5. The Boston Marathon Bombings
What should have been the big news out of this annual sporting event was that Ethiopia’s Lelisa Desisa, 23, won the men’s division of the 2013 Boston Marathon. In the women’s division, Kenya’s Rita Jeptoo, 32, was the winner. It is her second Boston Marathon win. She also won it in 2006. Unfortunately, these triumphs of athleticism were overshadowed by outright despicable events that occurred later in the day when the death toll from two explosions near the Boston Marathon finish line rose to three, Police Commissioner Ed Davis said.
The explosions sent smoke billowing into the air at Copley Square, turning a site of celebration into a mess of destruction. The explosions occurred at about 2:45 p.m., more than two hours after the first of the race’s nearly 27,000 runners had crossed the finish line. A Chinese citizen was killed in the Boston Marathon bombings, the Chinese consulate in New York said. The press release did not identify the woman. Boston University earlier confirmed that the person was a graduate student at the school. The other two people killed in the attack were previously identified as 29-year-old Krystle Campbell of Medford, Massachusetts and 8-year-old Martin Richard. Eleven Boston-area hospitals treated 183 injured patients, hospital officials told CNN. Thirteen of them had limbs amputated. At least 89 had gone home as of late Tuesday, 16 April 2013.
The FBI reviewed surveillance video, phone records and an unexploded device, said a former federal law enforcement official who now works in the intelligence community. The FBI appealed for help from the public in the investigation. Rick DesLauriers, the special agent in charge of the FBI’s Boston division, told reporters that there was “no known imminent physical threat at any location where we might be conducting investigation right now.” DesLauriers said debris sent for analysis included pieces of black nylon, possibly from a backpack, and fragments of BBs or nails. On Wednesday, 17 April 2013, the lid of a pressure cooker was found on a roof near the scene of the Boston Marathon bombings, a federal law enforcement official with firsthand knowledge of the investigation tells CNN. One of the bombs was housed in a pressure cooker hidden inside a backpack, the FBI said in a Joint Intelligence Bulletin. The second bomb was also housed in a metal container, but there was not enough evidence to determine whether it was also in a pressure cooker, the FBI said. Discovery of the lid could yield vital clues as to the origin of the bomb. Meanwhile, investigators believe they have identified a suspect in the Boston Marathon bombings, a source who has been briefed on the investigation told CNN’s John King. The source said what officials believe is a breakthrough came from analysis of video from a department store near the site of the second explosion. Video from a Boston television station also contributed to the progress, this source said. From that analysis, the source said, authorities believe that they have identified a suspect. President Barack Obama said he ordered the “full resources of the federal government” to respond to the Boston bombing, and that he also called for increased security around the United States as necessary. President Obama said the Boston Marathon bombings were “an act of terror” against civilians. “It was a heinous and cowardly act,” the President said from the White House. As to the perpetrators, Obama said: “We will bring them to justice.”
“All Americans stand with the people of Boston,” Obama said. We at TopTenz.net agree with the president’s statement and ask readers to please donate to Celeste and Sydney, among any other worthwhile charities to help the victims of this unacceptable tragedy!
The chase, killing, and capture of the Boston bombers receive a separate entry due to the violent and harrowing nature of it as well as its considerable news coverage.
Handguns, a rifle and at least six bombs — three of which exploded — were found at the scene early Friday, 19 April 2013 after officers first confronted the two Boston Marathon bombing suspects in the darkness of a residential street. A single officer first encounter the two cars that Tamerlan and Dzhokar Tsarnaev were driving, just before 1 a.m. Friday, Chief Edward Deveau said. Before the officer could get backup, the two cars stopped, and the brothers got out. “They jump out of the car and unload on our police officer,” Deveau said. “They both came out shooting — shooting guns, handguns. He’s under direct fire, very close by. He has to jam it in reverse and try to get himself a little distance.” Five other police officers, including two who had just finished their shifts, then arrived at what Deveau called a “tight area” in the middle of an intense shootout. One of the officers was wounded. “We estimate there was over 200 shots fired in a five- to 10-minute period,” Deveau said. One of the brothers threw an explosive at the officers. They later discovered it was a pressure cooker bomb, similar to the ones used at the marathon Monday, the chief said.
Federal prosecutors hoped to charge Boston bombing suspect Dzhokar Tsarnaev as early as Sunday. Authorities have not publicly detailed how Tsarnaev was injured, but a federal official said the 19-year-old has injuries to the throat. He was apprehended Friday night. An official who has been briefed on the case said the suspect is “intubated and sedated.” Authorities have not publicly said what charges will be filed against Tsarnaev.
