Moldova Is Rattled as Washington Welcomes a Feared Tycoon

Moldova's genuinely Pro-Western Moldovians feel betrayed that U.S. Secretary of State, Victoria J. Nuland was standing "shoulder-toshoulder" with Vlad Plahotniuc, otherwise known as Plaha which is a Russian word that refers to the block of wood used in an execution. Plaha has a reputation of threatening and blackmailing others for his own gain. For example, The host of a political talk show, Natalia Morari, was threatened by one of Plaha's associates with a smear campaign that would feature an illegally filmed sex tape in her bedroom. Morari described Plaha as being for pro-corruption. With a reputation that toxic, one wonders why a U.S. politician would be caught dead speaking to him. This is obviously a large blow for the U.S. and its ties with Moldova.

-by Tyler Linthakhanh

http://www.nytimes.com/2016/06/04/world/europe/moldova-vlad-plahotniuc.html?ref=todayspaper

U.S. Sanctions Expected to Hit Small Banks’ Business With North Korea

The United States Treasury Department imposed sanctions on all foreign institutions and so, Chinese banks in particular stand to lose billions since the main goal of the sanctions are to essential cripple the North Korean market. The Treasury Department, under the Patriot Act, designated North Korea as a "primary money-laundering concern" and this give Washington the ability to be extremely aggressive in its efforts to cut down North Korea's access to American money, directly or indirectly (through China). The long and short of the matter is that non-American banks/other entities are banned from "conducting dollar transactions om behalf of North Korea". Major Chinese banks and even smaller regional banks in China have suspended North Korean accounts and even closed them. The Chinese government openly stated they are opposed to the Treasury Department's actions, but according to Jin Qiangyi, dean of the institute of Northeast Asian Studies at Yanbian University in Yanji, "the cost of sanctions by the U.S. would far outweigh the benefits of such commercial ties". I think the U.S. is in a sense bullying other countries into not "playing" with North Korea and I doubt it will be good for International Relations since it reinforces the tone that "the U.S. can do what it wants". however, I more than recognize the need to hinder North Korea's efforts at financing their military projects, particularly their WMDs.

-by Tyler Linthakhanh

http://www.nytimes.com/2016/06/04/world/asia/us-sanctions-expected-to-hit-small-banks-business-with-north-korea.html?ref=todayspaper&_r=0

Carrier Truman's Jets Strike ISIS from Mediterranean

Jets from the Harry S. Truman aircraft carrier have been conducting airstrikes against ISIS in the past few days, including several airstrikes on Friday alone. The jets have been targeting ISIS in both Iraq and Syria and are part of the larger Operation Inherent Resolve, the US's operation to counter ISIS. The carrier recently had its deployment extended by a month to a total of 7 months, and has so far launched 1,110 missiles and completed 1,407 air missions. The timing of these missions is great for the Iraqi troops due to the ongoing campaign to recapture Fallujah. Hopefully these airstrikes will limit the reinforcements and response from ISIS during the battle of Fallujah.

Luke Blocker
http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation-now/2016/06/04/carrier-trumans-jets-strike-isil-mediterranean/85413954/

In Paris, the Seine Rises to Highest Level Since 1982

In the aftermath o  a series of heavy rain falls   has  overwhelmed flooded the streets of pairs. It is estimated that the water levels have reached 20 feet. whc.  This lead to a power outage of over 20,000 homes in the Seine-et-Marane area in the South of Paris. To  take precautions and prevent any potential damage to city the infrastructure  workers in Paris have constructed a special barrier that protects an underground electric transform station that provides power to 80,000 residennts in the  Seventh and Eighth  Arrondissements.  The  city's government have  moved it operations from the
Élysée Palace  to the  Château de Vincennes  incase the water increase any further.   As a safety precaution to preserver the citys long and proud tradition  of art it has order the evacuation of artworks from the  Louvre which consist of  150,000 artworks  in storage rooms  and  7,000 pieces  of art in galleries. It has closed  other cultural institutions   including the :   Musée d’Orsa a former train station,  The  Musée du Quai Branly , an art museum which primarily of non western art and the   Bibliothèque Nationale building.


