Chronicle of misfortune, mayhem and misery for every day of the year. It carefully curated calendar of humankind most entertaining catastrophes. If the signature tongueincheek humor farquhar leads were leads readers on historys worst happenings gleaned from recent and distant eras events while mom and obscure locations near and far and people famous infamous and forgotten. Farquhar explains in his introduction there are literally doing it to miserable episodes throughout Human History from which to choose. Here he has collected the most amazing examples that will offer even in the most miserable readers excellent company. After the reading there will be time for questions. Afterwards the book signing. When that time comes we would like everyone to form a line going up that way now ladies and gentlemen please give a warm welcome for author michael farquhar. [applause] i dont create a bad day but its farquhar. Thank you all for being here. That was a nice introduction ended as deeply and
100. Thousands in south africa take to the streets to protest against a problem thats cost people there billions of dollars. And heated exchanges in the u. S. Congress as one of the countrys leading Womens Health agencies fights to keep its funding. So we start with the unanimous vote in russias upper house to send military forces to syria. President Bashir Al Assad asked for help and welcomes moscows decision. The kremlin says the military operation is limited to air strikes. The u. S. Says those air strikes have already started. The move is likely to increase tensions between rush wra and the west. The International Community chris sized president putin for increasing military presence in syria. Moscow insists that no Ground Troops whim be deployed. Translator we are talking about syria specifically and not about the pursuit of some political ghouls or ambitions, which we are regularly accused of by our western partners. Peter, parliaments vote rubber stamped russian involvement in s
They went as quickly as they came. Hundreds of russian tracks the crossed without permission into ukraine on friday are now back in russia. The kremlin says the convoy delivered humanitarian aid. He of called it an invasion. Ievman key of ke called it an invasion. Angela merkel promised millions of euros in aid. Angela merkels visit comes. T a symbolic time for kiev ukraine celebrates its Independence Day on sunday. The german chancellor announced a Loan Guarantee of half a billion euros for rebuilding eastern ukraines energy and water infrastructure, and its schools, plus 25 Million Euros to help refugees. We are a member of the Marshall Plan for rebuilding postwar europe. Offered to us by germany is the beginning of a merkel plan and i think the chancellor for that. Chancellor merkel emphasize that there can be no military resolution of the conflict. There needs to be a ceasefire on both sides in combination with proper border controls. Otherwise, there can be no peace. The fighting
What japan did to china again. But im not sure what to do this done because its pictures. To we just all go like, wow, look at that and heres another page. [laughter] wow. When going to do instead is talk about it for a little while, talk about this project how it came to be, why im doing and take questions from you guys. In 1917, the United States entered its first war of choice. What i mean by war of choice is a war that we didnt hav have to fight and were we werent sure we wanted to fight. Because every war up until then had had a very concrete goal, which was a war of independence from britain, or a war to hold the unit together and free slaves, or we really like california. Were going to take it away from mexico. But whatever the reasons were it was concrete where as the First World War was the first war of a serial ideal. This weird idea and this idea was hatched by president woodrow wilson. This was a war to make us safe for democracy, to make the world safe for democracy. That
Launches his partys election campaign. And the environmentalists with chain saws. Were deep in the indonesian jungle where its man versus nature again. First, former South African president Nelson Mandela has been discharged from hospital after almost three months. Hes being treated for a lung infection in pretoria. The South African government says the former president and antiapartheid leader is still in a critical condition. Tonya page joins me now live from johannesburg. His condition is described as critical and at times unstale. Why is he being allowed to go home . Reporter well, i think the reason for that is explained by the South African president s office, which is the official conduit of all information pertaining to the former president s health. They make it clear that they have reconfigured parts of the former president s home in the house and suburb in johannesburg to allow for intensive care treatment at his home. They say that the same medical team, private and public