Duterte on the big stage: Philippines leader cozies up to Putin, Xi Jinping

The Phillippines and their president Duterte reaffirmed his stance with Russia. Putin meet with Duterte at the APEC conference. Duterte wants the Phillippines to become more aligned with Europe and he beleives that Russia can help him achieve this goal.

-Sean Raleigh

Columbia Police

               The police of Columbia rescued a United States judge who was abducted last while in Cartagena.  This judge, who served the Los Angeles Superior Court, was on vacation in Cartagena when he was abducted by, approximately, 4 kidnappers.  This is, actually, a common occurrence in Columbia, usually in the hopes that the abduction will bring ransom money for the return of the individual.  While a common occurrence, the Colombian police have been cracking down on such instances and they have slowed down in recent months.

-Jaedyn Krebs-Carr

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-latin-america-38025653

Saudi-led coalition calls 48-hour ceasefire in war-torn Yemen

So Saudi Arabia is in Yemen? I guess I need to pay more attention to failed states, because interesting things seem to happen, like Saudi Arabia leading a coalition. Right now, they and the rebel forces are entering a 48 hour ceasefire. Ceasefires have this way of ceasing, so I hope that both forces manage to abide by it. I suppose that we are favoring the Saudis on this one, seeing as how we like oil so much. As for not getting much media attention, this year and a half conflict has been nicknamed the forgotten war due to the lack of international attention. I thought we already had one of those? A sequel with a lower budget and equal human suffering; lets hope they don't make it a trilogy.



http://www.cnn.com/2016/11/19/middleeast/yemen-saudi-ceasefire/index.html

-Clayton Bailey

A silent killer: Lead poisoning in Nigeria

http://www.aljazeera.com/indepth/inpictures/2016/10/silent-killer-lead-poisoning-nigeria-161024163015220.html

Robert Tomaszewski
Lead poisoning is happening in Nigeria. Doctors without borders are running a lead poisoning intervention program. The outbreak of lead poisoning has killed 400 inhabitants since its discovery in the Zamfara state in 2010 according to Aljazeera.

Gold mines are largely to blame, the gold mines are full of lead, which presents a very dangerous work hazard. The process of grinding rocks to get gold ore litters the soil with lead. Children are dying as a result according to Aljazeera, being the most vulnerable to the disease.
This puts a tension of the mining industry which is very lucrative for Nigerians, but at the same time, poses a health risk. I expect this to slow the growth of gold as a commodity.

Populism Abroad: Italy and The U.S. Election

In an article for The Christian Science Monitor, written by David Iaconangelo, there is an exploration of Italy's latest political developments. Following in a very close pattern with other European and United States influence, Italy has decided upon a constitutional overhaul referendum popular vote on December 4th. This could potentially change the very structure of the country's political system. However, opposition found in the form of The Five Star Movement--the native populist movement--is stepping up effort to keep the referendum from passing. It is curious how close the movement in Italy resembles the movement in the United States. The demographic is nearly the same-- mostly white, less educated, and in a lower socioeconomic status. The movement is even led by someone with no prior political experience, an Italian comedian. The trend of former fringe populist groups gaining political momentum is something to be noted as politics continue through Europe over the next months and years.

http://www.csmonitor.com/World/Europe/2016/1117/Five-Star-Movement-Italy-s-own-brand-of-populism

Benjamin Ubert

Former President of France Concedes

Nicolas Sarkozy, former president of France, conceded today after being third in the latest primary results.  Sarkozy said he wishes the best for the country that he loves, and however France is affected in the future, will affect him personally.  The Primary is now between Francios Fillon and Allain Jupe.  The winner of the primary will receive the nomination to run for President of France.  This could have a big impact on relations between the U.S. and France depending on who becomes the next French President.

http://news.sky.com/story/ex-president-nicolas-sarkozy-concedes-defeat-in-french-vote-10665616

-Andres Terronez

The Dead Sea is drying out

The salt lake called the Dead Sea that borders Isreal and Jordan is shrinking at a rate of 3.3 feet per year. It is believed that the reason behind this is mainly human action. With the Dead Sea requiring so much of it's water coming in from other sources, when all the water it used to be getting supplied with is being consumed or used for other things, there is not enough water supplied to maintain water levels. Jordan and Isreal signed a deal last year to build a canal from the Red Sea to the Dead Sea in order to help fix its water level problem. The sea is the lowest point on our planet at over 1,000 feet below sea level and is one of the saltiest bodies of water in the world at 34% salinity.

http://www.cnn.com/2016/11/20/travel/cnnphotos-dead-sea-dying/index.html

Mitch Reid

Egypt-Israel Relations Reach New high

The Two prime ministers of Egypt and Israel are working together to create a new partnership in the Middle East region. Sameh Shoukry, Egyptian prime minister, net with Benjamin Netanyahu,of Israel, at his home in Jerusalem earlier this year and watched the final to the Euro cup together. This is just one instance in which the two countries have put aside differences to work together. Political Analysts have concluded that the relationship between these two nations is the strongest it has been since Israel's founding in 1948. Evidence of this is Egypts decision to vote to Israel into a UN committee member position; Egypt has never voted in favor of Israel. The two countries have worked together recently to fight against ISIS sympathizers in the Sinai peninsula, and working to destroy and flood tunnels used to smuggle weapons and KFC across the border.

 Egypt-Israel Relations at Highest Point in History

Rodney Ross

Syria: Aleppo pounded by 'heaviest bombardment' since war began

Aleppo is back under fire after a three-week hiatus from violence.  In the past 5 days, almost 300 people have been killed in the bombings.  Hospitals have become a huge victim as none in the city are operating at full capacity or considered functioning.  UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has condemned the actions as indiscriminate shelling that has killed or maimed hundreds of civilians including children.  He let out a statement reminding everyone that the bombing of civilians is a war crime and that those responsible for what is going on in Syria will one day be brought to account.

Chris Buechner

http://www.cnn.com/2016/11/20/middleeast/syria-aleppo-airstrikes/index.html

Donald Trump and the U.N.: Signs of Clashing Views on Many Issues

Donald trump has many clashing views with the United Nations. The UN is watching trump closely to see what he is going to follow through his foreign policy ideas. The world now more then ever needs America to commit to world affairs and there scared that "trump is dangerous from an international stand point" they also think it's going to be another Bush and Bolton fiasco. Since trump is looking to appoint Bolton Again. Trump prides himself on making deals but the UN isn't just about making deals for its own national interests it's mostly about making deals for the collective good. 

http://mobile.nytimes.com/2016/11/20/world/americas/united-nations-trump-climate-change-iran-cuba.html

-Maria Dementieva 

Trump Meets With Romney as He Starts to Look Outside His Inner Circle

Trump is meeting with with different individuals,  such as Mitt Romney in order to look outside his inner circle. A republican strategist thinks it is to reassure some of the establishment that he is going to reach out to them, and that’s an important part of healing the party. What was most suppressing is that he met with Michelle Rhee. Choosing her for the secretary of education position really shakes things up. Previously she angered teacher unions by firing teachers that produced students who has poor results. Trump believes that statistically  she showed the results we want in our school and she is the step in the right direction.  

http://mobile.nytimes.com/2016/11/20/us/politics/donald-trump-mitt-romney-secretary-state.html

-Maria Dementieva 

White Nationalists Celebrate ‘an Awakening’ After Donald Trump’s Victory

This group called alt white movement have gained more of a voice through trumps victory. They feel that trumps words and ideas truly describe a true American foreign policy. Geared toward actual white Americans. They feel that "immigrants and muslims  have there right to freedom of speech" but  shouldn't be able to because "the values they represent don't represent America". They are hoping also with trims victory they will gain more of a political voice. It's critics call it a rebranded version of the Ku Klux Clan. 

http://mobile.nytimes.com/2016/11/20/us/politics/white-nationalists-celebrate-an-awakening-after-donald-trumps-victory.html

-Maria Dementieva 

Angela Merkel, German Chancellor, to seek fourth term

Angela Merkel, Germany's center-right leader, announced on Sunday that she will seek a fourth term as chancellor in the next general elections. As the country's first chancellor, Merkel has been in office since 2005. But she expects the next election will be the toughest campaign to date, being challenged by the populist right-wing AfD party, and the CDU's defeat in several states in September due to her open-door policy for migrants. The general elections are expected next year.

-Mirina Uchida-

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-38042937

Angela Merkel to stand for fourth term

Angela Merkel, the current Chancellor of Germany is seeking a fourth term.  Merkel's announcement came after she met with party leader at the Christian Democratic Union (CDU) in Berlin. Merkel expects this to be her toughest campaign so far, and "vowed to fight for our values and our way of life". Merkel also recognizes that she will face challenges from both the right and left of the political spectrum. She also told reporters that "the decision to run for a fourth term had been 'anything but trivial after 11 years in office. The article also points out that even though Merkel's poll numbers have slipped she retains wide support throughout Germany.