Thomas Baggot
http://www.nytimes.com/2016/06/04/world/europe/paris-flooding-seine-louvre.html?ref=world&_r=0

"Four Dead From Flooding Around Paris"

After weeks of heavy rain, the Seine continues to flood with water levels now reaching about 20 feet. While Paris is protected by embankments along the river that can withstand water levels of up to 28 feet, the city has been preparing for the worst. The Louvre Museum has begun moving artwork from the basement level to higher floors in case the river water combines with groundwater and floods the basement. Unfortunately, four people have died from the resulting floods. One was an elderly man who fell from his horse and was swept away by the current. French officials expect that it will take weeks for the Seine to return to normal, but more rain has been forecast for the next few days. The flooding has also hurt the tourist industry in France which has already been struggling in the wake of the Paris attacks and worker strikes.

Meredith Teuscher

 http://www.wsj.com/articles/paris-river-levels-start-to-recede-1465036363

Colombia seeks end to farmers' strike after 2 deaths

After five days of strikes by indigenous farmers in Colombia, the government is attempting to negotiate with them. The farmers, from 20 of Colombia's 32 provinces, are striking to demand the government to honor rural spending commitments made during a much deadlier strike back in 2013. Negotiations finally started after two protesters were killed and dozens more weer injured following a clash with police. According to government officials, the violence was a result of the National Liberal Army, a rebel group, infiltrating protests and inciting violence. The farmers have not backed down, though. Coming from long-neglected indigenous communities, they are continuing to strike and block major highways until the government gives in to their demands.

Emily Alaimo

https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/the_americas/colombia-seeks-end-to-farmers-strike-after-2-deaths/2016/06/03/01443cd2-29db-11e6-8329-6104954928d2_story.html

"UN asking expert panel to assess Zika risk at Rio Olympics"

After being asked to evaluate the Zika outbreak in Brazil, WHO Director-General, Dr. Margaret Chan, will hold a conference with the U.N. to discuss the threat the virus will pose to both athletes and spectators of the coming Olympics this summer. So far, Brazil has been the hardest hit out the the 60 countries affected by the Zika virus and has seen nearly 1,500 birth defects linked directly to Zika. Unfortunately, experts within the WHO have assessed that canceling or postponing the Olympics will not diminish the threat that the virus poses to the rest of the world and the WHO has not seen an overall decline in the epidemic since February. However, because the Olympics will take place during Brazil's winter, the WHO and the U.N. agency have predicted that there will be fewer mosquitoes to transfer the virus during the time frame of the event.

Meredith Teuscher

http://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/olympics/2016/06/03/un-experts-being-asked-to-examine-zika-risk-at-rio-games/85341404/

King Tut’s Dagger Made of ‘Iron From the Sky,’ Researchers Say

Researchers have determined that the iron blade of a dagger buried in Egypt with King Tutankhamen probably came from a fallen meteorite. This iron and blade was highly praised by the Egyptians that they called it "iron from the sky". This particular dagger has long interested historians and archaeologists because of its shear beauty and marvelous mystery of creation and ironwork. With the use of X-Ray fluorescence spectrometry, both Egyptaian and Italian experts have concluded that the blade's composition of iron, nickel and cobalt are an approximate match for a meteorite that landed in Northern Egypt. These results "strongly suggests an extraterrestrial origin" for the dagger's blade and these findings could add to secrets that have been unlocked from ancient tombs that are still seen as global fascinations since the dagger's findings in 1925. These findings might also help explain why, from the 13th century B.C., Egyptians started using a hieroglyph that translates as “iron from the sky,” from 13th century BC

Hailey Brzoska

http://mobile.nytimes.com/2016/06/03/world/middleeast/king-tuts-dagger-made-of-iron-from-the-sky-researchers-say.html

