U.S. slashes number of refugees It will accept

Kaitlyn Boelter-Eberhardt

On Monday, the Secretary of State Mike Pompeo released a statement saying that the United States would be lowering their capacity intake of refugees from 45,000 (2018) to 30,000 as of the following year (2019). This will be the lowest the intake has ever reached since its start in 1980 and many people are appalled by these sudden drops in numbers. Senators and Representatives are speaking out against the release including remarks such as "the decision is truly repugnant" or "It will surely go down as one of the ugliest chapters of Trump's presidency." President Donald Trump will make the final call on the numbers after speaking with Congress.

https://globalnews.ca/news/4463364/us-refugee-cap/

Attack by Taliban kills 27 in Afghanistan - Kel Goff

Al Jazeera
September 17, 2018

This past Sunday and Monday, the Taliban has killed 27 members of Afghanistan's security forces by targeting three provinces. The Taliban has also attacked various police checkpoints throughout the area. It is estimated that the death toll may indeed by higher, as not all casualties have been reported as of yet. It was primarily security, military, and police officers that were killed in the shootings that took place. In addition, at least 20 members of the Taliban have been reported as having been killed by Afghan forces. This is not the first time the Taliban has attacked military bases or police checkpoints in the area, as they are reported as having a "strong presence" in all of the three provinces that were targeted this weekend (Al Jazeera). One of the bases that was targeted is once again under Afghan control despite the recent Taliban attempt to reclaim the districts it once possessed.

To read "Taliban attacks kill 27 members of Afghan security forces" click here

Switzerland demands Russia to end legal activities after two suspected spy cases

This article details switzerland's demands on the Russian government to cease all illegal spying after two suspected cases of espionage within switzerland. This statement follows allegations of espionage within the Spiez laboratory in switzerland, currently testing the nerve agent used in the poisoning of former Russian spy Sergei Skripal and his daughter. The Swiss department of foreign affairs has summoned Russia's ambassador to Switzerland Sergei Garmonin to protest russian activity and answer for Russia's illegal activities. Russia has denied all allegations of spying citing that Switzerland's accusations are baseless and void of any facts.

Link to article

Australian senator demands ‘final solution' to immigration problem

In an article by the Independant written by Toyin Owoseje, recently Australian senator Fraser Anning claimed to have come up with a final solution to the immigration problem. He proposed a plebiscite letting the Australian people decide whether or not they want to except "people from third world countries" and in particular muslims. Anning has stated that his proposal reflects Christian values, and claimed that although not all muslims are terrorists, terrorists are muslims. His proposal however did not go over well with some of his peers. His proposal has been called vile and has been claimed to be reminiscent to the olden days of white Australian policy which many are trying to phase out. The fact that he used the phrase "final solution" was also found to be offensive as it historically was used to describe Nazi policy during WWII.

https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/politics/australian-senator-fraser-anning-final-solution-muslim-immigration-a8491676.html

Leaders of Ethiopia, Eritrea sign accord in Saudi Arabia

https://www.apnews.com/5d7733c32f2443af8fb91fea5edbde98/Leaders-of-Ethiopia,-Eritrea-sign-accord-in-Saudi-Arabia

Written by Jon Gambrell of the Associate Press, this article is concerning the recent accord between Eritrea and Ethiopia. In what is being called the, “Jeddah Agreement”, the leaders of Eritrea and Ethiopia met in Saudi Arabia to sign an accord that seeks to mitigate tensions between the two nations, who have had rocky relations following a series of border-land disputes in the last 20 years. Eritrea secured their independence in 1993 from Ethiopia, and from 1998 to 2000 engaged in a series of border skirmishes with Ethiopia, damaging relations further. The details of the recent accord have not yet been discussed with the public, but the deal is indicative of an easing of hostilities between the two countries. Saudi Arabia’s role in this is not to be understated, as the Saudi King Salman has taken a growing interest in the affairs of East African nations in an effort to secure allies that could aid in bolstering Saudi Arabia’s dominance in the Red Sea region. From a geopolitical perspective, Saudi Arabia is at odds with Yemen and is trying to curb the United Arab Emirates growing power, which leads to Saudi Arabia encouraging cooperation between East African states in an attempt to build stronger partnerships with nations that can serve as allies in any confrontations with Yemen or the United Arab Emirates. From an idealistic prospective, cooperation between countries like Ethiopia and Eritrea is beneficial in the long term for East Africa, as the respective nations can worry less about external conflict, and more-so on improving the standard of living and infrastructure for the betterment of their citizens. Although this accord is symbolically a stride towards peace, it remains unclear what exactly the two nations agreed upon and if they can be trusted to remain civil when engaging with each other. Optimists see the accord as a significant marker of a warming of relations, but time will inevitably tell if the meeting was purely symbolism or an actual step towards creating peace between Ethiopia and Eritrea.
Kevin Phelan