-AC Christopherson

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-38042937

Everything Will Be Okay

The new president of the United States has people all over the world concerned, specifically the racial groups he has targeted. Soon-to-be former president Barrack Obama tried to alleviate that cognitive dissonance that Latin America has. On Saturday, he spoke with a group of students and young leaders from Latin America, as part of his last trip overseas as president. He talked about trade policies and Donald Trump's allegations of closing up borders. Many fear that he will end trade with some countries, but Obama reassured that once Trump how the trade benefits both countries, he'll just leave it as is. Obama stated that the world is too interconnected nowadays for a leader to focus only on its nation because every decision a leader makes will affect another nation. He also talked about restoring ties with Cuba earlier in his campaign, but who knows if it will really happen. Obama believes that the relations between Latin America and the United States should not change much. He said "the best way for my daughters to be secure in America is to make sure people in Guatemala or El Salvador are also feeling secure because if they're not, that may spill over the border to us". I like his point of view and I agree with it. The gang violence in Guatemala, El Salvador, and Honduras has gotten out of control. People's lives are in danger. I found it interesting that people are also arguing that democracy does not work well with development. Obama defended that by saying that democratic countries perform better than non-democratic parties.

--Jazmin Galindo
http://www.nytimes.com/2016/11/20/world/americas/obama-tries-to-reassure-latin-america-about-a-future-with-donald-trump.html?ref=world&_r=0

Syria war: Aleppo self-rule plan rejected by government

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-38043157

A proposition for peace was written up in an attempt to settle some of the conflict in the war ravaged Syria this week, and ultimately ended up being unsuccessful. The agreement would mean rebel fighting forces would withdraw from eastern Aleppo under the conditions that they are allowed to hold on to the territory. The call for peace comes after a school was hit by rebel forces, killing eight children in the area. Reports of chemical weapons being used by rebel forces have also come in, complicating matter even more. A total of 32 people were either injured or killed in these attacks. The rejection of the treaty by the Syrian government was justified by officials stating that it would be insane for them to leave their people held hostage by some 6,000-7,000 potential jihadi gunmen.

Tanner James

Trump election: Mitt Romney considered for secretary of state

This news comes as a bit of a surprise to many people including myself. The two men have exchanged choice words about each other. Trump stated how Romney was a "failed candidate" and a "choke artist" while Romney called out Trump on his temperament being unfit to be President. These words were exchanged prior to Trump's recent win in the United States Presidential Election. The two men met at Trump's golf course in New Jersey and were speculated to be discussing a potential position for Romney as part of Trump's administration. Vice President elect Mike Pence confirmed the notion by stating, "It was a warm and a substantive exchange and I know he is under active consideration to be secretary of state". If Trump decides to appoint Romney to Secretary of State; it will be interesting to see the dynamic between the two, specifically how they will work together.

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-38044943

-Drew Truckenmiller

Mexico Urges Migrants to Keep Calm

Mexico has issued an eleven point plan addressing fearful Mexicans after the election of President elect Donald J. Trump. While the plan does not address Trump by name, it urges migrants not to be afraid because the Mexican government will be there for them in these times of uncertainty. In a meeting between Trump and officials from the Mexican government earlier in the year, the two parties disputed over who will pay for the wall. The Mexican President has also stated that the Mexican people feel hurt by some of the comments Mr. Trump has made about Mexicans being "rapists and drug dealers". The banks have also announced another key move to brace for life under the rule of Trump. The bank has announced it will raise interest rates which is not good news for the Mexican economy. Their economy has been struggling and it appears it will continue to slump.

http://www.cnn.com/2016/11/18/americas/mexico-trump-keep-calm/index.html

Alex Khatcherian

Suicide bomber strikes in Kabul

An ISIL claimed suicide bomber on foot struck a government vehicle, killing at least six people and several injured. The bombed vehicle was carrying national security officers in Kabul. Interior ministry spokesman Sediq Sediqqi put the death toll at six, including five civilians and one military official in the blast which occurred close to the defense ministry. Four people were killed and 128 others were wounded when a suicide bomber drove a truck loaded with explosives into the German consulate in the northern city of Mazar-i-Sharif, last week.

Anisha Venkatesh babu

http://www.aljazeera.com/news/2016/11/afghanistan-suicide-bomber-strikes-kabul-161116044601588.html

115 dead as train derails in north India; some still trapped

An overnight passenger train derailed early Sunday in northern India, killing at least 115 people. Daljeet Chaudhary, a director general of police, believes the death toll will continue to rise because some of the most devastated coaches that derailed have not become accessible yet. An estimated 150 people were injured. The cause of the derailment was not immediately clear. The impact of the derailment was so strong that one of the coaches landed on top of another, crushing the one below. Accidents are relatively common on India's sprawling rail network, which is the world's third largest but lacks modern signaling and communication systems. Most accidents are blamed on poor maintenance and human error.
http://www.foxnews.com/world/2016/11/20/train-in-northern-india-derails-killing-at-least-63.html

-Chase Gozdziak

India Offers Some Relief to Chaos It Created With Currency Ban

According to the New York Times, the Prime Minister of India has placed a ban on high currency bills. Because of this, it has caused for retail commerce to slow, farmers having almost no customers and people have been waiting in long lines just to retrieve their money from ATM's. This past Thursday, the government cut the exchange limit in half from approximately $60 to $30. This is in their hopes to provide more evenly distribution of cash. However, there was an exception made to families who had wedding to celebrate, because of the wedding season in India. Another exception would be made to farmers in order to pay for the labor and produce at markets. The purpose of this was to drain out black money in the system. The additional downside includes the currency shortage in their transition.

Alexa Ortiz

http://www.nytimes.com/2016/11/18/world/asia/india-offers-some-relief-to-chaos-it-created-with-currency-ban.html

Egypt Jails Journalists' Union Chief, Two Others for 2 Years

In Cairo, Egypt on Saturday, an Egyptian court sentenced two years of prison time for the head of the journalists’ union and two of its board members for housing their colleagues wanted by the law and spreading false news. This decision comes after Egyptian authorities have been searching for ways to dwindle uprisings against President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi. This resentment comes as the economy is on the decline. The union said that it’s going to appeal the verdict of it’s members. The union believes that the verdict is a message to the whole union, and not just against the three members prosecuted. People have been prosecuting outside government buildings in Cairo, protesting the verdict. It will be interesting to see how this all ends. Egypt is said to have the worst detentions of journalists after China. With the increase of media coverage about this specifically, I wonder if Egypt will continue detaining journalists or if they will let up on their harsh rule. Something tells me this will continue, though, as it has been a trend since the early 2000’s.

-Lauren Whelan

http://www.nytimes.com/reuters/2016/11/19/world/middleeast/egypt-rights-journalists.html?ref=world

UN Climate Talks End With Pleas for Trump to Join Fight

The first U.N. climate conference after the Paris Agreement closed Friday with delegates trying to appeal to President Elect Donald Trump to join the battle against global warming and invited him to see its impacts in Pacific islands. Because of the sudden possibility that the U.S. could withdraw from the emissions pact adopted in Paris last year, countries have rallied in support of the deal and said that they would continue to forge ahead no matter what. In this deal more than 190 countries, including the U.S., pledged in the deal to reduce greenhouse gas emissions which are blamed for the rising temperatures, sea levels, worsening droughts and heat waves. President Elect Donald Trump said during his campaign that he would cancel the Paris Agreement and withdraw American tax dollars from U.N. global warming programs.
- Taylor Sikora

http://nyti.ms/2ePGw1r

Zika Virus No Longer an "Emergency"

Recently the World Health Organization has lifted its nine-month declaration on the Zika virus, which means that they are recognizing the epidemic is here to stay. The infection has been linked to birth defects in almost 30 countries, and Brazil reports over 2,100 cases of nervous system malformation. Going forward, Zika will no longer be treated as an international medical emergency, rather as an existing disease which will be dealt with mainly by nations internal to the threat.
Please see the link below for the full article!
http://www.bbc.com/news/world-38032989

-Nicole Simos

Obama and E.U. Leaders Agree to Keep Sanctions on Russia

Berlin — President Obama and several European leaders “unanimously agreed” on Friday to keep sanctions in place against Russia for its intervention in Ukraine, amid concern that President-elect Donald Trump would soften the United States’ stance against Moscow.

The show of solidarity came as American allies — and Ukrainians themselves — have been unsettled by uncertainty regarding what kind of foreign policy Mr. Trump will pursue.

With surging populist movements straining alliances and Mr. Trump’s election upending the political calculations of many countries, Ukraine may be among the most vulnerable to the shifting political winds.

