during an event at a French-funded school in Afghan capital, Kabul, on Thursday. The attack left one man dead and 16 others wounded. The event was a play condemning suicide bombing.

According to Reuters, “the violence, part of a nationwide campaign by Islamist Taliban insurgents to strike at military and civilian targets, came less than three weeks before the year-end deadline for most foreign combat soldiers to withdraw from the country.”

Superbugs predicted to kill more than cancer

According to a report commissioned by British prime minister David Cameron, antibiotic-resistant bacteria, commonly referred to as superbugs, are predicted to be implicated in more deaths than cancer by 2050.

It is estimated that superbugs will cause 10 million deaths per year, which is greater than the 8.2 million attributed to cancer. The increase of superbugs will make procedures such as cesarean sections, joint replacements, and organ transplants extremely risky.

Factors such as the widespread use of antibiotics and antimicrobial substances contribute to the development of superbugs.

According to the BBC, “The analysis, presented by the economist Jim O’Neill, said the costs would spiral to $100 trillion… He was appointed by Prime Minister David Cameron in July to head a review of antimicrobial resistance.”

Senate publishes brutal interrogation report

A report by the Senate Intelligence Committee states that the CIA had used means of interrogation not told to the American people after the 9/11 attacks. The statement further states that no useful information was collected through those means.

The CIA, however, stated that the information obtained helped to save lives.

According to the BBC, “the CIA also acknowledges mistakes in the programme, especially early on when it was unprepared for the scale of the operation to detain and interrogate prisoners.”

The means used for interrogation included waterboarding, slapping, threats of harm, sleep deprivation and “stress positions”. A suspect from al-Qaeda was confined in a coffin-sized box for hours.

UN human rights activists have condemned these actions as torture and call for the prosecution of the individuals involved in administering these interrogation techniques.

The report also states that former president George W. Bush was uninformed of these techniques, however, according to the BBC, “speaking to Fox News, Dick Cheney [former vice-president of Bush] said Mr Bush ‘knew everything he needed to know’ about the programme, and the report was ‘full of crap’.”

Hostage situation in Sydney cafe

A hostage situation at a chocolate shop in Sydney, Australia erupted 10 a.m. on Monday, Australia time. According to NPR, “hostages were seen at the window of the chocolate store holding up a black flag with the shahada, an Islamic creed declaring Allah as the true God.”

The situation caused a city-wide lockdown.

Five hostages escaped before police stormed the building.

According to The Guardian, “Several bursts of gunfire and loud bangs could be heard, and several people were seen being carried from the building, apparently injured. Some reports said a police officer had been hurt. Paramedics moved in and took away several injured people on stretchers.”

The man behind the incident is Man Haron Monis. Monis is facing charges due to the incident and sexual assault.