Putin's new land grab is dangerous for Ukraine -- and the world

The recent annexation of Ukrainian territory in the eastern parts of Ukraine symbolizes a fracture in the structure of the international. The article talks about how the Russian annexation of Ukrainian territory and holding sham elections is dangerous for Ukraine and the world. These elections will fracture the legitimacy of the Ukrainian government and the West will fight amongst itself to either cut off the flow of arms and aid to Russian-controlled Ukraine or prepare for an escalation of the conflict. Russian President Vladimir Putin has threatened to use whatever means are necessary (even the deployment of nuclear weapons) in order to achieve its geopolitical goals. 

The threat of Putin's sham elections poses a bigger threat around the world. That threat is other regimes learning and using Putin's efforts as a way to learn how to overthrow democratic regimes across the world. "It represents a fundamental challenge to the international rule of law if allowed to stand"(CNN).

Putin's new land grab is dangerous for Ukraine -- and the world (msn.com)

By: Andres Perez Delgadillo

Putin Frames Illegal Annexation as Part of Existencial Battle with West

 President Vladimir Putin of Russia declares the annexation of four territories of the Ukrainian region. 

Those are precisely : Donetsk and Lugansk regions in the east, and Kherson and Zaporiyia in the south. After being submitted to referendum, held from September 23 to 27, Putin reaffirms his position regarding the control of these populations. 

Consequently, today (friday), the Kremlin, with the figure of Putin, formalizes in a ceremony the illegal annexation of the above-mentioned territories. This will be a turning point in the international community since this action is clearly denounced by the international system and by all the actors and organizations that share the global system. 

Putin Frames Illegal Annexation as Part of Existential Battle With West - The New York Times (nytimes.com)

María Negrillo

Cuba legalizes same-sex marriage in historic referendum

    For decades the LGBTQ+ community in Cuba has faced "official discrimination" in the communist-run country. Under Fidel Castro, those of the LGBTQ+ community were sent to government work camps. Even though homosexuality was legalized in 1979, people of this community were still greatly discriminated against (CNN).

     As of the morning of Monday, September 26th, 3,936, 790 people in Cuba had voted in favor of a new family code that "increased protections for minorities" (CNN). This new family code now allows same-sex couples to marry and adopt children as well as extends new protections for women, children, and the elderly. While there were 1,950,090 votes against it, there was still an overwhelming support for the new law (CNN). In the weeks leading up to the vote, the Cuban government made a "full court press" advocating for the new family code and shared it across state-run media to gain support. 

https://www.cnn.com/2022/09/26/americas/cuba-legalizes-same-sex-marriage-intl-latam/index.html

By: Sarah Hein

Cuba legalizes same-sex marriage in historic referendum

 Cuba held a national referendum in which electors voted on a family code that contained protections in relation to LGBTQ people, as well as women, children, and the elderly. Though the country has a history of discrimination towards LGBTQ people, including sending them to government work camps under Castro's rule, the vote showed majority support for the new law. Some religious groups in the country were opposed, but the government's media releases leading up to the vote expressed support for the code.

https://www.cnn.com/2022/09/26/americas/cuba-legalizes-same-sex-marriage-intl-latam/index.html

Aaliyah McCormick

State Funeral For Longest Ruling Japanize Prime Minister

 In July of this year Japan's longest ruling PM was shot and killed. Today the funeral was held. Even thought PM Shinzo Abe was widely loved among the people of Japan and their allies there was controversies over the hosting of a Sate Funeral. The funeral in total costs about $10.7m, one person said that the money spent for the funeral would have been better spent somewhere else, like helping the people of Japan recover from the typhoon. Most of the people who opposed the funeral were the older generation. Prime Minister Abe had a very forward way of thinking which appealed to the younger generation. He was a big factor of "The Quad" which is an alliance between the US, Japan, India, and Australia. 

Shinzo Abe: A divided Japan bids farewell to its slain ex-PM - BBC News

Tori Robinson

Gas Leaks Raise Climate Fears

Two Russian pipelines are leaking in the Baltic Sea, and the reason remains unexplained. The pipelines contain large amounts of methane, which is the natural gas that is most responsible for climate change, second only to carbon dioxide (CO2). According to a spokesman for one of the leaking pipelines -- Nord Stream 2 -- the system held over 300 million cubic meters of gas, the majority of which was methane. According to a chemical engineer at Queen Mary University in London, releasing that entire amount into the atmosphere would result in ∼200,000 tons of methane emissions. Experts are anxious about the implications of these leaks on the ongoing climate crisis. 

https://www.usnews.com/news/world/articles/2022-09-27/nord-stream-gas-leaks-raise-climate-fears-but-impact-hard-to-quantify 

Ainsley Ratledge

Mystery leaks hit Russian undersea gas pipelines to Europe

There are two suspicious gas pipeline leaks running from Russia to Germany under the Baltic Sea, called the Nord Stream pipelines. These leaks sparked investigation from European countries, and although there has been no final conclusion to the cause of these leaks, possible answers include malfunctions, lack of maintenance, or even sabotage. 

Neither of the pipelines were active in the process of the leakage, but they were both filled with gas. Extreme environmental damage will result, as there is already a "swirling mass of methane" bubbling up in the Baltic Sea.

CNN states that this leakage could be a flashpoints in an escalating energy war between Moscow and European capitalists, which has already pummeled major Western economies. Many Europeans are blaming Russia for the leaks, exclaiming that it was an attempt to further weaken Europe's energy security, especially in a time where many nations are trying to wean themselves off dependency of Russian supplies.

https://www.cnn.com/2022/09/27/energy/nord-stream-pipeline-leaks/index.html

Megan Sinnaeve

NASA crashes spacecraft into asteroid

 On Monday, September 26, 2022, NASA crashed a small spacecraft into an asteroid. The key objective of this intentional collision was to test whether a similar technology could someday be deployed to protect the Earth from catastrophic impacts. The name of this asteroid was Dimorphos. As claimed in his article " NASA crashes spacecraft into an asteroid, passing planetary defense test" Joel Achenbach states that the asteroid was the size of a stadium. NASA seeks to develop a planetary defense technique that will further prevent kinetic bodies from attacking the Earth. The spacecraft that was launched from California was rather small in comparison to size. It was about the size of a vending machine. No significant structural change was noted upon the impact of the spacecraft. However small collisions could prove to show changes in asteroids' orbit and thus protect Earth from future impacts. In my opinion, NASA has proved to show with significant research how kinetic bodies in space can be manipulated to avoid impact on the surface of the Earth.

Aryan Shah

https://www.washingtonpost.com/science/2022/09/26/nasa-dart-mission-asteroid-crash/

Italy's Election Winner Will Have to work With Europe on Economy

    Margherita Stancatti and Marcus Walker reporters from the "Wall Street Journal" wrote an article on September 26 of this year called "Italy's Election Winner Will Have to Work With Europe on Economy." In this article, the reporters talk about how Georgia Meloni the new Prime Minister of Italy has to cooperate with the European Union on the economy. Mrs. Meloni has to cooperate with the European Union because of the energy crisis and the looming recession in Europe. She will have problems reassuring the EU that she will not destabilize the block since in the past she had criticized the EU members. Mrs. Meloni has distanced herself from the legacy of her party and reassures she is moderate and will not create problems within the EU. Finally, as the energy crisis continue she cannot go with her nationalist policies because first, she has to tame the energy crisis in order to protect the country from further problems. 