 

David Soto

 

http://www.nytimes.com/2016/11/19/world/europe/obama-eu-sanctions-russia-ukraine.html?ref=world&_r=0

Trump Meets with Japanese PM, Begins to Outline Foreign Policy

Trump Tower in Manhattan is flurrying with activity this week as it becomes the headquarters for the transition of the president-elect. Anyone and everyone who is being considered for an office in the next administration (or simply someone the president-elect would like to meet with) is flocking to the Manhattan skyscraper this week. One of Trump's guests on Thursday was the Prime Minister of Japan, Shinzo Abe. Prime Minister Abe was one of the first foreign leaders to congratulate Mr. Trump via telephone on his victory in the election, and offered to meet with Trump since he happened to be visiting New York the following week. The Prime Minister left the meeting saying, "I am convinced Mr. Trump is a leader in whom I can have great confidence," and described the meeting as "really cordial." Trump and Abe are at some odds already over statements made by the president-elect during his campaign that Japan should pay the United States for the military defense provided by the latter to Japan. Trump is also firmly opposed to the Trans-Pacific Partnership, a trade deal that Prime Minister Abe worked hard to get approved by Japan's Diet (legislature). Even so, Abe wanted to focus on building a successful personal relationship with Trump rather than debating with him about his policies. Trump has also met with former Secretary of State Henry Kissinger as well as Israel's Ambassador to the United States, Ron Dermer, all in the interest of developing a foreign policy for the next administration. There have apparently been communication issues between the members of Trump's transition team and their counterparts in the Obama administration, including workers in the State Department, who are supposed to assist these new officers by giving them advice and briefing them on important issues. Trump's team finally reached out to the State Department yesterday.

Justin Wysocke

http://www.nytimes.com/2016/11/18/us/politics/donald-trump-after-fits-and-starts-focuses-on-foreign-policy.html?ref=world&_r=0

Free Press? Turkey's Erdogan Jails 120 Journalists

The jailing of journalists in Turkey is a response to a crackdown on news media following the attempted coup in July. Turkey has now surpassed China as the world's biggest jailer of journalists. Many of these charges are retroactive, which could undermine law in Turkey. Thousands of people, not just journalists, have been jailed for simply insulting President Erdogan. These people are often charged with terrorism. News outlets are being taken over by friends of the President and now, and most of the news published is not critical of the Turkish government. Turkey has a history of suppressing free speech.

-Hannah Friedle

http://www.nytimes.com/2016/11/18/world/europe/turkey-press-erdogan-coup.html?ref=world

'Running among bullets': Mosul Families tell of Desperate Flight from ISIS

Families trying to leave Mosul to escape the conflict with ISIS are packed into trucks. Children are passed along and put into the truck, while others, like mothers, grandmothers and sisters, climb in and pack the trucks tight. There is no sitting in these trucks. Now these people are safe, where hours earlier they were making the treacherous walk through the eastern part of the city, where Iraqi forces are trying to force their way back in. One woman says that when she was walking with four children, trying to make their way towards the area with trucks, they walked through showers of bullets, trying to make it to the area safe. Half of her home was destroyed after mortar rounds started hitting her house. Women are leaving behind their husbands, whom will be screened at another location to weed out any possible members of ISIS that are hiding among the civilians, and many of these women do not want to be separated from their husbands, because they do not feel safe spending the night with their children in the camps without them.

-Allie Downer

http://www.cnn.com/2016/11/14/middleeast/mosul-displaced-residents/index.html

Bombing Continues in Yemen

Bombing in Yemen has been going on for over a year now and it has had devastating effects on Yemen's already fragile economy. Civilians have felt the effects of this bombing the most as schools, hospitals, homes, factories, bridges, and stores  have been hit by bombs meant for rebel groups. Saudi-Arabian and American trained pilots are to blame for the bombings which shines a bad light on the U.S despite its attempts to distance itself from the war. Many of the planes and weaponry used by Saudi-Arabia is also American made. Those suffering from the bombing blame America for all of the destruction and there has been an increase in mistrust and hate towards the U.S. Thousands have been displaced from their homes and are struggling to make ends meet. Ironically Saudi-Arabia is one of the top leaders in donating aid to Yemen despite being the main reason for aid in the first place.  Even with the aid, however, Yemen faces long lasting economic troubles for the future.    

http://www.nytimes.com/2016/11/14/world/middleeast/yemen-saudi-bombing-houthis-hunger.html?_r=0

-Mynk R.C.

Trump election: EU leaders expect 'strong partnership' with US

Leaders of the EU have been quoted expecting to create very strong relationships with the U.S. following the success of president-elect Donald Trump's campaign. The European leaders say they are not yet completely certain of Trump's plans, "but expect good ties." The EU is eager to open negotiations and plans on taking action with Trump as early as this week. Many of the members that attended the EU meeting claimed that the meeting was somewhat premature and was full of hysterical comments made by state leaders.

-Tanner James

Trump election: Priebus and Bannon given key roles

In recent news regarding President-elect Donald Trump, he has appointed Reince Priebus and Stephen Bannon to chief of staff and chief strategist respectively. Priebus has been a chairman of the Republican National Committee while Bannon has a media executive for Breibart New Network. Priebus brings a key factor to the table as he is said to have close ties to House Speaker Paul Ryan. This connection could serve to promote common ground between Ryan and Trump as Ryan has spoken against Trump's policies during Trump's campaign. Since both houses of congress are under Republican control, it is imperative for the Donald Trump to connect with traditional Republicans in order to achieve goals and tasks.

-http://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-37970146

-Drew Truckenmiller

China, Japan, Russia, and South Korea enter a Renweable Energy Network

Entrpeneurs in China, Russia, and South Korea have signed a Memorandum of understanding that seeks to create an "Asian Super Grid." This "super Grid" aims to transport power from a sizable number of renewable sources throughout the continent and to other parts of the world. It plans to connect grids across nations, regions, and continents with over 10 gigawatts of electrical capacity. Many businesses have adopted this plan for the future, as they foresee the prices for renewable energy dropping significantly in the future. They plan to utilize smart energy grids to help efficiently provide energy to the planned regions

-Mohammed Khan
https://cleantechnica.com/2016/09/21/china-japan-russia-south-korea-plan-renewable-energy-super-grid/

The refugee crisis and the Greeks: One year on

http://www.aljazeera.com/programmes/talktojazeera/inthefield/2016/11/refugee-crisis-greeks-year-161110113307707.html
Robert Tomaszewski
Greece is in a state of mutual xenophobia one year into the peak of the crisis.  some greeks "feel as though they live in a foreign country or that refugees have no respect for Greece." according to Aljazeera.
On the Island of Lesbos, Maria Makeogianni owns a restaurant that for six months has fed refugees for free. She said "I have never been afraid of the immigrants or the foreign people. I am afraid of the Greeks," She has been shunned by her neighbors for helping the immigrants and she no longer gets customers in her restaurant. Immigrants are being blamed for the economic downturn in the island which is only serving to fuel xenophobia.

European Leaders Gather to Grapple With Donald Trump’s Victory

The EU had an emergency meeting of foreign ministers today, 11/13. This meeting  was the latest sign of the global disquiet after the election where Donald Trump has become our president. It can be speculated that this could be a result of Trump questioning some of the central tenets of American foreign policy.Federica Mogherini, the European Union’s foreign policy chief, hastily scheduled the dinner meeting after Mr. Trump’s victory, which threatened the unity in a continent already reeling from crises over Greece’s debt, migration and Britain’s decision to exit the bloc.There were concerns in some European capitals that scheduling the gathering before Mr. Trump appointed a secretary of state or announced his policy agenda may cast too much doubt on his ability to devise a working relationship with Europe. Leaders from Britain, France, and Hungary decided to skip out on this gathering. What the EU is worried about, or having a problem with, is the fact that Trump said he will only defend countries that fulfill their obligation to us. There is also the threat of a new tie between Trump and Putin through the Trump presidency where the EU doesn't know how it will affect their relationship with the United States. An analyst added that while some may think that this will bring the EU closer together, there is a more than likely chance that this could spread the EU apart more. It will be interesting to see how it will all play out as there has been previous cooperation between the US and the EU for quite some time.

http://www.nytimes.com/2016/11/14/world/europe/europe-european-union-trump-foreign-policy.html?ref=world&_r=0

Lauren Whelan

According to CNN, President Elect Donald J. Trump is once again, battling with his greatest enemy: the New York Times.

On Sunday morning, Trump tweeted: "Wow. The @nytimes is losing thousands of subscribers because of their very poor and highly inaccurate coverage of the "Trump phenomenon." 

