News Roundup Jan. 25-31

By Lily Cusack

Trump Boycotts Republican Debate

GOP Frontrunner Donald Trump announced Tuesday, Jan. 26, that he would not participate in Thursday’s debate hosted by Fox News,according to The Guardian. Trump’s decision came after he learned that Megyn Kelly, whom he clashed with during the first debate, would again help moderate this debate. Kelly questioned Trump about his past statements regarding women, to which he responded that “there was blood coming out of her whatever.” Trump eventually decided to not attend the debate when a press release mocked him for considering skipping it because of Kelly. It read, “We learned from a secret back channel that the Ayatollah and Putin both intend to treat Donald Trump unfairly when they meet with him if he becomes president – a nefarious source tells us that Trump has his own secret plan to replace the Cabinet with his Twitter followers to see if he should even go to those meetings.” Reuters reported that Fox News drew the second lowest ratings out of the seven Republican debates on Thursday without Trump. Meanwhile, Trump held his own rally in Iowa for charity at the same time as the debate.

Republican Presidential Candidate Donald Trump boycotted the Republican debate on Jan. 28, which was hosted by Fox News. Courtesy of Wikimedia

Russia Violates Turkey’s Airspace Near Syria

A Russian jet flew into Turkish airspace near Syria’s border on Friday, January 29, according to BBC News. Turkey has said that Russia ignored numerous warnings made in Russian and English before committing the violation. Russia has denied that the jet crossed into Syrian territory and has said that no warnings were made, calling Turkey’s statements “baseless propaganda.” Russia has been carrying out airstrikes against those fighting the current Syrian government since September. Tensions between Turkey and Russia have been high since Turkey shot down a Russian jet in November. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has asked to meet with Vladimir Putin multiple times, but Putin refuses. Erdogan says that Russia would face consequences if they continue to violate their airspace.

Russia was accused of violating Turkish airspace near the Syrian border on Jan. 29. Courtesy of Wikipedia

Migrant Boat Capsizes Near Turkish Coast

A boat carrying migrants capsized on Saturday, January 30. According to The New York Times, the boat left Ayvacik, a Turkish resort town, on Saturday morning and capsized on rocks shortly thereafter, eventually washing up on the Turkish coast. 37 people, including 10 children, died. Most of the migrants are thought to have been Syrian refugees fleeing from the war. On Friday, the International Organization for Migration reported that in January alone, 218 people attempting to reach the Greek islands on their way to other European countries, had drowned in the Aegean Sea. More than 24 others have died off the coast of Italy.

A boat leaving from Ayvacik, Turkey, which was carrying mostly Syrian refugees washed up on the Turkish coast of after crashing on Jan. 30. Courtesy of Wikimedia

 

Health Officials Announce a Special Meeting Concerning Zika Virus

Health officials announced on Sunday, Jan. 31, that they would hold a meeting next week to decide if they should declare an international health emergency due to the outbreak of the Zika virus in the Western Hemisphere, AP reported. Officials have stated that the mosquito-borne virus is now active in more than 20 countries, and they expect the possible amount of infections to rise to 3 to 4 million in the Americas over the next year. The virus is thought to be linked to microcephaly, a rare birth defect that causes unusually small heads in babies when pregnant women contract the virus. Only mild symptoms have been reported for those that are not pregnant. The disease was first discovered in 1947 in Africa, but it has since caused global concern after an outbreak was reported in Brazil last year. Brazil has stated that there are an estimated 1 million infections by now. There is currently no treatment or vaccine.

Health officials are set to meet next week to discuss the alarming outbreak of the Zika virus, a mosquito-borne disease that causes birth defects, which has recently been of concern in the Western Hemisphere. Courtesy of Wikimedia 

 

Damascus Bombings Cause Concern Amid Syrian Talks

A triple bombing claimed by the Islamic State occurred just outside Damascus, the Syrian capital, on Sunday, January 31, according to AP. The Syrian Foreign Ministry has reported that at least 50 people have been killed, with more than 100 wounded. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said that 25 of those killed were “pro-government Shiite fighters.” ISIS fighters first set off a car bomb at a bus stop and then underwent  two suicide bombings while rescuers reached the scene. These bombings come during UN-hosted peace talks in Geneva regarding the Syrian Civil War, which began Friday. The meetings are attempting to negotiate an 18-month timeline to fix the political system in Syria. The main opposition group, the Higher Negotiations Committee, boycotted the first of the talks until their preliminary demands were met, which include releasing detainees, ending the warfare against civilians and eliminating government blockades on rebel-held areas.

