March 2016 saw the hottest Global temperature in a century.
Though the reality of climate change no longer comes as a surprise, these recent spikes in temperatures worldwide have caused much concern.
These findings “smashed” all previously recorded Global temperature over 100 years and have been confirmed by NASA as well as the World Meteorological Organization.
March was found to be 1.07C hotter across the globe compared with the 20th-century average. They based the findings on figures dating back to 1891.
2C is the danger limit for global warming, as concluded during the UN Climate summit in Paris back in December 2015.
Due to a severe El Niño period, the temperature was further boosted. But climate change isn’t the only one to blame, as scientists found that greenhouse gas emissions are just as culpable for the record-breaking heat that’s been a source of alarm the world over.
Trafficked teenage girls rescued by Border Police in Vietnam
screengrab: CNN
Five 14-year-old girls were reportedly rescued from being trafficked from Vietnam to China. CNN reports that Border Police caught them right before they crossed the Vietnamese border.
After being led 300 kilometers across the country, border police intercepted and grabbed them before they could cross the river into China.
Their abductor, a female neighbour they trusted, is now under arrest.
They were allegedly lured by false promises: 10 million Vietnamese dong (or 600 US dollars), to be exact.
Though they went willingly, they weren’t expecting the fate that awaited them.
One girl who had suffered a similar fate was Giang Thi Nha’s daughter, who was plucked from her hometown, brought to China to be sold as a Child Bride.
She bravely escaped from her captors and fought to make it back home to Vietnam.
In an effort to combat these from happening, the Vietnamese government have been training border guards to spot potential traffic victims before they disappear into China, where it’s nearly impossible to track them down.
Watch the full report below.
More of the latest global news on the next page
Injured War Veterans Hunt Down Child Predators
screengrab: CNN
Though they are no longer active in the military, these Elite War Veterans are now getting ready for a new mission. Known as The Hero Corps, these vets are given the important duty of rescuing children from sexual assault and child pornography.
Sifting through thousands of disturbing images and video footage of child pornography, they are able to track down pornographers and rescue those children who’ve fallen prey to their crimes.
The U.S. is the world’s largest producer of child pornography.
Time is of the essence and once they’re in the field, their main duties are to assist and aid in child rescue.
These officers receive 11 weeks of intensive training and 10 month of on-the-ground experience before they are placed with various law enforcement agencies across the country.
To qualify, these vets must have been “hurt, ill, or injured in service to their country”.
A Mother’s Heartbreaking Plea to #BringBackOurGirls
It’s been two years but the pain remains.
Back in April 14, 2014, 276 girls aged 16-18 were forcefully abducted by Boko Haram insurgents after they stormed into a school in Chibok, Nigeria.
57 of them managed to escape. None have been rescued.
219 girls are still missing.
Two years in captivity and countless atrocities later, yet #HopeEndures.
Martha Enoch is just one of the many mothers who have not given up hope.
She, along with the other mothers of the abducted teens penned heartbreaking letters to their missing daughters.
You can read the letter in its entirety below.
Dear Monica,
Life has been difficult without you these last two years. My life is in discomfort and I have been living with hypertension since they stole you from me on April 14, 2014. We miss you whenever we remember the role that you played in our family, especially your sisters. You were so kind and so special because you touched the lives of everyone that met you.
Our prayers have never ended for you and we still sing your favorite choruses that you would sing in church. We sing them every morning and every evening in Hausa and we remember your voice. I always end up in tears. I wanted you to be a doctor and in fact, we have nicknamed [our other daughter] ‘doctor’ because of you. Your father had a dream where he saw you walking up a ladder to heaven.
My hope is that I will see you here on earth again but if I do not, I know you are in heaven. Please serve God faithfully and I pray that God bring you back to me. I miss you, my daughter.
From your mum, Martha Enoch.
If you have any insights, questions or comments regarding the topic, please share them with us!