By: Rowaida Mahmoud
Social media users spoke this week about the killing of Hamas deputy leader Saleh al-Arouri by Israel; an earthquake in Japan and twin blasts that took place during the commemoration of Iranian slain Qasem Soleimani.
Killing of Hamas deputy leader al-Arouri raises risk of Gaza war spreading
Israel killed Hamas deputy leader Saleh al-Arouri in a drone strike in Lebanon’s capital Beirut.
Israeli Forces escalated its bombardment on Gaza and ordered civilians to evacuate a refugee in the north of the Palestinian enclave after Israeli aggression bombing extends to Lebanon by killing Hamas deputy chief leader, Saleh al-Arouri.
Israel always insists on accusing al-Arouri of plotting attacks, but an official of Hamas stated that al-Arouri was “at the heart of negotiations” conducted by Qatar and Egypt”over the outcome of the Gaza war and the release of Hamas-held Israeli hostages.
Devastated quake stuck Japan
A 7.5 magnitude earthquake struck Japan, causing huge devastation, triggering multiple aftershocks and killing dozens of people.
Rescuers are in a race with time to save residents, trapped under the ruins of their collapsed homes.
Japan’s Meteorological Agency registered about 200 aftershocks since the quake occurred and warned of more in the coming days.
Japan is always struck by earthquakes due to its location above the Ring of Fire in the Pacific Ocean, which witnesses a higher activity of earthquakes.
Special Case series topped trends
The Egyptian series “Hala Khasa” (Special Case) topped trends in Egypt after screening its first episode.
The series grabbed all attention thanks to its tackling story, which is autism.
The series started with Nadeen, actor Taha Desouky, having a flashback to a day he went to school late, so his teacher started scolding and asking him math questions. Needem answered all questions, easy and difficult ones, the matter which made his teacher surprised.
Backing to the flashback, Nadeem appeared while presenting a training request to the law office of Amany al Nagar, actress Ghada Adel, who approves his request thanks to his remarkable intelligence.
Twin blasts coincide with commemoration of Iranian slain Qasem Soleimani
Dozens of people were killed out of twin blasts in the Iranian city of Kerman near the burial site of slain military commander Qasem Soleimani.
The blasts came on the fourth anniversary of Soleimani’s death in a US airstrike. No group has claimed responsibility for the blasts, the deadliest to hit Iran since the 1979 revolution.
Iran’s President Ebrahim Raisi blamed Israel for the explosions, saying it will pay a “heavy price.”
“I warn the Zionist regime, do not doubt that you will pay a heavy price for this crime and the crimes you have committed,” Raisi said in a televised speech from Tehran.
While the Israeli military didn’t comment on the incident, the US State Department said it had no reason to believe Israel was involved.
World marks World Braille Day
Every year on January 4, the world celebrates “World Braille Day” to honour the birth of Braille’s inventor, Louis Braille.
Braille’s gift to the world has brightened the lives of millions of people around the world.
The term ‘Braille’ was dubbed after its creator. Louis Braille was a Frenchman who lost his eyesight as a child when he accidentally stabbed himself in the eye with his father’s awl. From the age of 10, he spent time at the Royal Institute for Blind Youth in France, where he formulated and perfected the system of raised dots that eventually became known as Braille.
Braille completed his work, developing a code based on cells with six dots, making it possible for a fingertip to feel the entire cell unit with one touch and moving quickly from one cell to the next. Eventually, Braille slowly came to be accepted throughout the world as the main form of written information for blind people.
Unfortunately, he passed away in 1852, two years before the Royal Institute began teaching Braille.
Braille’s gift that opened up a world of accessibility to the blind and visually impaired was recognised by the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA).
In November 2018, January 4 was declared World Braille Day. The first-ever World Braille Day was commemorated the following year, and it was celebrated as an international holiday.
The date for the event, as chosen by UNGA via a proclamation, marks Louis Braille’s birthday.
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