Man fined $12m for police station arson during George Floyd protests

    Dylan Shakespeare Robinson, 23, has been ordered to pay $12m USD after pleading guilty to arson. Robinson engaged in the riot and protests following George Floyd's death and set the Minneapolis Police Station on fire back in May of 2020 when riots and protests were breaking out across the nation. Robinson's lawyer has said there is no 'realistic chance' that Robinson would be able to pay the fine therefore, Robinson is also set to serve a four year prison sentence for his actions. US Attorney Anders Folk states, "Mr Robinson chose to depart from lawful protest and instead engaged in violence and destruction", reflecting his harsh punishments for the fire. Robinson did in fact plead guilt to one count of conspiracy to commit arson along with three other men who assisted in the attack. 

Gall

 https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-56932263

Biden to sell child care and free university in speech to Congress

 Biden will be giving a speech to congress on Thursday pitching his American Families Plan costing about $1.8 trillion in which he is addressing his plan of free child care (such as free pre-school), paid family leave and free community college. Additionally, he hopes to extend the child tax credit until 2025. This plan is to be funded by doubling the capital gains tax rate on incomes above 1 million to 39.6% and raising the top income tax bracket for households earning more than $400,000 to the same level. The discussion of these plans however, has already started a stock market sell off since last week. Although it does not stop there, Biden has also proposed a $2.3 trillion American Jobs Plan seeking to invest in public transit, railroads, airports, water pipes, high speed broadband, roads and bridges, veterans hospitals, child centers and to combat racial disparities. This proposal is intended to steer the US economy towards electric cars and clean energy. The hopes for this plan are said to be funded by raising the corporate tax rate from 21 to 28% and other taxes on multinational corporations. However, there is a lot of skepticism on how the Republican parties will react to the speech considering the method of funding. 

Valeria Ramirez 

India’s Covid-19 Agonies Highlight Growing Rich-Poor Gap in Vaccinations

 As the pandemic continues, vaccine rollout has been full steam ahead in the United States but in other countries like India, this is not the case. The number of vaccines that have been distributed to these countries has been highly separated by the level of wealth that the countries have made it a very difficult situation to ensure the health and safety of individuals residing in countries that lack stable infrastructure. With that being said in the United States we have been extremely hesitant to export vaccines because elected officials find it essential to put the health and safety of the people who have elected them first despite the fact that only 2% of India's entire population is vaccinated. It is also important to note that the United States is projected to reach herd immunity by the end of the year while only 30% of India's population will be vaccinated by that time. As of right now while the United States is able to see some light at the end of the tunnel while India and underdeveloped countries are experiencing all-time highs in infection rates. For them, the end is not in sight. 

By: Kaytlyn Tyler

https://www.wsj.com/articles/indias-covid-19-agonies-highlight-growing-rich-poor-gap-in-vaccinations-11619542171

Europe Aims to Let America travelers In While Keeping Covid-19 at Bay

 

As the world begins to see vaccination numbers rise. The world is slowly peeling back its former lockdowns and restrictions on travel. We are now seeing multiple European countries begin working on new plans to allow tourism to be allow by the summer months. Europe is a continent that usually sees millions of tourists come all over the world to visit but the pandemic did not allow for their tourist based economies to flourish last year. Each European nation is working on their own plants that reopen oversea visitors to their countries to hopefully refuel the economic growth that comes from tourism. The European Union believes that travel can occur in the summer if they are able to confidently create safe travel as to not bring a resurgence of case numbers to the region. One method brought up by the EU is to implement vaccination certificates, kind of like the vaccine passports that have been discussed in the states. Hopefully we are able to see a reopening of Europe as many people love to travel to the continent as well as Europeans traveling throughout the continent. Each sovereign state, however, is responsible for their own precautions and reopening plans which may see some trouble if Europe has a mix of fully opened and lockdown states. The summer is coming up and people are waiting to hear if they can begin to travel again. It is all up to the heads of state in the EU as well as each nation that makes up Europe.

Jesse Solis

Wall Street Journal - Article by Eric Sylvers and Sam Schechner 

https://www.wsj.com/articles/europe-aims-to-let-american-travelers-in-while-keeping-covid-19-at-bay-11619455299?mod=world_major_1_pos4 

Biden administration will deploy additional supplies and support to India as country faces Covid-19 outbreak - Kyle Remington

 As India struggles with record-breaking Covid cases, the United States responds with help. President Biden and his administration have reached an agreement with India to supply them with PPE and other covid supplies. Along with this, the US is working to try and supply India respirators and other machinery to combat the covid influx.  Just on Saturday, India reported 349,691 new cases, the fourth day in a row the country has set a new world record for cases in a day. Along with supplies and machinery, the United States is working with India's vaccine manufacturer to produce up to 1 billion vaccines by 2022. 

This is interesting to see how international relations play out with countries helping each other fight the pandemic and other means of survival as the world is becoming ever more difficult. It is also a good look for the Biden administration to take a strong stance in helping other countries, especially India who is facing a horrible period of time. 

Kyle Remington

Indonesian Missing Submarine - Palahniuk 15

https://abcnews.go.com/International/missing-indonesian-submarine-sank-navy-officials/story?id=77285508

This last week a missing Indonesian submarine was announce to have sunk with 53 sailors on board. The submarine was being use for a torpedo exercise training, but the commanding center suddenly lost trace of the sub. There are few factors that the Indonesian military are ruling in; the subs composite is originally 40 but 53 sailors were squeezed one, secondly the sub may not have had enough oxygen onboard to support the sub and sailors throughout the whole exercise. Either way the announcement of there being no hope of survivors but signs of the sub is a big deal. Evidence of the ship has started to show upon the sea surface and is all in tact, ruling out the possibility that it exploded. As this is a very timely search for the missing sub it has become a multinational effort to find it. Malaysia, US, Australia and Singapore have all lended a hand in helping search for the sub by deploying their own military subs to search. 

Ingenuity: Nasa's Mars helicopter makes it three from three

 The US space agency's Ingenuity Mars helicopter has now made its third successful flight on the Red Planet. Today on Sunday, the little chopper rose to a height of 5m before speeding off laterally for 50m, which is half the length of a football field. It then came back to its take-off spot, for a total flight time of 80 seconds. Therefore, they want to find the chopper's limits even if means crashing it in the process, because they want to push the technology to its farthest extent. The previous two flights had been conducted on Monday and Thursday of last week. Monday was significant because it had been the first time a powered, controlled flight by an aircraft had been conducted on another world. It has granted the Ingenuity engineering team two more flights before Perseverance is commanded to get on with its primary mission of searching for life in Jezero. Jezero is the crater where Ingenuity was carried to by Nasa's Perseverance rover back in mid-February. 

     https://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-56882257

Indonesian navy submarine found split into three on sea bed

 The Indonesian navy submarine that sank off the coast of Bali this past Wednesday has been found split into three pieces on the sea bed, according to officials. All the 53 crew inside the vessel have been confirmed dead. The Navy officials said they had been receiving signals from the sub's location more than 2600ft deep early on Sunday. This vessel had disappeared after requesting permission to dive during a torpedo drill, but the reason is unknown for its sinking. This vessel was German built and it was more than 40 years old, but it underwent a refit in 2012. This disappearance was significant because it led to an international search operation with the US, Australia, Singapore, Malaysia, and India providing help. 