Sergio Bracco

https://www.wsj.com/articles/italys-election-winner-will-have-to-work-with-europe-on-economy-11664202930

Italy Elects Far-Right Government

Giorgia Meloni was elected into the Italian Government. She is a member of the Brothers of Italy, a political party with neo-fascist roots. The rest of Europe looks onto Italy with worry. 

With Giorgia Meloni's victory, Italy's government will shift far-right (usatoday.com)

Conflict Continues After the Death of Mahsa Amini - Megan Lemley

 Just short of three weeks ago, a woman named Mahsa Amini was detained by the morality police in Tehran for not adhering to the dress code that all women must follow. Soon after her arrest, she passed away in custody due to an alleged "heart attack", but these reports have proven to be untrue after witnesses came forward and stated they saw the police physically assaulting Amini. Her cause of death was a skull fracture caused by extreme blunt force to the head.

Fast forward to today, a fifth paramilitary member was killed in their efforts to maintain and quell the protests going on in Iran. It was also mentioned that somewhere between 25 and 30 people "have died in Iran in recent protests over the death of Amini." The government is now arresting journalists that are publishing anti-government pieces and threatening to restrict internet access until peace is restored - but the question is, will it ever be until change is achieved?

Megan Lemley

Mahsa Amini death: Fifth Iranian Paramilitary Member Killed as President Warns Protesters Will Be Dealt With "Decisively"

Storm Fiona: Houses washed into sea as storm batters Canada

 

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-63025036

"Power lines have been downed and houses washed into the sea after Storm Fiona battered Canada's coastline."

Fiona has destroyed parts of Canada completely whipping whole homes in the water. 

Nova Scotia has been helping to clean up the remnants of the devastation in Canada. 

 Jessicah Finglass

First Came the Floods. Now Pakistan's Children face a new disaster.

 

    According to an article entitled First Came the Floods. Now Pakistan's children face a new disorder, written by Sophia Saifi, Rhea Mogul, Anna Coren, Sanal Sidhu, Javid Iqbal, and Sameer Mandhro, "More than 10 children die every day at the Mother and Child Healthcare Hospital in Pakistan's Sindh province alone, according to doctors at the facility --all from water-related ailments stemming from this summer's devastating floods that submerged a third of the country." (https://www.cnn.com/2022/09/25/asia/pakistan-floods-children-water-home-disease-intl-hnk-dst/index.html ) The articled goes further on to state that the water problem will not resolve soon. While some may believe that we as a nation need to focus on what's going on in our country first, we need to focus on all countries. These are innocent children dying from being bathed, from drinking a simple thing such as water. There have been multiple charities that have donated to clean well water to Africa, charities that have donated to the Flint water crisis. Why not contact one of those organizations and start there?

Saifi,Sophia, et al. First Came the Floods. Now Pakistan's children face a new disorder. 25, September,2022. (https://www.cnn.com/2022/09/25/asia/pakistan-floods-children-water-home-disease-intl-hnk-dst/index.html )

U.S. Warns Russia of ‘Catastrophic Consequences’ if It Uses Nuclear Weapons

 In the article ," US Warns Russia of 'Catastrophic Consequences" if it Uses Nuclear Weapons" written 09/25/22 the writers talk about how the united states has threatened Russia with," Catastrophic Consequences" if Russia were to use nuclear weapons in or on Ukraine. The article further went on to say how President Biden said that the catastrophic consequences would not be nuclear warfare in the hopes of trying to show a firm hand or " Big Stick" without continuing to escalate the situation. Instead the U.S. is planning on diminishing trade with Russia and setting an Embargo on trade.

This was an interesting read because it showed how foreign affairs is an extremely complicated game of chess. You cannot threaten the wrong thing or you risk the fear of escalating to possible nuclear warfare. What else was interesting was reading about how the Global 7 could correlate and work together in order to do some damage to Russia and Putin without going to war, a trade war.

Zachary Erickson

https://www.nytimes.com/2022/09/25/us/politics/us-russia-nuclear.html

Germany Secures More Gas Shipments As Chancellor Visits Gulf

On Saturday, September 24, 2022, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz met with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman to discuss the creation of a new fossil fuel alliance between the two states. To prepare for winter and provide its population with energy, Germany sought to create new alliances with middle-eastern states rich in fossil fuels.  It found success in Saudi Arabia. Experts say that "Saudi Arabia, which has vast regions suitable for cheap solar power generation, is seen as a particularly suitable supplier of hydrogen, they said." However, this alliance has raised eyebrows in the international community because of the killing of the Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi. Scholz claims to have discussed human rights issues with the Crown Prince but was unwilling to disclose any details. Germany is between a rock and a hard place are between a rock and a hard place as it scrambles in desperation to stay afloat economically by having a reliable supply of energy. Germany understands the risks of not having a good supply of fossil fuels and oil, but are they willing to bow to governments that violate human rights in order to survive? It'll be interesting to see how Germany balances its fight and rhetoric for the protection of human rights across the world while being able to remain a relevant economic power in the E.U. and the world with the help of Saudi oil and fossil fuels.

Germany secures more gas shipments as chancellor visits Gulf (msn.com)

By: Andres Perez Delgadillo

“‘They Have Nothing to Lose’: Why Young Iranians Are Rising Up Once Again”

After the murder of Mahsa Amini, a woman who wasn’t dressed to the standards of the misogynistic “morality police,” Iran has been filled with protesters calling for women’s freedom from the dictator.   Because Iran is a theocracy, it is interesting to see how religions play into women’s rights.  Many religions have patriarchal backgrounds, and this shows in how they try to control people.  For Iran, it means dress codes that include head coverings worn in a specific way and modest clothing.  Iranian women have been protesting by taking off and burning their headscarves, and walking through the streets with chants.  Other protests have been done through social media, but the Iranian government has taken notice to this and shut down many communication apps such as WhatsApp and Instagram.  They have also been repressing political and social opinions in an attempt to regain control of their government.  However, many Iranians are simply too angry to be shut down.  Shadi Sadr, a human rights lawyer told the NYT that people are protesting because “they are standing up and saying, ‘Enough of this. I am willing to die to have a life worth living.’”

https://www.nytimes.com/2022/09/24/world/middleeast/iran-protests-raisi-khamenei-hijab.html 

Libby Gardner

"China rides wave of cultural trade"

 

China has just launched a strategy to include culture into its global market to develop its current economic and technological growth. Consequently, The Communist Party of China proposes “The National Economic and Social Development Plan” with a view to its maximum long-term scope until 2035. In order to achieve this goal, China is using technology and also relaxing its restrictive measures on trade. China's main purposes are, firstly, to consolidate its international relations, and secondly, to activate its cultural trade, gain more weight in the global scenario, and at the same time, become a relevant actor in International Relations. 