Iraqi Forces: Small Number of Airstrikes Slow Fallujah Push

Iraqi forces are currently fighting to retake Fallujah from ISIS to capitalize on the recent retreat of the terrorist group. However, fighting is stalled in the outskirts of Fallujah due to thousands of civilians being in the city among ISIS militants. The Iraqi forces quickly took the outskirts of Fallujah with the help of US-led airstrikes, but now have little to no air forces at their disposal. The bombing coalition is unable to conduct airstrikes in Fallujah due to the large amount of civilians, except for a few strikes on a weapons cache and a tunnel system. Since Wednesday, only four airstrikes have been conducted. The Iraqi forces are heavily dependent on airstrikes, and without them they could be fighting for Fallujah much longer than they wanted to.

Luke Blocker

http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/world/2016/06/02/iraqi-forces-airstrikes-fallujah/85302464/

Isis terror plot in Germany: Four Syrian men arrested for allegedly planning suicide bombings in Düsseldorf

Four Syrian men were arrested in Germany for planning a suicide bombing. Three men came into Europe through refugee routes, where they convinced the fourth man to join them. All four men have been linked to ISIS.
The men were supposedly planning two suicide bombings while having additional attackers with guns, much like the Paris and Brussels attacks.
One of the men told French prosecutors about the planned attack on February 1st, and he is awaiting extradition to Germany. The other three men are already being detained in Germany.

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/europe/isis-terror-plot-in-germany-four-syrian-men-arrested-for-allegedly-planning-suicide-bombings-in-a7061356.html

--Melissa Widel

Germany declares 1915 Armenian killings a “genocide”

Germany declares 1915 Armenian killings a “genocide”

Tensions are already high between EU countries establishing agreements regarding the large flux of migrants. Now, strains between Germany and Turkey may worsen after the German parliament passes a symbolic resolution that recognizes the 1915 massacre of Armenians by the Ottoman forces as genocide. The 1915 massacre referred to is the killing of between 600,000 and 1.5 million Armenians and other minorities that were killed by Ottoman Turkey during World War One. This resolution passed with majority agreeing (one vote against it, and one vote abstained), which Turkey fears may lead to demands for huge reparations. Turkey has already responded to the French parliament and Pope Francis by recalling Turkey’s ambassador to them, as the Turkish president chooses to use “mass killings” instead of “genocide” to acknowledge the massacre. The United States and Britain are among the few countries, which do not call the massacre a genocide.

I found it interesting that Turkey will acknowledge the event, but find the term genocide to be a distorted and unfounded description. I am curious to see how Turkey responds to the German parliament in the upcoming weeks.

Jessy Krempp

Article: http://www.cnn.com/2016/06/02/europe/germany-turkey-armenian-genocide/index.html

Militias in Libya Advance on ISIS Stronghold of Surt With Separate Agendas

Two different Libyan militias have recently been making progress in taking back the city of Surt from ISIS. Surt is a very important base for ISIS, being the base for thousands of foreign fighters. When the city was taken by them a few years ago, it was considered a large blow. Now, two different militias on both the west and east of Surt are moving towards the city, taking land back. Recently, one of the groups obtained the power plant about 20 miles outside of the city, while the other has also been making progress in bordering cities.
While this is easing some minds in the West, who's focuses are on weakening the forces that make up ISIS, many are worried that it will create a divide between the west and east of Libya, and commence fighting between the two sides. This would eliminate the shaky peace that has been created with the presence of ISIS in Libya.

-Sarah Beck
http://www.nytimes.com/2016/06/02/world/africa/militias-in-libya-advance-on-isis-stronghold-of-surt-with-separate-agendas.html?ref=world

North Korea’s Missile Tests Timed to Bolster Standing with China, Analysts Say

North Korea's military programs have been greatly advancing in the last few years. Recently, North Korea has done many missile tests as a part of their Musudan program, most of which have failed in the last few months. On Wednesday, North Korea released a video displayed the successful flight test for its first submarine-launched ballistic missile. However, the timing of this video release is especially notable, with it happening right before a meeting between Chinese and North Korean officials. In addition to this, officials from China and the United States are also planning to meet in the next week in large part to discuss North Korea's active military and nuclear pursuits. The United States has been proposing sanctions between China and North Korea, however China has always been hesitant to agree based on the US's presence in South Korea. North Korea's recent attempts at military swaggering and missile tests show that Kim Jong-un is very eager to showcase his country's power in light of these recent meetings, despite the demonstration's shortcomings.

