Skimm for September 23rd Quote of the day: “Sometimes I fear there’s a creeping resignation that this is somehow the new normal” –President Obama at a memorial service for victims of the Navy Yard massacre. More. Terror. THE STORY: Terrorists took over a popular Nairobi mall this weekend, resulting in a deadly bloodbath, a hostage situation, and international concern. WHERE EXACTLY IS NAIROBI? Kenya — in East Africa. WHAT HAPPENED? On Saturday afternoon, terrorists stormed the upscale Westgate mall with gunfire and grenades, taking over the shopping center. The attackers, who possibly included women, reportedly targeted anyone not of Muslim faith, firing shots indiscriminately. At least 68 people were killed, including kids, and over 175 injured. Several foreigners were among those hurt or killed. According to police, nearly all of the hostages are out. While more than a thousand people were evacuated from the shopping center, an unknown number of people are still thought to be held as police work to end the situation. WHO DID THIS? A Somali militant group named al-Shabab. They are a terror group that began in the early 2000s, when many Somalis banded together to oppose warlords running the country. They are made up of a few thousand fighters, including foreigners, and are friendly with al-Qaeda. WHY’D THEY DO IT? Africa does not like al-Shabab and the US and UN have backed African intervention against the group. The group has threatened Kenya for awhile as revenge for Kenya’s decision to send troops into Somalia to reduce al-Shabab’s power. They have been using Twitter throughout the siege to taunt Kenya. I HEARD SOMETHING ABOUT AMERICANS BEING INVOLVED? There are rumors that a few Americans were among the attackers. The FBI is investigating. theSKIMM: This was the deadliest attack to hit Kenya since the US Embassy bombing in 1998. The attack and loss of life shows al-Shabab’s capability to launch a sophisticated attack. Although this is not the first time Kenya has heard of al-Shabab, it might be the first time you have. The attack is also not good news for Kenya’s economy, East Africa’s biggest, as it doesn’t exactly encourage tourism. REPEAT AFTER ME… What to say when your boss says you look tired… I was waiting for the Emmys to get exciting. I woke up when Michael Douglas, while accepting the award for lead actor in “Behind the Candelabra,” thanked Matt Damon for the “two-handed” job. And yes, he thanked his wife (awkward because they’re separated). Kerry Washington lost out to “Homeland”‘s Claire Danes for lead actress in a drama, while Jeff Daniels took home the lead male award for “The Newsroom.” “House of Cards” made web show Emmy history. And in as much of a surprise as host Neil Patrick Harris doing song and dance numbers…were “Modern Family” and “Breaking Bad” winning. Sophia Vergara and Claire Danes ruled the red carpet, although we’re still trying to figure out what was up with Claire’s bob. Faux or no? What people are horrified by… Two suicide bombers killed at least 75 people and injured over a hundred others as they left a historic church on Sunday in northwest Pakistan. It was one of the deadliest attacks on Pakistani Christians in years. The attack sparked protests and revived concerns over Pakistan’s ability to protect religious minorities, as Muslims are the majority. A group associated with the Pakistani Taliban took credit for the bombing and said it was in protest of drone strikes on Pakistan. The latest drone strike is believed to have killed six militants yesterday. This attack and another recent one are big setbacks to Prime Minister Sharif’s plans to start peace talks with the Taliban. What to say when a friend looks good… Whatever you’re doing, it’s working. German voters pretty much said the same thing to Chancellor Angela Merkel in Sunday’s national elections. Voters gave her a third term and a clear win for her leadership during the euro zone’s economic crisis. Although Merkel’s conservatives had their best showing in 20 years, they fell just short of the votes needed to rule all by themselves. So the conservatives will probably have to convince rivals on the left to join in and create a coalition government. Time spent political jockeying to form a new group could mean more of a standstill for Europe while it tries to shake off the debt crisis and get economic growth going. What to say while watching “Law & Order”… Chinese politician Bo Xilai’s trial was way more dramatic than any plot line McCoy could have imagined. And his wife getting caught up in a murder trial and a love triangle is just icing on the cake. The one-time rising Communist leader was convicted on charges of bribery, embezzlement, and abuse of power and sentenced to life in prison. A guilty verdict was widely expected, as China works to crack down on corruption, but Bo got a much longer sentence than anticipated. Although Bo will likely appeal, Chinese President Xi Jinping has made it clear he doesn’t tolerate troublemakers. As China says goodbye to the sensational trial, it has a new mess to deal with: Typhoon Usagi, which is pounding the southern part of the country. Life: You may not like Monday but you should like P+ on Facebook.
Posted on: Mon, 23 Sep 2013 14:48:58 +0000
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