At the current situation, China enjoys exponential economic growth, and great participation in economic communities such as ASEAN. However, the dilemma now is whether China will manage to maintain its strategy to date proposed, and above all, if it will manage to avoid a competitive conflict with giants such as the United States.

China rides wave of cultural trade - Chinadaily.com.cn

María de los Ángeles Negrillo

Draft Protest in Dagestan

 As the war between Ukraine and Russia continues, Russians have started to take a stand by protesting against the draft. These protests have been in many of Russia’s major cities, with some in Dagestan getting considerable attention. Protests on Saturday turned violent, resulting in more than 700 people being arrested for inducing violence against Russian authorities. People reported police officers openly firing rifles in the air to try and control the massive groups of protesters.  Multiple videos of these arrests were recorded and posted to many social media platforms. One of these videos shows groups of people chanting and screaming at officers, asking them why Russia needed a draft if they were doing the initial invasion, which many Russian natives disagreed with. While the future of the war between Russia and Ukraine is uncertain, it is clear that many Russians do not back the decisions being made by the Russian government.

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-63028586

Bradyn Almasy

 

"Italian Right Is On Course to Win Elections"

Sept. 25th, 2022

The article talks about the ongoing election in Italy for premier. Right now Giorgia Meloni has a very strong lead. Meloni has expressed sentiments towards an 'ital-exit' or distancing from the EU. Regardless, parts of 'Fratelli d'Italia'-brothers of Italy party plan which Meloni is a part of include working with the E.U. to impose a cap on the price of natural gas and to decouple gas and electricity prices. Meloni is more moderate and has distanced her party from far right more radical leaders such as Matteo Salvini and aims to continue supporting the Ukrainian war effort against Russia. It will be interesting how the new government performs on the world stage. The article goes on to mention some of the issues Italy is dealing with at the moment including a debt that is roughly 150 percent of its gdp. Meloni's rise to power would signify a shift to the right not seen since 2011 in Italy. 

https://www.wsj.com/articles/italy-holds-elections-as-economic-clouds-gather-11664108143?mod=breakingnews 

Gabriel Ham

Sept. 25,2022

North Korean Missile Fired during U.S. and South Korean Training

 On September 25th, North Korea launched a missile toward the eastern seas. The missile was fired while a U.S. aircraft landed in South Korea to join its military in exercises. The South Korean president called a National Security Council meeting to address the missile as a violation of U.N. Security Council resolutions. This threat will also be discussed during U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris's visit to South Korea next week. 

North Korea has rejected any communication about nuclear diplomacy from the U.S. and South Korea. This action from North Korea has heightened South Korea's growing concern about nuclear war. Even though North Korea's intentions are unclear its nuclear technology continues to grow, forcing the U.N. to proceed with caution. 

https://www.npr.org/2022/09/25/1124971097/north-korea-missile-south-korea-us-joint-military-exercises

Crista Salceda 

Dmitry Bulgakov: Putin fires deputy defence chief amid supply failures

 Following the surfacing of a video showing Russian recruits being equipped with rusty assault rifles, Russian deputy defense chief, Gen Dmitry Bulgakov, is "released" to transfer into a new role. Bulgakov held his position as Russian deputy defense chief since 2008, and he is being held accountable for recent supply shortages causing a partial failure of the Russian invasion in Ukraine. Bulgakov's successor will be Gen Mizintzev who is highly qualified, in his field, to fill the role to orchestrate change that Russia deems necessary.

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-63021117

Kenny Siwicki

Pushing East of Kupyansk, Ukrainian Forces Expand Offensive

 KUPYANSK, Ukraine—The grain elevator towering over the eastern edge of Kupyansk, the former seat of Russian power in Ukraine’s Kharkiv region, was supposed to be defended by soldiers from an elite Russian unit.

But when troops from Ukraine’s International Legion moved to seize the compound on Thursday, part of the developing Ukrainian military offensive east of the Oskil River, the expected firefight never happened.

“They just ran away. They know they are finished here,” said the team leader, a Latvian soldier who goes by the call-sign Ulvis, as his comrades from the U.S., Britain and other nations gathered with Ukrainian officers in a warehouse in eastern Kupyansk to plan their next mission.

https://www.wsj.com/articles/pushing-east-of-kupyansk-ukrainian-forces-expand-offensive-11664111037

Jason Connor

 This article is about the planes full of migrants sent from Florida to Martha's Vineyard, MA. About 50 migrants arrived there on Wednesday night after being told the were flying to Boston. They were sent there under a Florida state program that was funded by the legislature earlier this year. According to interviews from some of the migrants, a woman named Perla approached them outside of the shelter in Florida and "lured them into boarding the plane, saying they would be flown to Boston and expedited work papers" (NPR). These migrants expected this as help, and one is quoted as saying "Look, when you have no money and someone offers help, well, it means a lot" (NPR). When the plane arrived in Martha's Vineyard, a local church set up beds and provisions for them. They were provided with food and clothing and toiletries even though supplies were low. They even brought in local high school Spanish- speaking students to help translate. "Democrats and immigrant advocates say those governors are essentially using migrants as political pawns. But the governors say are simply calling attention to a very real problem" (NPR). 

https://www.npr.org/2022/09/15/1123109768/migrants-sent-to-marthas-vineyard

By: Sarah Hein

Hurricane Fiona Moves Towards Canada

Hurricane Fiona has already wreaked havoc on Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic, and is now moving up the Atlantic coast of Canada. The region could potentially receive up to ten inches of rain, as predicted by meteorologists. Hurricanes typically don't reach such severity in Canada because of the colder northern waters, but Canadians are being urged to brace themselves for the oncoming storm. 

 https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-63011195

Ainsley Ratledge

Why Iranian Women Are Burning Their Hijabs After the Death of Mahsa Amini

 This Friday, Mahsa Amini died while in the custody of Iran's "morality police". She was arrested for reportedly not wearing her hijab correctly, and therefore, wasn't dressed conservatively enough. It is seen that Amini took multiple blows to the head before she died. 

In response to this tragic event, many Islamic women are fuming with outrage and disgust, and are burning their hijabs as a form of protest. It is clear that this killing sparked outrage towards women all over Iran over the strict rules and consequences for breaking those rules. They are protesting against the gender-based violence women in Iran experience everyday, and how the government does nothing to protect them. British-Iranian actor, Omid Djalili, said that this is "Iran's George Floyd moment", as they are fighting for the abolition of the morality police, similar to how Americans fought for police reforms after Floyd's murder. 

A final remark Malley exclaimed is "Iran must end its violence against women for exercising their fundamental rights".

https://www.npr.org/2022/09/21/1124237272/mahsa-amini-iran-women-protest-hijab-morality-police

Megan Sinnaeve

McDonald's reopens three branches in Kyiv

McDonald's reopens in Kyiv, Ukraine seven months after the Russian invasion. Many Ukrainians waited in line for hours to get a meal, as the reopening of McDonald's symbolizes hope and reminders of life before the war. One Ukrainian woman who was interviewed says, "I'm happy that we have McDonald's and the Russians don't and won't have it. Let the truth be on our side and let international business support the truth."