    https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-56879933 

Hawaii is seeing a 98% decrease in travelers arriving at airports since quarantine rule put in place

 4/25

With Hawaii currently on a 14 day quarantine by order of the governor. There are still around 100 people arriving at the airport a day, but are not allowed to leave unless providing basic health analysis and a confirmation from the hotel that they will be staying at. 

https://www.cnn.com/world/live-news/coronavirus-pandemic-04-25-20-intl/index.html

Nicholas Horky

Droughts Reaching All-Time Highs

     As of last week in Mexico City, approximately 85% of the central region containing lakes and reservoirs are completely drying up. The mayor of Mexico city claims this is the worst he's seen in over 30 years. Some of the reservoirs, such as the Villa Victoria, is at one-third of its normal capacity, and expected rain is still over a month away. If this trend continues, fish and wildlife will die, as well as plants and fields of crops. Mexico City's 9 million people rely heavily on the Victoria reservoir and a couple others that make up a total of 44% of the water capacity. For other water, it comes from city wells. Leaky pipes in the city are contributing to this issue, and are causing worry and angst among citizens. Further west, in Michoacan state, the country is slowly losing its second largest lake, which is now about 75% dry. 

Michelle Boban, Blog post #11 

https://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory/mexicos-drought-reaches-critical-levels-lakes-dry-77251025

US deploying vaccine materials, PPE to India amid COVID crisis

 With COVID cases on the rise in India, the United States is stepping in to help the best they can. National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan gave a call to India's National Security Advisor this morning to offer aid, and to help their fight with the virus. India's hospitals are overloaded, and are nearly out of critical oxygen supplies, and have started turning people away. Some teams from the CDC and USAID are also stepping in along with the US Embassy, India's health ministries, and India's Epidemic Intelligence Service Staff. In addition, 4,000 train coaches holding 64,000 beds with be brought in to alleviate hospital capacities. The U.S Chamber of Commerce and a doctor from Brown University of Public Health have called out to the Biden Administration to give some of our unused doses to those in need, such as India. Dr. Fauci said this is a possibility that will be brought up this week. 

Michelle Boban, Blog post #10

https://abcnews.go.com/International/us-deploying-aid-india-amid-covid-crisis/story?id=77300957

India sets Covid-19 infection record for fourth straight day with hospitals desperate for oxygen

 CNN reported on India's sharp increase of Covid cases in the past week and restrictions involving travel and lack of medical supplies, specifically oxygen tanks. Many of the individuals who suffer from extreme Covid symptoms are being turned away from hospitals due to lack of beds and supplies. India is the top producer of medical oxygen and many officials within the country and disappointed they are not able to provide their own people with these tanks. The mutated virus is also hitting many younger individuals and the symptoms are more severe. The country has set a world record for daily covid cases and has had the highest death toll for the 9th day in a row. Bodies are piling up at crematoriums and morgues, so the country is being forced to have many mass cremations. Six weeks ago, the health minister claimed that India was in "the endgame" of the covid pandemic, however, the recent situation says otherwise. India has asked Biden to lift restrictions on exporting products to produce vaccines quicker, but the US has not done so yet. 

-Hannah Kohl (Blog Post #12)

https://www.cnn.com/2021/04/25/asia/india-covid-fourth-day-record-infections-intl-hnk/index.html 

Alexei Navalny Hospitalized in Russia Three Weeks Into Hunger Strike

 

In this article, Simmons examines an international situation that is very touchy when it comes to ethics and legality. Alexei Navalny is a strong opposition to Vladimir Putin and is currently in prison for his disapproval of the current governmental situation there. Navalny is currently on a hunger strike in prison and refusing to eat food in protest to the harsh treatment he has been receiving ever since he got there. The Russian guards are allegedly not having it and have threatened to force-feed him by putting him in a straightjacket. Navalny is concerned about his health, but he is unable to be assigned a doctor that he wants and that is most of the reason he is protesting. Many doctors on his side and supporters of him are worried about his health and safety in the position he is in. Countries such as the U.S. have even voiced their disapproval of the way the Russian government is handling the situation saying that not only Navalny should be treated more fairly, but that also he really should not be imprisoned in the first place. There have been many protests demanding his release from imprisonment. Obviously, the governmental system in Russia is different than in the U.S. because I am fully confident this would not legally fly here. Also, I believe there are plenty of ethical guidelines the Russian government is violating besides wrongful imprisonment. They are in a sense stripping some of his human rights.

https://www.wsj.com/articles/alexei-navalny-hospitalized-in-russia-three-weeks-into-hunger-strike-11618839052 

Jeremy Cardenas Blog Post #10

"Little Josh" wins viral pool noodle battle against hundreds of Joshes

On Saturday, April 24th, hundreds of people named Josh gathered in a Nebraska field for a battle royale style fight with pool noodles, fighting over who gets to keep the name Josh. The idea for this started brewing in April of 2020, when someone named Josh Swain made a group chat of all of the Josh Swains he could find on Facebook, challenging them to a fight. Eventually, the invitation was extended to all those with the first name Josh. This of course was a joke, but the internet ran with it. The location of Lincoln, Nebraska was chosen for its central location within the United States. Josh Vinson Jr., a four year old local of Lincoln, ultimately took the (Burger King) crown as well as a champions belt.

The original organizer, Josh Swain, used this event to help raise awareness and donate to local charities. He asked the Joshes to bring non-perishables for Lincoln's local food bank, as well as running a fundraiser for Nebraska's children's hospital. What started as a funny joke on the internet ended up turning into a national event used to raise awareness and provide aide to those in need. It shows how much of a difference people can make on their community and the communities around them, even through something that may be considered absurd.

"Little Josh" being crowned the champion.

Sarah Runchey

https://www.cnn.com/2021/04/25/us/little-josh-josh-fight-winner-trnd/index.html

Indonesian navy submarine found split into three on sea bed

    An Indonesian navy submarine has sank near the coast of Bali on Wednesday, splitting into three separate pieces. It has been reported that all 53 crew members have been confirmed dead. Navy officials reported receiving signals from the submarine's location more than 2,600ft deep early Sunday. When an underwater rescue vehicle was sent down, they were able to confirm the wreckage. The submarine disappeared after requesting permission to dive during a torpedo drill however, the reason for the sink is unclear. Officials did find that the hull of the ship, the stern and the main part of the ship were all completely separated and the main part of the ship revealed a crack. The submarine was a German built vessel and was more than 40 years old however, it went underwent a refit in 2012. 

Gall

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-56879933

Gaza Militants Fire Rockets at Israel Amid Jerusalem Clashes

 Yesterday, after months of calm exchanges in Gaza and Jerusalem, this is the worst flare-up of violent interaction between Palestinian and Israeli groups. Although no casualties were supposedly reported, more than 30 rockets from militants in Gaza were launched into Israel. In response to that, Israel in return bombed Hamas military targets which included infrastructure and enemy rocket launchers. The surge in violence is alarming and bad as elections taking place soon make each country on particular unstable political grounds which can potentially make matters worse.  