Thousands march to promote vote for Macedonia name deal

http://www.foxnews.com/world/2018/09/16/thousands-march-to-promote-vote-for-macedonia-name-deal.html

By: Teddy Trifunovski

While trying to find one of my current event articles, I felt it was really important to find a current event that I cam relate to. Which is why I chose this article on the country of Macedonia. My mother is from Macedonia and this is a language that I speak as well, and while we still have quite a bit of family that live there. During converstaions my mother has with her sister that lives there, this issue is  discussed a lot. There is an ongoing issue with the country being called Macedonia, Greece wants the name to be changed to "North Macedonia". Many citizens there do not want their country's name to be changed. However, the opposing view from many people in Macedonia including the prime minister, believe that they should change the name so then they can be involved and having the opportunity to join NATO. I really do not want the name to be changed because I just do not think it is right to do so. Also, I still do not believe they will be able to join NATO even if they agree to change the name. So I believe there is something more to this potential name change and to why this is being proposed. Something is going down behind closed doors with Greece and the prime minister. So we will wait and see after September 30th to see if Macedonia's name will be changed.

Trade Ministers Call for W.T.O. Overhaul, but Offer Few Details

This article is from the New York Times and was written by Daniel Politi and Jack Ewing.
This article is about a meeting in Mar del Plata that involved trade ministers from the Group of 20 countries in the W.T.O. They have come together to discuss what needs to be done in the near future concerning the W.T.O. This has become something that leaders have started to be concerned with ever since President Trump has openly criticized the W.T.O. The G20 ministers believe that along with the criticism, Trump's tariffs have severely weakened the international trading system. They believe that this meeting to discuss the future was a small victory regarding the future of the W.T.O. The foreign minsters all agreed that a complete overhaul will be done soon, but they don't know what exactly will happen in said overhaul.  The United States and the European Union are in agreement that something needs to be fixed and the Trump administration will not back down. He has done many different things to try and disable the W.T.O. even though he is for international trade. I believe that this meeting will be helpful in the long run. Even though Trump himself was not present, I believe that this meeting and the future meetings could possibly change his opinion of the W.T.O. I also believe that if the rest of the world didn't believe something was wrong with the W.T.O., they wouldn't have had a meeting about it. I am excited to find out what the future meetings will entail. Below is the link for the article:

https://www.nytimes.com/2018/09/14/business/economy/trade-g20-argentina.html?rref=collection%2Ftimestopic%2FInternational%20Relations

Written by Jake Rogers

Syrians In Government Areas Vote In First Local Polls Since 2011 -Emilio Lopez

This article comes from Aljazeera and there was no author listed



The article gives an interesting take into the Syrian government. In 2011 during the Arab Spring, the government was almost toppled due to civil war. That is the reason why the government has not held any elections since 2011. The government had to prioritize its statehood and postponed local governments. However, many foreign governments are calling this election illegitimate, because only state run media outlets showed larger government held cities participating in the vote. Syria is trying to establish itself in the world that it is finally starting to rebuild and that an end to the war was coming by displaying local elections taking place. However, refugees and inter-displaced persons (IDP) were not given the opportunity to vote. This article is important in the international community, because it gives some idea of the condition in which the Syrian government is heading.

Written by Emilio Lopez

The link below is to the article referenced above:
Syrians in government areas vote in first local polls since 2011

Trump's new stratagem toward China

Since I was living in China last year and am living in the USA now, the news between the USA and China intrigued me.
As we learned in the class, China has been developing at faster pace than no other countries have ever done before. The U.S. president Donald Trump is now spurring his administration to impose tariffs on $ 200 billon of Chinese goods. Although when will it be carried out is still unclear, Trump is taking a firm stand to execute it, saying it is necessary to punish Beijing for its unfair trade. The US invited Chinese government to resume talks in order to stop escalating trade war. China welcomed the offer, and said "The escalation of the trade conflicts doesn't benefit either side's interests." The Trump administration has already imposed 25% tariffs on $ 50 billion worth of Chinese goods, however if Trump impose another round of tariff on $267 billion of Chinese goods, those tariffs would be more than $ 500 billion, which is almost equivalent to $505 billion in good that the US imported from China last year.
When I stayed China, I saw a lot of imported commodities from the US. I didn't think they were so expensive comparing with my home country Japan. In my opinion, thereby, if the American government increase tariffs more, it might be trade bullying as China said. In any case, I hope this trade war will end for the better economy to all over the world.

