Tuesday, November 20, 2018

Jack Drover

Hundreds march in Togo for release of protesters 
https://punchng.com/hundreds-march-in-togo-for-release-of-protesters/
Hundreds of Togo citizens demand political opposition leaders be released from prison. They accuse the government of arresting protesters unfairly as political prisoners. The small african nation has been marred with protests since late 2017 due to issues of economic failure, high unemployment, election rigging and and political corruption. 

Monday, November 19, 2018

US consider adding Venezuela to terrorism sponsor list

The US is contemplating to whether or not to add Venezuela to the list of nations that support terrorism. This list includes nations such as North Korea, Iran, Sudan, and Syria. I chose this article because it was interesting to learn that such a list exists. If Venezuela is added to this list, then this means that sanctions could be placed on them that will stunt their growth and role in the global community. I am curious as to why a country would fuel international terrorism in order to reach their objectives. It surely must be a dangerous tactic to take and I feel as though the reward is not great enough. It will be interesting to see how this plays out and how this will affect Venezuela.https://www.reuters.com/article/us-venezuela-usa/u-s-considers-adding-venezuela-to-terrorism-sponsors-list-source-idUSKCN1NP042
Sho Kawajiri 

From Hero to Pariah, Aung San Suu Kyi Dashes Hopes About Myanmar

Ms. Aung San Suu Kyi is a Nobel Peace laureate who used to fight against military rule is now a power hungry, an enabler of ethnic cleansing, and an enemy of freedom of the press.  She had so many people rooting for her to fix such a ruined form of government. Its sickening to know that someone could change so dramatically in such a short span. She doesn't do many interviews with the mass media and has the military in her back pocket. We as people always hope that he doesn't back the wrong horse but it seems like people did in the case of Ms. Aung San Suu Kyi. What so many people thought would be good for Myanmar has only become a case for a jury to decided the best method to handle such a person. 



https://www.nytimes.com/2018/09/29/world/asia/myanmar-aung-san-suu-kyi-rohingya.html



By: Ariana

Sheikh Hasina: Lawsuit threat over Bangladesh PM 'tail' error

If you asked me last year I would have said it was crazy to read about someone in power of a country throw a hissy fit about a typo. Sheikh Hasina wanting to sue a cinema for misspelling tale is not something that should be newsworthy but it is. We have come to a point of no return because of people like Donald Trump who do things to get attention for things that don't matter. There is even going to be a general election soon that might have taken a back seat because people are too worried about a typo. It's about time real news gets back in the driver's seat to help inform people about the real problems.




https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-46252184

By:Ariana

Sunday, November 18, 2018

Inside El Chapo’s Vast Network: What We Know After the Trial’s First Week

https://www.nytimes.com/2018/11/18/nyregion/el-chapo-trial.html

The trial to convict the drug lord, Joaquin Guzman Loera, otherwise known as El Chapo has finally begun. Even before the trial started last week, 2 jurors asked if they could be dismissed because they were too afraid of "casting judgement on El Chapo. This will be the first time American prosecutors will have a chance to lay out what they known about a major Mexican Cartel. The trial started off with testimony from the cartels accountant/logitics chief . Guzman is expected to testify later this week. Lawyers are speculating a testimony may be given to the effect of an illegal donation made to the now president of Mexico of around $6 million. It will be interesting to see if any backlash comes against the current President of Mexico given his alleged close involvement. I do have to admit I am very spectical as to whether this will do anything to combat the drug trafficking issues caused by the cartel, as a new head can always take over and resume business. I think the most American prosecutors can hope for is vital intel into how the operation works. Maybe then that can be used in the future to stop the cartel at some point.

Peru says ex-president has sought asylum in Uruguay

Former president of Peru, Alan Garcia, went to Uraguay for diplomatic asylum due to the revoke of his passport because of allegations of corruption. He was believed to be recieving money from a Brazilian construction giant called Odebrecht. Odebrecht has a history of working with politicians with a previous president resigning because he hid the fact that he used to be a consultant for the country. Garcia pushed the country towards a conservative country where Odebrecht played a supporting role.This is not the first time that Garcia has fled the country.

https://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory/peru-president-sought-asylum-uruguay-59279560
Chloe Ma

Iraqi war victims turn to social media to find medical help

In 2007, a 6 year old Saja Saleem was coming home from school in northern Iraq. Out of nowhere, she is spinning in the air after being struck by a roadside bomb. She lost her eyesight, right arm and ear from the bomb. She is now 17 and she had to drop out of school because other students were complaining about her looks. Because of this feeling of being ostracized, she turned to social media as on outlet. The medical field from where she is located, is not the greatest. People around the world know this. Therefore, she has been offered by a surgeon to have her reconstructive surgery done at no cost. Her family believes that is very lucky that she actually got this help. Not everyone who has done this before gets the same help.

By Jake Rogers
Article link below:
https://www.apnews.com/2d2c40df8a4c40e59fc52b5c951d6037

China Moves Closer to Allowing Foreigners to Control Insurance Ventures

China, who has been on a crash course towards capitalism during the 21st century, has begun to deregulate from joint ventures to private ownership of insurance companies earlier than expected. Britian's Prudential PLC and Canada's Sun Life Financial Inc are two companies who are looking to submit applications to own more of their Chinese insurance ventures. Much doubt has been expressed concerning whether China would truly be conducting regulatory overhaul due to the recent Chinese-U.S. trade war, but instead China is deregulating quicker. Insurance in China is not that lucrative despite an emerging Chinese middle class, as the Chinese public is generally unaware of insurance practices in China.

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-china-insurance/china-moves-closer-to-allowing-foreigners-to-control-insurance-ventures-sources-idUSKCN1NN0UW
Kevin Phelan

Lion Air: Some are looking where to place the blame, others wonder if their pilot can fly their plane

After several weeks of the Lion Air crash off the coast of Indonesia, there are reports of what happened.  Reports are saying that Boeing didn't tell the pilots about a new safety feature that automatically lowers the nose of the plane to prevent stalling.  If the people behind Boeing have let the pilots know how to operate or turn off the safety feature, the catastrophe could have been avoided.

This blog was written by Connor Hazzard

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/lion-air-some-are-looking-where-to-place-the-blame-others-wonder-if-their-pilot-can-fly-their-plane/ar-BBPPHN9


Sudan's fashion police shave off afros

Letter from Africa: Sudan's fashion police cut off Afros

Article by BBC News

In the last few weeks, media users in Sudan have been horrified by videos of young men's afros being shaved off by the former Janjaweed forces in areas of Khartoum, the capital. The Janjaweed militia, accused of carrying out atrocities in Darfur in the early 2000s, now have a new role. They were accused of riding horses into villages seen as sympathetic to rebels, burning them to the ground, killing the men and raping the women. It is not entirely clear why they have now started shaving off afros, but the hairstyles tend to be associated in conservative religious and social circles with people who are "deviant".

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-45920853

Blog post by Brandon Torrence

"#ThisIsNotConsent: Protests in Ireland after..." NPR

https://www.npr.org/2018/11/16/668636051/-thisisnotconsent-protests-in-ireland-after-thong-underwear-cited-in-rape-trial
Isa Chudzik

This article details protests going on throughout Ireland over a lawyer using a 17 year old's underwear, which happened to be a lace thong, as a defense for her client who was 27 and accused of raping the teenager. Adding fuel to the fire, the jury unanimously found the man not guilty. The uproar is justified in that this shows just how different sexual assault trials are treated compared to other crimes across the globe. A person, usually the victim's, private life as well as potential sexual history is put on show for all to see, now including their intimates. Questions of "were you asking for it" and "What were you wearing" are consistently asked of the victim, even though at is #1 Irrelevant #2 Not a standard of any other type of trial. The United States has also had its fair share of controversy when it comes to sexual assault and the judicial system. Most recently, the case of Brock Turner who only had to serve 3 months of his already short sentence. Although I think movement like #MeToo and #ThisIsNotConsent are helping bring awareness to this problem, I don't believe anything will truly change unless people in positions of power implement them.

