Global Recap: Taliban cracks down on female employment, Canadian election drama, and Australian protests

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Michael Crimmins, News reporters

There is no shortage of newsworthy topics here in the United States. At times it is easy to get lost in it all, but equally crucial things happen all over the world. They can shed light on political relationships, on humanitarian issues and can keep you up to date on global events.

Here is a quick look at some global events that made the news last week.

Women left unemployed by the Taliban

Females in government jobs have been told to not return to work, according to an article done by CNN.

A Taliban order announced Sunday by acting Mayor Hamdullah Nohmani said that only those females whose jobs cannot be done by males can return to work.

“Initially we allowed all of them to be present at their duties on time, but then the Islamic Emirate decided it was necessary that for some time their work must stop,” Nohmani said. “Then we only allowed those females whom we needed, I mean for jobs which males couldn’t do, or which is not a man’s job … For example, there are public female toilets in bazaars.”

There are roughly 2,930 people employed by the government and approximately 27% of those are women, according to CNN. 

This announcement came despite the Taliban’s assurances on women’s rights. On Sunday, a march was organized by the Movement for Change group, a women’s civil rights organization.

Signs for the women’s ministry were covered by signs with the Taliban moral police, according to a Reuters article

Several female employees have been trying to return to work for weeks only to be told to return home.

“I am the only breadwinner in my family,” an Afghan women employee said. “When there is no ministry, what should an Afghan woman do?”

Canadian election tightens

It is likely Prime Minister Justin Trudeau will win the election in Canada, but he will likely lose parliamentary majority in the House of Commons, according to an article done by Reuters.  

Liberal strategists encouraged Trudeau to call the vote only two years into his government, confident he could capitalize on his handling of the pandemic, Reuter reports. 

His lead in the polls has shrunk due to debt incurred by fighting COVID-19 questions, according to Reuters and CNN.

This shrinking of his lead has made some Liberal strategists concede that winning a majority is slim, according to the article. 

“There’s no world in which this is not tight,” a senior Liberal strategist said. “Is a majority possible? Yes. Is it the likeliest scenario? No.”

According to the articles, Conservative Party Leader Erin O’toole attacked Trudeau while on the campaign trail. A practice that is not usual to Canadian politics.

Trudeau responded to the attacks in a unique style, CNN reports.

“I’m going to let him and his proxies and the anti-vaxxer movement and the gun lobby and the anti-choice crowd continue to attack me, fine. I’m going to stay focused on Canadians.”

A CNN article reports that as of 2 a.m. ET, the Liberal party won 157 seats as opposed to the 122 seats won by his opponent in this tight national election. 

Anti-lockdown protests erupt in Australian cities

There were 235 protesters who were arrested after a clash with police against the country’s lockdown policy, according to CNN.

The country has been in lockdown for two months. The lockdown was extended after a concern in COVID cases, according to CNN. 

The protests took place in a variety of Australian cities, but officials say Melbourne was the most intense. Ten police officers were injured in Melbourne.

“What we saw today was a group of protesters that came together, not to protest freedoms, but simply to take on and have a fight with the police,” Victoria Police Commander Mark Galliott told CNN reporters. “That’s what we saw were angry, aggressive young males, they had to fight the police not to protest about freedom.”

According to AP News, a majority of the protestors were unmasked. Many say the lockdown should end, but authorities said it is crucial to suppressing the virus.

The protestors carried signs expressing their displeasure with the policy. One sign read “Wake up sheeple.”

Hollywood inspiration found guilty on terrorism charges

A Rwandan court found Paul Rusesabagina guilty of eight charges including forming and backing an armed rebel group. He was sentenced to 25 years in prison, according to Reuters.

Rusesabagina was the inspiration for the Hollywood film “Hotel Rwanda” which portrays him as a hero in the 1994 genocide.

Though, some survivors claimed he used their suffering for his own fame.

“He dramatized his deeds in a film and won awards he did not deserve,” Naphtal Ahishakiye, the executive secretary of genocide survivor organization Ibuka, told Reuters by phone.

According to the article, his supporters claim the trial as a shame because he is an outspoken critic of President Paul Kagame. This trial is being used to silence a critic and show how far Kagame will go, they claim.  

The BBC reports that Rusesabagina was taken back to Rwanda by force. He is a U.S. citizen. The United States government said they are concerned by the conviction.

According to Reuters, Rusesabagina refused to appear for most of the trial.

News reporter Michael Crimmins can be reached at [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter @michael_crimm