-Sarah Beck
http://www.nytimes.com/2016/06/03/world/asia/north-korea-musudan-missile.html?ref=world&_r=0

Oil boom

In recent news the Saudi people fired Ali Naimi, who served as the oil minister in the country for many years. He was actually planning on retiring, but the people of the country had other ideas. They replaced him with Khalid al- Falih. He plans to greatly expand he oil development from 10.2 to 12.5 million barrels a day. This article stuck out to me because I find it very interesting how important oil is in our world and I'm curious of how much an impact the jump in production will be.

https://www.foreignaffairs.com/articles/saudi-arabia/2016-05-24/saudi-arabias-oil-strategy-time-glut
Pat Gallagher

Former Miss Turkey Convicted of insulting Erdogan

Merve Buyuksarac, a former Miss Turkey, was convicted on Tuesday for supposedly insulting President Erdogan on her social media page.  A Turkish court in Istanbul found Buyuksarac guilty of slander against Erdogan and sentenced her to 14 months, but suspended the sentence on the condition that she does not "re offend" in the next five years. Buyuksarac is denying any ill postings towards President Erdogan and her lawyer claims they will take the case to the European Court of Justice to fight the sentencing. This is not the first time Erdogan has been upset with a post concerning him on Social Media. Other Turkish and non Turkish citizens have felt the wrath of Erdogan.  Erdogan has filed over 2,000 cases of defamation since coming into office.With incidents like this occurring more and more often, many have noted that Turkey has become far more authoritarian than democratic since Erdogan entered as president and close eye should be kept on the country to ensure that democracy does not completely deteriorate. 
Ashley Clayton 
http://www.nytimes.com/2016/06/01/world/middleeast/miss-turkey-convicted-erdogan.html?ref=world&_r=0

Donald Trump to Visit Britain

Amidst talk of banning him from the country, public ridicule of his policies, and public disapproval of his ideals and morals, Donald Trump will still be visiting Britain in late June. Trump is set to make an appearance at the opening of his Scottish golf course on June 24th. It is speculated that the trip will largely be surrounding business and not political talk. The visit will likely be awkward for the British since they have publicly shown their distaste for Trump. His visit also comes at a pivotal time for the British, on June 23 they will vote on whether or not to remain members of the EU and the Trump visit will follow directly after this major decision. Many Britons are struggling with his appearance and it will be very interesting to see how it all plays out.

Ashley Clayton
https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/donald-trump-will-visit-britain-setting-up-a-likely-hostile-reception/2016/06/01/28a13d7b-7d7f-4bc7-adde-f351b0c938e6_story.html

Completion of the Gotthard Tunnel in Switzerland Makes it More Difficult for the UK to leave the EU

The government of Switzerland held a ceremony of sorts and announced the completion of a 17 year project, which will make it possible to travel through the Alps. This opens up a new trade route, making it more efficient to transport goods, cutting travel times from up to 2 hours and 40 minutes to a 17 minute trip.

This type of project makes the EU a lot more legitimate and helpful to the nations involved. It opens up trade routes through fairly-open borders, and makes EU trade a lot more efficient and worthwhile for the UK to continue investing in. The opening of the Gotthard Tunnel opened the door for criticism of the potential UK split by other prominent leaders in the EU, including Angela Merkel and Francois Hollande.

Will this actually affect the outcome of the UK's vote? Only time will tell.