Tougher palm oil rules agreed amid polarising debate over crop -Emilio Lopez

This Article was written on Al Jazeera

The current environmental issue the world is facing today has been brought by palm oil plantations. These plantations need to grow in tropical areas and require a lot of land. The land commonly used for these plantations are in the rain forest and many producers are causing a mass deforestation in the local area. However, new rules have been set in place on manufactors of palm oil to limit their development of new lands. Calling for a ban on increasing in "wet lands" as the destruction will have severe impacts on the eco-system. This issue is controversial to the international relations community, because many nations from around the world affect the outcome of these rules that are placed in countries in Asia. One significant nation was England after a large supermarket chain has vowed to not use palm oil products in its super market to hold protests with it. Along with this the foundations in control of these rules are given a lot of pressure by foreign nations for not taking enough action against those that violate the rules set in place. It is important for us to be mindful of this issue as sustainability is a growing problem in our world and the international community.

Article Link:
Tougher palm oil rules agreed amid polarising debate over crop

-Emilio Lopez

Jair Bolsonaro's rise to power casts shadow over UN environment conference

This article poses that Bolsonaro, Brazil's next president, will be terrible for the country's environmental preservation. Brazil being the most bio-diverse country in the world, and the home of the Amazon, has in recent years become a leader on the world stage for environmental conservation. but with Bolsonaro that is likely to change, stating that environmental protection is, "tomfoolery" and that it is just an effort by other countries to interfere with Brazilain affairs.   

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2018/nov/18/jair-bolsonaro-election-sparks-fears-for-brazil-biodiversity

The Trump Administration Again Is Considering Ways To Force People To Wait In Mexico

The Trump Administration Again Is Considering Ways To Force People To Wait In Mexico For Their Immigration Cases

Posted on November 16, 2018, at 4:11 p.m. ET

US immigration officials met this week to discuss a proposal to send those who arrive at the US–Mexico border to Mexico while their immigration cases are being processed in the United States, according to sources close to the administration.
The meeting, which included officials from US Citizenship and Immigration Services, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, and US Customs and Border Protection, was meant so officials could consider a potential regulation that would apply immediately to individuals at the US–Mexico border, including asylum applicants.
Such a proposal would forgo the normally deliberative system that allows for public comment before a new rule is implemented. The ACLU recently sued the administration for following such a process when it instituted major changes to asylum applications at the border.
Piper Jones

409 Injured as Tax Protests Persist across France

AP-  According to the French Interior Minister Christophe Castaner, there were 409 people in France that were injured while refusing to end fuel tax hikes this weekend.  14 of those protesters are in critical condition. The protesters, nicknamed "yellow jackets" due to French being required to have a yellow jacket in case of emergencies in their cars, blockaded major roads and created traffic jams across the country. According to Castaner, there were 150 blockades scattered across the country. At night, numerous fights that included knife-slashing occurred at the blockade sites, including fighting amongst protesters. Castaner stated that 157 people were detained for questioning. The protests started because the tax increased for diesel and gasoline, and has now expanded to include the decreasing buying power of French Citizens and President Emmanuel Macron's policies. Currently, Macron has not made a statement in regards to the situation at hand.  Troyes Mayor Francois Baroin stated that silence is not the right answered, and that protests send a powerful message all-over France.

Anthony Hernandez

https://a.msn.com/r/2/BBPPTXe?m=en-us&referrerID=InAppShare

Kenya bans NGO group from offering abortion services


The Kenyan government decided to take away the rights from Marie Stopes in offering abortion services. Marie Stopes is an NGO abortion service that offers help to women for non-governmental help in getting aid to use abortion services. Abortion is a sticky subject for many individuals because of the pro-life/pro-choice debate. I chose this article not to pick a side or say my opinion but the article and the circumstances that this has affected Kenya. Kenya is a state that does not allow abortion and is illegal. The reasoning Marie Stopes works among Kenyan women is because it is an NGO group that does not follow under the government regulations and therefore is a loop hole to the law among illegal abortion. Once the Kenyan government was aware of this they banned the international health organization to no longer provide those services to women. Only under the circumstances that it is because a women is in danger. There is debate on whether the Kenyan government was wrong in stepping in to this NGO group or if they have the right to do so since it is occurring in the country itself. This NGO provides many other services for women and girls that gives them the chance to stand up for themselves and have a support system. It will be interesting to see how the future of this debate plays out and what final ruling happens if they decide to fight against the government.

-megan jensen

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-46254630

In Colombia, kids learn barista skills with the goal of saving the country's coffee culture


In Marsella, the heart of Colombia's coffee country, Julián Murillo, an eight year old boy describes the process as he cautiously makes a Chemex-method brew. As of now, Julián is learning these coffee skills for fun, but there is a larger goal in mind. That is the goal for low coffee prices, climate change, and a rapidly-aging coffee work force; thus, it's more important than ever to get kids excited and invested in keeping the coffee industry alive and successful. If kids like Julián don't stay on the land, Colombia's smooth Arabica coffee, served by cafe chains around the globe could disappear. Nonetheless, if coffee programs for kids succeed, the next generation could truly conserve Colombia's centuries-old culture, while providing better local jobs and better-tasting coffee for consumers.

By Isabel G. Torres

Saturday, November 17, 2018

Drunk Pilots Prompt Alcohol Rule Change at Japan Airlines

A new breathalyzer was introduced in August last year in Japan, but Japan Airlines pilots have failed the test 19 times since then. A reporter from a newspaper stated that there had been 12 domestic flight delays due to this problem. Japan Airlines pilots were found to be 10 times over the legal alcohol limit back in October at London Heathrow airport. There were some pilots who were arrested but another reporter stated that many of the pilots are not tested before a flight. Japan Airlines and All Nippon Airways had a meeting with the Japanese government where the representatives made a public apology and took responsibility for the actions. New regulations include no drinking 24 hours before a flight, alcohol inspection on the ground, and a 20% pay cut due to the pilot who got arrested.

- Sangay Chhoki

https://www.cnn.com/2018/11/16/world/japan-airlines-failed-breathalyzer-scli-intl/index.html

Friday, November 16, 2018

Khmer Rouge leaders found guilty of Cambodia genocide

Two leaders of the Pol Pot's Khmer Rough regime in Cambodia, Nuon Chea and Khieu Samphan, have been convicted of genocide. This is the first time someone from the regime has been convicted. Chea was found guilty of attempts to wipe out ethnic Vietnamese Cambodians and Cham Muslims, while Samphan was found guilty of genocide against ethnic Vietnamese. This verdict is significant because it  confirmed that a genocide was happening in Cambodia. This regime was a radical Maoist movement that was created with implications to create an agrarian, self-reliant society. During the four years of this regime, people were tortured, killed, and even worked to death.

Link: https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-46217896

Abby Widd
North and South Korea begin destroying border guard posts 


it is a good step forward with removing the some of the military posts from the borders of the two country's and easing the high tension area. also I'm surprised that both sides removed most of there troops and took away all the guns away from the border where the two sides actually and see each other.

by Shane Todd

Thursday, November 15, 2018

Kim Jong Un tests 'high-tech' weapon in message to the US

North Korea has tested a "newly developed ultramodern" weapon in an event supervised by leader Kim Jong Un, state media said Friday, amid faltering nuclear disarmament negotiations with the United States. there was no details on the location of the event and little information about the weapon itself other than it is a tatical and had been commissioned "personally" by Kim's father and predecessor, Kim Jong Il. On Thursday, US Vice President Mike Pence said the US was backing down on a requirement for North Korea to provide a full list of nuclear and missile sites before a second meeting between Trump and Kim. Meanwhile an official with the North Korean Foreign Ministry said on November 5 that if the US doesn't start removing sanctions on Pyongyang, Kim could restart "building up nuclear forces."