https://www.cnn.com/2018/09/14/politics/trump-china-trade-war/index.html

Palestinian stabs US Israeli Citizen to death at West Bank mall

I chose this article because it shows us that disputes between nations or religions influence not only the people who are directly at the war sites, but also others around the world. I think that violence is a powerful negative element that can spread through the world very quickly. I hope that leaders of nations realize this, and keep in mind just how much war and violence can affect citizens, and understand that going to war may be in the nations best interests, but is usually never the people's best interest. Sho Kawajiri

"This Camp in Jerusalem Is a Showcase for Palestinians' Future"

Shuafat, a refugee camp located in Jerusalem where many Palestinians reside, is basically being ostracized with the new plan laid out by the Trump administration. It includes cutting off aid to Palestine and moving the US embassy to Jerusalem (where many Palestinians are not allowed). While the US really has not benefited the people of Palestine anyway, the state less people of Shuafat could face even more setbacks. It is a morose refugee camp that has not been looked after and is walled off. They were organizations such as UNRWA, United Nations Relief and Works Agency, that have stepped up to the weakened role of Palestinian government. Though, even before cutting the funds to UNRWA, refugee camps like Shuafat were not benefiting from its practices because of the sheer amount of people it encompasses. Now with even more cuts to the funds, the work of UNRWA could be stretched very thin and the Palestinians trapped in small rooms in a camp may not see many more brighter days.


"This Camp in Jerusalem Is a Showcase of Palestinians' Future"

By: Sumayya Ali

Call for information after strawberries contaminated with needles in Australia

Queensland, a state in Australia, is looking for answers on how sewing pins or needles ended up in strawberries. There has been a recall on three brands of strawberries in the state already. Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk states that this problem can potentially put the whole country's strawberry business at risk. Similar reports of contaminated strawberries has also been reported in New South Wales, but officials do not know if both situations are connected or if there is a copycat.

Link: https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/call-for-information-after-strawberries-contaminated-with-needles-in-australia/ar-BBNomQD?ocid=spartanntp

Abby Widd

Typhoon Pounds South China After Killing 64 in Philippines

This article from the Associated Press was written by Vincent Yu and Jim Gomez.
Severe weather has caused significant damage around the world, especially in these past couple years.  This Typhoon was claimed to be one of the largest storms to hit South China since 1999. Many individuals have died or are missing from the landslides caused by the Typhoon in the Philippines. Although tropical storms can be seen as a more domestic issue, I think it will be interesting to see if and how China will help the Philippines recover. Obviously, China has a stronger economy, but will they provide aid to the near by state if needed? Because relations in the South China Sea are a little tense, I believe it could be telling if China provides help to areas in need.

The link below is the article discussing how catastrophic the Typhoon is/ was.
https://www.apnews.com/999b95b7bb7b4b169ba709f58a369fd7/Typhoon-pounds-south-China-after-killing-64-in-Philippines
-Alyssa Farney

Indian Army's Bloody "Norms" : Kashmir

There had been issues regarding the ownership of Kashmir between India and Pakistan since the partition of India back in 1947. The tension only grows as three wars had been fought since then, and continued violence still exists. On September 13, this issue caused more outrage as pictures of dead bodies being dragged by the Indian Army surfaced on the internet. This death was caused by a 7 hour long battle, in which 3 rebels were killed by the army. While everyone is calling this a "barbaric" act, the Indian Army defends the action by explaining that this procedure is "normal" and is done so as preventive measures against booby traps/explosives attached on their bodies. As there are always arguments from every party defending their own actions, it is difficult to pinpoint what is wrong and right, and thus the unrest continues.

-Sangay Chhoki

Link: https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2018/09/outrage-photo-shows-soldiers-dragging-kashmir-rebel-body-180916145546197.html

Swiss intelligence stops Russian plan to spy on government lab

Swiss intelligence helped foil alleged Russian plot to spy on government lab

by Michael Shields

In this article, Michael starts by discussing how Switzerland’s intelligence agency said on Friday it had worked with British and Dutch counterparts to foil a Russian plot which was targeting a Swiss laboratory that was testing nerve agents such as Novichok. He later says how the caught spies were planning on heading to a Spiez laboratory near Bern which studies chemical and biological weapons.


Here is the article if you would like to learn more about it.