Kevin Oyakawa
http://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-36423250

Patrons of Vegan Cafe Are Pelted With Meat in Tbilisi, Georgia

An attack began Sunday evening inside the Kiwi Café (a popular spot for foreigners and Georgians alike) where it was reported that at least a dozen men came in carrying "slabs of meat on skewers" and began "pelting patrons with grilled meat, sausages and fish". The Café  claimed the assailants were anti-vegan extremists due to the atrocities they convicted while wearing sausages around their necks. It has been said that the police were called; however all the attackers fled and no one was officially arrested for their crimes. It is unclear as to whether the incident was a violent prank, a revolt in opposition to veganism, or just a part of a nationalist attack against Western liberalism and the values epitomized by the Café. There has been a growth of nationalists in Georgia who question the recent arrival of Western ideologies, such as gay marriage and gay rights, and it is speculated that this may be the cause of this recent attack. Because Georgia is a very conservative country and the Georgian Orthodox church is very influential, there is much pushback against allowing  foreign influence to partake in their social society. The Kiwi Café, where the meat attacks occurred, "attracts hipsters, gays, and people who are different". And all of these things symbolize the liberal Western values that are being questioned throughout the current Georgian society. 

Hailey Brzoska

http://mobile.nytimes.com/2016/06/01/world/europe/patrons-of-vegan-cafe-are-pelted-with-meat-in-tbilisi-georgia.html 

Ivory Coast Opens War Crimes Trial Against Ex-Leader's Wife

The former First Lady Simone Gbagbo was put on trial today by the highest court in the Ivory Coast for crimes she committed against humanity in 2010-2011. Human rights group are currently questioning the credibility of the entire trial that's on the slaughter of 3,000 people killed after Simone's husband, the Ex-President Laurent Gbagbo, refused to give up his position to the current President Alassane Ouattara. A committee, supposedly lead by Simone, attacked and abused Ouattara's supporters. Previously, in the year 2015, Simone was already found guilty and sentenced to 20 years in prison. It will be interesting to see what happens.

Kyla Singleton

http://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory/ivory-coast-opens-war-crimes-trial-leaders-wife-39508422

Mayan Secrets Untavelled From the Air

Back in 2001, a few Maya murals (dating back to 100BC)  were discovered deep within the jungle of San Bartolo, Guatemala. Archeologists say that it is extremely dangerous to search the jungle for more artifacts and buildings due to he humor and wild species such as snakes. It is also important to note that one could be standing seven or so meters away from a Mayan ruin and not being able to see it because of the extremely density and thickness of the jungle. However, with the assistance from a NASA scientist Thomas Sever, they were able to identify all sorts of "fascinating features – including a lost Maya pyramid – from satellite images." With the fact that many Mayan buildings were constructed using limestone, the chemical composition around these ruins have been changed over time, which can show up on some of these images. Although this technology and discovering is highly expensive, archeologists have hope that it can be used from overhead all regions in Central America to see if they can find any other archeology ruins from lost civilizations.

Hailey Brzoska

http://www.bbc.com/future/story/20160526-how-we-unravelled-mayan-secrets-from-the-air

A Mission to Bring STEM Skills, and Robots, to Children in West Africa

http://www.nytimes.com/2016/05/30/world/africa/a-mission-to-bring-stem-skills-to-children-in-west-africa.html?ref=world&_r=0

Jacob Kazmierczak


“'We have kids brought in from math and science schools, and when they see an airplane flying, they think it’s magic,' Dr. Ndao said. “But if you give them any math problem, they can solve it.'” As I was looking for articles to discuss for this week, the article by Dionne Searcey caught my attention in part thanks to that quote. While not totally relevant to the weeks course work, in the GLS492 class we've been talking alot about Africa and what the best way to help poverty stricken areas to prosper might be. Even with all of the discussion, it never really occurred to me that education potentially would not be applied to the real world. For me, it seems so obvious that the things you learn in school apply to earth and the world runs in regards to what we learn, however the thought that some may not put these two together is very strange to me. Essentially the article talks about this event that is organized by a man named Sidy Ndao from Sengal. He is a professor of engineering at University of Nebraska-Lincoln and organizes the event to help students in Africa learn STEM skills. While the article doesn't go much into details, because the situation is still relatively new, it talks about some of the students who seem passionate to learn and willing to listen to new ideas. Ndao's issue with the schools in Africa is that they focus on memorization, not practicality and critical thinking, which can be seen in the opening quote. I actually think that his concern is quite important to take into account, hopefully his project picks up and somehow spreads into the school systems, as it will be beneficial when these clearly intelligent girls understand what they are learning fully and can apply it to better their homes. 