By Sunday, 21 April 2013, the surviving suspect in the Boston Marathon bombings has communicated in writing with officials several times. Dzhokhar Tsarnaev, 19, remains in serious but stable condition with a gunshot wound to the side of the neck, a federal law enforcement source with knowledge of the investigation said. On Monday, 22 April 2013, the White House announced that the surviving suspect in the Boston Marathon bombing will not be treated as an enemy combatant and instead will be tried in a civilian court, in spite of calls from Republican leaders to consider the military court option.
A man fatally shot by the FBI in Orlando, Florida, was being investigated for a possible connection to the Boston Marathon bombings. Ibragim Todashev knew both of the Tsarnaev brothers, Tamerlan and Dzhokhar, a U.S. law enforcement official with direct knowledge of the case said. The FBI shot Todashev in self-defense in an incident at Todashev’s house, the official said.
Agents were led to Todashev, who had once lived in Boston, “through investigative leads,” the official said. Todashev was from the Chechnya region, as were the Tsarnaev brothers. Todashev not only confessed to his direct role in slashing the throats of three people in the killings in Waltham, Massachusetts, he also fingered Tsarnaev in the deaths, the official says. Earlier in the month, three additional suspects in the Boston Marathon bombing were taken into custody, Boston police said on Wednesday, 1 May 2013. Three fellow students of alleged Boston Marathon bomber Dzhokhar Tsarnaev appeared in court accused in the dumping of his laptop and a backpack containing hollowed-out fireworks.
Tamerlan and Dzhokhar Tsarnaev previously were accused of carrying out the attack. The twin blasts at the Boston Marathon on 15 April killed three and wounded more than 260 others. Tamerlan died after a shootout with police, and Dzhokhar is in custody. Tamerlan Tsarnaev’s death certificate says he died of gunshot wounds and blunt trauma, said Peter Stefan, the owner of the funeral parlor that holds Tsarnaev’s body. Tsarnaev died April 19 after a shootout with police; authorities have said he also was run over by his brother, Dzhokhar, who was later captured.
The surviving suspect in the Boston Marathon attack indicated that the bombing was retribution for what he called U.S. attacks against Muslims in Afghanistan and Iraq, a law enforcement official said. Dzhokhar Tsarnaev made remarks about the bombing in a makeshift message found in the boat where he was captured in the backyard of a Watertown, Massachusetts, home. Tsarnaev scribbled that the Boston victims were collateral damage as Muslims have been during war, and that an attack against one Muslim is an attack against all of them.
4. Ongoing Revolutionary Turmoil in the Muslim World.
The Egyptian Revolution did not simply end with the fall of former president Mubarak. In fact, not many revolutions just end with one man’s deposition. England faced serious violent problems well after Charles I’s beheading as did France after the execution of Louis XVI. Thus, in these various Arab Spring countries, ongoing violence remains a critical concern and a threat for further destabilizing in strategically and culturally important locales. Egypt has many historic treasures that can be damaged in any ongoing instability, not to mention that it is the host country of the Suez Canal and borders former enemy Israel. A situation spiraling out of control in Egypt therefore threatens the border between Asia and Africa. For more information on this important story, please see source.
Turkish authorities detained 939 people in connection with anti-government protests across 30 provinces, Interior Minister Muammer Guler told Turkey’s semi-official Anadolu news agency on Saturday, 1 June 2013. The demonstrations began in protest of government plans to level a park in Istanbul, but many demonstrators say they then protested against authoritarian policies of Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan. As demonstrators clashed with police Friday, 31 May 2013 in Istanbul, protests spread to several other cities, including Ankara, the capital, and the port city of Izmir. Police eventually cleared Istanbul’s Gezi Park of protesters and took over Taksim Square.