A triple-bombing outside of the Syrian capital Damascus on Jan. 31 comes amid U.N.-hosted peace talks regarding the Syrian Civil War. Courtesy of Wikipedia

Global News Roundup: Dec. 28 – Jan. 3

By Isabelle Gustafson

1. Central Dubai Hotel Fire Injured 16

 

A 63-story Dubai hotel caught fire on New Year’s Eve Thursday. Photo courtesy of Wikimedia Commons.

16 people were injured on New Year’s Eve when a 63-story Dubai hotel caught fire.

Everyone was evacuated, and the area around the hotel was cleared. Most injuries were minor, but one person suffered a heart attack. Firefighters managed to subdue the flames, but part of the Address Downtown Hotel suffered major damages, according to BBC News.

Authorities are still unsure of what caused the fire.

The Address Downtown Hotel is located in the city center, and despite the fire, the fireworks display at the nearby Burj Khalifa, the tallest building in the world, started as planned at midnight.

2. Obama, Attorney General to Discuss Executive Action on Guns

President Obama will discuss gun control with Attorney General Loretta Lynch, pictured. Photo courtesy of Flickr.

President Barack Obama announced in his weekly address that he will meet with Attorney General Loretta Lynch on Monday to discuss plans for the introduction of gun controls.

The White House released the address on Friday, one day earlier than usual. One of the main proposals Obama is likely to adopt would require  gun dealers to get licenses and conduct background checks on potential buyers, according to The Washington Post.

“I get too many letters from parents, and teachers, and kids, to sit around and do nothing,” Obama says in his address. “I get letters from responsible gun owners who grieve with us every time these tragedies happen; who share my belief that the Second Amendment guarantees a right to bear arms; and who share my belief that we can protect that right while keeping an irresponsible, dangerous few from inflicting harm on a massive scale.”

The president says he is moving unilaterally because Congress has failed to address the growing problem of gun violence.

3. 2 Killed, 7 Injured in Tel Aviv Shooting

 

The suspect in Friday’s Tel Aviv shooting is still large. Photo courtesy of Wikipedia.

Police are searching for the suspect in a deadly shooting that killed two people and wounded at least seven near a pub in Tel Aviv Friday.

The gunman fired an automatic weapon near the Simta pub on Tel Aviv’s Dizengoff Street before fleeing, according to CNN.

After seeing video broadcast by Israeli media, family members identified the suspect as a 29-year-old Arab-Israeli man who was previously sentenced to five years in prison for attempting to steal an Israeli soldier’s weapon. His name has not been released. But a statement released Saturday suggested authorities were still open to the possibility that the man had help.

A police spokesperson told CNN “it is not possible to determine if this is a criminal or terror attack.”

4. Saudi Arabia Executes 47 Men

Shiite cleric Nimr al-Nimr was one of 47 executed in Saudi Arabia Saturday. Photo courtesy of Wikipedia.

Saudi Arabia executed 47 men Saturday in firing squads and beheadings, the Saudi Press Agency say.

Among those executed was dissident Shiite cleric, Nimr al-Nimr, who had spoken out against the government and the Saudi royal family, according to CNN.

The Iranian government and religious leaders throughout the Middle East condemned al-Nimr’s execution and warned of the potential for widespread backlash.

European Union High Representative for Foreign Affairs Federica Mogherini also issued a statement, saying Nimr’s case raised “serious concerns regarding freedom of expression and the respect of basic civil and political rights.”

5. Al Qaeda Group Uses Donald Trump Footage in Recruitment Video

Pictured: Donald Trump. Photo courtesy of Flickr.

Footage of Republican presidential frontrunner Donald Trump is featured in a terrorist recruiting video for Al-Shabab, a Somali-based group affiliated with al Qaeda.

The group released the video as a documentary about racial injustice in the United States featuring Trump’s recent call to ban all Muslims from the country, according to The Guardian.

“So remember this, so listen, Donald J. Trump is calling for a total and complete shutdown of Muslims entering the United States until our country’s representatives can figure out what the hell is going on,” Trump says in the clip.

Trump has also called for surveillance of mosques and has said he is open to establishing a database for all Muslims living in the U.S.

Global News Roundup Dec. 6-Dec.12

By Katie Johns

1. COP21 Climate Change Summit reaches deal to limit rise in global temperature

COP21 finally reached an agreement on climate change resolutions. Courtesy of Flickr.

On Saturday, nearly 200 countries reached a solution surrounding a global agreement on climate change. The goal of the environmental agreement is to reduce human-made greenhouse gas emissions. “A deal to attempt to limit the rise in global temperatures to less than 2C has been agreed at the climate change summit in Paris after two weeks of negotiations,” according to BBC reporting.