The New York Times replied saying their subscribers had in fact gone up. Although still unknown if Trump will have full control over his Twitter account after officially gaining office, he mentioned in an interview Friday that he would be 'very restrained.' 

For the full article, please see the link below: 

http://money.cnn.com/2016/11/13/media/donald-trump-new-york-times/index.html

-Nicole Simos 

Myanmar Air Force helicopters fire on armed villagers in Rakhine state

The Myanmar government has released a statement that Air Force helicopters have opened fire on attackers in a troubled region of the country.  They said that over 500 men swarmed the soldiers carrying knives, guns, and spears.  Two soldiers were killed in the conflict and six attackers were killed while another 36 were arrested.  The state where the violence occurred, Rakhine, is home to a group of Rohingya Muslims.  Rohingyas are a stateless ethnic minority that has faced discrimination for years.  The government of Myanmar actually denies recognition of the term Rohingya and has been accused of targeting the subgroup that they refer to as "illegal Bengali migrants" although military officials say they are only targeting "insurgents".

Chris Buechner

http://www.cnn.com/2016/11/13/asia/myanmar-fighting-rakhine-state/index.html

World Leaders Offer Mixed Reactions to Donald Trump's Election Victory

Businessman Donald Trump has claimed victory in the United States' historic presidential election, against the odds predicted by pre-election polls. The majority of world leaders gave optimistic statements in reaction to this result, saying that they look forward to working with the next president of the United States. Notably, however, many of these optimistic messages did not offer congratulations to the new president-elect. Some of those that made positive statements included some global centers of power. The leaders of China, the United Kingdom, Japan, and Turkey all congratulated Trump on his victory, with the leaders of Russia, Canada, and Mexico stating that they were looking forward to working with the next president's administration, while stopping short of congratulations. The leaders of Russia, China, and India, three of the world's fastest developing nations, spoke of their desires to improve relations between the United States and their own respective countries, particularly in trade. The leaders of Israel, Venezuela, the Czech Republic, and the Philippines were all particularly pleased with the result, with the President of the Czech Republic praising Trump for avoiding "political correctness" and Israeli leaders hoping that Trump's win will be favorable for Israel in their conflict with Palestine. Other foreign leaders gave statements that did not hide their displeasure or skepticism at the election's result. The President of France said that the victory "opens a period of uncertainty." President Hassan Rouhani of Iran made a firm statement that Trump's victory will not have any impact on Iran's policies. President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf of Liberia stated that she is "extremely saddened" by Trump's victory, due to her fear that trade deals with the US and Africa will now suffer. The Prime Minister of Denmark urged Danes to give Trump "the benefit of the doubt" while the Swedish Prime Minister says that Swedes were "prepared" for it, suggesting that they braced for an undesired result. These mixed reactions raise anticipation for Trump's performance as the leader of the most powerful nation on Earth.

Justin Wysocke

http://www.bbc.com/news/election-us-2016-37919394

Paris attacks: France state of emergency to be extended

It has been a year since the Paris attacks and 130 people were killed by so called Islamic State. According to Prime Minister Manuel Valls, France's state of emergency that was enforced after the terror attacks is reportedly to be extended to "protect democracy." The city of Paris had memorial ceremonies to remember the victims.

-Mirina Uchida-

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-37965708

Aleppo residents get warning by text message: You have 24 hours to leave

Residents of the eastern part of the city of Aleppo in Syria received text messages warning them of the likely "strategically planned assault using high precision weapons". The text message urged the sick and wounded people of the city to flee. The Syrian government issued out this warning to the citizens and also offered up an ultimatum to the rebels against the government in Aleppo to lay down their arms and surrender. Reporters have received intel that witnesses have seen fighter jets skirmishing in the skies above Aleppo. The city can not handle much more damage as it has already been devastated for the past month.

http://www.cnn.com/2016/11/13/middleeast/aleppo-fighting/index.html

Mitch Reid

The Bataclan of Today

A year after the terror attack on the French music venue, the Bataclan, the Christian Science Monitor had journalist Sara Miller Llana interview locals about feelings since the attack, and those since. On the qualitative data side, Llana noticed a very somber mood in the area of Paris. There is a memorial in front of the venue, and locals have said they view the location as a place to think. The venue just opened again on November 12, with none other than former Police frontman and now solo artist Sting as the first to play since the attack. However, the significance of the venue reopening has shown a very distinct policy of France to be wary of threats, but to not allow fear to change the lifestyle of its people. Locals say they still are wary, and often have thoughts attacks, but the attitude of the people is set on rebuilding and taking care of those affected by last year's Bataclan attack and the others since. Policy in France still is working to deal with the attacks in relation to other states, but on the inside, rebuilding shows that life does go on for those that have suffered before and that healing can take place.

Benjamin Ubert

http://www.csmonitor.com/World/Europe/2016/1113/Bataclan-a-year-later-Parisians-struggle-with-memories-of-attacks

Mosul Battle

                  The Islamic State, once again is responsible for another atrocity, this past week; this time for the senseless killings of, more than 40, civilians within the northern Iraqi city of Mosul.  The United Nations report that the civilians were killed after accusations of "treason and collaboration" by the Islamic State.  These mass killings by the Islamic State are not at all uncommon, with another 20 individuals being killed in Mosul, last Wednesday.  There a reports that many of these slayings were done in public, and many of the bodies were hung from light poles, in order to further deter any acts of suspected treason against the Islamic State.   Iraqi security forces have been trying to combat the Islamic State with the utilization of heavy presence of soldiers, police and other types of militia men.  The city of Mosul has been occupied by the Islamic State for more than 2 years, yet the Iraqi forces believe that, if control of Mosul can be regained, a major stronghold of the terrorist organization will be defeated.

-Jaedyn Krebs-Carr

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-37949714

Japanese Economic Growth, Could be Temporary.

Japan's Gross Domestic Productivity has rose consistently over the last three quarters. This growth has been aided by the decline of the Yen against the dollar, making Japanese goods cheaper abroad, as well as the profitability of it's exports from which, Japan's economy depends. This growth, to some economic experts, could actually signal a long term decline in the economy. The dependence on the outside world is what flags this growth as temporary, "Consumption is not there, and with capital expenditure, there is no growth"- Takuji Okubo, chief economist of Japan Macro Advisors

Japan's dependence on exports

http://www.bbc.com/news/business-37970456

Rodney Ross

New Zealand Hit By Earthquake

A powerful series of earthquakes have triggered a Tsunami in and around New Zealand. The earthquakes were measured at the size of 7.8-magnitude. The second earthquake hit on Monday and measured at a magnitude of 6.8. Photographs of roads being split in half have surfaced at this time, but as of right now no casualties have occurred. New Zealand does lie, however, in a collision zone, which means it regularly gets hit by earthquakes. Hopefully the aftermath is a small one for New Zealand in the coming days.

Isis Survives Airstrikes by Moving Underground

Kurdish forces liberated a city earlier this week.  The forces discovered homes that had been turned into makeshift forts, and churches into bomb making factories.  The city was evacuated and taken over by IS forces 2 years ago.  Now that the Kurdish forces have taken it back they are still finding IS members hidden underground.

http://news.sky.com/story/how-is-improvised-by-moving-underground-in-iraq-amid-airstrikes-10656732

-Andres Terronez

Gangs and Family Fleeing for their Lives

The United States has a new president and everyone is worried, particularly those that are fleeing their country from the dangers of their own, such as Alberto. Alberto is Salvadorian man who was threatened by the Salva Trucha gang in his home country to kill his family if he didn't turn his kids over to them. They wanted to use his son as a member and his 10 year old daughter as "his girlfriend". When Alberto's son refused, he was beaten up and later, the family found the body of a dead boy in front of their house. Fearing for their lives, they left El Salvador and headed to Tapachula (the Mexico/ Guatemala border) in hopes to eventually make it to the United States to start a new life. According to the the head of the United Nations refuge office in Tapachiula,Perrine Leclerc, this is a serious refugee crisis. People aren't just migrating for no reason. Their lives are in danger. What would happen to Alberto's daughter or son if they stay in El Salvador? The worst. The Northern Triangle includes Honduras, El Salvador, and Guatemala. As a Guatemalan-American, knowing how dangeroous my parents' home country is, is startling and unsettling. I am grateful to be in the United States because I could have been in the shoes of Alberto's 10 year old daughter. I wouldn't be studying in North Central College, trying to provide a better future for myself and my family.



http://www.nytimes.com/2016/11/13/world/americas/fleeing-gangs-central-american-families-surge-toward-us.html?ref=world&_r=0

--Jazmin Galindo

New Zealand Earthquake

New Zealand southern most Island experienced a quake reaching 7.8 on the richter scale. This earthquake caused two people to die during the quake. The fear for New Zealand and other oceanic countries is the risk of a tsunami. A Tsunami would utterly destroy the island nations in that region of the world. If there is a tsunami a world wide relief effort will most likely follow placing the financial burden for aid on the UN and NGO's