By: Jack Bronec

https://www.cnn.com/2018/11/15/asia/kim-north-korea-missile-kcna-intl/index.html

There's Growing Fear The Ebola Outbreak In Congo Could Get Much Worse

The Ebola outbreak in Congo is getting and could get much worse, due to high tensions in the area. Health workers are faced with violence and hardships just to treat patients. The article explains that the responders are doing everything they can to combat the outbreak by isolating infected individuals. The problem is that many individuals get sick one or two months before they are able to detect the virus. Additionally, the high conflict present throughout this area does not help efforts to contain and combat the infections. The Ebola outbreak is concerning for other African countries and the international community as a whole because there is a good possibility that it can spread. Efforts from the international community have not been very high and the conflict is limiting response teams' abilities, which is quite alarming.

For more info:
https://www.npr.org/sections/goatsandsoda/2018/11/15/668263749/theres-growing-fear-the-ebola-outbreak-in-congo-could-get-much-worse

By: Alyssa Farney

Brazil's new foreign minister believes climate change is a Marxist plot

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2018/nov/15/brazil-foreign-minister-ernesto-araujo-climate-change-marxist-plot

As we have discussed many times in class, Jair Bolsonaro won the presidential election in Brazil, and has now appointed a new foreign minister. Knowing the views Bolsonaro has himself, it's not surprising that this appointee is controversial. Ernesto Araujo believes that climate change is a part of a plot by "cultural Marxists" to stifle western economies and promote the growth of China. Araujo states his goal is to "help Brazil and the world liberate themselves from globalist ideology". He also claims that leftist politicians have "hijacked" environmentalism to serve as a tool for global domination. Brazil has played a big role in the Paris agreement, so whatever this administration decides to do is crucial. However, the executive secretary of the Brazilian Climate Observatory said that climate is one area that Brazil can proudly boast to be a global leader, and he urges the new foreign minister and president not to isolate the country in this field. Hopefully the well being of Brazil's economy and agribusiness is a big enough incentive to continue to care about the climate on a national and global level.

By: Liz Metcalf

Wednesday, November 14, 2018

The hidden toll of American drones in Yemen: Civilian deaths

The hidden toll of American drones in Yemen: Civilian deaths

The United States for 16 years has used drones to attack Yemen. The U.S. is looking to stop              al-Qaida's branch in Yemen.

In this year alone, 30 of the dead have been civilians with no al-Qaida ties (1/3 of all drone killings). President Trump has issued 176 strikes in the past two years compared to Obama's 154 in eight years.

These strikes go unnoticed because of the immense amount of conflict in Yemen. The civil war has caused 57,000 deaths, and more may be due to starvation.

It is also very difficult to track the number of civilian deaths due to a drone strike. It is hard to no for sure if people are affiliated with al-Qaida or not, so the statistics may be off.

Web: https://www.apnews.com/9051691c8f8a449e8bb6fd684f100863
By: Morgan Knight

Caravan 'breakaway group' of several hundred migrants arrives at US border, officials say

https://www.foxnews.com/world/caravan-breakaway-group-of-several-hundred-migrants-arrive-at-us-border-officials-say

BY: Teddy Trifunovski


"The vanguard of the huge Central American migrant caravan pushing its way to the border arrived in Tijuana on Wednesday -- at least a week ahead of schedule." However, what is very interesting is that there was a breakaway group that fled to Tijuana on buses. Waiting on the American side of the border of Tijuana are many, many American troops. So it is going to be very interesting to see what ends up happening once the migrants encounter themselves with the U.S. troops. The migrant group arrived in the border town after nine buses trucked 357 travelers. It is reported that once they reached the border, they began to celebrate. But, it will be very interesting to see what ends up happening when the migrants encounter U.S. troops. I wonder if they are going to try to act with violence or not. President Trump said that they are not going to act with violence what so ever. So things will get very intense and interesting to see what happens once this goes down. 

Trump does not want more relief funding sent to Puerto Rico

https://amp.cnn.com/cnn/2018/11/12/politics/trump-puerto-rico/index.html?__twitter_impression=true

Nina Severin

After Hurricane Maria, the third deadliest, in Puerto Rico Trump does not want to send more aid than already allocated to Puerto Rico. Considering this is a US territory, this decision can become very problematic. Before the hurricane hit Puerto Rico was already in an economic downfall which created a detrimental environment for their present day economy.

Monday, November 12, 2018

Israel-Gaza border ignites after botched incursion

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-israel-palestinians-violence/israel-gaza-border-ignites-after-botched-incursion-four-dead-idUSKCN1NH0ZM
Palestinian military carried out an immense attack on  Israel, which is the largest since 2014. It is a sad story because the United Nations, Egypt, and Qatar were trying broker a long term truce between the two. However this attack has derailed there efforts and forced their efforts back. I am curious to what prompted this sudden and aggressive attack, and am fearful that this has fueled the fire for even more violence between Israel and Palestine. In order to stop these acts of violence, it is crucial that both parties ceasefire and stand down in order to form an agreement with one another.
Sho Kawajiri

The worst outbreak of Ebola in Democratic Republic of Congo

More then 200 people have been killed by Ebola since August and almost 330 confirmed or probable cases have been reported.
This is the worst Ebola outbreak in the country's history. This outbreak is the second time this year and began in North Kivu province before spreading to the east of the country. It is 10th time since 1976 that Ebola has struck the country.
Two health workweek died in one attack, while last month 11 civilians and one soldier were killed.
More than 1 million refugees and internally displaced people are in North Kivu and Ituri, and their movement through and out of the provinces is a potential risk factor for the spread of Ebola.
Last month, the WHO ruled that the Ebola outbreak did not meet the criteria for the criteria for a public health emergency of international concern. The organization said 27,000 people had been vaccinated against Ebola in the country but noted that WHO workers often were resisted to vaccinate and bury the dead by some communities due to issue of trust and misinformation.


https://www.cnn.com/2018/11/12/health/ebola-congo-intl/index.html

Kaho Sugimoto

Taliban attacks Afghan troops killing at least 30 - Kel Goff

The Taliban has attacked troops in Afghanistan killing at least 30 members who fought against the extremists. The dead were taken to the office of the governor on Sunday in Sang-e-Masha of Afghanistan. Those who were killed were members of an elite brigade of American-trained fighters known as "the Special Forces commandos" (Nordland). The more rural areas of Afghanistan, such as Jaghori where this most recent attack took place, are seeing an increase of Taliban attacks despite being once considered significantly safer areas. Alongside the 30 commandos who were killed, it is also been reported by Afghan officials that at least 50 militiamen and police officers were also murdered by the Taliban. Jaghori is not wealthy, nor are there paved roads or modern amenities. However, it is known as a fairly peaceful and progressive area to live in, as young girls are even expected to complete more schooling than that of their fellow female Afghani peers. The region is so peaceful, it even lacks a prison. Yet, the Taliban has violated this longstanding peace and attacked this district.

