Blog 3: Teresa Lindsey, 02/21/2014 4:36 p.m., 4 Killed and dozens are wounded in Beirut suicide attack

Summary:

The article titled “4 Killed and dozens are wounded in Beirut suicide attack” discusses an incident that occurred on Wednesday, February 19, 2014 in Beirut close to an Iranian cultural center. Two suicide bombers blew up their cars and killed four people and wounded many others. Lebanese army said “the bombers drove vehicles packed with explosives and mortar shells to maximize the damage”. Some of the wounded were children who were in a nearby orphanage. This was the latest attack targeting Shiite areas in Lebanon. The Shiite militant group is backed by Iran. An AL-Qaeda-linked group took responsibility for the bombings, basically saying it was retaliation for Hezbollah’s involvement in the Syrian was. There have been many similar attacks since July against Shiite areas where civilians have been killed and wounded. Residents are angry and very upset because they say that the enemy they are facing is unknown and want to kill them because of their faith. The damage from this attack was very severe. The blast set trees and cars on fire and shattered windows. Many people thought that an earthquake had just happened. A building that once housed a pharmacy, a clothing shop, and a popular sweet shop was destroyed so bad that the only thing that was left was mangled metal. As you can imagine, people are being very cautious and the local Al Zahraa hospital has increased security by posting armed guards with assault rifles. Abdullah Azzam Brigades posted on his twitter account that the “invasion of the Iranian cultural center” was in “retaliation for Iran’s party fighting along the criminal regime in Syria”. That comment was in reference to Hezbollah, which has been an ally of Assad’s government. Their fighters have been a great help in dislodging the Syrian rebels from the Lebanon border. Abdullah Azzam Brigades said the attacks will continue until Hezbollah fighters withdraw from Syria and several detainees are released from Lebanese jails. It was also stated that Hezbollah will not “enjoy security in Lebanon until the people of Syria feel secure”.

Analysis:

This article highlights an ongoing problem in Beirut that they have been having since July, against the Shiite’s. Innocent civilians including children are being killed and severely wounded as a result of these attacks. It is sad that we live in world where people can feel like if they don’t agree with your views, beliefs, and/or way of thinking they can hatch up a plan to kill you to make a statement. I think that what really bothered me about this article was that it talked about how the neighbors felt that they were being sought out and killed because of who they worshiped. Everyone should be able to live their lives the way that they want to and go to any church they desire and not have to worry about dying because they are Christian and not Muslim.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/middle_east/4-killed-dozens-wounded-in-beirut-suicide-attack/2014/02/19/f1845218-997d-11e3-b931-0204122c514b_story.html

Blog 3: Women are still Dying in Pregnancy and Child Birth

Summary: Health care access is a great luxury in some parts of the world and is a key contributor in the well being of many mothers. According to  the Huffington post every minute a woman dies from childbirth or problems occurring during pregnancy. These said complications are often quite preventable if a health facility was more readily available. Often in developing countries medical treatment takes several hours to reach and even once they reach it their might be a language barrier. Peruvian women in indigenous parts of the country experience these high mortality rates unfortunately. A majority of these women give birth at their home without any medical assistance and are often not educated on how to prepare for labor. Women in such remote places also do not receive proper prenatal care and often their unborn child will begin to have complications not only for the infant but for the mother as well. 

Analysis: Unfortunately mortality rates for women and their child are high due to lack of medical treatment. When a mother does die an older child will often drop out of school in order to take care of their younger siblings making it difficult to educate the remote population about not only health but helping them move up the social class ladder out of poverty. It would greatly affect remote countries mortality rates if their people were able to receive education about health factors during pregnancy which in turn would also help educate families in how to move out of poverty. With such remote areas becoming educated and moving out of poverty developing countries could soon begin to become industrialized and contributing goods globally. Mortality rates in women are quite preventable and infant death raters are not as complicated as assumptions would lead. 

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/linda-pfeiffer/the-benefits-of-community-for-infant-health_b_4825486.html

http://www.who.int/features/qa/12/en/