1.No Canada or Australia visas for Ebola countries
Canada and Australia are to suspend visa applications from resident and passport holders from West African countries in the grip of the Ebola outbreak. The decision has drawn criticism from the World Health Organisation (WHO).
2. Police cautions to be scrapped in England and Wales
The government is planning to eliminate the use of police cautions, a formal warning issued to those who commit minor offences, due to Justice Secretary claiming that victims should not feel that criminals are walking away “scot-free”. Under the new system, offenders would be required to repair any damage caused or pay compensation. The system will be trialed for a year in Staffordshire starting this month.
3. UK travellers warned of increased global terror threat
A worldwide travel warning has been issued by the Foreign Office, amid fears that Britons flying abroad could be targeted in terrorist attacks. The warning comes after a “generalised threat” that extremists will seek revenge for Britain’s involvement in airstrikes against the Islamic State.
4. Virgin Galactic crash
One pilot has died and another severely injured in California’s Mojave Desert after the crash of a Virgin Galactic rocket ship. ‘SpaceShipTwo’ was flying its first test flight in nine months, when it crashed shortly after takeoff. Despite this, Sir Richard Branson, founder of the Virgin Group, has issued a statement claiming that Virgin Galactic will “persevere” with its quest for commercial space travel.
5. Egypt jails “gay marriage video’” men
A court in Egypt has sentenced eight men to three years in prison after appearing in a video allegedly showing a gay marriage on a boat in the Nile. Although homosexuality is legal in Egypt, it still remains a ‘taboo’ wherein police have been known to carry out raids on “gay venues”. All eight have denied claims of inciting debauchery and offending public morality.
Image Credits: ABC News