A recent study found that over 640 million people are obese.
The study was conducted by Majid Ezzati, a professor at the Imperial College London.
There are now more obese people than underweight people. (Image courtesy of Getty Images)
He analyzed global trends in Body-Mass Index (BMI), and found that there are currently over 530 million more obese people than 30 years ago. More obese people live in the United States and China than any other country in the world, while Japanese adults had the lowest BMI out of all high-income countries. Ezzati says that the world obesity epidemic cannot be ignored, and that “coordinated global steps are needed”.
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Over 20 are dead after flyover collapse in Kolkata.
Many look on as workers rescue those trapped under the rubble (Image courtesy of The Guardian)
An under-construction flyover collapsed on 1 April, killing at least 23 and critically injuring 15 more. At least 90 people were rescued from the rubble, but it remains unclear how many people are still missing. Construction on the flyover began in 2007, and was slated for completion in 2009. However after numerous delays, the flyover remained only 70% completed before the collapse. The structure collapsed when blots came out from the metal girders supporting it during the laying of concrete.
Source and more information can be found here.
A bombing by a Taliban faction in Lahore, Pakistan, kills 65 people.
Pakistani Police and rescuers search for victims. (Image courtesy of UK Telegraph)
This bombing occurred on Easter Sunday, and wounded over 300. The bombing took place at a church where many Christians were celebrating the occasion. Canadian Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau, released a statement condemning the bombings. Schools and offices in Lahore remained closed the next day, as the city assumed a war-like state for safety.
Source and more information can be found here.
A new North American Viking settlement is discovered in Newfoundland.
Archaeologists uncover remnants of a Viking settlement.
(Image courtesy of BBC)
Vikings, the fearsome Norse seafarers and raiders that terrorized British and French coasts around 800 AD, have long been rumoured to have settled in North America during their expeditions. However, the accuracy of such accounts has remained a mystery until these recent discoveries were made. Using modern satellite imaging techniques, an archaeology team has identified a Viking settlement in Point Rosee, Newfoundland. Complete with remnants of longhouses and ironworks, this new discovery sheds light on the extent of Viking exploration in North America.
Source and more information can be found here.
A historic peace treaty is being settled in Columbia.
President Juan Manuel Santos (left) and Rodrigo Londoño, the leader of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Columbia (right), shake hands at peace talks.
(Image courtesy of The Guardian)
After nearly half a century of civil war, Columbians are hopeful that peace is finally on the horizon. President Juan Manuel Santos and Rodrigo “Timochenko” Londoño, the leader of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Columbia (Farc), shook hands on a deal in which guerrillas and Colombian military commanders accused of rights abuses will be given the chance to confess at special tribunals in exchange for significantly reduced sentences at peace talks in Havana. The issue of decommissioning weapons is still under negotiation; however, many Columbians feel that the proposed deal is unjustly lenient in light of the atrocities committed by the Farc. Negotiations with the National Liberation Army (ELN), the second largest rebel group, are underway, but may take longer than those with the Farc.