Blog by Brandon Torrence

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-swiss-russia/russian-agents-tried-to-spy-on-swiss-chemicals-lab-tages-anzeiger-idUSKCN1LU0GI

Jack Drover

https://www.wsj.com/articles/the-world-must-stop-assad-1536614148

This article published published in the Wall Street Journal by the Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, illustrates his support for the Terrorists in Idlib, and his strong opposition to the government of Syria. In the Article he openly calls for intervention and regime change in Syria. This shows that relations between Turkey and Syria are hostile. the Syrian government and the turkey regime have long been hostile since the 80's. President Erdogan has been incredibly hostile in his rhetoric towards Syria, even calling out the President of Syria by name in the article and on several other occasions. Turkey has already used military force to occupy the Syrian City of Afrin illegally. What this means for international relations is a possible further Turkish Military intervention in Syria. It could also mean the Turkish Army working with the USA military if the USA military intervenes in Syria, Even though the USA and Turkey have had bad economic relations recently. 

Sinn Fein has announced Liadah Ni Riada as its candidate to contest the Irish Election

This article by the BBC discusses the Sinn Fein, a left wing political party in Ireland, chosen candidate to become their party's MEP for the Ireland South Constituency. According to the article, Ms. Liadh Ni Riada was chosen as their party's candidate in a meeting between the Sinn Fein and comhairle in Dublin (BBC).  Ni Riada stated in address that Ireland will built upon the country's "glorious diversity". This includes equality and equity for women, men, citizens of various disabilities, the LGBTQIA community, and various other social minorities.  The article later on stated that the Republic of  Ireland has been hungry for a "political and social change", and that Ni Riada would be exceptional if she was elected as president for bringing about this change. According to the BBC,  "...candidates need the backing of either 20 members of the Irish parliament or four local authorities."  The election is to be held on October 26, 2018.

Anthony Hernandez

http://www.bing.com/news/apiclick.aspx?ref=BDIGeneric&aid=C98EA5B0842DBB9405BBF071E1DA7651077B1B5B&tid=D351D68853734056A0C7657855733F1D&url=https%3a%2f%2fwww.bbc.com%2fnews%2fworld-europe-45539198&c=532943522705440193&mkt=en-us

Alleged Israeli strike said to target Iranian weapons delivery in Damascus

According to Hadashot TV news, an Isreal television news company, reported that an Iranian Boeing-made cargo plane was loaded with weapons, and had recently landed at Damascus International Airport (Syria) from Tehran (Iran). From this, an alleged Israeli missile strike was made on Damascus International Airport Late Saturday night (9/15/18). On Sunday Morning the airport had "substantial" damage, but no information on casualties. According to multiple reports, the airstrike destroyed an 747 cargo plane, as well as warehouses with roofs marked "UN" and "DHL".

The Times of Israel

The Wall Street Journal

By: Jack Bronec

White House Threatens Iran With Retaliation Over Militant Attacks

White House Threatens Iran With Retaliation Over Militant Attacks by Mark Lander

The New York Times

          This article discussed the complexity of the Trump administration's relations with Iran. After the most recent attacks by Iranian-backed militants in Iraq, Trump has threatened Iran just two weeks before a yearly United Nations General Assembly meeting which both President Trump and President Rouhani of Iran will be attending. Trump had wanted to discuss Iran's actions in the middle east, but many are urging him not to do so because this gives Iran a reason to bring up the western powers split over the Iran nuclear deal. Trump's administration appears to be split between those who want to bargain with Iran and those who want to destroy the regime. Prior to the most recent attacks in Iraq, Trump appeared to believe that Iran was changing, but these attacks show the exact opposite of that. Many believe that the increase in aggressiveness from Iran is in relation to Trump's increased economic campaign against Iran. The controversy over the Iran deal has lead Trump to switch his topic for the meeting of the Security Council to nonproliferation which allows for a broader discussion to help keep focus off of the nuclear deal. 

Website: https://www.nytimes.com/2018/09/12/us/politics/trump-iran-militants-iraq.html?rref=collection%2Ftimestopic%2FUnited%20States%20International%20Relations&action=click&contentCollection=timestopics&region=stream&module=stream_unit&version=latest&contentPlacement=8&pgtype=collection
By: Morgan Knight

South Korea forges ahead with charm offensive to Kim regime even as U.S. outreach cool

The article, written by Simon Denyer, talks about how the South Korean government is achieving better success with negotiations North Korean government and Kim Jong-un compared to the way the Trump administration is handling it.  The South Korean government starts with establishing common grounds to the people up north in order to reach an agreement over nuclear missiles, compared to the blunt force the U.S. used.  With these talks, other Asian countries are worried that the South Korean government is supporting the Kim regime, but whatever it takes to achieve peace must be made.

