Week In Review: The United Kingdom expels suspected Russian spies
Following the nerve gas agent attack on former spy Sergei Skripal, Prime Minister Theresa May announced the expulsion of over 20 Russian diplomats who are suspected to be spies thus placing the full blame on the Russian government. According to the prime minister, the Putin’s Kremlin did not take the 24-hour deadline for explaining the […]
Same-Sex Marriage Passes in Germany’s Bundestrat
After Chancellor Angela Merkel dropped her opposition to a vote on the subject earlier this week, Germany’s Bundestrat passed a bill giving same-sex couples the same rights as heterosexual couples, including marriage and adoption. The bill passed 393 votes to 296, with four abstentions. The vote comes at the end of Pride Month, which commemorates […]
Venezuela Police Helicopter Attacks Buildings; President Claims Coup
Tuesday night, a stolen police helicopter in Caracas, Venezuela led to further controversy in the country’s already turbulent political situation. No one was killed in the attack, which involved grenades firing at Venezuela’s Supreme Court. President Nicolás Maduro blamed the attack on Oscar Perez, a police pilot who is allegedly still at large. Political opponents of […]
Revised Travel Ban Went Into Effect Yesterday 8 PM; Advocates Preparing
After Monday’s Supreme Court ruling reinstating part of President Trump’s March 6th travel ban, the State Department confirmed that the revised travel ban would go into effect at 8 PM on Thursday night. The order will ban citizens of Libya, Iran, Syria, Yemen, Somalia and Sudan without a provable ‘bona fide relationship’ to the United […]
Healthcare Vote Delayed as Republican Support Falters
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell has delayed a vote on the controversial healthcare legislation announced last week, as at least nine Republican senators are on the record opposing the legislation. Republican opposition follows the Congressional Budget Office’s announcement on Monday that it would increase the number of uninsured Americans by 22 million by 2026. Senators […]
Angela Merkel Shifts Position on Same-Sex Marriage; German Lawmakers Could Vote This Week
On Monday, German Chancellor Angela Merkel suggested that she had softened her party’s position on same-sex marriage. Merkel told the women’s magazine Brigitte, “I would like to orient the discussion in a direction which raises the question of a decision according to conscience rather than imposing anything.” German media then reported that Merkel would allow […]
Over 140 Buried After Chinese Landslide
Rainfall triggered a landslide in China’s Sichuan Province today, leaving at least five dead and over 140 people buried in the aftermath. 62 homes were buried in the village of Xinmo, in Mao County, along with almost a mile of road and river. The landslide came from a nearby mountain, around 6 AM on Saturday. A […]
US Supreme Court Allows Portions of Travel Ban, Will Review In October
Today, the Supreme Court announced it plans to review President Trump’s travel ban when court resumes in the fall. The decision allows for portion of the ban to take affect in the meantime. According to SCOTUSBlog, the government cannot enforce the ban against individuals, “with a bona fide relationship to the US”. Two federal courts […]
Republicans Release Draft of Secret Healthcare Bill
After much anticipation, Senate Republicans released a draft of their healthcare bill today, which up until today was kept secret. However, the text is likely to change before a vote. The bill, if passed unchanged, would cut all federal funding to Planned Parenthood and allow insurers to raise premiums for people with preexisting health conditions. […]
Democrats Defeated in Georgia’s Closely Watched Special Election
Republican Karen Handel defeated Democrat Jon Ossoff in a special runoff election for Georgia’s sixth congressional district member in the United States House of Representatives last night. While local elections like that of Georgia’s usually do not receive national attention, this particular election did. The election between Ossoff and Handel was most importantly symbolic; it […]