Global News Roundup: Dec. 21-Dec. 27

By Niki Kottmann

1. Iraqi Military Announces First Major Victory Over the Islamic State

American and Iraqi soldiers board a Marine Corps helicopter in Ramadi, Iraq in 2009. Courtesy of Wikipedia.

The U.S.-trained Iraqi army declared its first major victory over ISIS in 18 months on Sunday. Iraqi troops stormed the city of Ramadi on Dec. 22 in an attempt to drive out ISIS, which took control of the Sunni Muslim city in May. According to Reuters, the operation to recapture the city, which is about 60 miles west of Baghdad, began in early November, but progress was slow due to the government’s attempt to rely solely on its own troops. The alternative would be to use Shi’ite militias like it has in the past, but the government wants to avoid rights abuses that occurred after using outside militias previously. After weeks of encircling the city, troops made a final push Sunday and seized the central administrative complex. A U.S.-led coalition continues to wage an air campaign against ISIS in Iraq.  

2. Islamic State Releases Message Supposedly from Leader Al-Baghdadi

Mugshot of Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi by U.S. armed forces at Camp Bucca in 2004. Courtesy of Wikipedia.

A new audio message that is said to be from Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi was released Saturday saying that airstrikes by Russia and a U.S.-led coalition failed to weaken ISIS. According to Reuters, the authenticity of the message is in question because it was posted via Twitter accounts that have published ISIS statements in the past but have not been verified.

“Be confident that God will grant victory to those who worship him, and hear the good news that our state is doing well. The more intense the war against it, the purer it becomes and the tougher it gets,” says the voice in the audio recording, according to Reuters.

3. New Israeli Bill That Restricts Foreign-Funded Nonprofits Criticized

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who, earlier this month,  rejected U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry’s comment that if the Palestinian government collapses, the Israeli government must govern the West Bank. Courtesy of Wikipedia.

Critics say a new Israeli bill that was given preliminary approval by Israeli Cabinet ministers Sunday is meant to restrain groups that are critical of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s policy towards Palestinians. According to Al Jazeera, the bill was proposed by Justice Minister Ayelet Shaked and approved by a committee of ministers. The bill imposes restrictions on nonprofits that receive more than half of their funding from other countries. Critics of the bill mention that most nongovernmental groups that don’t agree with the Prime Minister are majorly dependent upon donations from European countries.

4. Pope Addresses Terrorism and the Migrant Crisis in Christmas Speech

Pope Francis, who shared his support Friday for non-extremist Muslims and others practicing their faith who are condemned because of extremism: “To our brothers and sisters, who in many parts of the world are being persecuted for their faith, may the child Jesus grant consolation and strength.” Courtesy of Wikipedia.

In his annual Christmas address Friday, Pope Francis called for worldwide peace and reconciliation. According to BBC, the Pope expressed his support for the recent United Nations resolutions for peace in Syria and Libya, saying he would pray for their success. He also condemned the violent acts that took place in France, Lebanon, Egypt, Tunisia and Mali in the past year and praised countries that have welcomed Middle Eastern refugees past their borders. The Pope’s address came a week after the U.N. Security Council created a resolution to end the nearly five-year  war in Syria, proving to be both a breakthrough and a roadblock in peace negotiations since the fate of Syrian president Bashar al-Assad and the classification of armed groups as terrorists are still highly contested.

5. Chicago Police Questioned After Fatally Shooting Two People

Location of West Garfield Park, a neighborhood where two fatal shootings occurred Saturday, within the city of Chicago. Courtesy of Wikimedia Commons.

Quintonio LeGrier, 19, and Bettie Jones, 55, were shot and killed by police in West Garfield Park on Saturday after officers responded to a domestic disturbance report. Authorities say that Jones, a mother of five, was shot by accident. According to the Chicago Tribune, the fatal shootings are the first to occur at the hands of Chicago police officers after a 2014 video was released last month of Laquan McDonald’s death, putting the city in national headlines as police shootings continue to be one of the most controversial topics in the U.S. After confirming that the woman’s death was an accident, the police department announced that officers involved in shootings will now have to be placed on administrative duty for 30 days following the instance. This is a big change for officers because the previous policy said that those involved in shootings must go off active duty for three days.