 Offering taste of normality, McDonald's reopens in Kyiv seven months into war

Natalie Nelson

Drought in African Puts More Than 3.6 Million Students at Risk of Dropping Out

 With a drought occurring in the Horn of Africa after missing nearly 4 rainy seasons more than 3.6 million students are at risk for dropping out of school to move with their families. Most of these students dropping out happen to be girls, the article says "some of the girls got married, some of them moved to other places because their parents migrated from here due to the drought." When this happens and girls are forced to leave school they feel as if their rights are being taken away and for a good reason, they are. Everyone has the right to an education and it's not their faults they don't get the chance to receive a good education. 

Tori Robinson

Horn of Africa drought puts 3.6m children at risk of dropping out of school | Global education | The Guardian

Iran's morality police have terrorized women for decades. Who are they?

 A 22 year old woman named Mahsa Amini was taken to a "re-education center" in Tehran and died three days later, bringing significant attention to compulsory modesty in Iran. Iran has a force of morality police that enforce the country's rules on modesty and often specifically the hijab, with the ability to send people to these "re-education centers" where they are given classes on Islam and forced to sign a pledge to follow the clothing regulations. Various movements have emerged in the country to push back against the compulsory hijab. While support has been falling for forced modesty over the past decade, the recent death of Mahsa Amini seems to have further united many Iranian people against the policy. Many people have begun to protest, though there is fear of retaliation from the state. 

https://www.cnn.com/2022/09/21/middleeast/iran-morality-police-mime-intl/index.html

Aaliyah McCormick

How to Help Puerto Rico After Hurricane Fiona

Puerto Rico has recently been ravaged by a Category 3 hurricane. As of now the death count sits at 2. Electricity is currently out for 80% of the island's customers with repairs not yet complete. Present Joe Biden has declared a State of Emergency, mobilizing FEMA to coordinate response efforts. 

The article contains information on how to help the island via monetary and supply donations.

How to Help Puerto Rico After Hurricane Fiona (msn.com)

OUTBREAK OF RARE EBOLA STRAIN DECLARED IN UGANDA

 

    Nicholas Bariyo reporter from the "Wall Street Journal", wrote an article on September 20 of this year called "Outbreak of Rare Ebola Strain Declared in Uganda." In this article, the reporter talks about how Uganda declared an outbreak of a rare strain of Ebola after a 24-year man died from the disease. This new strain of Ebola is called the Sudan strain which has not been detected in the country in over 10 years.  It will be difficult for the country to control the new strain since the existing vaccines are unlikely to provide fast protection against the disease. It is unknown how the man got infected; however, scientists believe Ebola was first transmitted to humans by animals. Nevertheless, in recent years Ebola is being transmitted by Ebola survivors through sexual intercourse. Finally, Uganda is no stranger to Ebola outbreaks, so they have the expertise to detect the strain and halt the spread of infections. 

Sergio Bracco

https://www.wsj.com/articles/outbreak-of-rare-ebola-strain-declared-in-uganda-11663679223    

Largescale Mudslide Hits Japan - Megan Lemley

 Typhoon Nanmadol made devastating landfall on Sunday morning, and continues to wreak havoc on the residents of Kyushu, and soon Japan's main island, Honshu. This typhoon has taken two lives and left at least ninety others injured, according to BBC news. Three hundred and fifty thousand homes have been left without power; buildings, businesses, and homes have also been destroyed due to the large mudslide and flooding that is unrelenting. Shockingly, forecasts are predicting up to sixteen inches of rain over the next twenty-four hours, along with powerful winds that have reached up to one hundred and forty-five miles per hour. 

Source: https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-62873980

Megan Lemley

16 year old becomes the youngest person to fly around the world solo

 

16 year old becomes the youngest person to fly around the world solo. 

https://www.goodnewsnetwork.org/in-the-home-stretch-16-year-old-to-become-youngest-person-to-circumnavigate-the-world-by-airplane/

“A 16-year old British boy is nearing the final leg of his five month adventure to become youngest person to fly around the world solo. 

“He broke the book of Guinness World Records, as the youngest to complete the journey. He experienced many different types of severe weather and heat.  This is an amazing accomplishment and I'm so happy for him and all his hard work that paid off. This trip took months of planning and preparation and training that resulted in a world record holding. 

  Jessicah Finglass

Dollar’s Rise Spells Trouble for Global Economies

 "Dollar’s Rise Spells Trouble for Global Economies"

By Chelsey Dulaney, 09/18/2022

The dollar is the primary currency in the world and interest rates are going up. The Federal Reserve has announced a .75 percentage point increase on to be enacted on Wednesday. With the dollar rising so fast in relation to other currencies, there have been many adverse effects on world markets such as exacerbating Japan's trade deficit, Sri Lanka's food and fuel shortage, and Europe's record inflation. One dollar can buy more than 7 Chinese yuan for the first time since 2020. According to the article, U.S. inflation still remains 'stubbornly high' which encourages the fed to keep raising interest rates. With higher interest rates, investors are pulling money from other currencies and instead investing in U.S. dollars, leading to an even stronger dollar. For the U.S., this is good news because it means cheaper imports. However, the article mentions it could be a 'double edged sword' for the U.S.

Gabriel Ham 09/19/2022

https://www.wsj.com/articles/dollars-rise-spells-trouble-for-global-economies-11663437428 

Ukrainian strikes into Russia’s border towns compound Putin’s troubles

 In the Article, " Ukrainian Strikes Into Russians Border Towns Compound Putin's Troubles" the war Russia waged on Ukraine seems to be turning in favor of Ukraine. Ukraine has been able to push Russians so far back that Russian civilians are now beginning to feel first hand effects of the war. The Ukrainian forces have been able to drive Russians out of previously occupied areas of Ukraine, and what the Ukrainian forces have found may spark talks of war crimes. Mass graves of civilians have been uncovered in Ukrainian liberated cities. It will sure be interesting to see the repercussions Russia might face if it is found out that they did in fact commit war crimes. China and India, Continuous trade partners of Russia, have finally started to show a little concern to the strength of this ongoing war. What is interesting of this dynamic is that China, India, and Russia are partners in a sense of the word and two of the three are questioning the sustainability of Russia. This could lead to numerous problems in Russian future all regarding the continuing of Russia as a nation. Solidarity is not a sustainable practice as seen in North Korea, a peninsula. Russia, I believe, would fail to maintain isolation from the world. It will be interesting to see how the conflict plays out, as well as how the rest of the world reacts.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2022/09/17/ukraine-belgorod-putin/

Zachary Erickson    

Putin threatens to restrict Ukrainian grain exports for European countries, accusing them of acting 'like colonial powers'

 During his speech on Wednesday, Putin used data that did not match up with UN numbers to suggest that only 3% of the grain from Ukraine was going to developing countries. The UN data states that about 30% of Ukraine's "grains and other foodstuffs" exports go to lower income countries. This discrepancy is an attempt by the Russian President to blame global food shortages on the West rather than Russia. However, the Russian invasion has trapped exports in Ukraine in recent months. 