Top member of global drug ring is extradited from Colombia and charged in L.A.

http://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-me-ln-international-drug-ring-20180914-story.html#

In this article from Los Angeles Times, Alejandra Reyes-Velarde writes about how officials in Mexico, Colombia, and Los Angeles captured a total of 7,700 pounds of cocaine and other drugs worth half a billion dollars in submarines, speedboats, a private jet that crashed into the Caribbean sea, and more oddly in frozen cubes of orange juice transported in trucks. On september 14th, 2018, Victor Hugo Cuellar-Silva, one of the main leaders of the drug operation was accused in downtown Los Angeles courtroom after being brought from Colombia. According to a federal accusation, Cuellar-Silva is the head of the Colombia base for the organization and is responsible for obtaining tons of cocaine and other drugs from South American labs, and coordinating their transportation for sale in the U.S. and elsewhere. Six California residents were also arrested in their homes this past thursday with the suspicion of operating stash houses and transporting the drugs in cars to be sold. Federal prosecutor Benjamin Barron said it’s among the largest drug cases they’ve ever prosecuted out of our Los Angeles district, and if Cuellar-Silva and three others are found guilty, they could face a mandatory minimum sentence of 20 years in prison. In conclusion, Joseph Macias, a Department of Homeland Security investigator, said in a statement that an exile is a warning to fugitives who think they can evade U.S. law enforcement by hiding out in another country because in reality it is impossible and the consequences will eventually be faced.

by Isabel G. Torres

"U.S. Will No Longer Fund Peace-Building Programs for Palestinians"

https://www.npr.org/2018/09/15/648222130/u-s-will-no-longer-fund-peace-building-programs-for-palestinians
Isa Chudzik

This article written by Daniel Estrin covers the Trump administration's decision to stop funding "peace-building" programs for both Palestinians and Israelis as well as past decisions (like recognizing Jerusalem as Isreal's capital) that contribute to this controversial decision today.

The reason why this decision itself is controversial is because the programs that will hurt from this includes an "...interfaith youth program and a project for children with disabilities" (Estrin). While the administration justifies this decision as a way to put pressure on Palestinian officials to work with them on a peace deal. Critics point out that this hurts vulnerable groups, and Senator Patrick Leahy was quoted suggesting that this will just drive people apart even more.

OAS chief threatens military force against Venezuela

https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/world/2018/09/15/oas-chief-threatens-military-force-against-venezuela/1318318002/


Manuel Rueda reports the head of the Organization of America States (OSA), an organization created to promote positive relations with the independent states of the western hemisphere, General Luis Almagro, has backed President Donald Trump's threat of military action in Venezuela. The threat aims to "restore democracy and ease the countries humanitarian crisis. " Since 2010 Venezuela has faced a socioeconomic and political crisis first beginning under the former leader Hugo Chavez. Almagro mentioned the numerous violations of human rights perpetrated by the current regime governed by Nicolas Maduro, who previously served under Hugo Chavez as Minister of Foreign Affairs. In addition, Almagro stated the possibility of military intervention with the intention of overthrowing Maduro has not been ruled out.
President Donald Trump has previously mentioned the possibility of a U.S. invasion, although those living in the South American nation fear an invasion will revive conditions experienced during the Cold War. Maduro has been using that fear in order to gain support and rally Venezuelans behind him although their condition remains dire. Often the regime will withhold food and medicine to impose their political will forcibly upon the nation, as well as disallowing the entry of humanitarian aide . Such actions have spurred a massive emigration of the citizens in the recent years, with as many as 2.3 Venezuelans leaving. Almagro hopes to create a group with the surrounding countries that will help both the emigrants as well as their home country, while leaving the possibility of intervention open.
--Jennie Fry

America will continue to support Saudi-backed coalition in Yemen - Kel Goff

Robbie Gramer and Lara Seligman reported to Foreign Policy this past Wednesday that the United States will continue to back the coalition forces in the civil war taking place in Yemen. Currently, Iran is supporting the Houthi rebels that are in opposition to the Saudi Arabian coalition forces that are being backed by America. The Yemen civil war resulted in the deaths of numerous innocent lives being taken by either side's crossfire or weaponry. Civilian casualties have escalated recently, most of the casualties that were actually caused by "Saudi-led attacks," (Gramer, Seligman). With the majority of these casualties being caused by soldiers that the U.S. funds and supports, these deaths are reflecting poorly on America. The U.S. is in exceptionally hot water for the use of an American bomb by Saudi forces to kill children that were riding in a school bus. (Gramer, Seligman). Many congressmen and women in opposition to President Trump's administration and its continued support of Saudi forces, as well as humanitarian and civil rights watchdog groups, have condemned America's morally-ambiguous role in the Yemen civil war. While America is likely to continue its support of Saudi forces and the training of its military, public support is dwindling as the civilian death toll continues to rise.

