The weekend news was dominated by harrowing images of Syrian children caught up in the latest chemical attack. Words of leaders from across the globe will do little to ease their pain. In contrast, North Korea's assurances that Kim Jong-un is willing to discuss getting rid of the country's nuclear weapons with Donald Trump during the upcoming summit raised some hope. Meanwhile, Facebook is trying hard to rebuild its much-hammered reputation. From today, the company is contacting millions of users to notify them that their data ended up with Cambridge Analytica.

Another issue worth highlighting is anti-depressant dependency, affecting millions of users who were unaware of this problem when they started taking the medication.

More chemical attacks in Syria

Yet another suspected chemical attack in Syria has sent shockwaves across the globe. Images and footage of injured and lifeless civilians, including children, appeared online. According to the Guardian, western governments have accused the Syrian government of carrying out yet another chemical attack on its civilian population. Over the weekend, aid workers reported that over 70 people died from the effects of chlorine and an unknown chemical agent, so an Aljazeera reported.

Over 1000 casualties are receiving treatment in makeshift hospitals, with medical staff and supplies in short supply.

According to Aljazeera, former Douma residents believe that 100'000 civilians remain trapped in the city. The UN has vowed to fully investigate the attack, with the US considering immediate action. The Syrian government and Russia have dismissed the accusations and blamed rebel-held chemical weapons for the casualties and deaths.

Since 2013, thousands of Syrian civilians have been victims of deadly chemical attacks.

Facebook to notify users of data use from today

From today, Facebook is planning to notify approximately 87 million of its users that information was passed on to Cambridge Analytica, despite the fact that The Times estimated that approximately 300'000 people took the survey which is at the center of the data breach.

User reaction has been mixed, with some showing little interest and others considering deleting their Facebook pages. The Guardian also reported that the company is contacting a further 2.2 billion users with a 'Protecting Your Information' notice. Here, users can find out which apps they use and control the information provided to them. Facebook is reeling from the Cambridge Analytica scandal and is hoping to regain its users' trust.

Kim Jong-un says he is willing to discuss denuclearization with Donald Trump

Over the weekend, North Korean administration officials offered assurances that their leader, Kim Jong-un, is ready to discuss a possible denuclearization at next month's meeting with the US president.

According to a New York Times report, North Korean representatives delivered this message during secret discussions with American officials. Talks have been ongoing in preparation for next month's summit. While discussions are taking place, no summit date has been announced yet, according to a Washington Post report.

Anti-depressant dependency is a serious issue

The number of people taking anti-depressants has risen drastically over the past two decades. In fact, The Times has reported that the rate has tripled since 2000. Figures released by The Times indicate that over 15 million Americans have been taking anti-depressants for a minimum of five years. While these drugs work to reduce anxiety and combat depression, many users struggle to stop taking them.

Withdrawal symptoms are often far more devastating than expected, with many users emphasizing that they weren't alerted to them. Speaking to New York Times reporters, one doctor said that 'some people are essentially being parked on these drugs for convenience's sake because it's difficult to tackle the issue of taking them off."
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