Blog Post #10, Alec Kretovic 

https://www.wsj.com/articles/gaza-militants-fire-rockets-at-israel-amid-jerusalem-clashes-11619273996       

Iraq Covid Hosptial Fire

 On Saturday night a hospital fire occurred at the lbn khatib hospital in Iraq. From the reports seen in this document 100 were injured in some manner and 82 were killed. The cause for this fire occurring is stated to be an oxygen tank exploding. Through this accident, the prime minister called for a suspension of the health minister and an investigation to occur regarding the case. The fire started in the intensive care room floor reserved for people dealing with the highest cases of covid 19. As of Sunday, the fire is under control. The government's human rights commission states that this seems like a crime to those exhausted by the covid 19 pandemics. The deaths that occurred during the fire were truly tragic mostly due to pipes having to be pulled due to the fire. This caused many patients to lose the oxygen intake that they needed to survive. The country of Iraq is still highly troubled by the covid 19 pandemic so hopefully, the hospital can be restored soon in order for them to keep fighting to get back on their feet. It's amazing to see all the dangers the world still faces amongst the covid pandemic. It goes to show how troubled the entire world is right now in these times.

Matthew Rabick

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-56875804

Iraq Covid hospital fire: At least 23 dead after 'oxygen tank explodes'

 An oxygen tank at the Ibn Khatib hospital exploded causing a massive fire leaving 30 patients in intensive care and at least 23 dead. They were able to stop the fire after several hours however, the governor Mohammed Jaber wants to find the person responsible and issued an emergency investigation. While the human rights commission declared it a "a crime against patients exhausted by covid-19" Considering the overflowing amount of patients in the hospitals due to covid-19 and the rapid increase of covid cases and covid related deaths, the lack of hospital resources will produce a devastating outcome. 

Valeria Ramirez 

Biden will recognize the Armenian Genocide at risk of angering Turkey

 President Biden has told the Turkish President Erdogan that he is planning to recognize the Ottoman Empire's slaughtering of Armenians during the first world war as a genocide. The Republic of Turkey has tried to hush governments around the world from labeling it a genocide and has used it political power to do so, with former Presidents Obama and Trump never calling it a genocide. Turkey is a key country in the middle east, the largest NATO military power in the region and is a power equal to Iran and Saudi Arabia in terms of influence and size. Recognizing the Armenian genocide while a moral choice also does strain US-Turkish relations and will hamper relations going forward. There will not be any legal consequences nor will Turkey recognize it as a genocide but the political fallout might impact Middle Eastern policy for years. 

Chris Rauch

https://www.cnn.com/2021/04/23/politics/biden-erdogan-armenian-genocide/index.html

Dozens of Palestinians injured

Early morning, dozens of Palestinians were injured in police clashes as Jewish extremists chant 'DEATH TO ARABS' in the march in Jerusalem. The violence between the Palestinians from the east Jerusalem and Israeli are increasing, with the heightened in the city which started a week and half ago in the start of Ramadan. The usage of glass bottles and rocks are being thrown at police officers who have thrown rubber bullets, stun grenades back at the citizens. At least 105 Palestinians were injured and 22 are in the hospital recovering from their injuries. Israeli media have exploded with videos and pictures of the violent attacks, showing religious Jewish youths attacking an Arab family's house with rocks and sticks. Police have encountered 20 of their men injured and three taken to the hospital for injured, and there have been 44 arrests during these violent attacks.

By: Alexis Ferreira 

Jerusalem: Dozens of Palestinians injured in Israeli police clashes as Jewish extremists chant 'Death to Arabs' - CNN

Wednesday Protests Result in 1,000+ Arrests in Russia

     With a current ban on protests in Russia, over a thousand arrests were made over protests in support of Alexei Navalny. These specific protests go along with a series of them, but the specifics for this one regarded Navalny being moved to a prison hospital in the earlier days of this week. These protests actually rallied up the most participants in a huge amount of different cities even with the ban in place. The numbers are not clear as many sources stated different data, Navalny's team reported over 60,000 attendees, OVD-Info claimed over 1,900 arrests in over 90 different cities. Navalny heard about the protests through his lawyer and had a very positive reaction to them, claiming the two things he felt were pride and hope. His physical health is declining quickly as he is on week four of a prison hunger strike, and the United States has made it clear that Russia will face consequences if they let Navalny die in custody. Russia has fought very hard to dismiss these protests and keep Navalny's case quiet, but it's clear that the community will not let that happen.

https://www.cnbc.com/2021/04/22/russia-protests-more-than-1000-arrested-at-pro-navalny-demonstrations.html

Sighs of relief at the Chauvin guilty verdict, but activists say the work on racial justice is far from over

 This article is about the response of activist after Chauvin was found guilty. The response was that this is a good thing and a step in the right direction, but there is still a lot to be done. The sentiment among activist is that this is just the beginning of a long road to justice. What happened to Chauvin was accountability but justice will be found when "legal lynching" no longer exist. President Biden waded in with the same belief that there was still work to be done. 

https://www.cnn.com/2021/04/21/us/derek-chauvin-trial-george-floyd-verdict-wednesday/index.html

Will Kettelkamp

Derek Chauvin Guilty of Murder in Death of George Floyd

After the long string of protests and national unrest since last summer, Derek Chauvin was finally deemed guilty for second-degree murder, third-degree murder, and manslaughter, which were all of the three counts against him. After 2 days of long deliberation which ended up being 10 hours in total, the 12 person jury came to a solid conclusion deeming Chauvin to be guilty with an unreasonable doubt without even asking the judge for a single question of clarity. After the verdict was announced Chauvin was escorted out of the courtroom in handcuffs to now facing his sentence that could cost him decades due to the fact that he was found guilty on all three counts. With that being said, Chauvin has yet to be officially sentenced but will most likely but facing the maximum amount of time in jail due to the severity of his conviction. Many individuals cheered, cried outside the courtroom, and were overwhelmed with happiness after the long-awaited news. Following the 14 day long trial, the video taken by a brave young woman by the name of Darnella Frazier, was the staple of the evidence against Chauvin as it depicts the ex-police officer putting more weight on the neck of Floyd for almost 10 long minutes as his cries to fight for his life were diminishing. The defense’s argument surrounding the drugs in Floyd’s system clearly did not sell the jury. They rather let their eyes speak for themselves. President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris spoke on the matter Tuesday afternoon addressing the legislation they are planning on putting in place to preserve the legacy that George Floyd has left behind. This will hopefully start putting steps in the right direction towards a better future for black Americans in all corners of our 50 states as we begin to address the racial discrimination that has been the root of this country since it was established. Accountability is only the first step.

By: Kaytlyn Tyler

https://www.wsj.com/articles/derek-chauvin-convicted-of-murder-in-killing-of-george-floyd-11618952910

Nancy Pelosi's Comment on George Floyd

Nancy Pelosi generated controversy after the George Floyd trial ended with Derek Chauvin being convicted for three counts. She said in response to the trial, that ended on April 20th, “Thank you, George Floyd, for sacrificing your life for justice. For being there to call out to your mom -how heartbreaking was that? -call out to your mom, ‘I can’t breathe,” She continued by, “But because of you, and because of thousands -millions- of your people around the world who came out for justice, your name will always be synonymous with Justice.” House Speaker, Nancy Pelosi’s comments angered many protestors who pointed out that George Floyd didn’t ask to die, or how difficult it is for a white woman to paint his murder as a sacrifice. The article pointing out that he wasn’t a part of the movement (black lives matter) and didn’t connect to dying. Especially not for the cause. After his death, he became a symbol of systemic racism, as thousands of people in America and around the world chanted “I can’t breathe.” It shook us up and make us look at our system. Still, he never asked for this to happen. Representative Cori Bush, commented how “senseless of Floyd’s killing,” adding that the US, “is far from eliminating systemic racism.”