https://www.cnn.com/2022/09/07/europe/russia-ukraine-grain-ports-intl/index.html 

Aaliyah McCormick

Devastating Earthquake in Taiwan

Early this morning a 6.9-magnitude earthquake hit Taiwan in a rural southeastern township named Chishang. This earthquake was devastating, destroying buildings, derailing trains, and trapping drivers on mountain roads. While exact numbers are uncertain, 146 injuries have been recorded at this point in time, with more estimated to be confirmed as time goes on. Another issue has been aftershocks, which continue to rock the area. Experts from Japan’s Meteorological Agency were also worried about more chaos to come, as Tsunami warnings had been issued. These warnings were later removed, but there is potential for tsunami waves on coastlines in close proximity to southeastern Taiwan. 110 Taiwanese soldiers were sent to the coast to help with disaster relief. This disaster is largely due to where Taiwan sits geographically. Taiwan is a particularly vulnerable area for earthquakes as it sits between two tectonic plates. Other devastating earthquakes had occurred in the recent past, with over 100 dying from an earthquake in 2016, and more than 2000 dying during an earthquake in 1999.

Bradyn Almasy

https://www.cnn.com/2022/09/18/asia/taiwan-earthquake-tsunami-warnings-intl

https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/powerful-earthquake-hits-southeast-taiwan-2022-09-18/

Hurricane Fiona knocks out Puerto Rico electricity

 

The operator of the island's grid, Luma Energy, said the system had lost power as winds reached 86mph (140km/h).

Forecasters warned of as much as 2ft (0.6m) of rain and catastrophic flooding for the US territory, as the Category 1 storm made landfall.

President Joe Biden declared a state of emergency for the island, allowing authorities to provide disaster relief. 

Jason Connor

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-62947900

Pelosi in Armenia

 On Saturday, September 17, U.S. Speaker Nancy Pelosi arrived in Armenia to show support for the Caucasus nation after conflict with their neighbor Azerbaijan.  Pelosi met with Prime Minster Nikol Pashinyan and other officials to convey the U.S. support for Armenia. 

While Pelosi was in Armenia, there was a cease-fire that lasted three days after an outburst with Azerbaijan, killing 200 troops on both sides. This is Armenia's worst conflict since the war in 2020, which killed thousands. Since Russia has begun to be weakened by Ukraine, Azerbaijan has pressured Pashinyan to agree to a peace deal that would identify Azerbaijan's sovereignty over the territory. 

Gall, Carlotta. “Nancy Pelosi Visits Armenia amid Conflict with Azerbaijan.” The New York Times, The New York Times, 17 Sept. 2022, https://www.nytimes.com/2022/09/17/world/europe/nancy-pelosi-armenia.html.

Press, The Associated. “Pelosi and Other US Lawmakers Visit Armenia as Cease-Fire Holds.” NPR, NPR, 18 Sept. 2022, https://www.npr.org/2022/09/18/1123686675/pelosi-and-other-us-lawmakers-visit-armenia-as-cease-fire-holds.

Crista Salceda 

“Hurricane Fiona makes landfall on Puerto Rico, knocking out power to island”

Today, hurricane Fiona hit Puerto Rico, hurting the island with a category 1 storm.  They were left without power, and with fatal flash floods and mudslides.  President Biden has declared a state of emergency, meaning that the government should start helping with disaster relief.  This is interesting to look at, because so much other stuff is going on in the world, that it feels like this didn’t really make the news.  I wonder if the fact that it has been declared a national emergency will fix this, but I doubt it because it seems all America wants to focus on is the racist British empire’s news.  Another thing I found intriguing was the connection that this probably has to climate change and the climate crisis.  Now that more and more natural disasters are happening, hopefully leaders and policy makers will start to take action, as they realize that our world and economy cannot withstand hurricane after hurricane.

Libby Gardner

https://www.reuters.com/world/us/hurricane-fiona-barrels-toward-puerto-rico-with-heavy-winds-rain-2022-09-18/ 

Argentina Will Stick to IMF Targets to Reduce Budget Deficit

        Ryan Dube reporter from the "Wall Street Journal", wrote an article on September 12 of this year called "Argentina Will Stick to IMF Targets to Reduce Budget Deficit." In this article, the reporter talks about how the Argentinian government decided to stick with the IMF targets to reduce the budget deficit. The increase in inflation pushed the government to stick with the International Monetary Fund targets to reduce the budget deficit. Further, Economy Minister Sergio Massa will remain to the IMF targets not only because of inflation but to get fiscal stability, increase the bank reserves and boost exports. Argentina also agreed to reduce the central bank financing of the treasury to avoid more inflation this year. Finally, the IMF and Argentina reached a deal as the global food and energy crisis surged because of the war in Ukraine, making it more expensive for Argentina to import energy during the winter. 

Sergio Bracco

https://www.wsj.com/articles/argentina-will-stick-to-imf-targets-to-reduce-budget-deficit-11663029891

Tigrayan Forces Are Open to Peace Talks

A conflict between the Tigrayan region and federal forces has been going on for nearly two years in Ethiopia. In June, the Ethiopian government formed a committee to make negotiations with the Tigrayan forces, and the African Union welcomed the announcement that the Tigrayan region's forces are accepting an immediate ceasefire. The United Nations is also interested in seeing what happens next. 

https://www.cnn.com/2022/09/12/africa/tigray-accept-au-ceasefire-intl/index.html 

Ainsley Ratledge

Immigrants Flown to Martha's Vineyard

 On Thursday night a group of about 50 immigrants from Venezuela were flown to Martha's Vineyard from the state of Florida. The cost of all the transportation was paid for by the Florida governor. All they were told before getting onto the plane was that they were being flown to Mass. and there would be housing and jobs for them. Upon arriving they knew this wasn't true no on in Martha's vineyard knew that they were coming and are currently being housed in a church with the help of the salvation army to provide clothes and food. 

The rise in immigrants is partly due to an immigration act President Biden initiated. There was also another instance where immigrants were sent to VP Harris house in DC. This could be to protest the new act. It has been a rising problem all over the nation with immigrants from Venezuela, Cuba and other countries. 

‘Sadistic lie.’ Venezuelans flown to Martha’s Vineyard search for a way off the island (msn.com)

-Tori Robinson

The world is heading towards disaster due to climate change

 Over the years greenhouse gas emissions have skyrocketed heavily. Climate has severely diminished and is approaching its way towards catastrophe. According to a report published by United Science. We are provoking the “tipping points” of climate change. Recent floodings in Pakistan have proved so to be true. The heatwave across Europe including the UK this summer was drastic. Similarly, extreme temperatures have also caused near-famine conditions in parts of Africa.