Click here to read "Taliban Slaughter Elite Afghan Troops, and a ‘Safe’ District Is Falling"

Protests and litigation overshadow messy recount vote in Florida

Kaitlyn Boelter-Eberhardt

There are many protests and litigations occurring this week due to the very messy election that occurred prior. Many are calling for a quick recount as votes seemed to appear and disappear for many. Even officials are unsure of where some votes have gone or are coming from. This mess is causing controversy in the nation as people question if the election in Florida had become a victim of fraud especially in Broward county, where Brenda Snipes is accused of "incompetence and gross mismanagement". There is a lot more to the story shown in the full text.

https://globalnews.ca/news/4654688/protests-and-litigation-overshadow-messy-recount-vote-in-florida/

Sunday, November 11, 2018

Sexual violence is a widespread weapon of war- it's time international law caught up

The 2018 Noble Peace Prize was awarded to Nadia Murad and Denis Mukwege two people campaign against gender-based violence in wartime. Nadia Murad is a survivor of sexual violence and assault, her enslavement was caused at the hands of Isis. She became the UN Goodwill Ambassador for Dignity of survivors of human trafficking in 2016 she used her position to raise awareness the United Nations Security Council. Denis Mukwege Game to the claim for his work as a surgent, gynecologist as well as women's rights activists. He sounded Hospital in the Dominican Republic of Congo in 1999. He specializes in gynecological care and performing surgeries on women who have suffered rape and various sexual assaults. Both individuals have brought awareness to the reoccurring issue gendered nature of armed conflict. We are all well aware that sexual assault and violence is something that occurs during the war but there is nothing being done to stop it. Up until recent years, there were no laws to prevent or punish sexual violence. Although it's devastating to know that sexual violence has a bit of priority it also brings a sense of satisfaction that in 2018  are taking an issue like sexual violence seriously. It's outrageous that up until now we didn't deem worthy to talk about such a prevalent and reoccurring Act.


https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/politics/sexual-violence-women-war-feminism-gender-isis-yazidi-boko-haram-nobel-peace-prize-a8595736.html


By: Ariana Rodriguez

Poisoned WWI Memorial

It has been 100 years since WWI. The forest of Verdun in France has been closed off to maintain the landscape as a trip to the past. The battle that occurred cleared everything out. There are still shells and plenty of remnants of the war there. Some groups of students go out and dig up large shells. Surprisingly it is not the shells or bombs that have made the area dangerous but the uses after WWI. Companies used the site for chemical testing which has left the land very toxic. Now 100 years after WWI and people cannot go in the forest anymore. The battlefield will be  untouched and poisoned for many years to come.

https://www.cnn.com/2018/11/10/europe/verdun-world-war-1-centenary-intl/index.html

Chloe Ma

The West Condemns "Fraudulent" Elections in Eastern Ukraine

The "Luhansk People's Republic" and the "Donetsk People's Republic" in Ukraine have finished their elections, all of which are being denounced and called "illegal" by Kyiv, the European Union, and the United States. NATO put out a statement calling the elections "contrary to the letter and spirit of the Minsk Agreements", also claiming that they "undermine efforts towards a peaceful resolution." Leaders of the two republics have stated otherwise, one candidate for the LPR went on record saying that the election does not contradict the Minsk agreement, saying that they are a "free republic" and a "free country." Ukraine's president went on record saying that the elections will be recognized by "no one", but it will be interesting to see how different countries in the east react, considering none have spoken against the elections yet. Will it be an international divide between the west and the east again, or will both sides find common ground on the so called "illegal" elections? We will have to wait and see.

Article
Dan Kowalczyk

Scotland Will Be The First Country To Mandate LGBTI Educationv

Scotland Will Be The First Country To Mandate LGBTI Education

Posted on November 9, 2018, at 2:46 p.m. ETPosted on November 9, 2018, at 2:46 p.m. ET

Scotland will be the first country in the world to include education on lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and intersex issues in school curricula, after adopting recommendations that will make LGBTI education mandatory in all public schools by 2021.
“Our education system must support everyone to reach their full potential,” Deputy First Minister John Swinney said in a statement. “That is why it is vital the curriculum is as diverse as the young people who learn in our schools.”
Piper Jones

In Solemn Paris Ceremony, Macron Leads Global WW1 Armistice Commemorations


Today marks the 100th anniversary of the end of World War One. In France, President Emmanuel Macron gave an emotionally charged speech in remembrance to those who lost their lives. Notable guests of this ceremony, which was held in Arc de Triomphe, were President Donald Trump, Chancellor Angela Merkel, and President Vladimir Putin. During the speech, Macron warned of the untold destruction and war that can accompany nationalism, stating, “Nationalism is a betrayal of patriotism” and that nationalism is an attack on moral values. Macron then went on to go into the harrowing effects of global war, and other speakers took the stage to commemorate the 100th year anniversary. World leaders then met for lunch where they discussed global issues concerning countries such as: Iran, Syria, Saudi Arabia, and North Korea. The Paris Peace Forum also opened after the ceremonies, which strives to achieve multilateral action to assure global peace.  


https://www.reuters.com/article/us-ww1-century-paris/in-solemn-paris-ceremony-macron-leads-global-ww1-armistice-commemorations-idUSKCN1NF0SE

Kevin Phelan

Pompeo Faces a World of Challenges. Add House Democrats to the List.


This article highlights the fact that Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and the state department will be facing a much greater political pushback from the Democrat-majority House of Representatives, as they can supernova and regulate budgets concerning the state department. This could provide Democrats with the nectary power to push back against Trump's plans for foreign policy. Changing the political playing field, maybe even on things regarding the Khashoggi disappearance and our tenuous relations with Russia and China. The only thing that this change really ensures for certain is more chaotic partisan battling.

  https://www.nytimes.com/2018/11/11/us/politics/mike-pompeo-democrats-house-.html

Is the Pentagon Modifying Viruses to save crops?

Is the Pentagon Modifying Viruses to save crops

Article by Dan Charles

The flies start feeding on this plant, and as they do, they infect it with the virus. The virus starts replicating and moving throughout the plant. A person named Polston spent years studying this triangle of virus, insect, and plant so that she could figure out ways to disrupt it and stop viruses from harming crops. But she's now getting ready to carry out a different kind of experiment in a different greenhouse, a super-secure one that no one was allowed to visit. What's going on in that greenhouse is the brainchild of Blake Bextine, a program manager at the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency. He thinks there's a way to use this infectious triangle for good. "This is a beautifully elegant system that puts genes into plants, that causes negative effects. Why can't we turn this system upside down, and use it to deliver positive traits into plants?" Bextine says.

If you would like more information, the website is posted below

 https://www.npr.org/sections/thesalt/2018/11/07/658471432/is-the-pentagon-modifying-viruses-to-save-crops-or-to-wage-biological-warfare

After a weekend in Paris, President Trump faces challenges back home

After going to Paris to commemorate the 100 year anniversary of the end of World War One, President Trump has to go back to the United States and answer tough questions about the caravan and his attorney general.  However, there were reports that Trump was involved in hush money payment to women he assaulted.  Trump is going to have a tough week with a question that really affects global dispute, such as the Suadi Arabia incident. 

This blog is written by Connor Hazzard

  https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/after-a-weekend-in-paris-president-trump-faces-challenges-back-home/ar-BBPAPu5?li=BBnbcA1

Poland independence: Huge crowds march amid far-right row

The recent march in Poland for its independence day just occurred and this year far right groups from Poland and Italy had unnoticeably joined in on the parade. This day for Polish citizens is of high importance and the pride the country takes in this day is important to almost all the country. The issue and controversy of far right groups coming in to march in celebration of Poland's independence was seen as a rift in society. Many government officials were on the look out for any retaliation towards the march and high security was set in place. The questioning and hopeful progress in Poland is that, can nationalists and far right groups come together for more than one day of celebration and find a middle ground in their country or will there always be conflict.