This is the first time all countries involved have joined the pact to cut carbon emissions, which is both partly voluntary and partly legally binding. The measures in the final draft include:

• Cap greenhouse gas emissions as soon as possible
• Reach a balance between sources and sinks of greenhouse gases
• Review progress every five years
• Keep global temperature increase below 2C [ 3.6F]
• Budget $100 million per year in climate finance for developing countries.

This is not the first time a deal has been attempted. In 2009, talks of a climate agreement failed in Copenhagen. Some say the rumor of imposing emission targets on countries was one of the reasons the deal failed. The latest negotiations avoid this regulation.

2. Saudi women to legally vote for the first time

 

Saudi women walking in the Faysali shopping center. Some women have expressed still having barriers to voting and registering as candidates for political office. Courtesy of Flickr.

979 women candidates and 130,673 women voters registered for the Saudi Arabian municipal elections for the first time on December 12. In addition to being able to vote, women were also allowed to run for office in the nation’s elections. Some of these first-time voters reported a lack of registration centers and difficulties proving identities and residency, according to Human Rights Watch. Female candidates were also prohibited from talking with male voters and had to segregate in campaign offices. The elections will fill roles on local offices, which mostly oversee planning and development issues. 5,938 men ran for election and more than 1.3 million men registered to vote.

Officials first proposed the right for women to vote in 2005, and in 2011, King Abdullah issued a decree saying women would be allowed to vote and register as candidates in the municipal elections. In 2013, he demanded that 20 percent of the seats in the Consultative Council be reserved for women, CNN reports.

3. Donald Trump calls to end Muslim immigration to the U.S.

Donald Trump speaking at the 2015 Conservative Political Action Conference earlier this year in Maryland. Courtesy of Wikimedia.

On Monday, Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump released a statement denouncing the admission of Muslim immigrants into the U.S.

He called for “total and complete shutdown of Muslims entering the United States until our country’s representatives can figure out what is going on,” The Atlantic reported. This statement comes shortly after President Obama’s plea for the nation to “reject discrimination” against Muslims. Trump’s proposal angered many, including fellow Republicans. Jeb Bush tweeted about Trump becoming “unhinged,” and Ted Cruz followed with a milder retort, simply saying that he did not share the same ideals as Trump.

Although he is not the only GOP candidate calling for Muslim immigration restrictions, he poses the most extreme limits. Both Cruz and Bush have suggested allowing only Christian refugees enter the U.S. Trump also stated that anyone belonging to the Muslim community should be considered a potential threat. The proposed ban would apply to more than just immigrants. Tourists and business travelers would be banned from the U.S. as well as Muslim-American citizens traveling out of the country who are trying to return home, Time reported.

4. Third Paris attacker identified

The Bataclan theater in Paris was the site of terrorist shootings in November. The third attacker was identified this week. Courtesy of Wikimedia.

This past week, authorities identified the third attacker of the Bataclan and Paris shootings. On Nov. 13, 2015, 90 people died during the attacks in the Bataclan in Paris, and the death toll rose to 130 as the attacks moved to the streets of the City of Lights. Previously, two attackers had been identified: Omar Ismail Mostefai, 29, and Samy Amimour, 28. Foued Mohamed Aggad, a 23-year-old man from Strasbourg, France, and a French army reject, was identified as one of the attackers through DNA testing. About two weeks ago, Aggad’s mother received an English text message saying that her son died as a martyr on Nov. 13, which a common way for ISIS to notify families of casualties. After receiving the text, she gave police a DNA sample, which showed that one of her sons was killed in the Bataclan. According to reporting from The Guardian, Aggad went to Syria with his brother and friends at the end of 2013. Most of Aggad’s friends and his brother, Karim, were arrested three months after their return to France. Two members of the group were killed. All three attackers involved in the November Paris attacks were killed, two by suicide vests and one by the police.

5.  At least 34 dead in Burundi capital following military attacks

A map of Burundi, an African country under much political tension. Recently, attacks have taken to the streets of the country’s capital, Bujumbura. Courtesy of Wikimedia.

At least 34 people were killed in Burundi overnight Friday. Most of the deceased bodies were found lain out in of the country’s capital, Bujumbura, after militia stormed the area with guns. Residents are accusing police of taking revenge after military sites were attacked Friday, killing at least 87 people, eight of whom were security forces. “Unrest has plagued Burundi since an attempted coup in May and protests over the president’s continued rule,” according to BBC reporting.

Police spokespeople say the victims killed were behind the attacks on government installations. Since April, at least 240 people have been killed, and 200,00 have fled to neighboring countries. Some are concerned that this violence is stirring a return of the violence seen during the Hutus and Tutsis tension. The catalyst of the protests began in April when President Pierre Nkurunziza announced his campaign for a third term in office.