When we ask ourselves the critical question “what brings about climate change?”. We all know what the simple answer is. It is humanity’s obsession with fossil fuels and industrialization. Temperatures will likely rise to 1.5 degrees celsius within the next five years. The temperature rise is certain to bring about dreadful disasters for different countries. Furthermore, disasters caused by climate change have caused an economic loss of $200m per day all around the world. Therefore it is about time we ask ourselves what measures are we taking as individuals and as states to stop climate change.

https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2022/sep/13/world-heading-into-uncharted-territory-of-destruction-says-climate-report

-Aryan Shah

China's Xi to meet Putin in first foreign trip since pandemic

 Two highly prominent leaders of our world, Xi Jinping (China) and Vladimir Putin (Russia), are set to meet in person for the first time since early 2020 at the start of the coronavirus pandemic in Uzbekistan. This is quite an important meeting for the two of them as Xi is looking to have a third term in China and Putin is looking to better Russia's relations with Foreign states as the west has completely fallen out with Russia since the invasion of Ukraine. This is also the first time in two years that Xi has traveled outside of China due to the pandemic. Both countries believe to have good standings with one another and hope that this meeting will reinforce their positive standing with one another.

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-china-62885151

Kenny Siwicki

Ukraine pushing back against Russia

 The Russian Army has begun to withdraw from certain parts of Ukraine. The Ukrainian Armed Forces launched strategic counter-attacks in the northeastern Kharkiv region, pushing the Russians farther back towards their country. Russian troops have been pulled from other regions to help reinforce this effort against the Ukrainians. 

Ukraine inflicts 'major operational defeat' on Russia as its forces retreat (msn.com)

Modern slavery shoots up by 10 million in five years

 

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-62877388

“About 27.6 million people are in forced labour, including 3.3 million children. Of those children, more than half are in commercial sexual exploitation.”

This new article discusses the extremely overwhelming amount of enslaved persons in 2022. This article is extremely heartbreaking to read but it's reality. The amount of enslaved people in 2022 according to the article is only increasing and therefore a larger problem every year. Just because slavery isn't talked about doesn't mean it has gone away. 

Why Non-Alignment Is Dead and Won’t Return

 Non- Alignment is when a state or country does not align with and join the western world or align with the eastern worlds ideals and join them. By join I mean line up with their beliefs, join in their trade, or have them as allies. Non- alignment is uncommon now a days due to the heavy hand of the western world. In the article it states, "Part of nonalignment’s demise was simple economics. Pragmatic leaders in the global south saw the Soviet model’s limitations, and by the 1980s, many of them were turning to Western capitalism and its system of global institutions for development." The capitalist structure of the western world allows the west to out compete the communist. The capitalist are able to entice with more protection and benefits due to the imperialist nature. This article was especially interesting to read about due to topics of communism and how the effects of capitalism in a non globalist world affects it. The competitive nature of capitalism is so quick that it out competes the other economic systems grabbing any non aligned state. I am curious to see if the hold of capitalism does stay or is once enough states are under the system a new one comes about.

https://foreignpolicy.com/2022/09/10/nonalignment-superpowers-developing-world-us-west-russia-china-india-geopolitics-ukraine-war-sanctions/

Zachary Erickson

 

"Angola President Lourenço Set for Another Term Amid Allegations of Unfair Vote" 

By: Gabriele Steinhauser 

Angola's President Joao Lourenco is about to win his second term since 2017. He comes from Angloa's MPLA party or 'Popular Movement for the Liberation of Angola' which has been in power for nearly five decades now. Lourneco won with 51 percent of the vote, the narrowest margin yet in Angola. Under Lourenco's last term, Angola suffered five consecutive years of recession and low oil prices, which are the country's main export. Even with the recent rising oil prices around the world due to the Ukraine conflict,   In the coming years, "In the coming years, the IMF [International Monetary Fund] expects 70% of government revenue to go towards servicing Angola’s $73 billion debt." I chose this article because Angola is an interesting developing country with a very large potential on the global stage many untapped resources compared to its neighbors. It's future depends on its leadership and the way its resources are managed. An autocratic regime in power for this long is indicative of severe corruption. Although it is disheartening seeing Angola's people pay the price in terms of recession while a corrupt government profits off of them, this election might also represent a turning point in the country's history as Lourenco won by a slim margin.

https://www.wsj.com/articles/angola-president-lourenco-set-for-another-term-amid-allegations-of-unfair-vote-11661470891?mod=world_major_2_pos8 

Gabriel Ham

Queen’s Death Intensifies Criticism of British Empire’s Violent Atrocities

 The longest-reigning monarch, Queen Elizabeth II died September 8, 2022. Although this is rightfully seen as a tragedy for many individuals, we cannot turn a blind-eye to the Royal Family's racist history. 

To start, the Royal Family has yet to pay the reparations, and even apologize for the Caribbean and African countries subjected to the salve trade under Great Britain's monarchy all between the years of 1765 to 1938. Under the monarchy, Britain has been a prominent imperialist power, which has stirred major backlash after the Queen's death. For example, Karen Attiah, a reporter for The Washington Post exclaimed, "Queen Elizabeth's passing is an appropriate time to look honestly at the harm the British empire caused, and to continue to undo the vestiges of racism, white supremacy, and economic deprivation".

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2022/sep/10/queen-death-colonies-atrocities-british-empire

Megan Sinnaeve

     Today marks the day when the Twin Towers and the Pentagon building were hit by airplanes flown by Al Qaeda. So, I chose to write on the article entitled, On 9/11 Anniversary, End the Self Delusion About American's Enemies: Al Qaeda once again has a safe haven in Afghanistan, endangering Americans. This article definitely will strike fear into some, but the question is, how much does Afghanistan still want to go to war with America, and does America still want to go to war with Afghanistan? Also, this article could also be convenient timing as it's on the anniversary to rethink going to war. Either because leaders of this nation want to do this, or to deflect off of something else. If the latter, then what is it?

“We must speak the ugly truths about Queen Elizabeth and Britain’s empire”

While this is an opinion piece, I believe it is necessary because it holds some very important details regarding the racist and problematic history of England’s monarchy.  As much as the Queen has been honored and memorialized since her death, some have not been as quick to look fondly back on her reign.  This article delves into the timeline of British colonization as it lines up with royalty, as well as the human rights violations committed by these ideas.  While the monarchy is mostly symbolic now, it still represents all of these crimes and will continue to do so until those in positions of power step up and take accountability.  Karen Attiah ended her article with a powerful quote: “We can speak the truth about that history even as we pause to wish her spirit and her family well during this transition. And then we must get back to work — to dismantle the present-day vestiges of the racist, colonial empire she so dutifully represented” (Attiah).

https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2022/09/10/britain-colonial-brutalities-queen-elizabeth-death-commentary/

Libby Gardner

There are more than 4.7 million banknotes in the UK with the queen's face on them. They will all be replaced

 The Queen's death has caused a ripple effect throughout many major aspects of the United Kingdom. One of the many components awaiting change in this system is the currency. There are 4.7 million banknotes that are in circulation throughout the United Kingdom, and since they all have the Queen's face on them, they must be replaced with the new heir to the throne. What a daunting task. However, the United Kingdom and other countries that feature the Queen's portrait on their banknotes plan on slowly phasing out these, now, outdated bills with the new heir, King 

https://www.cnn.com/2022/09/09/business/queen-banknotes-and-coins/index.html

Kenny Siwicki

Kharkiv offensive: Ukrainian army says it has tripled retaken area

 

Ukraine's military says its forces have retaken over 3,000 sq km (1,158 sq miles) during a rapid counter-offensive in eastern Ukraine.