-Sean Raleigh

New Zealand Earthquake

New Zealand southern most Island experienced a quake reaching 7.8 on the richter scale. This earthquake caused two people to die during the quake. The fear for New Zealand and other oceanic countries is the risk of a tsunami. A Tsunami would utterly destroy the island nations in that region of the world. If there is a tsunami a world wide relief effort will most likely follow placing the financial burden for aid on the UN and NGO's

-Sean Raleigh

Attack on Shah Noorani Shrine in Pakistan kills dozens, ISIL claims responsibility

ISIL claimed bomb explosion occurred in southwestern Pakistan at a shrine packed with worshippers, leaving dozens dead and more than 100 injured. Home minister, Sarfaraz Bugti told AFP news agency on Saturday that at least 52 people were killed in the arrack in the Hub district of restive Balochistan province. Injured people were rushed to the district headquarters and the port city of Karachi. The Sufi shrine named Shah Noorani attracts a lot of people during this time of the year (i.e. birth anniversary of Sufi saint’s) from other parts of Pakistan. Lieutenant General Asim said 20 ambulances and 50 soldiers had reached the site, 45 ambulances 100 troops more were further on their way.

Anisha Venkatesh Babu

http://www.aljazeera.com/news/2016/11/dozens-casualties-attack-pakistan-shrine-161112141000715.html

Michael McFaul, US ex-ambassador, banned from entering Russia

Michael McFaul was a former US-ambassador to Russia from 2012 to 2014 became aware recently that he has been placed on the Kremlin's sanctions list and banned from entering the country. Russian news agencies reported that the ban was confirmed by Russia's foreign ministry. McFaul said the ban was because of his close "affiliation with Obama" oh his facebook page. However on his twitter he said it was "probably imposed in 2014 in response to US Sanctions". He became aware of this because he was preparing to visit Russia "to do Clinton transition work", this of course before Trump became the President-elect.

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-37957097


-AC Christopherson

Taliban bomber kills four Americans at NATO base in Afghanistan

A member of the Taliban committed suicide through detonation at a NATO airbase in Bagram which is north by Kabul. Among the 17 that were injured, 4 Americans were killed. The U.S.  Defense Secretary "For those who carried out this attack, my message is simple. We will not be deterred in our mission to protect our homeland and help Afghanistan secure its own future." Just last year, another suicide bomber killed 6 American troops in the same city. Following this recent attack, the Pentagon is now looking to provide and improve the protection of the base. This has been a set back for President Obama as his original plan was to originally have all the U.S. troops out of the country by the end of his term, but due to the Taliban, he has had to relinquish that idea. This base was also the largest U.S. base in Afghanistan. A Taliban spokesman also spoke out in exaggeration and bragged about killing more people than there actually we. They had apparently been planning this for four months.

http://www.reuters.com/article/us-afghanistan-blast-idUSKBN137037

Alexa Ortiz

Bronze Age city discovered in Iraq

A 1.200 old city has been found next to ISIS territory in northern Iraq. The city was unearthed by the University of Tübingen in Germany. With this found researchers have now the solution for the mystery about a bronze statue of the Akkadian god-king Naram-Sin that was found in 1975. "People always wondered why the statue came from this remote place. In 2013 we realized there is a large site from the early Bronze Age there," Prof. Peter Pfälzner. The archaeologists had to have the work done fast in order to take the precious city of the way to a highway expansion. 

Ana Maria Gentil

http://www.cnn.com/2016/11/11/middleeast/bronze-age-city-iraq/index.html

Will Trump Make Good on Asia Threats?

Trump's entire campaign had an anti-globalization rhetoric. Now that he is the president-elect, how will his comments on Asia play out in the future? Globalization has fared well for many Asian countries, but Trump's anti-trade policies could do great harm to the area. Trump has proposed a withdrawal from the Trans-Pacific Partnership, a 45% tariff from Chinese imports, and threatened to take away some of the Fed's independence. Trump has already backtracked on a threat he made during his campaign: that the US and South Korea alliance would chance under his leadership. He recently telephoned South Korea and assured them that their relationship would not change under a Trump administration. If he backtracks on other comments he's made during the campaign, Asia will be better off.

-Hannah Friedle

http://www.bbc.com/news/business-37933376

Trump and Obama Hold Cordial 90-Minute Meeting in Oval Office

Today the President- Elect, Donald Trump met with President Obama at the White House to discuss the transition of power. In the "excellent and wide ranging" 90 minute meeting President Obama said  to Donald Trump, "I want to emphasize to you, Mr. President-elect, that we now are going to want to do everything we can to help you succeed because if you succeed, then the country succeeds." Mr. Trump said that he had never met with President Obama before and only expected the meeting to last about 10 - 15 minutes and then stated that it had been a "great honor" to sit down with President Obama. Both teams are prepared to work together to make this upcoming transition a smooth one.

-Taylor Sikora

http://nyti.ms/2emjpeN

The Dutch with a bold strategy

As has been talked about many times before Russia moved a carrier  force to the shores off the coast of Syria.   They are there to support Russian bombing against Syrian rebels.  It was a very aggresive by the Russians and it made much of the EU and Nato very angry.   Now it appears the Dutch have made things in the area even more tense because according to a report two Russian anti submarine ships had to chase a Walrus Class sub away from the Admiral Kuznetsov.  Neither side is giving details of the account, and the countries will not even say the exact place this happened.  A Defense Alliance did say that the submarines have been tracking the Russian ships for a number of days.  But, as Jaime Karrema, an expert onDutch Marine said that it was very surprising that a submarine sent on a mission to be secret would be detected.  So, it is unclear what happened in the ocean of the coast of Syria, but it was something. 

John Carmody
http://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-37928222

Saving Refugees on the Mediterranean: a Luxury Yacht With a New Purpose

Oscar camps a Spaniard started a nongovernmental aid group called Proactiva. Proactiva helps drowning refuges and migrants. His aid group recently acquired a luxury yacht  that has now saved around 15,000 refuges and migrants and 6,000 people in a single day last summer.  He started this aid group when he realized Europe's inaction was deliberate. Europe was using the sea as way to send a message to refuges to not come or else they will drown. Camps also says that Europe is lying about the number of dead. Europe only counts  the number of bodies found, not the ones lost or drowned at sea. 

http://mobile.nytimes.com/2016/11/08/world/europe/mediterranean-refugees-astral-yacht.html

-Maria Dementieva 

Donald Trump’s Big Bet on Less Educated Whites

Donald's trumps victory may depend on a large group of white Americans who did not attend college. Polls have shown a great division among whites with a different educational level and economic circumstance. But only half of these white and no college voters actually go vote. 

http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2016/11/07/us/100000004752618.mobile.html

-Maria Dementieva 

Russia Abuses Legal Forces to Take Out its Political Foes

A recent case has come up in Russia in which Nikita Kulachenkov, a Russian forensic accountant, is being pursued by Russia for allegedly stealing a street art drawing worth $1.55. Facing trumped up charges from Russia, Nikita fled to Lithuania where he was stopped and interrogated by immigration officials. Russia had sent out a wanted notice for Nikita to 50 countries through the international police organization, interpol, without its permission. Russia has been known to overlook the theft of billions of dollars by the political elite which is why it is odd that it is choosing to harass one individual for such a minimal amount of money. This is an example of Russia abusing organizations like interpol and the courts of other nations to go after its political enemies. Russia has also been known to use the courts of other nations to tie up those it does not like in legal and financial matters. This can only happen because of the anarchic state of international relations. There is not a centralized, powerful authority to check Russia and stop it from bullying other states into turning over its political enemies. As a result, Russia is steadily attempting to and succeeding in stretching its legal power.

-Mynk R..C
http://www.nytimes.com/2016/11/07/world/europe/how-moscow-uses-interpol-to-pursue-its-enemies.html?_r=0    

Turkey Bombing: Blast kills nine, injures 100

A car bomb that was targeting a police station in southeastern Turkey has killed two police officers and seven civilians. 100 other people were injured in the bombing, 93 being released from the hospital so far. ISIS claims the attack which conflicts with a statement made by Turkish officials who blamed the Kurdistan Workers' Party. Buildings and cars were damaged as a result of the bomb going off, and rocked the heavily populated area in which the bomb was set. The explosion came hours after more than a dozen officials from Parliament from a pro-Kurdish party were arrested after failing to respond to summons that were officiated to them. This explosion also comes days after the first female mayor and her co-mayor were detained as well. Both were detained on terror charges, and social media is being blocked right now.

