What in the World is Happening: April 2013 Edition

If you turn on your telly or open a newspaper it appears that the entire world has gone crazy. A lot has happened over the course of the month. Here are the headlines that have caught my attention. Feel free to inform me of other headlines that I might have missed.

Africa

• Earlier today a car bomb exploding outside of the French embassy in Tripoli. This is the first attack in Libyan capital since the revolution. This is the second major attack on a foreign embassy since the fatal attack on the American embassy back in September. 
• At least 187 people have died in the Nigerian northeastern state of Borno. These fatalities are a result of the continuous battle between  the Nigerian military and the armed group Boko Haram. 
• A gold mine has collapsed in Accra, Ghana killing at least 16 people. 

Asia

• Last week a 6.6 magnitude earthquake hit the south-western Sichuan province in China. The powerful earthquake has killed at least 160 people and has injured at least 5,700 people. 
• On April 15 a  five-year-old girl was kidnapped and raped in the Indian capital, New Delhi. As of today she is reported to be recovering slowly. Just last month the Indian parliament passed a new bill containing harsher punishments for rapists. This recent attack reignited the long-running protests against sexual violence. 
• Since June of 2012  ethnic cleansing and crimes  against humanity have been committed against the Rohingya people in Myanmar. This past week the Human Rights Watch released a new report.
• A magnitude 7.8 earthquake struck southeastern Iran near the border with Pakistan. At least 15 people were killed. 

Asia- Pacific

• New Zealand's parliament voted in favor of the gay-marriage bill last Wednesday. New Zealand has become the 13th in the world and the first in the Asia-Pacific region to legalize same-sex marriage. 

Europe

• Earlier today France became the 14th country to legalize gay marriage. Under the new legislation the first marriages could occur as early as June. 
• Giorgio Napolitano was re-elected president of Italy after the Italian politicians failed to choose his successor
• Former Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher was laid to rest last Wednesday in London. 

North America

• A magnitude 5.9 earthquake struck western Mexico on Sunday.There was no reports of significant damage or injuries. 
• Last week a fertilizer plant exploded near Waco, Texas. This plant explosion lead to the deaths of at least 14 people and more than 200 people were injured. The cause of the explosion is still under investigation. The town near the plant has been evacuated. 
• Two men were arrested yesterday for conspiracy to carry out a terrorist attack on a Via passenger train in the greater Toronto area. 
• The Illinois governor declared a state of emergency after heavy rain and flooding hit the Chicago area last Thursday.
• Last Thursday a sinkhole swallowed three cars in a Chicago neighborhood. One person was hospitalized afterwards. 
• During the Boston Marathon two bombs exploded near the finish line. The Boston Marathon bombings killed three people and left 176 people severely wounded. The attacks were committed by two brothers by the name of Tamerlan and Dzhokhar Tsarnaev. In the early morning hours on Friday the brothers engaged in gun fire with the Boston Police. The eldest was killed and the younger brother escaped. The entire city of Boston was under lock-down until the police located the suspect. 

South America

• Uruguay became the second country in Latin America and the third country in the Americas to legalize same-sex marriage when the congress approved a bill.  
• Horacio Cartes defeats Liberal Party rival to become the new Paraguayan president after the impeachment of President Fernando Lugo. Cartes is one of the richest men in the country.