-megan jensen

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-46172662

Trump on the California Wildfires

Due to the recent wildfires that struck California, many residents were forced to quickly evacuate and find shelter under overwhelming circumstances. Many houses were burnt down and people lost almost everything. While it is not clear what started the fires, we do know it was a result of forest fires; which can easily spread and ignite in the matter of minutes. In response to these tragic fires, Donald Trump had some interesting thoughts which he took to twitter to express. He tweeted "There is no reason for these massive, deadly and costly forest fires in California except that forest management is so poor. Billions of dollars are given each year, with so many lives lost, all because of gross mismanagement of the forests. Remedy now, or no more Fed payments!" After that one, he also tweeted "With proper Forest Management, we can stop the devastation constantly going on in California. Get Smart!" Trump believes these forest fires are a result of employees not doing their job and mismanagement. He received lots of backlash, even from celebrity's such as Katy Perry.

By: Sumayya Ali

Trump on the California Wildfires

Isa Chudzik- "World Leaders Warn Against Nationalism..."

https://www.npr.org/2018/11/11/666723219/world-leaders-warn-against-nationalism-at-world-war-i-remembrance-ceremony

Isa Chudzik

During a ceremony multiple world leaders attended to commemorate the end of WW1, President Macron of France took a dig towards nationalism, saying " "Nationalism is a betrayal of patriotism." Many (including myself) saw this as a chance for Macron to speak on the issues that made WW1 arise while also taking a dig at President Trump, who recently described himself as a nationalist. 

Gaza officials say six Palestinians killed in Israeli raid -Emilio Lopez

This article was written on Al Jazeera's website

Recently Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) went into the Gaza strip to carry out and undercover raid, which killed two commanders from Hamas. Hamas is a military right-wing group based in the Gaza strip that has clashes with the IDF. This recent event has caused a recent rise of clashes in the area, after the two commanders were killed and the IDF team leaving the area, airstrikes from the IDF killed four more Palestinians. However, it is unknown who of those were killed, it is suspected that they were also Hamas soldiers. Another detail that has just been released is that one IDF officer was killed in this operation while another was injured. This recent event impacts the international community, because it continues the ongoing clashes that happen in Israel and how many nations that support both sides are going to call for action to be done. Many may consider this as a sign of unnecessary aggression from Israel and condemn them. While others may encourage this to put a stop to the internal struggle. Either way the conflict in Israel is never ending.

Link to the article is below:

Gaza officials say six Palestinians killed in Israeli raid

-Emilio Lopez

As Brazil’s Far Right Leader Threatens the Amazon, One Tribe Pushes Back

https://www.nytimes.com/2018/11/10/world/americas/brazil-indigenous-mining-bolsonaro.html

The newly elected President in Brazil, Jair Bolsonaro, favors abolishing laws that protect indigenous communities and their land. While the government has steadily been cutting back on support for years,  Bolsonaro has gone as far as calling the indigenous people and their protests a "impediment for economic growth".  Many withing the indigenous community fear Bolsonaro may attempt to institutionalize a genocide of their people. More than 600 indigenous tribes have been harmed by years of illegal mining, and many already feel negatively about the government as it seemingly does nothing to help them. On the other hand, some tribes have resorted to participating in mining themselves as a means to survive. These tribes fear if Brazil successfully regulates mining while maintaining indigenous land, their means of survival will be taken away. If the Amazon continues to be razed, it will devastating effects on how much climate change.

--Jennie Fry

Sri Lanka Dissolves Their Parliament

The current president of Sri Lanka, Maithripala Sirisena, has dissolves their parliament to elect all new members in an impromptu election. This follows the removal of Sirisena by the prime minister to be replaced with a former president who has been accused of human rights violations.

https://www.nytimes.com/2018/11/09/world/asia/sri-lanka-dissolves-parliament.html?rref=collection%2Fsectioncollection%2Fworld&action=click&contentCollection=world&region=rank&module=package&version=highlights&contentPlacement=12&pgtype=sectionfront

By: Cayleigh Price


Saturday, November 10, 2018

Venezuela's consumer prices rose 833,997 percent in past 12 months



In August 2018, socialist president Nicolas Maduro cut five zeroes off the weak bolivar currency and boosted the minimum wage thirty-fold in an effort to stabilize inflation; nonetheless, this has brought down purchasing power and has contributed to the flee of more than 2 million Venezuelans ever since 2015. Inflation has been a continuous and endless situation in Venezuela, critics blame years of government intervention in the economy through strict foreign exchange restrictions and price controls for the economic collapse, which has led to chronic shortages of food, medicine, and other basic goods. Maduro blames a U.S.-led "economic war" for Venezuela's woes, arguing that sanctions imposed by Washington are intended to destabilize his government and control the country's oil wealth. Local economists are concerned that inflation could increase more in the last two months of 2018; nonetheless, the International Monetary Fund expects hyperinflation to reach 10 million percent in 2019.

By Isabel G. Torres

Millennial congresswoman 'can't afford rent'

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-46157667

Melissa Vandermark

Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, the youngest woman ever elected to congress, is unable to afford her DC rent until her new job starts this January. She was elected to New York's 14th district after running on a progressive platform. Many of the issues she ran on included poverty, wealth inequality, and immigration. Her financial disclosure shows that she earned about $26,500 last year, much of which she earned working at local restaurants. She explains that her housing issue demonstrates how the American electoral system "isn't designed for working-class people to lead."


Eugenic Sterilization in Japan: 'We All Have The Right to Live'

Japan will hold the 2020 Paralympics in Tokyo, but the victims of Japan's eugenic sterilization program fight for their rights and voices. The country had forced and sterilized those with the slightest disabilities without consideration of the victims. When the victims resisted, they were tased, beaten up, strapped and more inhumane actions by the medical team. The Eugenic sterilization law was created after WWII as those with defects were considered "inferior" by the government, and had only been repealed back in 1996. However, the stigma and negative view towards those with disabilities is a serious discrimination problem in Japan, and faces daily disadvantages even though the government claims to make improvements such as having more access to jobs. Many advocates and victims of disabilities are fighting to voice their opinion to educate the Japanese society in order to reduce discrimination and bring a more deeper awareness than simply holding the Paralympics and moving on.

- Sangay

https://www.aljazeera.com/indepth/features/eugenic-sterilisation-japan-live-181029054810928.html

Turkey Gives Recordings on Khashoggi's Death to Saudis, US, Britain - Erdogan

Khashhogi, the Saudi Arabian journalist, was killed at the Saudi Arabian consulate in Istanbul while he was on his way to get some paperwork for his marriage.The president of Turkey Recep Tayyip Erdogan stated that he had relayed all the recordings on the Saudi journalist to Saudi Arabia, US, France, Germany, and the English. However, he did not explain what those recordings were. Currently there are 18 suspects of which 15 have entered Istanbul from Saudi Arabia days before the incident. There is no information from Saudi Arabia regarding what happened to him and his body, except accepting the fact there there were some people involved which included people connected to the Prince of Saudi Arabia. However, the Prince stated that neither the King nor himself knew about the details of Khashoggi's death. 

- Sangay 

https://www.cnn.com/2018/11/10/middleeast/turkey-saudi-khashoggi-investigation-intl/index.html

Friday, November 9, 2018

Caravan migrants seek shelter in Mexico City as 'Caravan Election' underway in US 

I am surprised that the caravan is still making its way to the  U.S even though its been weeks and there being told by the Mexican official that there not going to get in. also trump is using this a major starting point for mid term elections in the U.S.