To read "Trump Doubles Down on War in Yemen," follow this link:
https://foreignpolicy.com/2018/09/12/trump-doubles-down-on-war-in-yemen-pompeo-congress-middle-east-saudi-arabia-united-arab-emirates-bombing-civilian-casualties/

South Korea's talks with North are going well, unlike Trump's

https://www.nbcnews.com/news/north-korea/north-korea-s-talks-south-are-going-well-unlike-trump-n907416

Melissa Vandermark
In a article written by Alexander Smith of NBC News, he discusses the reality of current diplomacy between both Korea's, and compares those discussions with previous ones with Trump. It's reported that despite the denuclearization agreement they signed, the vagueness of the agreement allowed for North Korea to continue developing their nuclear arsenal. However, in April both Korea's had a summit in which they wrote a detailed agreement that pledges to work toward ending the Korean War and avoid further military conflict. Evidence of easing tensions can be seen recently during an annual parade held in the capital of North Korea. Traditionally, large missiles would be flaunted at these parades as a form of intimidation, but with this most recent parade there were no missiles to be seen.

Super Typhoon Mangkhut makes landfall in the Philippines, Hong Kong and Macau brace for impact

The article I read was by James Griffiths of CNN. With all the news about Hurricane Florence hitting the Carolinas this week I was surprised to read the details of this storm. Super Typhoon Mangkhut is going through the pacific and has already made landfall and is now hitting other small islands out in the pacific. What surprised me is  that this typhoon is much larger and stronger than the hurricane that is hitting the United States. Super Typhoon Mangkhut had sustained winds of 165 mph with gusts as high as 200 mph. This would be the equivalent of a category 5 hurricane. Hurricane Florence was never this strong.  There are over 10 million people in the Philippines alone affected by the storm. The damage to rice and corn crops could be over $116 million.

Super Typhoon makes landfall in the Philipines, Hong Kong and Macau brace for impact

By Shane Todd

Trump arrives last, will leave first at G7 summit

By Raymond Dragunaitis

On the first day of the two-day annual G7 summit, which brings the global economies of the US, Canada, the UK, France, Italy, Japan, and Germany, the division between President Trump (who was the last leader to arrive) and the other global leaders was high. The divisions come primarily from the imposition of tariffs on steel and aluminium imports, but also include climate change, Iran, and the Israel-Palestinian conflict. Although Trump advocated letting Russia back in the G8 after it was expelled for its annexation of Crimea, German Chancellor Angela Merkel said all the European Union members at the summit were opposed to this unless "progress" was made on Ukraine, and Canada joins them in this opposition. Trump will leave the summit early for his historic meeting with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un in Singapore, and "will miss the talks on climate change, the environment and probably gender equality on Saturday."

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-44409775

"Kim Jong-un’s Image Shift: From Nuclear Madman to Skillful Leader" ANdrew honig blog 10

The article I read on the New York times this week was interesting to say the least. It pertained to Kim's appearance since the North Korea standoff this past year. He has gone from a belligerent dictator style approach to a happy, responsive and cooperative leader. This has been however very recent and it is still in flux whether or not that he will comply with the agreements that he made to the United States and South Korea. Especially since he still has to meet with Trump in Singapore on June 12. I am fully convinced that he will never give up his military weapons and that this is all a show to boost his image in the global atmosphere. The articled that was written also agrees and believes to entail the same idea. He has been smart to advance his image with the South Korean president Mr. Moon. He has worked closely with him to find a peaceful solution and end the war that they have been waging for years. He doesn't understand the total implications of lying if that is the case and the United States will be hesitant to work with him or even meet with him if he doesn't comply to the agreed terms. Kim is someone that seeks attention from other country's and while that is okay he is letting his own suffer at the hands of his regime.