 Ahmed, A. (2021, April 21). Nancy Pelosi: "thank You, GEORGE floyd, for sacrificing your life". Retrieved April 21, 2021, from https://www.huffpost.com/entry/nancy-pelosi-george-floyd-thank-you_n_607f4d32e4b017537f0c1370

TTabby Zuniga Diaz

Jury in Derek Chauvin Murder Trial Hears Closing Arguments

Both the Prosecutors and Defendants in the Derek Chauvin Case make their final remarks on the death of George Floyd and the connection to Derek Chauvin. The closing arguments will then be followed by the decision made upon the jury. The United States continues to hold its breath on the case as businesses throughout the US begin to prepare for possible riots. We saw in 2020, "the summer of love," caused over $2 Billion dollars in damages and this retaliation has the US on edge. If Mr. Chauvin is either found guilty or not guilty of the charges of second and third degree murder and manslaughter, we may see outrage by groups such as Black Lives Matter take to the streets. The jury's decision has to find if Mr. Chauvin is responsible for the death of Mr. Floyd beyond a reasonable doubt. Their decision does not only affect Mr. Chauvin, but also the rest of the United States as well as their own safety. Businesses have already boarded up their windows and entrances to prepare for what can occur at the end of the trial. The future of America hang in the balance, and the jury's conclusion can see destruction throughout the land of the free. 

Jesse Solis

Wall Street Journal - Article by Joe Barrett and Jacob Gershman

https://www.wsj.com/articles/jury-in-derek-chauvin-murder-trial-set-to-hear-closing-arguments-11618826400

Heightened Anxiety Leads to Fortified City

 The trial of Derek Chauvin, former Minneapolis police officer being tried for the death of George Floyd last year, is coming to a close with the final arguments taking place today. With that comes an upgrade in emotions with everyone across the country and more specifically in Minneapolis feeling the tension of this decision. The city has essentially become a fortress with streets being lined with members of the Coast Guard to attempt to settle any possible chaos that may ensue with either verdict. This case has been one that has weighed heavily on the minds of civilians and Police departments across the country and thus one can justify the need for such a tremendous amount of support to prepare for possible chaos and anything else that may come with it. It was Floyd's death back in May of 2020 that started an uproar over the Police and their excessive uses of force and brutality towards African Americans. This of course is not the first instance of police violence towards the black population in America and almost certainly won't be the last. However, one can be hopeful that this trial and the impacts it has that are yet to come are ones that are positive in helping all people of America feel safe in the country they call home, especially from those who are by oath there to serve and protect.

Kolby Miller #10

https://nypost.com/2021/04/19/minneapolis-looks-like-fortress-ahead-of-verdict-in-george-floyd-trial/

Anticipating civil unrest, Minneapolis Schools close in-person learning ahead of Chauvin verdict

All Minneapolis public schools are preparing to be closed for in-person learning from Wednesday through Friday this week, in anticipation of potential civil unrest following the verdict in the Derek Chauvin trial. Closing statements are expected Monday, after which the jury will deliberate. Law enforcement officials have also been preparing for the possibility of civil unrest following the verdict, and there are over 2,000 members of the National Guard and 1,100 other law enforcement officers that have been made available to deal with any potential civil unrest.

link: https://www.kare11.com/article/news/local/george-floyd/minneapolis-schools-closing-derek-chauvin-trial-verdict-george-floyd/89-ec93d6a6-c34c-4e01-8399-a3f26479345d

Matt Jett #10

Russia expels Czech diplomats over explosion row

 Russia has announced that 20 diplomats from the Czech Republic will be expelled from the country. The local intelligence agents from the Czech Republic claim the diplomats are Russian intelligence operatives. They are suspected of involvement in an explosion at an arms depot in 2014. The foreign ministers from the European Union are meeting on Monday, April 19, 2021 to discuss the latest claims about the blast. Therefore, Moscow has given the Czech diplomats a day to leave while the Czech Republic has given the Russians 72 hours. The US State Department has said it stands firmly with the Czech Republic due to Russia's actions on Czech soil. Also, earlier this week the U.S. expelled 10 Russian diplomats and imposed sanctions due to the "SolarWinds' hack last year. This, therefore bullied Ukraine and interference in the 2020 US election. 

                                                https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-56796324

 

Australia Implementing Travel “Bubbles” - Palahniuk #9

 Australia has allowed New Zealand residents to travel between countries without having to quarantine. The new talk in the international neighborhood is allowing Singapore into this travel restriction “bubble” Australia is holding to. Singapore has reached a record level low of deaths because of covid with just 30 within the whole country. The purpose of the travel “bubble” is to gradually let life for local residents of Australia get back to normal by dropping some Covid restrictions. Now that they have a steady decrease in covid cases Australia is opening there minds to Singapore, Japan and South Korea to travel cross their boards without having to quarantine when arriving back and fourth. 

https://apple.news/AQ7k58G-oSF20djStMJvpZg 

Alexei Navalny Health Concerns Prompt Russian Opposition Calls for Protest

 Alexei Navalny's who is currently in Russian prison has sparked mass protests across the country in the fight against Putin. As of now, his health and ultimately his life is at stake currently as the Russian government has been merciless in treating him. So far, 460,700 have already signed their willingness to protest on the same day Putin is going to publicly speak about Russia's national legislature. What's interesting here, is that the U.S. has stated that there will be consequences if Alexei dies in Russian prison. Mr. Navalny's team said he was slowly being killed, and does not know how much longer he will be able to withstand. After how the last protests ended up, this story will surely be one to follow up on. 

Blog post #9, Alec Kretovic

 https://www.wsj.com/articles/russian-opposition-calls-for-protests-amid-reports-of-navalnys-deteriorating-health-11618757283    

Afghanistan withdrawal will likely dismantle a CIA intelligence network built up over 20 years - Kyle Remington

 As President Biden plans to withdraw troops from Afghanistan, an intense unraveling of many intelligence and special operation forces may go down with it. Since 9/11, the US has created a number of extensive intelligence and covert action networks. A senior US official and two defense officials have publicly said that the plan is to remove hundreds of special operation forces that are not recognized by the US government but are openly supported and knowingly present. This also includes all members of the CIA within Afghanistan. So far, none of this is official information but many members of the military are believing that their time will come to an end in Afghanistan. If this were to happen, it would make the well-known special ops missions that the CIA is a part of much more difficult. Without military and ground support, the CIA will no longer be able to complete its special operation missions, and according to the CIA director, Bill Burns, ". . . the US government's ability to collect and act on threats will diminish. That's simply a fact." Another aspect to this though comes from national security advisor, Jake Sullivan, as he said that regardless of the number of troops on the ground, the CIA will still be given sufficient capacity to be well aware of the actions of our enemies. 

What comes of this news is the potential of a weakening counter intelligence agency within the middle east. Although the CIA will still be able to monitor the doings of terrorist groups, some of their most profound missions will either no longer be able to happen or they will become increasinlgy difficult. 