The demonstrations began in late May in protest of government plans to level a park in Istanbul. But many demonstrators say they now are protesting against authoritarian policies of Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
3. Milestones for Proponents of Homosexual Rights
In a televised event broadcast and watched around the world, the first ever female Ultimate Fighting Champion defended her belt against the first ever openly gay mixed martial artist to compete in the promotion. This change after nearly two decades and over 150 events in the promotions history represents major milestones in how society views fighters. Given that the UFC holds events all over the world from the Americas to Europe to Asia, expanding its roster to include greater diversity is a significant sign of the times. The fact that the women competed in the main event makes this card even more historic. Moreover, it also illustrates the bravery of the UFC to promote such a fight and of the challenger to compete as an openly gay fighter despite the expected online hostility from the ignorant. See, for example, the discussion at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/UFC_157 where certain “contributors” dismiss the overwhelming and most factually accurate viewpoint of the majority of commenters while spouting off veiled homophobic and misogynistic nonsense that denigrates and dismisses the importance of not only women and gay athletes, but of the entire sport of mixed-martial arts. This sport has a global fan base in the millions and is a billion dollar international industry. Yet, a few self-appointed judges blatantly lie to suppress knowledge about something they just do not like. It is sad to see that in this day and age, electronic book burning, homophobia, and misogyny are still prevalent enough to stifle human knowledge and diminish the potential of Wikipedia, but it is just a further reminder that women’s rights and gay rights are still hot topics. Kudos for the UFC for making progress in these regards and shame on Wikipedia for allowing accounts with checkered pasts as seen at http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Log/block&page=User%3AClaritas and http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Log/block&page=User%3AKww to get their way. For more information on this notable event, see the coverage found in such mainstream press reports as http://www.inquisitr.com/452753/ronda-rousey-and-liz-carmouche-will-make-history-at-ufc-157/
For other important developments in February with regards to women’s and gay rights, see http://newsfeed.time.com/2013/02/04/it-is-now-legal-for-women-to-wear-pants-in-paris/ about how Paris recently officially ended a ban on women’s pants that dated back to Napoleon’s government and http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-21433198 about how France’s National Assembly has approved a law allowing same-sex couples to marry and adopt children. For similar developments across the Channel, see also http://www.cnn.com/2013/02/05/world/europe/uk-gay-marriage-vote/index.html about increasing support in Britain’s Parliament for legalizing gay marriage in the island country. Finally see http://www.nytimes.com/2013/02/07/us/boy-scouts-postpone-decision-on-gays.html?_r=0 for the ongoing debate about whether or not the Boy Scouts of America will admit gay members in its organization. I will be interested to read in your comments what you think about the UFC now including women and gay fighters, Wikipedia’s limiting of content, women being permitted to wear pants in Paris, Britain potentially legalizing gay marriage, and the Boy Scouts being open to gay members? Please do keep your comments civil and respectful concerning these hot button issues. Thank you!
Regarding The Boy Scouts, their executive committee ultimately wrote a resolution for consideration that would remove the restriction denying membership to youth on the basis of sexual orientation, the Boy Scouts of America said Friday, 19 April 2013. The scouts would maintain the current membership policy for all adult leaders of the Boy Scouts of America. Current policy prohibits gays. The news was one of several concerning homosexual rights.
On 23 April 2013, French lawmakers voted to legalize same-sex marriage despite vocal protests from some conservatives opposed to the step. Opponents, including the Roman Catholic Church, other religious groups and social conservatives, still hope to block the measure by filing a legal challenge with the Constitutional Council. Once the measure is enacted, France will be the ninth country in Europe to allow same-sex marriage.
Later in the month, Jason Collins, who played with the NBA’s Washington Wizards this season, said he is gay, making him the first openly homosexual athlete in the four major American pro team sports. Collins made the disclosure in a column appearing in the upcoming issue of Sports Illustrated. “I’m a 34-year-old NBA center. I’m black. And I’m gay,” he said in the column. Collins finished the season with the Wizards and will become a free agent.
On Thursday, 2 May 2013, Rhode Island Governor Lincoln Chafee signed a bill legalizing same-sex marriage after the state legislature approved the measure. The law made Rhode Island the 10th state to give same-sex couples the right to wed. Delaware became the 11th state to legalize same-sex marriage after the state Senate approved the measure and Governor Jack Markell signed it into law. Meanwhile, The Boy Scouts of America announced that it will allow openly gay youths to join, following a vote at the organization’s annual meeting in Texas, although The Boy Scouts will maintain a ban on openly gay adult leaders.
Finally, The Supreme Court struck down provision of Defense of Marriage Act that denied federal benefits to legally married same-sex couples. The Supreme Court also left in place lower court ruling that struck down California’s Proposition 8 ban on gay marriage. In these two rulings, the Supreme Court gave major victories to same-sex couples. The first overturned a ban on federal benefits for same-sex married couples. In the second, a California case, the court dismissed an appeal, which means same-sex couples will be able to get married in that state. Subsequently, three judges on the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that same-sex marriages can resume “effective immediately” in the state of California, a move the U.S. Supreme Court paved the way for. California Attorney General Kamala Harris was already at San Francisco City Hall marrying same-sex couples, her press office said.