The remarkable advance, if confirmed, means Kyiv's forces have tripled their stated gains in little over 48 hours. 

On Thursday evening, President Zelensky put the figure at 1,000 sq km, and then 2,000 sq km on Saturday evening.

The BBC cannot verify the Ukrainian figures, and journalists have been denied access to the frontlines.

On Saturday, the eastern counter-attack saw Ukrainian troops enter the vital Russian-held supply towns of Izyum and Kupiansk. 

But UK defence officials have warned that fighting has continued outside those towns. And officials in Kyiv said Ukrainian forces were still fighting to gain control of a number of settlements around Izyum.

Jason Connor

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-62867560

Femicides continue to be underreported in Ecuador

 https://thecuencadispatch.com/femicides-continue-to-be-underreported-in-ecuador/

The article I chose this week, I selected from “Ecuador’s original English language new paper”

This article talks about the femicide happening in Ecuador. This is an ongoing event that has been happening for years. The article goes into detail from as far as 2020. “Between January and June 2021 there were 68 femicides in Ecuador according to civil society organizations. In the same period of 2020, there were 53”.

The amount of violence that women face in foreign countries is so saddening and it puts into perspective how harshly women are treated outside of the United States.

CHILE ADDS MORE CENTRISTS TO CABINET AFTER NEW CONSTITUTION REJECTED

 

    CHILE ADDS MORE CENTRISTS TO CABINET AFTER NEW CONSTITUTION REJECTED

        Juan Forero reporter from the "Wall Street Journal", wrote an article on September 6 of this year called "Chile Adds More Centrists to Cabinet After New Constitution Rejected."In this article, the reporter talks mainly about how President Gabriel Boric is replacing left-wing politicians with more centrist politicians in his cabinet. He decided to change his cabinet after the voters rejected overwhelming the new constitution. This new constitution would have been more progressive in many ways like expanding abortion rights and giving more rights to the indigenous people. Nevertheless, some constitutional analysts have said this constitutional draft has big weaknesses like affecting the balance of powers and weakening the independence of the judicial system. In the end, the new centrist members in the cabinet are going to help President Boris not only to facilitate the negotiations with rival political parties for a new election in the assembly but also give oxygen to Mr. Boris's presidency because his approval ratings are low. 

Sergio Bracco  

https://www.wsj.com/articles/chiles-president-adds-more-centrists-to-cabinet-after-new-constitution-rejected-11662504119

Queen Elizabeth passes away, aged 96 - Megan Lemley

 On Thursday afternoon Queen Elizabeth, the UK's longest reigning monarch of 70 years, passed away in Scotland at the Balmoral Castle. Her son Charles is set to inherit the throne today, only two days after the new Prime Minister Liz Truss was sworn in. 

There has been a scramble on the media's behalf to sum up her astounding accomplishments, which could never be crammed into a small condensed document. As I mentioned above, it is important to note her tenure in office, as she is the world's second longest reigning monarch. 

https://www.foxnews.com/world/queen-elizabeth-ii-longest-reigning-british-monarch-dead-96

Megan Lemley

Human Rights In Qatar

  

In 2010, FIFA (Football International Federal Association) selected Qatar to be the host country for the 2022 World Cup. The event is a prestigious event and marks the presence of modern-day soccer in all countries. To host this event, Qatar employed 2 million labor workers to build infrastructures, stadiums, sports facilities, and transportation modes. Most of these workers are from third-world countries in Southeast Asia such as Nepal, India, Bangladesh, and even some African countries. They have been facing harsh difficulties due to extreme working temperatures and unfavorable labor conditions. Qatar should thus be subjected to the violation of human rights. It implemented the “kafala” system which banned the workers from leaving the country and captivated them for up to 10 years. Several migrant workers were forced to work in extreme temperature conditions which caused numerous cases of heatstroke and cardiac arrests. the workers have also been facing financial burdens due to untimely payments and low salaries

https://www.amnesty.org/en/location/middle-east-and-north-africa/qatar/report-qatar/

-Aryan Shah

Haiti Growing More Violent

     Ever since July 7, 2021, when the assassination of President Jovenel Moise occurred Haiti has gotten more and more unstable. Citizens in Haiti are protesting for a safer environment and more affordable goods. Most importantly the resignation of Prime Minister Ariel Henry. People have been constantly protesting and starting to get more violent. Once there were gunshots and a growing number of protestors Haitian Prime Minister Henry released a statement saying that she was aware of the seriousness of the situation and would take several measures to help. With inflation all over the world becoming worse and worse the inflation in Haiti still seems outrageous at 30% increase. This is a serious issue, and more attention should be brought to the issue and more resources should be provided for the citizens of Haiti. 

Thousands Across Haiti Demand Ouster of PM in New Protest (usnews.com)

-Tori Robinson

Mid-Autumn Festival Celebrated September 10, 2022

In China, a yearly tradition is the Mid-Autumn Festival. It is also sometimes called the Moon Festival or the Mooncake Festival. After Chinese New Year, it is the most important festival celebrated in China, as well as in other Asian countries such as Singapore, Malaysia, and the Philippines. 

The festival is a celebration of the rice harvest, and ceremonies take place to give offerings to the moon in thanks for the harvest and to encourage a plentiful harvest in the coming year. It is a time for families to gather together and participate in ceremonies, eat good food, light and release paper lanterns, and more. 

This year, the festival takes place on Saturday September 10, 2022. 

https://www.cnn.com/travel/article/what-is-mid-autumn-festival/index.html 

Ainsley Ratledge

Liz Truss will move Britain closer to the US on China, Ukraine

 Newly selected Prime Minister Liz Truss plans to hold a hawkish attitude towards dealing with China, while pressing other countries to assist in Ukraine's defense. Truss has promised to address rising energy costs in Britain due to Russia's invasion of Ukraine. The PM plans to seek out support for UK related activities with the European Union by aligning with US ideals when facing China. 

On China, PM Liz Truss will move Britain closer to the US | Washington Examiner

Ordinary Plastic Turned Into Diamonds Via Laser Beam in the Blink of an Eye

For the first time ever, regular plastic was turned into a synthetic diamond after being shot with a laser beam. Synthetic diamonds are valuable because of their hardness, are used to make high-quality cutting and polishing tools, thermal conductivity, and electrical insulation. This breakthrough will lead to a higher demand of plastic that ends up in the ocean. 

Diamonds are simply a "solid form of carbon, arranged in a particular crystalline structure" with hydrogen and oxygen. In tests, a regular sheet of plastic (polyethylene terephthalate or PET) was heated to 6,000 degrees Celsius, and it was compressed "under a weight equal to a million of times Earth's atmospheric pressure for a few billionths of a second." This changed the molecular structure of the plastic instantly and change it into a nano-diamond. 