By Andrew Honig

Tariffs on steel and aluminum might cost the U.S. 400,000 jobs — and Canada could get hit too

A report released Tuesday finds that the tariffs would increase employment in the steel and the aluminum sectors, but what it shows is that a large number of other workers would lose jobs in the process as higher steel costs ripple through the economy. Trade Partnership Worldwide LLC released the report this week, which claims that over 400,000 jobs will be lost in other sectors of the economy. In addition, almost 7,000 jobs will be lost in agriculture and 20,000 jobs will be lost in manufacturing, and almost 1,000 lost in the energy sector, for a total of 402,445 jobs, the report said. Senators from both parties plan to force President Trump to obtain Congress’ approval before imposing tariffs on national security grounds. 

Noel Corral

https://globalnews.ca/news/4258050/tariffs-steel-aluminum-us-jobs-canada/
 

Trans Mountain deal fails to change Suncor position on Canadian competitiveness

The CEO of Suncor Energy Inc. says he will continue to avoid spending on large growth projects in Canada, despite the Canadian federal government’s move last week to purchase the Trans Mountain pipeline system. Several groups are opposing any oil and gas production and pipelines, but this would mean that Canada would be unable to afford its own environmental policies, while the other side wants zero limits on production, but are ignoring the consequences long-term to climate change.The CEO hopes to make Canada more competitive, especially in comparison to the United States.

Noel Corral

https://globalnews.ca/news/4257636/trans-mountain-suncor-business/

Trump lawyer says Kim 'begged' for summit by Jesus Ponce

Donald Trump's lawyer Rudy Giuliani has said North Korea's leader "begged" for their summit to be rescheduled after the US president cancelled it.

While in Israel, Giuliani said Trump's tough stance had forced Pyongyang's hand. Trump had called off the summit in May after it seemed both sides were willing to meet. Trump being Trump decided to cancel it. It wasn't that big of a surprise since things seemed too good to be true.

The remark was made in Israel while speaking at an investment conference. The Wall Street Journal had a quote that was quite excessive. "Well, Kim Jong-un got back on his hands and knees and begged for it, which is exactly the position you want to put him in."

I may not know I.R. that well but that's probably something you shouldn't say especially to North Korea.

Source: BBC

Obama Gave Iran Access to US Funds

It has just been reported that Obama supposedly gave Iran access to our US financial system as part of their nuclear deal. This has raised a lot of controversy as some say it never happened while others are suggesting it did. Iran was granted a license that allowed them to do so, which was not considered illegal under the laws of the United States. Iran used this license to convert nearly billions of dollars, but since we have retracted our deal with them, they have sought out continuing these operations with countries in Europe.

Kimi Epker

https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2018/06/06/iran-nuclear-deal-obama-team-iran-senate-republicans/677506002/

Trump Jokingly Blames Canada for Burning of the White House

In this article, it discusses how President Trump, in a recent call with Justin Trudeau joked that it was Canada who burned the White House during the war of 1812. The purpose of the phone call was to discuss the latest tariffs imposed on Canada, Trump's reasoning being national security. It later talks about what really happened with the burning from the war caused by British troops. Trudeau stated that while it was intended to be a joke, he did not think it was funny and felt the situation was not a laughing matter as the tariffs will significantly effect Canadian citizens.

Kimi Epker

https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/onpolitics/2018/06/06/cnn-report-trump-war-1812-trudeau-tariffs/677956002/

Europe Asks U.S. for an Exemption From Sanctions on Iran

Kevin Druger

                This article discusses the fallout from the U.S. withdrawing from the Iran nuclear deal. It states that there are officials in European nations that fear that because of the U.S. withdraw and the added sanctions the U.S. has placed on European companies are increasing the likelihood of deal, that the other countries are still apart of, will fall apart. As the article states it is unlikely that the European companies will continue to do business in Iran, if it means that they will no longer be doing business within the U.S.. It’s interesting to think of how the U.S. withdraw has placed added further barriers to company’s witch really threaten the nations ability to maintain an agreement. These nations have asked the U.S. to lift their sanctions on the companies. I believe the U.S. knows that with the sanctions they are greatly impacting the other countries abilities and is using this as a means to influence the other nations to take the action they want them to. It’s interesting to see how the economic strength of a single nation can be used to influence other portions of global politics.

https://www.nytimes.com/2018/06/06/world/europe/iran-europe-us-sanctions.html?rref=collection%2Fsectioncollection%2Fworld&action=click&contentCollection=world&region=rank&module=package&version=highlights&contentPlacement=2&pgtype=sectionfront

Taking Migrant Children From Parents Is Illegal, U.N. Tells U.S.