Venezuela: Patients Dying as Crisis Hits Hospitals

Venezuela's economy, which is highly reliant on oil, has been damaged by falling oil prices. This economic crisis is now effecting public hospitals, which are supposed to provide care for free. However, patients are now being required to find a way to fund their own treatment - which many cannot do. Often, families and patients can't afford to pay for these treatments until it's too late.
Even if the patient can pay for treatment, there is no guarantee that they can actually get the treatment. Equipment is broken, operating rooms are not able to be sterilized - and nobody can afford to fix these issues.
A large shipment of medicine was just delivered to Venezuela, which may help people get the treatment they need. However, some people believe that this economic crisis will not end until Venezuela's government stops controlling the price of oil and the exchange rate.

http://www.aljazeera.com/news/2016/05/venezuela-hospitalseconomic-crisis-160530151128000.html

--Melissa Widel

With deadline looming, few expect aid to reach besieged Syrians

A United Nations-backed plan was formed to help destroyed areas of Syria. However, recent events may have ruined any chance of these destitute people receiving aid. One of the main issues is that the Syrian government has made road convoys inaccessible to the Syrian people. Therefore, if they are willing to do that - air drops made by the United States and Russia will also encounter similar obstacles from the Syrian government. Additionally, the airways in Syria are very busy currently, with United States and Russian planes flying over, all with different objectives. Even the people of Syria are losing hope. In the article, a resident is quoted saying that nothing will happen; they are sure of it. This is extremely discouraging to hear. Unfortunately, the Syrian government doesn't seem to budge on these road convoys, using the people's starvation as a tool of war. Hopefully, the international community can come together for some sort of peace initiative.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/middle_east/with-deadline-looming-few-expect-aid-to-reach-besieged-syrians/2016/05/30/4da2f7fc-8830-427e-9d45-0173c0cddd1e_story.html

Haley Kuck

Russian President Vladimir Putin warns he'll retaliate against NATO missiles

Vladimir Putin has been speaking out recently in regards to a ground-based missile defense system that has been installed by the United States in Romania. Putin claims that this will threaten his country and that he does not approve of these actions. He has also urged other nations involved in a new system of defense measures to take measures to limit US control in the area, specifically Poland which is set to have the same sort of technology placed at one of their military bases as well.

NATO, which is in charge of the installation, has assured Putin that the defense system is not capable of offensive movement and therefore not a threat to Russia. It is being set up as means of protection against states in the Middle East, like Iran. Putin remains nonetheless vigilant and says that he will retaliate if he feels that his country is being threatened by the NATO installations.

Blake Mitchell

http://www.cnn.com/2016/05/28/europe/putin-threatens-romania/index.html

Pakistan Bill Allows for Men to "Lightly" Beat Their Wives

The Islamic council of Pakistan has created a bill that would allow husbands to "lightly" beat their wives. The bill recommends that "a husband should be allowed to lightly beat his wife if she defies  his commands and refuses to dress up as per his desires."

The bill includes several specific instances in which such a beating could occur, which include: turning down sex, not dressing as he likes, interacting with strangers, talking too loudly, failing to wear a hijab, or gives others cash without her husband's permission.The bill also prevents the use of birth control without their husband's consent.

Many see this bill as a direct response to a failed measure that would have extended protection for Pakistani women. Punjab Women Protection would have allowed protection for abused women. However, the council rejected the bill, which they deemed "un-Islamic"

Just as the Punjab Women Protection bill failed, many expect this bill to fall short of the necessary votes.