Kyle Remington

Russia will face 'consequences' if Navalny dies

    The US has warned Russia that if protestor, Alexei Navalny dies in jail, there will be consequences for their poor treatment. The UK, France, Germany and the EU have all expressed concerns over Navalny's treatment as well. Navalny's medical team says that he can die at any moment if he is not given urgent medical attention. Navalny began a hunger strike on the 31st of March and his blood work shows that he can suffer kidney failure or go into cardiac arrest at any moment because of the strike. Navalny went on strike for the poor conditions that he is being faced with from the Russian government. Navalny was first arrested in February for embezzlement charges and is a strong activist against President Valdimir Putin. Navalny was already in trouble earlier last year when Navalny was nearly killed from an attempt poisioning from the Russian government. The EU is expected to discuss the situation surrounding Navalny this coming Monday as the EU is deeply concerned and called for prison authorities to grant access to Navalny's medical team immediately. Navalny may be the face of human rights within the next couple of weeks and we will see how the Russian government reacts to keep peace with the rest of the global powers.

Gall

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-56794744 

What civilians in Afghanistan say about America’s withdraw

US President Joe Biden has decided to remove US troops in Afghanistan after 20 years. He says that he would end America’s longest war by September 11th because it is no longer an American priority. The removal of US troops in Afghanistan is causing much panic and uncertainty for the Afghanistan civilians as the Taliban may edge closer to power without the presence of the US military. A member of the Afghan capital says with certainty that violence will dramatically increase and once again the people of Afghanistan will leave the country looking for asylum in other countries. Taliban fighting has surged this year even as they negotiated peace with government officials. A recent report states that there has been a 29% increase of civilians killed in the first 3 months of 2021 compared to the same period of 2020. The Afghan president Ashraf Ghani said that he respects the US decision, and the civilians wish for the troops to leave as well, but the timing is bad as they fear they will slide into civil war. The withdraw of US troops is seen as irresponsible to some as we are leaving without any peace settled and the threat of a civil war is dramatically present. An even scarier thing for women in Afghanistan is if the Taliban do take power again, their hard-earned rights may be in jeopardy as the Taliban excludes girls and women from getting an education along with basic human rights.  

Reese McMullen

42 Migrants dead in Yemen

 Off the coast of Djibouti in East Africa, at least 42 migrants were found dead after a boat they traveled from Yemen. Every year, migrants and even young children are smuggled in a boat and can be overcrowded causing at least 20 people to drown. Thousands of African migrants make the dangerous journey from countries like Somalia and Ethiopia through Yemen and Djibouti searching for a new way of life. March broke the record in over 2,343 migrants arrived from Yemen comparing to February over 1,900. 

42 migrants dead after boat from Yemen capsizes off Djibouti coast (msn.com)

By: Alexis Ferreira 

Indianapolis FedEx shooter bought two weapons used in killings legally last year despite FBI concerns

 The shooting that killed 8 people on Thursday was done by a 19-year-old, who despite being investigated by the FBI for his potential for violence, purchased the two assault rifles, used in the shooting, legally. This is an another example of how easily obtainable dangerous weapons are in the U.S. and another mass shooting is the result. It does not seem right that someone who was recently investigated for being mentally unstable should be allowed to buy an assault rifle, but the laws of our nation allow that and another mass shooting is added to the list. 

https://www.cnn.com/2021/04/18/us/indianapolis-shooting-fedex-sunday/index.html

Will Kettelkamp

China and US on climate change

 As of 6 hours from this article being written The United States and China have pledged to work together and with other countries on tackling climate change. The main goal the two countries have right now is to reduce emissions. President Biden will be holding a meeting this week to go over the plans where many world leaders will be in attendance. China's president has not yet confirmed with the media if he will be attending this meeting. The statement made by the group follows that they are willing to all work together in order to tackle the situation as best and as urgently as it needs to be handled. Amongst lowering the emissions another effort this group will strive to do is help developing countries switch to a low carbon energy plan. The biggest issue on hand is concerned with global warming. Many countries in the world right now including powerhouses like china have a way too high level. It is recommended that levels be no higher than 2C but highly for them to be even lower than that going as low as 1.5C. This pledge between the United States and China is very good to see as they tackle this issue. Definitely looking at this as a first step of the world becoming one again. Time will tell how this group tackles climate change and if it will have a positive or negative effect on future relationships in the world. 

Matthew Rabick

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-china-56790077

China and US pledge climate change commitment

The US and China have come together to begin discussing climate change and their plans for the future to reduce emissions aimed at keeping the Paris agreement aligned temperature limit within reach. Within these plans between China and the US there is also talk about both nations helping developing counties as well to switch to low carbon energy. It was pointed out during these meetings that China and the US do not agree on certain issues, however, they agree of that on climate change and are determined to take scientist warnings of global heating needing to be below 2C above pre-industrial levels, with high hopes of reaching the 1.5C mark. 

This to me seems a step in the right direction because with the previous President there was a complete disregard on the clearly evident issue entirely. Now there is hopefully some action being taken by 2 of the countries that have some of the largest industries that are causing major part of the issue. With this I hope we can make a drastic change with two large nations and have the rest follow in the future. 

Valeria Ramirez

Escaped girls tell of insurgents’ mass abductions in Mozambique

 4/17

Insurgents in Mozambique abducted hundreds of women and girls, ranging from the age of 12 to 18, for profit. Many of the women and girls are forced into marriage/ sexual relations with fighters. They have been forced to march under guard to a series of camps and bases across the insurgent controlled territories. There is limited medical care, unreliable food supplies, and a constant risk of attack by government forces or mercenaries.

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/apr/17/escaped-girls-tell-of-insurgents-mass-abductions-in-mozambique

Nicholas Horky

End of Castro Rule in Cuba

 Raul Castro, the brother of Fidel Castro has announced he is stepping down as Head of Cuba Communist party. Fidel will officially step down on Monday. Raul approaching the age of 90 is stepping down so younger leadership may take the role of leading Cuba. The change of leadership is needed as Cuba faces a economic crisis and the change in leadership is expected to lead to freer markets. Raul has already handpicked a successor in Diaz-Canel so communism is not going away anytime soon. 

https://www.nytimes.com/2021/04/16/world/americas/raul-castro-cuba.html

Chris Rauch

Biden to Pull All Troops Out of Afghanistan

    On Tuesday, some articles were released with news that Biden was planning on making an announcement on Wednesday of this week (04/14/2021) that the United States would be removing all troops from Afghanistan by the 20th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks this year, September 11, 2021. Biden has made it very clear that he thinks this war has gone on for far too long, making remarks such as this being that nations longest war and that the fighting must end. This decision has been with a lot of controversy, while many believe that withdrawing all troops could lead to chaos, such as terrorist threats becoming apparent again, as well as violence in Afghanistan itself, even leading up to a civil war there. This war has cost trillions of dollars in American military funds, as well as over 2,000 lives of American troops. Some Republicans are arguing that this decision was made too quickly and could lead to even worse outcomes and a push back on American progress, but many democrats have sided with Biden and argue that war is long past due an ending. The controversy of this is interesting though, especially in regards that Donald Trump had previously announced a May 1st deadline for the same thing, which Biden announced we will not be following. 