Kevin Druger

This article discusses the United States immigration practices, and how the United Nations has expressed its concerns with them. The article states that on the U.S. is separating children from their parents as they attempt to cross the border. The U.N. has declared that doing so is a violation of the children’s human rights. I find this article interesting and relevant to what we have discussed in class. As we have discussed the U.N. has been created to supply the global political community with a form of structure. But, as we have also discussed much of the U.N.’s policies lack the teeth to be enforced. Regardless of one’s views of what is taking place on the border, this article is a great example of this. The U.N. has declared that the actions of the U.S. are a violation of human rights, but the U.S. has basically stated they will not change their practices. As the U.S. ambassador to the U.N. stated “Neither the United Nations nor anyone else will dictate how the United States upholds its borders.” This is a perfect example of how the nations that are in the United Nations are more concerned with their State sovereignty than the views of the U.N.

https://www.nytimes.com/2018/06/05/world/americas/us-un-migrant-children-families.html?rref=collection%2Fsectioncollection%2Fworld&action=click&contentCollection=world&region=stream&module=stream_unit&version=latest&contentPlacement=6&pgtype=sectionfront

Mexico imposes tariffs on $3 billion worth of US exports

This article discusses the recent decision by the Mexican government to impose a valued 3 billion dollars in tariffs on the United States. This tariff increase could the decrease the value of the dollar in relation to the peso by 25%. Mexico is such an important trade partner with the United States, and it is interesting and kind of encouraging that the United States' neighbor stood up the the great power that is the United States. This is the kind of behavior that is needed in order to balance out the world order. We need lower powers to stand up to great powers and challenge what they believe is there's.

By: Josh Simmons
http://money.cnn.com/2018/06/06/news/economy/mexico-us-tariffs-retaliation/index.html

"Saudi Arabia issues its first driver's licenses to women"

Timea Mozsi

For my final post I was going to write about the volcano that erupted in Guatemala. However, since it has been covered by several others, I am going to shed light on another shocking matter in the Middle East; Saudi Arabia’s ban on women drivers. This is said to be ending on June 24. Ten driver’s licenses to women had been issued, however, before that date. Two-thousand more are planned to be issued to women in the next week.

 Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud submitted a plan last year to reform Saudi Arabia by 2030. One of the important goals in this plan was to have more women in the workforce. The ban on women drivers was put into place because Saudi Arabia follows Islamic practices. More specifically, they follow Wahhabi Islam which has many restrictions on how people, especially women, are expected to behave.

According to the article, women often have to ask permission from their “male guardians”, whether that be fathers or husbands, to do many/most activities, especially if they are public ones. In May 2017 King Salman had a list released by the government of activities that women could do without seeking permission from “male guardians”.

My hope is that they continue on this path and realize that they can reform their way of life, making it fair for everyone—women, especially—without having to give up on Islamic beliefs.

Source: https://www.cnn.com/2018/06/04/middleeast/saudi-women-drivers/index.html

Guatemala Volcano: almost 200 missing and 75 dead - Alexis Reese

Sunday the Guatemalan volcano, Fuego, erupted without proper warning to the residents. Officials say that the local residents have training on how to deal with situations similar to his one, but they say that this eruption occurred too fast for the residents to react quick enough. The village close to this volcano is completely gone with many of the residents gone along with it. I am curious to see how the international community will respond to this disaster and how much, if any, aid will be sent to help the people impacted by this disaster.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-latin-america-44378775

North Korea suspends high level talks with South Korea over military drills with US

North Korea suspends the planned talks with South Korea over US-South Korea military drills, which North Korea calls provocation. The state-run North Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) called the Max Thunder drills between South Korea and the US Air Force a rehearsal for an invasion of North Korea. This suspension comes only one month before the planned talk between the North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and the United States president Donald Trump, which will allow both leader to talk about their nuclear weapons programs. North Korea has not canceled these talks yet with the United States though. The two-week Max Thunder drill involve about 1,000 military personnel along with 500 South Korea personnel. Both sides have agreed to stop these drills in order to encourage North Korean participation in the 2018 Olympics games.

By: Samantha Kouba

Source: https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/asia/north-south-korea-suspends-high-level-talks-planned-us-military-drills-kim-jong-un-moon-jae-in-a8353261.html

Mexico and US trade disputes - Alexis Reese

Donald Trump has recently put tarrifs on imported steel and aluminum. These are mostly hiring countries like Mexico, the European Union, and Canada, some of the US’s biggest allies. In response, Mexico has put tarrifs on imported pork, apples, potatoes, bourbon and some cheeses. These items were choosen to hit the Republican Party the hardest to the the demographics of their constituents. With midterms coming up, congressmen are under pressure to resolve this current trade dispute.

 http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-latin-america-4437866