 

Week in Review: Global News Roundup for Nov. 9-Nov. 14

By Lily Cusack 

Beirut Bombings

On Thursday, two suicide bombings took place in Beirut, Lebanon. According to CNN, the bombs killed at least 43 people and injured another 239. The explosions took place within 490 feet of each other, and they each happened within five minutes. They damaged at least four buildings near the explosions. There were three attackers, but two of them died during the bombings. The third bomber told authorities they were ISIS recruits that had arrived from Syria two days prior to the incident. Authorities say the militants could be part of a cell that ISIS dispatched to Beirut. The explosions went off in an area where the Shiite militia has a solid presence. One of the attackers tried to enter a Shiite mosque, but was prevented by security. Friday was declared a day of mourning for Lebanon.

Thursday’s bombing attack took place in Beirut, Lebanon. Courtesy of Wikipedia.com.

Jihadi John

The Pentagon said on Thursday that they are “reasonably certain” that ISIS militant “Jihadi John” was killed during a drone strike in Syria, according to BBC News. Kuwaiti native and British militant Mohammed Emwazi, also known as “Jihadi John,” was seen in many videos of the massacres of ISIS hostages. The first video he appeared was of the murder of US journalist James Foley last August. He has also been a part of the videos showing the killings of U.S. journalist Steven Sotloff, British aid worker David Haines, British taxi driver Alan Henning, American aid worker Abdul-Rahman Kassig, and Japanese journalist Kenji Goto. He was also seen during the mass beheading of Syrian troops. Three drones, one British and two American, carried out the attack during routine attacks that have been performed against ISIS leaders since May.

Paris Terror Attacks

A series of terrorist attacks took place Friday night in Paris. According to The Telegraph, the seven coordinated attacks occurred in the center of the capital, killing at least 132 and injuring another 352. Seven militants, all wearing suicide vests, have been linked to the attacks. The first two explosions were located at the Stade de France during the first half of the France-Germany soccer match.

The explosions went off between 9:20 and 9:30 p.m., minutes apart from each other. The explosions killed one person along with the two militants that detonated their suicide vests. French President François Hollande was in the crowd watching the match, and he was promptly escorted out of the stadium. At 9:25 p.m., gunmen opened fire on Petit Cambodge Cambodian restaurant and Le Carillon bar on Rue Bichet, about four miles from the stadium. Fifteen people died in the attack. The same gunman then drove to Rue de la Fontaine au Roi where they killed at least five at Casa Nostra pizzeria. The fifth attack happened on Rue de Charonne at La Belle Equipe bar at 9:40 p.m. where at least 19 people died. The militant detonated his suicide vest around the corner from the bar on Boulevard Voltaire. At around 9:50 p.m., three militants entered the Bataclan concert venue on Boulevard Voltaire, about a mile away from the restaurant shootings, where the U.S. rock group Eagles of Death Metal was performing to a full house of 1,500 people. The gunmen were brandishing AK-47 rifles and suicide vests.

The siege lasted two hours and 40 minutes as they held the venue hostage. Anti-terror police ended the hostage crisis at around 12:30 a.m. Two of the militants detonated their vests, and the police shot one. The death toll rose to 89. The last attack took place at around 10 p.m. where a militant detonated his vest near the Stade de France outside of a McDonald’s restaurant. One person was seriously injured.

Myanmar General Election

Aung San Suu Kyi and her party, the National League for Democracy (NLD), were declared victorious on Friday after the votes were tallied for the Myanmar general election. The party won a majority of seats in parliament, with 348 seats across the lower and upper houses, according to The Guardian. This is 19 more seats required for an absolute majority. The victory for Suu Kyi marked the end of a half a century of military dominance in the country. Although Suu Kyi is banned from presidency due to the country’s constitution, the NLD will be able to push their own legislation, form a government and pick a president of their choosing. This administration will be the first government since 1960 not picked by the military and their political allies. The current government officials have accepted their defeat, and say they are willing to work on handing their power over peacefully. Army generals still control the most powerful aspects of government: interior, defense and border undertakings.   

Aung San Suu Kyi, National League for Democracy part leader. Courtesy of Wikipedia.com.

Japanese Earthquake and Tsunami

An earthquake and a tsunami occurred off the coast of Japan early Saturday morning. According to IB Times, the earthquake was a 7.0 magnitude, and its epicenter was just under 100 miles southwest of the town of Makurazaki, occurring at a depth of about 6 miles. A one-foot tsunami hit the Japanese island of Nakanoshima as a result of the earthquake. However, there were no reports of damages or injuries. The Japanese Met Agency announced a tsunami advisory, but it was canceled after an hour and a half.