Kaitlyn Colvin

 https://www.nytimes.com/2021/04/13/us/politics/biden-afghanistan-withdrawal.html

Biden to Meet With South Korean President Moon Next Month

 It has been set that President Joe Biden will be meeting with South Korean President Moon Jae-in sometime next month. Despite the fact that no date has been formally set by the world leaders, this still is a very big moment for Biden's stake in foreign policy because this meeting will be following shortly after his first in-person meeting with another world leader, Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga since he was inaugurated as president of the United States in January. This meeting also introduces the chance for discussion about the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula, climate change efforts, and the Global shortage of COVID-19 vaccines. This will also allow Biden to get a foot in the door regarding the establishment of allies within Asia which will give the United States leverage when dealing with not only North Korea but also China. Speaking of North Korea, it has been known that they have been frequently testing short-range ballistic missiles and many of us remain concerned as to what their uses are. Most likely, a lot of these things will be discussed in conversation with President Moon Jae-in next month when he reports to Washington.

https://www.wsj.com/articles/biden-to-meet-with-south-korean-president-moon-next-month-11618504222 

By: Kaytlyn Tyler

FDA recommends pause of Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine after blood clot cases

 In the over 6.8 million J&J COVID-19 vaccinations administered, there have been 6 cases of severe blood clotting. Because of these cases, the FDA has recommended the Johnson & Johnson vaccine to be paused. This can be viewed in a couple different ways, people who are pro vaccination can say that it's just 6 out of 6.8 million and that is not significant enough to worry. However, our nation is split on who supports and who does not support the COVID-19 vaccination. The non supporters can now use these cases as evidence that the vaccination is potentially dangerous. The affect of this is the increase in vaccination skeptics. This is significant because the goal is to get everyone vaccinated, but that just got harder. 

https://www.foxnews.com/health/fda-recommends-pause-johnson-johnson-covid-19-vaccine-blood-clot-cases

Will Kettelkamp

Officer Kim Potter is charged over killing of Daunte Wright

 In the past week a black man by the name of Daunte Wright was killed by an officer who claims to have mistook her gun for her taser. She is now to be charged with second degree man slaughter for killing this innocent man that she pulled over on the road. This all happened in the city of Minneapolis where there are already many protests going on due to the trial for the killer of George Floyd, so the people of this community were absolutely furious. Potter is now in custody and owes many fines for the killing that she has done, even though she testifies that it was unintentional. It has been brought to the medias attention that she had been a cop for over 25 years, and should know the difference between a taser and a gun. The official fine and jail time for Potter will be released soon. 

Carly Nasman

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-56752821 

Pandemic Life and Schools

A year after the pandemic has started, school children are struggling with being able to find a new normal in the midst of essentially losing one year of school. Many children are facing social isolation, heavy workloads, and some children have lost a parent during the pandemic or a lost one. The struggles that many kids, multiple tragedies after tragedies this last year could have long-lasting effects on children. The researchers at Harvard who had been following children ages seven through fifteen, two hundred and twenty-four of them, and found that roughly two-thirds of them have been found with symptoms of anxiety and depression. As well as behavioral problems such as hyperactivity and inattention. Besides the mental side effects, it is estimated that the children who were in remote learning are expected to earn less money when they join the workforce. However, the effects of children who have already had previous conditions, like anxiety and learning disabilities, are struggling with getting homework done, and forming connections with their peers. 

Tabby Zuniga Diaz

 Petersen, Andrea. “Loneliness, Anxiety and Loss: the Covid Pandemic's Terrible Toll on Kids.” The Wall Street Journal, Dow Jones & Company, 9 Apr. 2021, www.wsj.com/articles/pandemic-toll-children-mental-health-covid-school-11617969003. 

Biden will withdraw all U.S. forces from Afghanistan by Sept. 11, 2021

 The Washington Post reported on Biden’s goal to remove all US troops from Afghanistan by September 11, 2021, the 20th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks. 9/11 was one of the first attacks that brought the United States into a war with Afghanistan and Biden is expected to announce its end on Wednesday. Currently, there are 2,500 US troops in Afghanistan, but most likely 1,000 more than that and 7,000 foreign forces (mainly NATO). The Biden Administration has mentioned concerns about removing troops too soon in fears of the collapse, political difficulties at home, and renewed attacks. Many individuals in NATO and US lawmakers have warned about early departure, stating, “a swift pullout would be ‘challenging’ and ‘destabilizing.”’ At this point in history, it appears most of the population and the government believe we have done everything possible. 

-Hannah Kohl (Blog #11)

https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/biden-us-troop-withdrawal-afghanistan/2021/04/13/918c3cae-9beb-11eb-8a83-3bc1fa69c2e8_story.html

Minneapolis Police Shooting: Who Was Daunte Wright and What Happened in Brooklyn Center?”

 In this article, West examines a very tragic situation that just recently transpired involving another police officer killing a man. In this situation, the victim, Daunte Wright, was pulled over because of air fresheners hanging from his rearview mirror. Upon pulling him over, the officers realize that there is a warrant out for his arrest. They take him out of his car to arrest him, but he maneuvers his way back into the car. As he does so, one of the officers repeatedly warns him that she will use her taser. He continues and she shoots what she allegedly thought was her taser but was in fact her gun. This gunshot wound ends up killing Mr. Wright. It is a very messy situation and it will be extremely interesting to see how it is handled in court. My two initial questions were how do you pull someone over for air fresheners and how do you mistake your gun as your taser? At the same time though, the body cam footage shows signs that the officer was shocked that she shot him and the use of a taser, which she allegedly thought she was using, would be the proper protocol in the situation that happened. It is a very tragic event, and it is also unclear how it will be dealt with in a legal stance. It has also grasped the attention of seemingly the entire nation as it is thought to be another racial situation as an African American man was yet again killed by a police officer.

https://www.wsj.com/articles/minneapolis-police-shooting-what-happened-in-brooklyn-center-and-who-was-daunte-wright-11618241948?mod=searchresults_pos2&page=1

Jeremy Cardenas Blog Post #9

FBI arrest man over alleged Amazon centre bomb plot

On April 8th, the FBI arrested Seth Aaron Pendley for his attempt to bomb the Amazon center. Although Pendley has not yet been convicted, he could be facing 20 years in prison. The FBI carried out a sting operation where Pendley purchased a dud explosive device from an undercover FBI agent. Pendley's main goal was to damage Amazon's web server network. Amazon plays a large role in hosting and processing information behind many popular online services and websites. Damaging the Amazon center would upset the oligarchy according to Pendley, his plan overall. Pendley also attended the capital riots back on January 6th so the FBI and CIA have been keeping a look out on Mr. Pendley for quite some time. The FBI also found Mr. Pendley being involved in a militia website where he went by the name of Dionysus, the Greek god of wine. Mr. Pendley remains in custody awaiting trial. 

Gall

 https://www.bbc.com/news/technology-56719618

Archaeologists discover 3,000-year-old Egyptian city, left 'as if it were yesterday'

 "The Rise of Aten" was recently discovered in Luxor, on the western bank. This city dates back to the reign of King Amenhotep III, who ruled Egypt between 1391 and 1353 BCE. There are currently houses still standing up to ten feet high, and rooms filled with 'tools of daily life' archaeologists stated. They also discovered rings, pottery, casting molds, and various tools. Some remains were found as well- a skeleton of a person with arms stretched to the side, and a rope wrapped around their knees. The excavation initially began in September 2020, and is still continuing on. A large cemetery and tombs have been spotted, but not touched and documented yet. 