-Allie Downer

http://www.cnn.com/2016/11/04/asia/turkey-kurdish-leaders/index.html

Syrian conflict is ‘between Cold War & WWIII’ – Assad to UK media

https://www.rt.com/news/365551-assad-syria-conflict-wwii/
Robert Tomaszewski
Syrian President Bashar al-Assad is elevating the Syria conflict to something in-between Syria and the third world war. According to RT for decades, Russia has proven to be a loyal and trustworthy ally to Syria that doesn’t put pressure on the country, Assad said. Assad continued saying that Russia's foreign policy rests on "morals and international law" and denied russian interference in syrian politics. 
Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev told Israel's Channel 2 that Russia's primary goal is to "enhance its own security by preventing the jihadists from former Soviet republics that are fighting in Syria from returning to Russia and carrying out attacks there."

This is RT so there must be zero spin and should be taken at face value. It shows zero signs of being propoganda, and on a serious note, the article shows zero signs of mentioning human rights concerns over the bombing of Alleppo.

Beijing ruling bars Hong Kong lawmakers from taking office

Two pro-independence, newly elected lawmakers from Hong Kong have been "disqualified" from taking office after they refused to take oaths in Beijing. The two lawmakers have been calling for Hong Kong's complete independence from China, and have attempted to change the words of oaths, and degraded China. Although China is technically able to pursue this intervention with its legal rights, Hong Kong is claiming against it. Hong Kong was in chaos with a number of protests, scuffles, and 4 arrests on Sunday night.

-Mirina Uchida-

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-china-37893039

Football Fans killed in South Sudan

I saw on twitter that a shooting had occurred in South Sudan killing football fans. A crowd was watching an English Premier League game near Juba when a gunman open fired. According to a local media report, at least 11 people are dead and others have been inured. The gunman escaped despite a "prompt response" from security forces. The article also mentions that violence had occurred earlier in the year when political factions "clashed, prompting the vice-president, Riek Machar, to flee the country.

-AC Christopherson

 http://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-37889783

Philippines Mayor Killed

          The mayor of Albuera, a region within the Philippines, was killed by local authorities just a few days ago.  Ronalda Espinosa, allegedly held ties to the prolific drug trade within the Philippines, and he was shot by police, while being held inside his jail cell.  There are many whom are calling for, a more thorough investigation, regarding the circumstances surrounding Espinosa's death; some believe he was executed, while others persist that a shootout occurred between Espinosa and authorities.  Regardless of the circumstances, the death of Ronalda Espinosa marks the second death of a Philippine mayor, all within the last two weeks.  Philippine's president, Rodrigo Duterte, has recently advocated a very direct, harsh plan to combat the drug trade presiding within the country.  In fact, Duterte vowed to kill all suspected drug dealers within the Philippines.  While many support the President's call to action, his methods have brought controversy within, and beyond, the Philippines.  Mayor Ronalda Espinosa, was on Duterte's "list" of high-ranking, suspected drug dealers within the Philippines, and some believe that he may have been tied, directly, to the mayor's death.

-Jaedyn Krebs-Carr
http://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-37882562

Forget the Cost to the Candidates. This Campaign’s Cost America More.

"Much of the world is no longer in awe of you." This was said by Lyall Mercer, a managing director of a PR company in Australia. The effects of this election have utterly shattered the United States's once respected powerhouse status as a country. External countries around the world are looking at our potential presidential candidates and wondering how we ended up with Trump and Clinton. Between the scandals and nationwide disapproval this begs an important question. How did the powerful hegemonic United States end up having to choose between two widely disliked candidates? These are two potential leaders that have gained political advantages through inherited wealth or essentially a monarchic system. This brings up the question of who is being elected into positions of power and why they are being elected. Is the United States transitioning into an oligarchic or monarchic political system right before our eyes?

http://www.nytimes.com/2016/11/06/us/politics/world-reaction-campaign.html?ref=world

-Drew Truckenmiller

Indonesian President cancels Australia trip after violent protests

The president of Indonesia was forced to cancel his trip to Australia due to unrest within Indonesia. The governor of Jakarta is accused of blasphemy against Islam, and the people took to the streets to protest him remaining in power. Many of the protestors were chanting "Execute Ahok" (The governor's name). These protests all began because Ahok allegedly criticize  his opponents use of a quote from the Quran.  The president urged the protestors to return home and said that legal action would be taken.

-Sean Raleigh

Judge approves VW's record US emissions settlement

Global business has its costs when your cars are smart enough to break the rules. German automaker Volkswagen has been ordered to pay over 14 billion by a US court. While some car owners complained that it wasn't enough compensation, the judge said that the huge settlement was compensation enough for the massive breach of US regulatory laws. The car manufacturer is not yet out of hot water, as they still face legal repercussions in many more countries, complicating the expensive process of atoning for their sins.

http://www.bbc.com/news/business-37771216

-Clayton

UK to Present UN Resolution Demanding Yemen Ceasefire

After a bombing killed 140 people at a funeral, the UK is creating a draft to implement a cease fire in the Yemen Civil war. Saudi Arabia launched an investigation after the strike. The UK's decision  to draft a resolution came after Russia vetoed a block that would have condemned the strike.

Western governments are under pressure to stop massive weapon sales to Saudi Arabia because of its alliance to the old Yemen government. There is now a spot light on Saudi Arabia and it is being closely watched.

Jackie Diaz
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/middle-east/yemen-conflict-latest-united-kingdom-saudi-arabia-ceasefire-un-resolution-a7361811.html

Do You Want To Be Friends Or Not, Duerte?

On this last Wednesday, Philippine President Rodrigo Duerte did not mince words when he spoke more of his frustrations with the United States. After U.S. Senator Ben Cardin claimed he would oppose sending tens of thousands of weapons to the Philippines in the latest trade deal, the Philippines are now left without a deal they were expecting. In the perspective of the U.S., this is a matter of human rights, as Duerte has had thousands of narcotic drug dealers killed outside of judicial grounds, and more weapons would only further Duerte's plan. Those in the Philippines upset at the falling through of the deal call this disguised geopolitics. Duerte has explicitly brandished that he is being courted by China and Russia on the premise they will receive any weapons they wish. As author Zhai Yun Tan wrote for The Christian Science Monitor, Duerte would received extreme backlash if he attempted to sever U.S. relations and ally with either of the Communist states. The military is highly supportive of the U.S., and would take several steps back if it tried to re-adjust itself to Communist state weapons and technology. These latest lashes by the Philippine president bring into question how far the official is willing to go, and even what his interests and motives are for rattling the historic and strong U.S. relations his country has fostered for years.

Ben Ubert

http://www.csmonitor.com/World/Asia-Pacific/2016/1102/Duterte-scolds-the-US-for-refusing-to-sell-Philippines-guns.-Can-that-happen

New Delhi Crippled by Pollution, Forcing Closure of Schools

     India's capital has announced a plan to combat the increased pollution. The unclean air has reached dangerous levels, leading to the closure of schools, halting of construction, and an order for all roads to be doused with water to prevent dust from filling the air. The levels of pollution have reached over 900 micrograms per meter in the air. That is 90 times the safe level of particulate matter considered safe by the World Health Organization.

    The city's commissioner has also a coal fueled plant will be shut off for 10 days. The government has tried many different ways to limit pollution such as stricter Emission norms, and a tax on diesel-fueled trucks that enter the city. The Centre for Science and Environment says that government data shows smog covering the city throughout the week is the worst in 17 years

-Mohammed Khan
http://www.nbcnews.com/news/world/new-delhi-crippled-pollution-forcing-closure-schools-power-plants-n678601

Nicaraguan President seeks another term, this time with wife as VP

The incumbent presidential candidate of Nicaragua is expected to win the election for a fourth consecutive term, but this time he is running with his wife as the VP on his ticket.  President Ortega said there was no better option for him than his own "companera" to run the country with him.  There are laws in the country forbidding relatives of the current president from running for the office, however, it was determined that there was nothing illegal about a husband-wife ticket.  The first lady is already considered by many to be the :power behind the man" and many are wary of the potential of making a couple the leaders of an entire country.

Chris Buechner
http://www.cnn.com/2016/11/06/americas/nicaragua-presidential-election/index.html

Syrian Kurds begin campaign to oust Islamic State from Raqqa

Kurdish-led Syrian forces began an offensive to liberate the city of Raqqa, clashing with extremists north of the city while warning Turkey to stay out of the conflict. The United States, France and Britain said they would provide air support for the offensive. One concern for the coup is how heavily outnumbered the Kurdish-led Syrian force are, facing 200,000 Sunni Arabs and an estimated 5,000 Islamic State fighters. The Raqqa offensive aims at isolating and encircling the city. In achieving this goal, increases the pressure on the Islamic State group, making it harder for its fighters to move reinforcements between Syria and Iraq. 30,000 fighters are expected to take place in the raid, given the nickname "Euphrates Rage".
https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/middle_east/syrian-kurds-begin-campaign-to-oust-islamic-state-from-raqqa/2016/11/06/32379aa4-a489-11e6-ba46-53db57f0e351_story.html

-Chase Gozdziak

Cold Piece?