By Shane Todd

Thursday, November 8, 2018

France's president flatters Trump, but fails to convince him

https://abcnews.go.com/International/french-president-macron-flatters-trump-fails-convince-experts/story?id=59051131

This article centers around the relationship between France's president, Macron, and President Trump. It's said that Macron saw an opportunity to create a special bond with Trump after he took office. Because most world leaders don't have a normal relationship with Trump, Macron thought it was worth trying to create a friendship with him. It is also said that the two were able to bond over the fact that they are both "disruptors" since "they were both elected by breaking the established political system in France and the United States". Despite the relationship between the two, Macron has failed to persuade Trump to remain in major international agreements. At the UN General Assembly back in September, Trump and Macron's speeches revealed their contrasting views on international relations. It was said that it was almost as if President Macron was "responding to President Trump point by point" when he spoke last month. Now Macron must overcome this bump in their relationship due to his criticism, but he hasn't given up yet. I think Macron's approach to his friendship with Trump is smart because Trump is the type of person who likes to be complimented and praised. He doesn't take criticism and aggression well, so I think Macron knows what he is doing. Hopefully he can repair their bond in order to influence the decisions Trump makes.

By: Liz Metcalf

Trump new immigrant asylum plan

Kaitlyn Boelter-Eberhardt

On Thursday, Trump administration announced a plan to deter the caravan of immigrants heading towards the United States border. They claim that they will no longer approve asylum for immigrants who, first, cross the border illegally. This is the latest play of the Trump administration to cut immigration access in the United States.

https://globalnews.ca/news/4645611/trump-regulation-asylum-migrants-ineligible/

What's in a number? Dutchman, 69, seeks age change to 49

AP- A Dutch positivity guru  by the name of Emile Ratelband asked a court in the Netherlands if he could change his age to being officially 49 years old. He basis his argument on the fact that since there is freedoms of name and gender, he should have the right to control his own age. He states that he does not want to be discriminated based on his age, including on dating websites. Majolein Van den Brink, a specialist in human rights and gender issues, stated that the discrimination of age is a different problem than that of gender. According to Brink, age may affect one's chances in the job market, but something like gender literally affects a person's life from birth till death. Ratelband later stated in the article that performing such a change would benefit the government financially since it would shave off 20 years of his pension. Thus, it is estimated that government would over 300,000 euros.

Anthony Hernandez

https://www.apnews.com/3c1f0af4e5f44d47ad6fb69a23c99cc2

California bar shooting leaves 12 dead, including sheriff's sergeant, police say

https://www.foxnews.com/us/massive-police-response-after-reports-of-shooting-at-california-nightclub

By: Teddy Trifunovski

A former Marine -- armed with a Glock 21 .45-caliber handgun with an illegal extended magazine -- opened fire on a packed California country music bar Wednesday night, killing 12 people, including a veteran sheriff's sergeant nearing retirement. This is a very sad event that took place in California and I just feel like something has to change. Like I am a firm believer in the 2nd amendment, but something has to change. Gun Laws have to change. It is way to easier to get a gun these days and even though this gunman did not use a assault rifle or machine gun. I believe those should not be allowed to be bought. Why does someone those type of military arms in their hands. People should only be allowed to have pistols or shotguns. However, this gunman had an illegal extended clip on his handgun which helped him generate more shots. Gun laws in the U.S. need to change and they need to change fast, enough is enough. 

Wednesday, November 7, 2018

El Chapo: jury selected in trial of Mexican cartel boss

Mexican cartel boss Joaquin "El Chapo" Guzman is on trial in New York for US drug trafficking charges next week. He has pleaded not guilty to charges of overseeing the sinal drug cartel as it directed massive shipments of drugs – including heroin, cocaine, marijuana and methamphetamine to the United States. If convicted, he faces life in prison. He has been in solitary confinement and barred from seeing his wife out of concerns he couuld pass massages to his cohorts. Earlier this week, a defense lawyer asked Judge Cogan to grant a “humanitarian gesture” of letting Guzmán greet his wife, former beauty queen Emma Coronel, in the courtroom before the jury enters. Allowing “an embrace with the railing between them would not pose a threat to security”, the letter read. The judge did not immediately rule on the request.  Opening statement of this trial will be on Tuesday, November 13th. This will be very interesting to watch.

By: Jack Bronec

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2018/nov/07/el-chapo-trial-latest-jury-selection-new-york

The Next Arab Uprising

https://www.foreignaffairs.com/articles/middle-east/2018-10-15/next-arab-uprising?cid=int-nbb&pgtype=hpg

Nina Severin

The article argues that there are foreseen events of citizens living in the Middle East causing pushback atom the Government. The example Muasher provides is the citizens of Saudi Arabia likely to speak up and demand an elected parliament due to youth unemployment and economic austerity.

Monday, November 5, 2018

First wave of caravan arrives in Mexico

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-immigration-caravan/first-wave-of-central-american-migrants-arrives-in-mexico-city-idUSKCN1NA089

I have been following this news since last week, and it seems that the caravan is still very much determined to reach US borders even amidst all the news that they are not welcome, and there is military action being taken in order to prevent them from entering the country. I do not see the benefit of traveling in a caravan if they are trying to enter the US, especially when regulations to prevent immigrants from entering the country are so strict under Trump. It will be interesting to see how the US deals with this immense number of people once they actually arrive at the border.
Sho Kawajiri

79 students kidnapped from boarding school in Cameroon, official says

79 students kidnapped from boarding school in Cameroon, official says

Armed men stormed into a Presbyterian Secondary School in Bamenda, Cameroon. The men kidnapped 79 children both boys and girls. They attempted to steal a bus, but the driver convinced the men that the bus was broken. 
A crisis meeting was help Monday morning, and the BIR, and elite military group, is involved in looking for the children. 
The men who stole the children have not been tied to any political movement yet, but a spokesperson for Cameroon said that officials are not ruling out secessionists. 
A similar situation occurred in September when 7 children and a teacher were kidnapped and tortured by people in the secessionist movement. Violence between this group and the Cameroon government has increased in the past year, and the President condemns this violence. 

Web: https://www.cnn.com/2018/11/05/africa/cameroon-student-mass-kidnap-intl/index.html
By: Morgan Knight
 

"Boycott Amazon" trending in Saudi Arabia due to Washington Post - Kel Goff

Some Saudi Arabians have turned their backs on Amazon due to American media coverage of its actions. The publication at the center of controversy is the Washington Post, which is owned by Jeff Bezos. Bezos is also the founder and CEO of Amazon, as well as the richest individual on Earth. Bezos, as well as Amazon by default, are the stakeholders in numerous companies. This includes the Washington Post. Saudi Arabians are upset with how the Washington Post covered the death and murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi. The Washington Post is accused of publishing defaming articles and propaganda stories to attack respect for Saudi Arabia. Khashoggi was a columnist for the Washington Post who was then murdered at the Saudi consulate. This was originally adamantly denied by Saudi officials. The Washington Post even published an op-ed written by the president of Turkey, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, last Friday. While Amazon and Bezos do not rely heavily on the Middle East as their primary consumers, Bezos does own another company in the Middle East, Souq.com, that is also being targeted with the boycott.