This is a huge breakthrough for environmental science, and has changed the way plastic pollution can be clean up and reused in a positive, productive way. 

https://www.goodnewsnetwork.org/ordinary-plastic-turned-into-diamonds-via-laser-beam-in-the-blink-of-an-eye/ 

Sarah Hein

"US approves $1.1bn Taiwan arms sale, angering China" - BBC News

For context prior to reading this article, recently, China has had disputes over Taiwan, and whether or not Taiwan should become part of China. Taiwan is obviously in opposition to such ideas and would like to remain a sovereign state in the grand scheme of the international affairs. 

Just a few days ago, The United States agreed to sell $1.1 billion in weaponry to Taiwan. Although this deal has been agreed upon by the two nations, the United States Congress still must vote in favor of the deal, but this is very likely seeing as the United States Congress is very pro-Taiwan. The arms deal is essential for the protection of Taiwan over China. There have been many rumors surrounding the situation, even ones saying that China has plans to invade Taiwan in order to claim their territory as their own. Obviously, China is quite upset with this deal. Seeing as China and the United States are heavily involved with trade between one another, China threatens "counter measures" possibly involving such trades if the United States does not revoke the deal. No measures have taken place so far, but it is nearly guaranteed a dispute of some sort will rise from this news.

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-62775544

Kenny Siwicki

al-Shabab Kills At Least 19 Civilians in Sonalia

The terrorist group al-Shabab was formed in attempt to overthrow the current government in Somalia, which continues to be the primary motivation behind their acts. In the central region of Somalia, as trucks laden with food were being transported, al-Shabab attacked and bombed the trucks, leaving at least 19 dead. Two weeks earlier, the group stormed a hotel, killing over 20 people. 

The Somaliam President, Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, responded by explaining that the Somalian government would leave "no stone unturned" in the resistance against terrorism in the country.

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-62785439

Megan Sinnaeve

Ukraine War: G7 Agrees to Impose Price Cap on Russian Oil

 In the article written on September 2nd 2022 published by the BBC and written by Michael Race ,a business reporter, he explains how the G7 agreed to set a price cap on Russian oil. The reason given for the price cap being that the G7 wants to limit the revenue they give to Russia while Russia continues their war on Ukraine. The price cap does limit the amount of spending countries who agree to the cap can spend however, the cap does not eliminate Russian revenue streams from the G7, solely limits it. That being said the entirety of the world has not joined in on the price capping of Russian oil, places like India and China still purchase crude oil from Russia with no limit on how much they spend. With this fact Russia is still turning a profit and are able to fill their coffers. Russia still gaining money means that the G7 needs to either lower the spending cap so those who have no cap cant set the difference or the G7 stops buying crude oil from Russia all together. This article was a really interesting read because it demonstrated the liberalist view. Russia is misbehaving so the G7 is trying to set them right by setting a price cap on one of their most important exports, oil. Over the week we read on how a country can be punished to the point that the people of the country are unhappy therefore making the country behave. In this circumstance though Russia is not feeling much if any economic repercussion so I don't believe these price caps mean much of anything other than symbolism. It will be interesting to see if the G7 decides a lower cap or an all out embargo, as well to see if china or India join in the Cap.

https://www.bbc.com/news/business-62770283

Zachary Erickson

"Israel Makes Final Push to Shape Restored Iran Nuclear Deal".-

  "Israel Makes Final Push to Shape Restored Iran Nuclear Deal".- 

In this article published September 4th, 2022 on the Wall Street Journal, author Dov Lieber explains how Israel is attempting to shape a new Iran Nuclear Deal, pushing for no concessions to Tehran in order to make sure Iran does not develop further nuclear capabilities. I thought this article was interesting because it ties in with what we learned about the behavior of countries. In this case, cooperation is being blocked dues to Israel's concerns about national security in light of a new deal with Iran. Israel refuses to accept the 2015 nuclear deal once again because they believe it is too lenient with Iran now that the country's nuclear capabilities have improved. Israel would like to 'permanently curtail Iran's nuclear program'. Iran has repeatedly told the United States to not let Israel make a potential deal more 'difficult' than it had to be. Israel also is careful about how far it wants to push the deal in its favor to avoid straining the 'special relationship' it has with the United States. I believe this particular back and forth and struggle of national interests demonstrates the power struggles we are discussing and also an instance of how cooperation is being attempted in today's modern world. 

Gabriel Ham 

https://www.wsj.com/articles/israel-makes-final-push-to-shape-restored-iran-nuclear-deal-11662304411   

 

European Union to Restrict Visas for Russian Citizens

Sergio Bracco

Laurence Norman reporter from the "Wall Street Journal", wrote an article on August 31 of this year called" European Union to Restrict Visas, for Russian Citizens." In this article, the reporter talks about how the European Union is divided between wanting to impose a blanking ban on Russian tourists or continuing to allow Russian tourists into the EU. If the ban is successful, it will erase the 2007 visa facilitation agreement because it will increase the visa cost, adding more documents which will extend the process and reduce the number of new visas. However, not all the countries in the EU are on the same page because countries like Poland and the Baltic countries are eager to ban Russian tourists. Meanwhile, countries like Germany, France, Hungary, and Spain oppose the blanket ban and want to welcome those innocent Russian civilians into the EU. In the end, the EU as a united group has ended those benefits of the 2007 agreement to Russian lawmakers, diplomats, and business people. 

https://www.wsj.com/articles/eu-to-suspend-visa-agreement-with-russia-11661953747

Uyghurs: China may have committed crimes against humanity in Xinjiang - UN

 https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-62744522

    China is in hot water with allegations of crimes against humanity that they claim is not true. However their is a contradicting report of horrendous abuse toward Uyghur Muslims and other minorities. apparently, organizations have been trying to call attention to these "Re-education camps" in China for years. These camps hold the people against their will. The article states ""the extent of arbitrary and discriminatory detention of members of Uyghur and other predominantly Muslim groups ... may constitute international crimes, in particular crimes against humanity"" (Murphy et al). Some of the allegations of acts at these camps include torture,  forced medical procedures, and sexual violence. What struck me the most was the idea that human rights organizations have been trying to draw attention to this for years. I guess we will see how this plays out as China denies all allegations. I hope they get justice for these people. 

Ellie Berns

“Vote on world’s most progressive constitution begins in Chile”

The most recent government document for Chile was drafted while under the rule of dictator Augusto Pinochet.  Even though his reign has been overthrown and political protests have pushed Chile into democracy, this constitution is still the law of the land.

This month, Chileans are voting on a new constitution, which would support gender equality, recognize Indigenous people, and take responsibility for climate change.  

This process highlights modern constitutionalism, which says that since the world is changing, so should the laws that citizens have to follow.  It is especially interesting to look at this from a country who still believes that the supreme law of the land (US Constitution) is relevant today, even though its authors were supporters of the heteronormative, white, capitalist, patriarchy.

If passed, this constitution will reflect a country that is ready to start improving the world; whereas, if it is voted against, there will most likely be more protests and political unrest.

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2022/sep/04/constitution-approve-vote-chile 

Libby Gardner