Israel-Palestine, Myanmar, Japan.

Today's three stories you should know.

Jan 04, 2024

Israel-Palestine

I came across a piece today with a startling statistic. More than 1,000 children underwent leg amputations during the first two months of the Israel-Gaza conflict (per UNICEF) but that number has since likely been "far surpassed." The article said, chillingly, that “a generation of child amputees” was emerging as Israel’s bombardment of the Palestinian enclave continues. According to Gaza health authorities, almost a quarter of those wounded in the strip so far are children.

Myanmar

Myanmar’s military government, embroiled in a spiraling civil war, today released more than 9,000 people from its prisons to mark the country’s Independence Day. There was no indication that any of them were political prisoners, though, and government critics and rights groups reacted with cynicism. “Myanmar’s military generals are up to their same old tricks, releasing large numbers of common criminals and a bunch of foreign prisoners during a major national holiday and trying to dress that up as ‘progress’ on human rights,” the New York-based Human Rights Watch said.

Japan

A miraculous story as Japanese rescue workers search for survivors of a New Year’s Day earthquake that has killed at least 82 people. A woman in her 80s was pulled alive from the rubble of her home a full 72 hours after the disaster. The first 72 hours are a crucial window, though, as the chances of finding survivors plummets after that threshold is reached. Rescuers believe that many people were trapped under the rubble, mostly in the towns of Suzu and Wajima. Prime Minister Fumio Kishida said today that 150 people had been rescued so far and that efforts would continue.