Click here to read "'Boycott Amazon' is trending in Saudi Arabia"

Overwork kills South Koreans

A breadwinner in South Korea, Chae Soo-hong was killed by overworking. He works at a food supplier specializing in jangjorim, a popular Korean side dish, and his primary duty was to make sure production was up to standard an on time. However, even after coming home from work at 10pm ( and he left home at 7am ), his job doesn't done, though it wasn't his explicit duty. As the company took more time, he was expected to take on more and more work himself as he spent most of his time sleeping at home.
Chad died on the floor of his office, and in the morning as he prepared to go there, he had complained of feeling tired just like every weekend before.
He was one of hundreds of people who died in 2017 because of overwork. South Korea is one of the countries whose people work more hours per week on average than others, and they work almost 50% more than Germany.
In July 1 this year the government legislated to reduce the maximum working hours from 68 per week to 40, with 12 hours of paid overtime, but proper enforcement will not begin until January 2019 and will initially be limited to companies with more than 300 employees.
As Japan is the only country to mandate by law that the government study and attempt to remedy the problem, I'm curious how overwork problems will be solved.


https://www.cnn.com/2018/11/04/asia/korea-working-hours-intl/index.html

Kaho Sugimoto

How The 2020 Census Citizenship Question Ended Up In Court

The Trump administration has added a question to the census form: “is this person a citizen of the United States?” This decision has caused an uproar throughout various cities and states wishing the U.S. The main concern with the new question is the effect it may have on results. Will this fuel undocumented immigrants to lie or refuse to fill out the form at all? Is this question used to identify where the majority of undicumented immigrants live in order to target those areas? Both questions appeal to the main question of what the point of this census is- to gain information of how many individuals live in the U.S. and where. This question, while it may seem relevant, can also be seen as unnecessary and a way to increase political gain. Because this has become so controversial, courts are beginning the process of hearing and deciding on these cases. These court cases are expected to be appealed to the Supreme Court. Although it is a hot topic which could effect representation in districts and states and the electoral college, some census information could be out before the Supreme Court will be able to make a decision. If this effects representation and the electoral college there could be in direct effects in International relations, domestic issues, and even the economy depending on how it effects voting representation.

By Alyssa Farney
For more information:
https://www.npr.org/2018/11/04/661932989/how-the-2020-census-citizenship-question-ended-up-in-court

Jack Drover

Cuba lashes out at Trump administration over new sanctions
https://www.reuters.com/article/us-cuba-usa/cuba-lashes-out-at-trump-administration-over-new-sanctions-idUSKCN1N72LK 

The Cuban diplomat to America says that the USA is pursuing a path of aggression, after John Bolton announced sanctions on over 100 cuban companies. Bolton Announced the Sanctions after 189 came out supporting Cuba to end the blockade, leaving only the USA and Israel as the sole supporters of continuing the blockade. The Cuban diplomat says the USA will not break Cuba.

Sunday, November 4, 2018

New Caledonia Votes to Stay With France

The French territory in the South Pacific, New Caledonia, has voted against its independence from France just this Sunday. Macron, who has been polling poorly recently, spoke up in favor of the move. He embraced the decision for the territory to stay, saying "the only defeat is the temptation of contempt, division, violence, fear", adding that "the only winner is the peace process." Clearly, in his situation, he feels it is best to unify the country. The referendum for the separation of the territories came after a 1988 uprising that resulted in the killings of 21 people. In terms of the international scene, this could really impact the public opinion in France, especially for the presidency -- which ultimately impacts all countries that interact and deal with France.

Article
Dan Kowalczyk

Brazil's Next President Declares War on 'Fake News' Media

In similar rhetoric to that of Donald Trump and other far-right politicians, Brazil's new presidential elect Jair Bolsonaro is targeting news institutions in Brazil as being, 'fake news'. Bolsonaro has proclaimed that once in office, he will take measures to curb adversarial news groups in Brazil by limiting public ad-buy programs for news outlets. Although news outlets don' t rely primarily on public funding in Brazil, this is seen as a symbolic move by Bolsonaro to discredit the press and those who speak out against him. Bolsonaro's response to his alleged attacks on press freedom is, "Press that acts like that, lying shamelessly, won't have any support from the federal government". In other words, Bolsanaro is claiming that the news is corrupt and that he is limiting their ability to spread false news. News companies in Brazil have begun to experience backlash for their critical comments of the president-elect, with 150 reported cases of press reporters facing threats of violence or experiencing smear programs by Bolsonaro supporters. Bolsonaro has condemned acts of violence against the press. The press has become divided on how to handle covering stories about Bolsonaro. Major news groups such as TV Globo and Folha have decided to keep reporting how they have the whole election-cycle, as they receive minor amounts of money from government ad programs. Smaller stations have typically been less critical of Bolsonaro as an avenue to attract an audience base. The largest news station to support Bolsonaro is Record TV, owned by one Edir Macedo (a billionaire preacher) who supports Bolsonaro's policies and therefore has painted a negative depiction of the Workers Party in Brazil. Ultimately, there is no clear picture of what else could happen to the news media in Brazil until Bolsonaro becomes president, but in general it appears that, 'fake news' will be the rallying cry of the far-right not only in the United States, but abroad.

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-brazil-politics-media/brazils-next-president-declares-war-on-fake-news-media-idUSKCN1N90NN

Kevin Phelan

Macron’s approval ratings slip again in latest opinion poll + Far-right take over support

https://www.politico.eu/article/emmanuel-macron-france-approval-ratings-slip-again-in-latest-opinion-poll/

Only 26% of the french people say they have confidence in him in a new opinion poll publish on October 31, 2018. In total that is a 4% drop from last month. The demographic least likely to support Macron is men aged 35 to 49. This poll was announced before preliminary polling results placing the far -right candidate Marine Le Pen and her party the Nation rally, ahead in the parliament elections set to take place in May of 2019. Far right parties and those looking to support a French exit from the EU now have an estimated 30% of the vote, up from 25% taken from a similar poll in August. Speculation has been made the French President's recent four day break may be a result of exhaustion and disheartened feelings towards his loss in support.

Coptic Christian attack: Egypt police kill 19 attackers

Coptic Christian attack: Egypt police kill 19 attackers

Article by BBC editors

Nineteen Islamist militants accused of carrying out a deadly attack on Christians in Egypt have been killed by police, the interior ministry says. They died in a shoot out after police chased "fugitive terrorists" into the desert west of Minya province, the statement said. Seven Coptic Christians were killed in an attack on two buses near a monastery in Minya on Friday. The Islamic State (IS) group has said it carried out the attack. It left many in shock as they were unsure why the Christians had to be killed.

If you would like more information, the article is posted below.

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-46090104

Blog post by Brandon Torrence

Yemen civil war- jared wojcik

The United Kingdom is pushing for a United Nations resolution to the civil war in Yemen. They believe that it is very possible to find a political solution to the situation. The UK is speaking with the fourteen other members of the UN security council to stop the fighting that is primarily held in one port city held by the rebel forces. The civil war has already caused shortages of food water and medicine throughout the country and thirty thousand children die per year from malnutrition. It will be interesting to see how the UN decides to handle this with so many people dying from not only the war but the effects that are coming with them.

'Don't threaten us,' Iranians tell US as sanctions set to return -Emilio Lopez

This article was written on Al Jazeera

This article talks about how Iran and its citizens are coping with the newly imposed sanctions brought upon the country. There is a lot of significant comments made by these Iranians, as it shows a deeply embedded hate of America. One member said that there will never be a time that Iran and the US can ever be allies. Another significant thing that a government employee stated that the next US president will not be able to fix the broken relationship that Donald Trump has left between the US and Iran. This is scary to think that no matter what happens from here, Iran and the US can never work as it is deeply embedded into a nations mindset to see the worst for America. The importance this has in the international relations community is that if there are any policies that involve the two nations it is more than likely to never work out. Also developing new projects to help the middle east will be halted as the two nations contend so much with one another that they will make excuses in order to not work with one another.

Article Link:
'Don't threaten us,' Iranians tell US as sanctions set to return

-Emilio Lopez

US unleashes "toughest ever" sanctions on Iran

In May, Trump pulled out of the 2015 Iran accord that aimed to curbed Iran's nuclear ambitions. Today, the Trump administrations have announced the toughest sanctions ever to be place. These sanctions included more than 700 entities, vessels, aircrafts, and individuals hitting the majors banks, sharing companies, and oil exporters. This has cause over 100 big international companies to withdrawal. In addition, the oil export of Iran has dropped almost a millions barrels a day, cutting off the main source of money of the country. Eight countries have been exempt from this: Italy, India, Japan, South Korea, Turkey, and China. All allies of the US.