A recent survey from the World Value Survey found that 70 percent of Pakistanis said a man beating his wife was never justifiable.

http://www.cnn.com/2016/05/28/asia/pakistan-women-light-beating/

Adam Poklop

Iran-Led Push to Retake Falluja From ISIS Worries U.S.

Falluja is currently a main point of focus in the war against ISIS in Iraq. It is known for being home for many ISIS fighters; therefore, Iraqi soldiers have now invaded the city. The remaining estimate of ISIS fighters in the city are 500 to 1,000, but the remaining estimate of civilians in the city are 50,000 to 100,000. Invasion will hence mean the deaths of many civilians.

Iran is backing this invasion, which worries the United States. The US is afraid that an invasion will ignite sectarian sentiments to join ISIS. The fact that the US clashes with Iran in their approach of how to fight ISIS seems to be a consistent trend for the overall war against ISIS in Iraq. Both countries want to fight ISIS, but they have different, oftentimes purely contradicting, ideas on how to do it.

Victor Krueeger
http://www.nytimes.com/2016/05/29/world/middleeast/iran-led-push-to-retake-falluja-from-isis-worries-us.html?ref=world&_r=0

Hiroshima survivor: Even former enemies deserve closure

In President Obama's recent trip to Japan, he paid his respects to those who lost their lives when the US dropped the atomic bomb. While at the memorial site, he met up with one Japanese man who was only 8 years old and on his way to school when the bomb was dropped. His school was only 400 meters from where the bomb dropped and nearby was also a police station which is where a handful of US POW's were being held captive. That man recalled that during the daytime while at school, you could see those POW's and him and some of his friends would draw pictures of them. Well he would never see them again since they along with around 200,000 people in Hiroshima were killed when the bomb dropped, but that did not mean he would forget about them. He soon set out on an extraordinary task to track down their families in the United States. He was met with hefty phone bills along with many families rejecting his condolences because he was Japanese. But after the US government released the once classified documents containing those 12 POW's names in the 1970's, Mr. Shigeaki Mori had more ease finding those families. He was the only person ever to attempt finding those soldiers families and as a result, those 12 names of the US soldiers are now on the list of those killed in the bomb at the memorial site. His actions were recognized by the President and show us that even though countries and people may be vicious enemies, simple humanitarian efforts can supersede those distinctions.

-Chris Kucinsky

http://www.cnn.com/2016/05/26/homepage2/hiroshima-reflections-will-ripley/index.html

Israel thanks Russia for returning tank from 1982 war

Russia has announced it will be returning an Israeli tank that Russia currently owns from the 1982 Lebanon war.  Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu issued a statement thanking Russian president Vladimir Putin for this gesture.  After the war Syria gave Russia the tank which now resides in a museum in Moscow.  Israel is very happy to be getting the tank back because during the battle where the tank was taken, three Israeli soldiers disappeared.  Israel wants this tank because it will serve as a memorial to the three missing soldiers. 

Peter Olache

http://globalnews.ca/news/2728400/israel-thanks-russia-for-returning-tank-from-1982-war/

Indian Police Arrest Five in Delhi Over Assaults on Africans

Indian police have arrested five people accused of attacking six Africans last Thursday. Tensions have risen between India and a number of African countries as racial attacks on African students and nationals are becoming more and more prevalent in India. Indian officials are promising to take "tough action against attackers who target Africans." 

African students studying in Indian universities are gathering to hold an anti-racism rally next week.  

Africans attacked on Thursday said "they were racially abused and attacked by a mob." 

Indian Foreign Minister Sushma Swaraj has tweeted that she "had spoken to police about the attacks and had asked them to meet the African students who were planning the demonstration at the Jantar Mantar site in Delhi." 

Heads of African diplomatic missions in Delhi "refused to attend Africa Day celebrations in protest at the murder of Congolese national Masunda Kitada Olivier." 

African nationals in Delhi claim to be living in a "pervading climate of fear and insecurity."

African students and nationals alike are being racially attacked in India. Indian officials are taking measures to enforce the unacceptability of this behavior, and to protect these African students and nationals living in fear in India where they should be able to live in peace, and safety. 