2. Israeli forces attacked an arms convoy on the Lebanon–Syria border overnight destined from Syria to Hezbollah.
Here we see another potential powder key that is arguably already burning. Any time Israel and any of its Arab neighbors exchange even a small amount of gunfire it has the potential to escalate into something with regional if not global significance due to the importance of Middle Eastern oil and the interest of three major world religions on holy sites in the region. The Syrian Civil War has been raging since the Arab Spring destabilized the region over a year ago. Tens of thousands have died in the conflict and it keeps threatening to involve its various neighbors from Turkey to Iraq and perhaps most critically to Israel. After Israel struck the convoy to prevent Hezbollah terrorists from acquiring weapons, both Syria and Iran have threatened retaliatory strikes on Israel. Should they follow up on those threats, we could have a major regional war on our hands that once again could also draw in the United States. A major war involving Iran will almost assuredly spike up oil prices and cost numerous lives on both sides of the conflict. For more information on this important story, please see source.
Later, on Thursday, 13 June 2013, the White House said Syria had crossed a “red line” with the use of chemical weapons against rebels and added — without specifics — that the United States would increase the “scale and scope” of support for the opposition. United States military support for Syrian rebels will include small arms, ammunition and possibly anti-tank weapons, according to two officials familiar with the matter. The weapons will be provided by the CIA, the officials said.
1. Pope Benedict XVI resigned on February 28, the Vatican Press Office told Fox News, while his spokesman Father Federico Lombardi told CNN.
Lombardi did not give a reason for the resignation of Benedict, the 265th pope. Benedict, the sixth German to serve as pope and the first since the 11th century, led the church during a time in which the church declined in his native Europe but expanded in Africa and Latin America. The resignation was effective from 20:00 on 28 February 2013 making him the first pope to resign since Gregory XII in 1415 to resign. Given that there are the pope is head of a sovereign country as well as leader of the world’s largest church, his global influence is among the most significant of all world political and religious leaders. Given the ongoing child sex abuse scandals as well as various other matters involving the Roman Catholic Church, any modern pope faces many challenges that affect the lives of millions of people on practically every continent. Given that I teach at a Catholic University as seen at http://sites.jcu.edu/history/pages/faculty-and-staff/matthew-zarzeczny/ this story is of particular interest to myself and many of my Catholic students.
On 28 February 2013, the resignation became official after Pope Benedict XVI made his last public appearance as pontiff at Italy’s Castel Gandolfo, the seaside papal resort town where, Benedict will be in seclusion until his successor is chosen. To a cheering crowd, he spoke his final words as pope from balcony: “Thank you for your friendship and for your affection. I am no longer the pope.” Benedict thereby became the first living pope to resign in 598 years. The 85 year old said he resigned because of his age, although his sudden announcement led to speculation that his move was in some way linked to brewing scandals within the Church. Regardless of the reason for the resignation, CNN reports that he “has pledged unconditional obedience to the next pope, who the Vatican hopes to have in place in time for the week of services leading up to Easter Sunday on March 31. Benedict will eventually move to a small monastery within the Vatican grounds.”
For the original news stories, please see http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-21411304 and http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2013/feb/11/pope-benedict-xvi-resigns-age while I also recommend http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Resignation_of_Pope_Benedict_XVI for the latest developments
Given this particular news, it should hardly be surprising that general interest in the papacy throughout February 2013, including in list format, has increased as seen at such lists as http://listverse.com/2013/02/11/top-10-popes-who-resigned/ among numerous others including https://www.toptenz.net/top-10-popes-with-the-shortest-reigns-ever.php right here on TopTenz!
By Dr. Matthew D. Zarzeczny, FINS and the author of Meteors That Enlighten the Earth: Napoleon and the Cult of Great Men, Banned from the Internet?!: “Controversial” Top 10 Lists, and Banned from the Internet.
3 Comments
Nothing on the shattering disclosures made by Edward Snowden ?!
You did it! A world list it is.
Maybe could have the brazilian revolts happening nationwide since the beginning of june, but I can’t complain.
Nice list. Not solely based in America which is always a good thing.