The EU has stated that they have all objected to the sanctions. They have promised to continue doing "legitimate business" and will allow alternative payment to help companies trade without US penalties.

Link: https://www.bbc.com/news/business-46092435

Abby Widd

Dying of Overwork in South Korea

A new study has shown that South Koreans are dying of Gwarosa (the Korean word for dying of over work.) The only other OECD country with a higher average work hours per week than South Korea is Mexico. This past July, the government of South Korea lowered the maximum work hours from 68 hours a week to 40 hours a works plus 12 hours paid of paid overtime. Even with the changes, Korean law does not acknowledge gwarosa and many companies do not keep formal records of employees work hours.

https://www.cnn.com/2018/11/04/asia/korea-working-hours-intl/index.html

By Cayleigh Price 

Saudi Arabia frees Prince Khaled bin Talal after months of detention

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-46087058

Melissa Vandermark

The Saudi Prince Khaled bin Talal, who is the nephew of King Salman, was detained for criticizing the current Crown Prince's crackdown on corruption within the nation. He was detained for nearly a year and was held in the Ritz Carlton Hotel. This release by the Crown Prince came from intense pressure after the assassination of journalist Jamal Khashoggi. Analysts suggest the Saudi authorities  are attempting to gather as much support as possible within the royal family in order to defuse the situation.

Isa Chudzik- "Nigerian Army Cites Trump..."


https://www.npr.org/2018/11/02/663203549/nigerian-army-cites-trump-in-its-defense-of-killing-protesters
Isa Chudzik

In an event that will potentially be harmful (although not likely to his base) to President Trump's reputation, the Nigerian army used his quote considering rocks as weapons (when discussing potential use of force against the large group of migrants coming to America) to justify the killing and injuring of Shiite Muslim protesters. The group was protesting the jailing of the leader of the Islamic Movement of Nigeria. The Nigerian Army also tweeted a video of Trump's words exactly, but later deleted it. While in my opinion the Nigerian Army is just using this an excuse and to create "wiggle room" for themselves, it does show the power that words hold, and whether or not Trump meant what he said (which he now claims he meant they would arrest migrants, not kill them) statements by the President must always be taken seriously as they hold consequences not only for the United States, but other nations as well.

Ethiopia Has Its First Female President, And She’s Pretty Badass

Ethiopia Has Its First Female President, And She’s Pretty Badass

Posted on October 25, 2018, at 11:30 a.m. ET
NAIROBI — Ethiopia’s parliament has voted in its first female president, and even though the position is considered a ceremonial one, people are excited about it.
Sahle-Work Zewde, who becomes the only woman head of state in Africa, currently serves as the under-secretary-general of the UN (the third-highest rank at the UN). She’s also the special representative to the secretary general of the African Union, and in June topped off her CV by becoming the head of the UN Office to the African Union.
She replaces former Ethiopian president Mulatu Teshome, who abruptly resigned from his post on Wednesday.
Sahle-Work, 68, has also previously worked as the Ethiopian ambassador to Senegal, France, and Djibouti.
Africans on Twitter have been cheering Sahle-Work’s newest position.
Piper Jones

The US Soon Will Have More Troops Along The Mexican Border Than It Has Fighting In Iraq And Syria

The US Soon Will Have More Troops Along The Mexican Border Than It Has Fighting In Iraq And Syria

Posted on October 29, 2018, at 7:10 p.m. ET

The US military on Monday announced it would soon have more troops deployed along the US–Mexico border than it has fighting extremists in Syria and Iraq.
Air Force Gen. Terrence O’Shaughnessy, the head of US Northern Command, announced that 5,200 troops would soon join 2,092 National Guard members who were deployed in April along the border, bringing the total number of US troops there to roughly 7,300.
That is more than are currently deployed to Iraq and Syria, where the US has 5,200 and 2,000 troops, respectively, and about half the US military presence of 15,000 in Afghanistan.
Piper Jones

Venezuelan migration to Colombia may generate growth: World Bank

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-venezuela-immigration-colombia/venezuelan-migration-to-colombia-may-generate-growth-world-bank-idUSKCN1N72I9

Every day, thousands of Venezuelans flee due to the social and economic instability in their country, but that could lead their neighbor country Colombia to an economic growth--that of course is if Colombia takes the right steps to manage the migrant crisis. According to the United Nations, more than 2 million Venezuelans have emigrated amid food and medicine shortages and profound political divisions in their country. Nonetheless, providing migrants access to healthcare, utilities, and education will cost Colombia between 0.26 percent and 0.41 percent of its gross domestic product this year, and legalizing migrants will help them find formal jobs and increase tax revenue and consumption; thus, if adequate policy decisions are taken, migration has the potential to generate growth in Colombia. The European Union, United Nations, and United States have given millions in aid money to help Colombia cope with the migrant influx since about 3,000 of Venezuelans arrive each day; thus, the government says 4 million could be living in the country by 2021, costing Colombia nearly $9 billion. 

By Isabel G. Torres

Teenager beheaded in southern India in caste-based violence

A 13-year-old girl was killed by someone higher ranking in the caste system because she didn't want the man to make advances on her.  There have been attempts to make it so that both levels of the caste system are on an even playing field, but there is a bias opinion on the matter and there is also a law which makes it so that the police should wait to arrest someone in the higher caste if they assault someone in the lower caste.  There should be a reform in the Indian culture about the caste system because just two years ago, there were over 46000 reports of violence in the caste system.

This blog is written by Connor Hazzard

https://www.cnn.com/2018/11/02/asia/india-teenager-caste-killing-intl/index.html



Saturday, November 3, 2018

Republican campaign poster outrages English village

https://www.cnn.com/2018/10/31/uk/republican-outrages-uk-village-intl/index.html

The article I found this week excited me because it connects with an ongoing project I am doing for Dr. Chod's class. I'm covering the congressional election for Illinois District 11, and I just so happened to come across an article about the Republican candidate. On October 25, candidate Nick Stella posted a photo on his Facebook page of a "run down" neighborhood, writing "Only YOU can stop this from becoming REALITY!" also writing "Help President Trump Keep America on track and thriving, a vote for Foster is a vote for a Speaker Pelosi. We can't go back to foreclosures, unemployment, and economic recession!" The problem here is that the photo of the "run down" town is actually an English village, and they were outraged. The town photographed is identified as Jaywick Sands, which was actually named the most deprived town in England back in 2015. Since, the town has undergone a transformation, making it much better than how it is seen in the photo used in Stella's campaign. A District Council cabinet member from the UK said it was "appalling to use the image for political gain in this way". The director of operations for the Stella campaign claimed they didn't know this was a photo of Jaywick Sands, and they were only using it to show a town overburdened by poor governance, which is what they are seeking to prevent in IL District 11. This just goes to show that the elections going on in the US, big or small, can gain national attention.

By: Liz Metcalf

Friday, November 2, 2018

Yemen Girl Who Turned World’s Eyes to Famine Is Dead

Amal Hussain, a malnourished 7-year old Yemenese who was the subject of a recent New York Times story has died only a week after the publication of the story. This just goes to show the severity of the humanitarian crisis in its war with Saudi Arabia, where civilians are constantly dying from not just from disease and starvation like Amal but also from targeted airstrikes and other attacks carried out by Saudi forces. Unfortunately, it has taken the disappearance of Jamal Khashoggi to bring the actions of Saudi Arabia into the American public's view, but now more than ever the US needs to reevaluate its relationship with Saudia Arabia because we are complicit in the atrocities carried out in Yemen; many of the attacks on Yemen's civilian population were committed with US arms and weapons. This flies directly in the face of what the US should at home and abroad.

 https://www.nytimes.com/2018/11/01/world/middleeast/yemen-starvation-amal-hussain.html