- Livia Gazzolo

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-india-36408601

Easter Island statues could fall due to climate change, U.N. says

It has been reported that higher waves due to climate change have been chipping away at the platforms of some 500+ year old national artifacts, especially the famous statues on Easter Island. A deputy of climate change said that "some Easter Island statues are at risk of being lost a sea because of coastal erosion". This can also be said of at least 31/1,000 other world heritage properties. Detailed research has grown out of the Paris summit about climate change in December, where 195 countries agreed to reduce greenhouse gases to keep an average global temperature from rising by 2 degrees Celsius. In doing this, the sea level should cease rising, and habitat loss and extreme weather changes should decrease. According to the National Park Service, the Statue of Liberty itself is threatened by climate change and that the cost of future damage to this "international symbol of freedom and democracy is incalculable", especially considering that three quarters of Ellis Island flooded in 2012 and had roughly $77 million in damages.

Hailey Brzoska

http://www.cnn.com/2016/05/28/world/un-climate-easter-island/index.html

Iran Pilgrims to Miss Hajj Amid Row with Saudi Arabia

It is being said that Iranian Muslims will not be able to take the Hajj pilgrimage this year, as Iranian-Syrian relations have escalated to the point of being completely cut in January. The conflicting perspectives the two countries have on this issue are illustrated in this article, saying, "Iranian Culture Minister Ali Jannati blamed "obstacles raised by the Saudis." [While] Saudi Arabia blamed "unacceptable" Iranian conditions." 

In stampede at last year's Hajj pilgrimage, hundreds of pilgrims, most of whom were Iranians, died causing tensions to rise again between Iranians and Saudis. 

The dispute between Iran and Saudi Arabia is of course rooted in religion. Iran, being predominantly Shia, and Saudi Arabia, being predominantly Sunni, have developed very tense relations over the years. This move to keep Iranian citizens from fulfilling their once-in-a-lifetime commitment to take the Hajj pilgrimage, however, is a new step taken by Saudis against Iran; it is a step too far. 

"The Iranian Hajj Organization said: "Saudi Arabia is opposing the absolute right of Iranians to go on the Hajj and is blocking the path leading to Allah."

Though the Saudi foreign ministry "offered "many solutions" to Iran's demands during two days of talks," they continued to insist that "Iran's Hajj conditions were "unacceptable.""

Following the execution of Iranian Sheikh Nimr al-Nimr and 46 others charged with terrorism in Saudi Arabia, enraged Iranian protesters set fire to the Saudi embassy. Saudi Arabia cut ties and diplomatic relations with Iran, and Iranian Hajj pilgrims fell victim to this ongoing religious turned political conflict between Iran and Saudi Arabia. 

- Livia Gazzolo

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-36409250

The Continuing Influence of the Panama Papers

With the release of the Panama Papers, countries are cracking down on those who own offshore accounts. Investigations are underway worldwide, including here in America, and laws have been proposed that would force the names of those who own offshore accounts to be made public.  The release of the Panama Papers has sparked international outrage, with a growing demand for financial transparency and tax reform.

-William Dawes

http://www.nytimes.com/2016/05/30/us/politics/panama-papers-may-inspire-more-big-leaks-if-not-reform.html?hp&action=click&pgtype=Homepage&clickSource=story-heading&module=second-column-region&region=top-news&WT.nav=top-news&_r=0

European Migrant Crisis Escalates: 700 Feared Dead in Most Recent Shipwrecks

There have been a series of shipwrecks with up to 700 migrants feared dead north of Libya on their trip to Italy on Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday. This is significant, as there was a recent international agreement to curb the number of refugees to Greece, and now there are going to be a large number of migrants traveling to Italy now.

Cumulatively, the total number of rescues of refugees in this area has reached an astonishing 13,000 this week. These are numbers that are capable of raising eyebrows on an international spectrum, which could lead to international help for these migrants to have a safer voyage to Europe.

Kevin Oyakawa
http://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-36408029