Michelle Boban Blog Post #9

France Plans to Ban Domestic Flights Where Trains Are Available

 In effort to bring down emissions and make a cleaner environment, France is planning to ban all of their domestic flights and favor train services instead. As a part of a wider-climate bill, MP's voted late Saturday evening in favor of eliminating certain flights that can be completed in less than two and a half hours by train. If passed, France will be one of many European countries to take part in this trend. The Transport minister is of course getting some negative feedback because of this, and people are saying that he is listening too much to his environmental panel, and that proposals are being 'watered down'. "Citizens often choose the most robust option of travel when it is offered" says Transport Minister Jean-Baptiste Djebbari. 

Michelle Boban, Blog Post #8

China's Message to America: We're an Equal Now

    As the rising power of China has continued to technologically, economically and militarily grow, the President of China Xi Jinping mentions the growing power of China by stating, "China can already look at the world on an equal level," when referring to the ruling power, the United States. The Chinese government is already calling itself an equal to the hegemonic superpower, the United States, and continues to put pressure on the Biden Administration. The United States greatest allies are finding China's growing power very concerning, including Japan, South Korea, Taiwan and others. Biden's remarks on the Uyghur muslim camps were also seeing backlash by Beijing that officials sought to Beijing, as Chinese officials put it, sought to “duo hui hua yu quan,” or take back the narrative. China’ have aggressively denounced Western pushes in its domestic affairs and heralded China’s rise. Joe Biden and the EU have continued to push back against Chinese behavior but as the ruling power only seems to threaten economic hardship upon those who oppose them, it becomes much harder to actually enforce policy against China. Chinese economy is allowing the nation to get away with many humanitarian issues as many stay quiet to not hurt trade connections with the superpower, but will we see the Biden Administration tackle to the issue, or will China truly surpass the US and become the next global hegemon?

Jesse Solis

Wall Street Journal - Article by Lingling Wei and Bob Davis

https://www.wsj.com/articles/america-china-policy-biden-xi-11617896117

Ecuador's Guillermo Lasso Wins Presidential Election

 Ecuador elected a conservative former banker and supporter of free market policies as president over his populist opponent. Guillermo Lasso received over 52% of the vote to win the presidency. Lasso will encounter the issues of a "bruised economy" and the Covid-19 pandemic that is hitting South America hard with surging infection levels. However, in Peru the presidential voting is appearing to go to the far left. They have voted in favor of presidential candidate Pedro Castillo, a socialist who is "undoing three decades of market-friendly policies."

We are currently discussing in class how individuals play a role in Globalization. I foresee that the election of Lasso may impact Ecuador's economic situation, but possibly their influence on Globalization in the International System. Moreover, it is fascinating to see the influence of the people on who they are choosing to elect. Especially since Lasso is considered conservative and a supporter of free market policies which align nicely with the United States. It will be fascinating to see how Lasso handles Ecuador's economy and the Covid-19 pandemic. As well as who is elected in Peru. 

-Katie Huey, Blog Post #10

Article Link: https://www.wsj.com/articles/ecuadors-guillermo-lasso-wins-presidential-election-11618195085

COVID Cases Spiking in India

India just overtook Brazil as the second-worst hit country in the pandemic, recording over 160,000 new cases in a 24 hour period on monday. Health officials in India have cited a relaxing of social distancing and masking as the reason for the outbreak, as several large-scale political and religious gatherings have taken place in the country in recent weeks. This new wave has led India to halt the export of the AstraZeneca vaccine and the COVID treatment drug Remdesivir in the face of vaccine shortages and increased demand for COVID treatment within the country.

Link: https://www.cnbc.com/2021/04/12/coronavirus-india-becomes-second-worst-hit-country-as-covid-cases-surge.html

Matt Jett #9

How Teachers are going about informing their students on the trial of Derek Chauvin

 In a world where there is a lot of sensitivity towards the subject of George Floyd and his untimely death at the hands of Minneapolis police officer, Derek Chauvin, and rightfully so at that, it is also something people of many ages should be informed on. This is a topic that is sensitive thus needs to be navigated carefully especially considering the uprising of movements that followed suit. These types of things do need to be discussed in schools because it is a lack of education that causes these incidents to repeat themselves on an endless cycle. You also have to understand you will get differing views from people on the situation thus making it more difficult to have a straight forward approach. However, these complexities and issues that lie within race and politics are great teaching moments because the world and life itself is not always so clear. This event is being considered a teachable moment and rightfully so because in a time where it feels as though there is a 50/50 split between unification and division it is the best course of action to ensure that the youth are aware and can make choices that are better than what is on display on a national level. Children and people in general learn through experience and those experiences can be shifted in a more positive manner through educators who take the time to inform as well as listen to students.

Kolby Miller

https://www.nytimes.com/2021/04/12/learning/lesson-of-the-day-how-teachers-are-exploring-the-derek-chauvin-trial-with-students.html

Putin Moves 100,000 Troops to Ukraine Border

Moscow has amassed nearly 100,000 troops at the border between Russia and Ukraine. Within days of these troops being deployed, Putin also sent a fleet of more than ten heavily armed warships towards the Caspian sea. With these recent moves from Russia, it's clear to see that they are preparing for an invasion. This marks the most troops that Russia has ever had near the Ukrainian border since Russia annexed Crimea in 2014. The White House has hinted recently of sending warships to the Black Sea, where Russian ships are moving towards the Caspian Sea.

There aren't many options for Russia at this point. This display of hostility nearly guarantees a western response, most likely in the form of sanctions. So the options that Putin has are to do nothing and deal with these sanctions, seek a diplomatic resolution, or to invade Ukraine for the third time. The stance of the US is unwavering support for the Ukraine. However, the US often has been reluctant to intervene militarily in foreign affairs.

Overall, this action by Putin yields no possibility for a positive outcome. The most likely outcome is more hostility from the Russian regime, which will fuel this war to continue, and possibly lead to a much larger scale European conflict.

Sarah Runchey

https://www.cnn.com/2021/04/09/europe/russian-forces-ukraine-border-analysis-intl/index.html

Prince Philip's death

 Prince Philip’s death has shaken the nation as it reflects on his life and celebrating his achievements. Events like his wedding to the Queen in 1947, the time he served in the Royal Navy, and the Obamas when they visited London. One memory that brings many memories is the chuckle both their majesties shared  one day in 2003. The truth is they were surprised by a swarm of bees that came into the royal grounds before the queen reviews the Battalion Grenadier Guards. It was a moment that truly humanized them. The beekeeper was then called on to remove all the bees from the premises, but unfortunate one stung the retired sergeant major in the forehead. This moment like so many others being shared right now that humanizes and modernizes the royal family. It’s a powerful reminder of the family dynamics and hold they still have over the worlds dynamic.

Tabby Zuniga Diaz

Hassan, Jennifer. “The Real Reason the Queen Is Giggling in That Photo with Prince Philip: A Swarm of Bees.” The Washington Post, WP Company, 11 Apr. 2021, www.washingtonpost.com/world/2021/04/11/prince-philip-queen-laughing-bees/. 