The Bulgarian President Roven Plevneliev recently released a statement saying that Bulgaria and in fact all of Europe are facing a "Cold Peace."  He focused on talking about how Russia tries to influence Bulgaria's elections that are taking place this year.   Plevneliev says that Russian hackers are to blame for a cyber attack that took place during the election.  He says in this article, "The threat now is less about Russian tanks invading Europe and more about Russian influence dividing the Continent, he argues."  This is exactly it Russia no longer has the military might to throw their weight around in Europe anymore. So, they try and push their way into dividing Europe again threw things like cyber attacks and messing with local and national elections.  The United States has released a statement that this is most likely the ones behind it. 

John Carmody

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-37867591

U.S. citizen held in Yemen for more than 18 months freed

Wallead Yusuf Pitts Luqman has been freed from Yemen. He has been detained for over a year's time and was held captive by Houthis. This group is made up of Shiite Muslims. Luqman, a former marine was abducted in April of 2015. He was teaching English in the country of Yemen but was already looking to leave and head back home. The government of Oman, a U.S. ally helped with the release of Luqman. He has finally been released following two others who have already been freed. Walled Luqman's wife has also publicly made sure to urge his forthcoming back to the U.S. 

Alexa Ortiz
http://www.reuters.com/article/us-yemen-security-usa-idUSKBN13111C

Russian Nationalists Involved in Foiled Assassination Plot on Montenegro PM

20 people arrested in October on Montenegro's election day are now known to have been involved in a plot to assassinate the Prime Minister of that country, Milo Djukanovic. The group was originally thought to have been "Serbian paramilitaries," and many are known to be citizens of both Serbia and Montenegro. It has also now been discovered, however, that they sympathize with Russia and are against NATO and the European Union. The current PM of Montenegro, Djukanovic, is known to be pro-Western and intends for Montenegro to join both organizations, against the wishes of Russia and Russian sympathizers. The Russian nationalists involved in this assassination plot were likely intending to disrupt this process of Westernization in Montenegro, and may have intended to carry out a coup in that country by overthrowing the current Montenegrin government. This small Eastern European country was formed as a sovereign state when it broke from its neighbor state, Serbia, in 2006. The Montenegrin government has embraced the process of Westernization faster than its neighbor state, but opposition remains present in the country. Many of the NATO detractors in Montenegro point to the NATO intervention in Serbia in 1994-1995 as evidence that Montenegro should not join the organization. All of this stands as reminders of the former Iron Curtain that isolated Eastern European states from the Western world during the Cold War, as states within the Warsaw Pact remained under the watchful shadow of the Soviet Union.

Justin Wysocke

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-37890683

Retired four-star general admits leaking top-secret info to media

Do you know how long it takes to become a four-star general? You get your college degree, you go through training, you get a commission. How many years to be a staff officer? How long until you make general? You become vice-chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and have significant influence over American military policies. You have your career you worked so hard for, making a good salary and meeting with some of the most important government officials. Finally, you retire. You're set; you are relatively young, had a good income and now a nice pension. By being involved in many significant political and military events, you probably have skills and contacts that could be useful in a new career. You could just walk around all day telling people that you held one of the highest ranks in one of the most powerful nations that has ever existed on earth. But what do you go and do? You go and give classified information to a couple reporters. You are an idiot. Maybe he did it because he felt that the public had a right to know about the things the government was doing, but I get the feeling that he did it for money, or just to feel special. You are an idiot. The leaked information was published into a book by one of the reporters, but the government declined to state which book or what type of information was leaked.



http://www.cnn.com/2016/10/17/politics/general-cartwright-pleads-guilty-leaking-information/index.html


-Clayton

Raqqa liberation operation launched by US-backed SDF forces

30,000 U.S. backed fighters will attempt to liberate the ISIS 'captial' Raqqa from IS control.  The Syrian Democratic Forces will lead the charge.  Kurdish forces are supposedly the majority of the SDF.  According to several sources the SDF has taken control of 6 small villages in the city countryside.  The SDF know they have a hard battle in front of them but a victory would be vital in the removal of the Islamic State.

http://news.sky.com/story/raqqa-liberation-operation-launched-by-us-backed-sdf-forces-10647462

-Andres Terronez

15 Arrests in Greece

Fifteen nationalist members were arrested in Athens because they were protesting against the first state-sponsored mosque. Out of all of the European Union capitals, Athens is the only one that does not have a mosque. With the increase of migrants, the state feels a mosque is now required. This is making many of the Greeks upset, particularly these nationalists, because they want to maintain the traditional Greek values. They feel that the increase in Muslim will disrupt the purity.  The mosque construction is worth 887 million euros. I'm surprised with how much Greece is helping migrants and refugees despite their economic problems. Many Greek citizens are also upset with the state allowing refugee children to attend public schools. Similar to the religion situation, Greeks want to keep their education pure. They feel that diversity will taint their system.

This protest was not huge. It was small in size but it gained attention because it received support from far-right groups such as the neo-Nazi Golden Dawn. The protest is said to have occurred because citizens feel that Greece is neglecting their own homeless people and helping the refugees more. According to Kostis Papaioannou, the general secretary of Greece's Justice Ministry, this protest seemed similar to previous hate manifestations.

--Jazmin Galindo

http://www.nytimes.com/2016/11/05/world/europe/protest-at-athens-mosque-site-ends-with-15-arrests.html?_r=0

Afghanistan air raid by US killed Al-Qaeda leader

Last month air raid by US army in Afghanistan killed one of the senior al Qaeda leaders, said Pentagon. Faruq al-Qahtani, who served as al-Qaeda's leader for northeastern Afghanistan was killed on October 23 bombing in Kunar, Pentagon spokesman Peter Cook said on Friday in a statement. However, Al-Qaeda has yet to comment on this. Cook also said the pentagon was still assessing the result of a separate air raid targeting another Al-Qaeda leader in Afghanistan, Bilal al-Utaybi.


Anisha Venkatesh Babu

http://www.aljazeera.com/news/2016/11/afghanistan-air-raid-killed-al-qaeda-leader-161105044427015.html

Iran's Latest Propaganda Tool.

Iran has taken on a new approach to propaganda. The Iranian state television, typically a representation of Islamic conservative ideologies, aired all three presidential debates. The state television in Iran is typically very strict on what it chooses to air. High ranking officials and hardline conservatives in the state wanted to American political process to speak for itself. One state official said, "The best way to prove that the U.S. government is corrupt and hideous is by showing these people on our live tv". The state did, however, leave the criticisms of Iran that happened during the debates untranslated. One other American TV show that is allowed to air in Iran is "House of Cards". This is aired for the very same reason that the debates were allowed to air. House of Cards, or "House of Straw", the name of the show in Iran because cards are un-islamic. Depicts the deplorable nature of American Politics.

http://www.nytimes.com/2016/11/06/world/middleeast/irans-latest-propaganda-tool-the-clinton-trump-debates-on-live-tv.html?ref=world&_r=0

  Rodney Ross

Iraq conflict: IS bombs kill 17 civilians as Mosul battle rages

Several families fleeing Hawija were hit by explosions West of Kirkuk. The current death tolls this weekend has cranked itself up a notch, marking 17 civilians killed by roadside bombs in just the past two days while attempting to escape IS controlled territory. The number of deaths has increased dramatically as a result of the increased fighting between the Iraqi government and IS forces. ISIS has scratched and clawed for territory as the forces push closer to taking back the last IS controlled city of Mosul in the North. The pressure is causing there territory to recede rather rapidly with the Northern city of Hamam al-alil falling to the Iraqi government this week.

Tanner James

DiCaprio Documentary Urges Stopping "The Ivory Game"

The recently debuted Netflix documentary "The Ivory Game" brings the topic of elephant poaching back in the discussion. An elephant is killed every 15 minutes and it's forecast that half of all elephants will be wiped out within the next 5 years. "It's a horrific sight, and something that stays with you," says the director. "But what's more powerful and gets you more emotional is seeing the faces of the guys we were filming... for them it's like a lost child." But for poachers, it's an issue of economic profit.They actually want the extinction of elephants because the less elephants there are, the higher the price of ivory will rise. Another issue here, says the producers, is the audience of the film. They want the film to reach China, however Netflix doesn't operate in that country. Hopefully, somehow, the film will make it to China and they will help aid in the fight to stop ivory poaching.

