What’s Happening Today?

International Day for Preventing the Exploitation of the Environment in War and Armed Conflict. The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) has found that over the last 60 years, at least 40 per cent of all internal conflicts have been linked to the exploitation of natural resources, whether high-value resources such as timber, diamonds, gold and oil, or scarce resources such as fertile land and water. Conflicts involving natural resources have also been found to be twice as likely to relapse. 

Fountain Pen Day. Taking place on the first Friday in November each year, Fountain Pen Day is celebrated by enthusiasts worldwide as a time to embrace, promote, and share the use of fountain pens.

What Happened Today?

1. In 1962, the UN General Assembly asked its member states to stand up against apartheid and to cut off relations with South Africa in order to make a point. Apartheid was an official policy of racial discrimination and segregation followed in South Africa. Despite the UN Resolution, it remained governmental policy until 1994, when democratic general elections were held in the country.

2. In 1985, 25 guerrillas from the 19th of April Movement or the M-19 took over the Palace of Justice which houses the Colombian Supreme Court. They took 300 people hostage. The ensuing fight between the rebels and the government's forces left more than 100 people, including 11 Supreme Court justices dead.

3. In 1999, Australians rejected a referendum to become a republic with a president as its head. The referendum was held to amend the Australian constitution, which would make the country a republic with a president as its head. If the referendum has passed the British monarchy would no longer have been a constitutional monarchy.

Birthdays

1. 1979 – Lamar Odom, American professional basketballer.

2. 1990 – Patricia Apolot, Ugandan professional martial artist.

Sources: Wikipedia, checkiday, bornglorious & UN

Picture credit: Bigeye.ug