Alibaba accepts record China fine and vows to change

Regulators imposed a 2.8 billion dollar fine on tech giant Alibaba, which is only 4% of its 2019 revenue, after determining that he had been abusing the markets position for years.  The main issue was that Alibaba restricted merchants from doing business or running promotions on rival platforms. The company however, says that they had no idea of any anti-monopoly investigations. But not Alibaba and his company are going to remain under review. The company said that it would introduce measures to lower entry barriers and business costs faced by merchants on e-commerce platforms. 

Valeria Ramirez 

Chad presidential election: Idriss Déby seeks sixth term amid boycott - Kyle Remington

 The president of Chad, Idriss Deby, is seeking a sixth term for the country. Bedy is one of Africa's longest serving leaders and his power began in 1990. Bedy took power through a military coup in 1990 and has recently been accused of stifling dissent in the lead-up to the vote. It has been noted by other candidates in the race that there are security forces proposing attacks against opposing candidates. This has led to other very prominent opposition leaders withdrawing from the race. 

Stemming from these reports, these prominent leaders have urged supporters to boycott the election and protest. On election day, there was a large presence of military power lining the streets. Elite troops from the the Republican Gaurd were deployed to central poling stations and large numbers of soldiers were out on the streets in force across the capital, N'Djamena. 

The outcome? Human Rights Watch has described the event as a ruthless crackdown on key opponents and protesters. It has been reported that anti-government demonstrations have been met with brutal force. At one point, police and troops tried to arrest opposition candidate, Yaya Dillo and left five members of his family dead. This event raises major questions regarding democratic practices and humans rights for protestors and even those opposing Idriss Deby's power. 

Kyle Remington

Iran Says Its Foes Targeted Nuclear Plant to Derail Potential Talks With U.S.

 An apparent blackout in Iran earlier this week may have been caused by the current tension between Iran and Israel. As of now, although Iran is considering re-entering negotiations with the U.S., Israel still thinks even with supervision that Iran's nuclear capabilities can only be held temporarily. This blackout also interestingly enough occured after a string of alleged Israeli attacks on Iranian interests. It should also be duely noted that Iran's nuclear facilities and its scientists at power plants such as Natanz have been targeted repeatedly in the past. With Iran's current quality of life with its economy in ruins, and high tensions internationally, no one is really sure what their next move is gonna be and how significant the result may be.     

Blog Post #8, Alec Kretovic     

https://www.wsj.com/articles/iran-says-its-foes-targeted-nuclear-plant-to-derail-potential-talks-with-u-s-11618169757

Life Has Moved On, but Fans in Atlanta Mourn the All-Star Game

 Major League Baseball has moved this years All-Star game out of Truist Park, home of the Atlanta Braves to Coors Field where the Colorado Rockies play. This is news worthy for our class because this move was Major League Baseball's response to Georgia's Governor, Brian Kemp, signing a law that restricts voting access in Georgia. This law is believed to suppress the voting of people of color. This is an important decision by MLB because the game brings along opportunities for local business. I find this interesting because this is an impactful decision by the MLB that shows that they condemn the suppression of people of color.  

https://www.nytimes.com/2021/04/10/sports/baseball/atlanta-braves-home-opener.html

Will Kettelkamp

Blackout Strikes Natanz Nuclear Facility, and Iran Calls It Sabotage

 This Sunday is Iran, the Natanz nuclear facility mysteriously lost power and everyone is questioning what exactly happened. Although Iranian officials call it an act of sabotage. The head of Iran's Atomic Energy Organization (AEO), Ali Akbar Salehi calls the blackout an act of "nuclear terrorism" and that the international community must recognize this as a threat. This morning, Iranian officials left out who they blame on the lost of power but soon after the suspicions fell on Israel's lap, some assume that Israel may have something to do with the lost of power in the facility because previously with sabotaging Iran's nuclear work from cyberattacks to "outright" assassinations. Later today, a U.S. officials confirmed that an Israeli played a role in the power outage but claimed that the details were sketchy..

Blackout Strikes Natanz Nuclear Facility, and Iran Calls It Sabotage - The New York Times (nytimes.com)

By: Alexis Ferreira 

Prince Philip: What are the plans for his funeral?

BBC News reported on the tragic death of Prince Phillip and the plans for his funeral later this week. The article detailed the times, route, and schedule for the funeral as the days pass through the week. He will lie in rest privately at Windsor Castle until the day of his funeral, which is uncommon for British royalty. In the past, their coffins are normally accessible to the public to pay their respects and be able to attend the funeral procession; however, Covid has limited the number of people who are allowed to be there. Prince Harry will attend and it is unknown who else will be in attendance due to the limit of 30 people allowed at funerals in Britain currently. Union jacks (including those on royal buildings) and national flags will remain at half-mast and the royal family will observe 2 weeks of mourning. The public has been asked to pay their respects through donations to charity and an online book of condolence, but some citizens have been placing flowers, cards, and tributes outside the palace and at Windsor Castle. 

-Hannah Kohl (Blog #10)

https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-56694327

What's behind the recent violence in Northern Ireland?

CNN reported on the ongoing violence in Northern Ireland and what is causing uprisings/riots. At least 74 officers have been injured as individuals have thrown objects such as manhole covers and fireworks at them. These escalating threats are feared to undermine the relationship between pro-British loyalists who want to continue to be part of the UK and pro-Irish nationalists who want to be more like the Republic of Ireland. The most recent “flareup” began on March 29 when police officers were targeted in a petrol bomb attack and April 2 when police were attacked again, leaving many officers with burns and head/leg injures. The violence has increased significantly since Easter weekend and Brexit remains to be the main cause for these riots. Protests are expected to occur in areas such as Derry/Londonderry, Ballymena, Carrickfergus, Newtonabbey, and Belfast next Saturday, which is the 23rd anniversary of the Good Friday/Belfast Agreement. 

-Hannah Kohl (Blog #9)

https://www.cnn.com/2021/04/09/uk/northern-ireland-violence-explainer-gbr-intl/index.html

“Terrorist act” at Iran’s underground nuclear facility

A day after Iran revealed its new advanced uranium centrifuges, the underground Natanz nuclear facility was hit by a “terrorist act.” This latest incident happens as there have been diplomatic efforts to revive the 2015 nuclear deal, which was abandoned under the Trump administration. The problem present here is that Iran’s President Hassan Rouhani inaugurated new centrifuges at the Natanz site, which is the key factor in producing enriched uranium. Centrifuges are what is needed to produce enriched uranium, which can be used to make reactor fuel but also material for nuclear weapons. The nuclear deal from 2015 only allows Iran to produce and store limited quantities of uranium enrichment up to 3.67% concentration. Recently, Iran has accelerated the breaches to this deal in an attempt to put pressure on the US, which has included operating advanced centrifuges to enrich uranium, making the enrichment up to 20% concentration, and stockpiling materials. So, the “terrorist act” that occurred was assumed to be a cyber operation and invasion possibly tied to Israel. With Iran progressing towards nuclear weapons capability, a defense analyst stated that it is “reasonable to assume that the problem... might not have been caused by an accident, but by deliberate sabotage intended to slow the nuclear race accelerated by the negotiations with the US on removing sanctions". 

Reese McMullen