Alex Khatcherian

http://www.cnn.com/2016/11/03/africa/the-ivory-game-netflix/index.html

China Plans to Intervene in Hong Kong Dispute

Two individuals, elected to the Hong Kong legislature, have been denied to take office because of invalid oaths. During their oaths, they both replaced "China" with an offensive slur, rendering their oaths invalid. The Hong Kong government is taking these individuals to court to try and keep them from taking office. Although Hong Kong and China have an agreement that the former British colony has a great deal of independence in managing their own affairs, the Chinese government is planning on intervening in this case. This uninvited intervention is unprecedented and could undermine the Hong Kong courts.

-Hannah Friedle

http://www.nytimes.com/2016/11/05/world/asia/china-hong-kong-leung-yau-dispute.html?ref=world&_r=0

Paris Is the New Calais, With Scores of Migrants Arriving Daily

The city of Paris has become a jungle,  there are as many as 100 migrants arriving every day mostly Afghans and Africans. As many as 3,000 migrants have set up tents and are camping along the streets of Paris with no sanitation. Pairs is arguing with French government about who's responsibility it is. but French authorities have no intention of doing anything and simply deny the problem.


-Maria Dementieva


http://www.nytimes.com/2016/11/04/world/europe/paris-migrants-refugees.html

Pope Francis says Band of Female Preist is Likely to Endure.

when traveling to Sweden for a historic ceremony commemorating the year leading up to the 500th anniversary of the Protestant Reformation, he was embraced at an ecumenical church service by the primate of the Church of Sweden, Archbishop Antje Jackelen, who is a woman. Francis has said before that the Catholic Church’s ban on ordaining women as priests is a closed matter. But questions arose about his intentions after he established a commission to study whether women could be ordained as deacons. (Members of the commission were named in August.) He states that Pope John Paul the II prohibited it in an apostolic letter and that it would remain.

http://www.nytimes.com/2016/11/02/world/europe/pope-francis-women-priests.html?ref=world&_r=0

David Soto.

Assad in Person: Confident, No Regrets and Expecting to Stay in Power

On Monday night, Syrian President Bashar al-Assad welcomed a group of Western visitors into his palace, where he "radiated confidence and friendliness". The group of visitors consisted of British and American journalists and policy analysts. Assad rejected any personal responsibility for half of his citizens being driven from their homes and nearly half a million of his citizens being killed in the chaotic civil war. Assad instead blames the United States and the Islamic militants. Assad called himself just a headline, the bad president and the bad guy who is killing the good guys. He said that the real reason is toppling the government, because the Syrian government does not fit the criteria of the United States. Assad ruled out any possibility of political change and declared that he planned to remain Syria's president until his third seven-year term ends in 2021.

- Taylor Sikora

http://nyti.ms/2e9KvR8

10 People died during a religious ritual in Brazil

10 People died and 4 were injured during a religious ritual for the All Saint’s Day, that is celebrated in some South Americans countries every year after Halloween. The accident happened in an small city in Central Brazil, when a grotto collapsed and part of the roof caved suddenly, wile 50 people were praying and leaving candles for the saints. Officials say that the cause of the incident is still unclear as there had been no rain to cause it. All the bodies have been removed from the place. 

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-latin-america-37840708?intlink_from_url=http://www.bbc.com/news/topics/15f1bcf6-b6ab-48e8-b708-efed41e43d31/brazil&link_location=live-reporting-story 

Ana Maria Gentil

Iraq's Military has pushed inside Mosul's city limits

A special forces team from Iraq's military has pushed itself inside Mosul's city limits for the first time in 2 years. The fight, which is against ISIS, is expected to last weeks, even months. The team had to fight off booby-traps and ambushes from the Islamic State, making it difficult to get inside the city for so long, but they were finally able to enter a small neighborhood within the city. They say ISIS is fighting back, building concrete blast walls to block off the Karama neighborhood and the special forces advances. Bombs have been laid along the road into the city. Tuesday's fight started with Iraq's artillery, tank and machine gun fire, with the opposing side responding with guided anti-tank missiles.

-Allie Downer

http://www.cbsnews.com/news/iraqs-military-have-pushed-inside-mosuls-city-limits/

First Lady of Nicaragua Aims to Take Over!

In Nicaragua, President Daniel Ortega has been leading politics for 3 consecutive terms. The Ortega family has become a very powerful presence in Nicaragua over the years with far reaching influences in fuel companies, TV stations, and other areas. First Lady Rosario Murillo lead the Ortega takeover and gained much influence and many followers over the course of her husband's presidency. As of now, she is reported to have even more followers and support than her husband. Murillo also demonstrates leadership qualities in line with past strong female figures. According to her daughter, First Lady Murillo will and has done anything necessary to obtain what she wants. She has been known to clash with other male officials in the government and even fire those that disagree with her. One by one, Murillo took out members of her husband's inner circle and anyone who opposed him in order to consolidate Ortega family power. Murillo is a strong, cold, calculating figure that inspires fear and respect in men and women alike. Some are worried at how much power the Ortega family is building and what Murillo may do with more power.

-Mynk R.C.

http://www.nytimes.com/2016/10/31/world/americas/nicaragua-daniel-ortega-rosario-murillo-house-of-cards.html?_r=0

‘Why? Why? Why?’ Man Asks, Stabbing U.S. Embassy Guard in Kenya

Thursday afternoon in Nairobi, Kenya a man was shot outside of the United States Embassy after stabbing an on duty guard in the face. This part of Kenya isn't known as the safest place, but this was in the middle of the day outside one of the most protected buildings in East Africa. Authorities are not sure about the motives of this incident. Witnesses saw the man go up to the officer shouting “why? why? why?” before stabbing him in the face. There was a struggle before shots were fired from the officer under attack and other officers rushed over. Americans inside the embassy were told to duck and cover under their desks and to stay away from windows. The attacker was shot multiple times and pronounced dead on the scene. Investigators are still trying to figure out if the man acted alone against one of the officers, or if this was an attack on the embassy. 

Lauren Whelan 

http://www.nytimes.com/2016/10/28/world/africa/nairobi-us-embassy-attack.html?ref=africa

Seeking Clues to ISIS Strategy in Corpses and Cellphones Left in Kirkuk

Eighty-four deaths of the ISIS militants occurred in Kirkuk, Iraq during an attack initiated by the Islamic State. The Kurdish counterterrorism forces led by Polad Talabani are now responsible for gathering intel from the fallen terrorists' cellphones and belongings. So far there has not been any key information that has been released to the press. The initial outcome of the attack showed the Islamic State's political motives to rally its followers. A video was posted on YouTube showing the ISIS militants celebrating their supposed victory in Kirkuk. Kurdish forces retaliated with helicopter reign and gunfire on ISIS militants. One of ISIS's goals was to continue the ongoing tension between the Kurds and Arabs living in Kirkuk. Sheltered Arabs had to evacuate Kirkuk and the Kurds even believed that some of the refugees were terrorists. This claim was later announced as false. Governor of Kirkuk, Najmiddin Karim, gave a resonating quote regarding the war on terrorism. "If there is no solution to the political problems, they will just go back and become Al Qaeda, or Ansar al-Sunna or Naqshbandi... I don’t think it is going to end. There has to be political reconciliation, and it has not happened.”

-http://www.nytimes.com/2016/10/30/world/middleeast/isis-counterterrorism-kirkuk-iraq.html?ref=world&_r=0

-Drew Truckenmiller

Humanitarian workers suspend operations in Central African Republic amid violence

Renewed fighting in the Central African Republic has forced humanitarian workers to suspend their relief work in the northern part of the country, as the violence there has made it too dangerous for humanitarian agencies to serve people in the area. The country has been in a near-constant state of instability and violence since its government was overthrown in 2003 by Seleka, a Muslim armed rebel group. A civil war broke out between Seleka and a Christian vigilante group called anti-Balaka. Each government in the CAR since 2003 has held very little authority over the country, leaving its starving, war-torn civilians with no higher authority to turn to in order to receive vital survival assistance including food, water, and medical care. A United Nations peacekeeping agency, MINUSCA, as well as the French military, are currently serving in the CAR to help reinforce stability. However, many civilians have accused both the UN peacekeepers and the French military of sexual abuse to civilians, particularly to minors. As a result of the violence and the accusations, the French Defense Minister is expected to announce an upcoming end to French military intervention in the CAR. The election of President Faustin Touadera in February has eased rebel group violence in the country over the past eight months. However, attacks have severely spiked in the last four weeks throughout the CAR, with 65 people killed in that timespan in the western, central, and eastern parts of the country. The town of Kaga Bandero was brutally attacked this month, with 40 civilian deaths in that city alone.

Justin Wysocke

http://www.aljazeera.com/news/2016/10/central-african-republic-20000-stranded-base-161030144503824.html