Since mid-June Pakistan has been devastated by floods with an estimated 1,400 dead, and over 30 million people displaced, according to The New York Times. The nation’s Minister of Finance, Miftah Ismail, estimates that there have been around $10 billion in damages caused by the flooding, however, others believe that there could be up to twice that amount and that the damages will only continue to rise, reports Al Jazeera.
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On September 15, Hackensack Meridian Health Theater in Redbank, New Jersey, hosted American debater, philosopher, and author Dr. Cornel West in their Community Conversations series. The forum examined the American philosopher’s outlook on justice, race, and the dangers of populism in a growing society.
Read MoreOn January 18, Indonesia’s parliament passed a bill to relocate the nation’s capital from Jakarta to the jungle island of Borneo, with the new city’s name to be Nusantara. The move, according to BBC News, will cost an estimated 466 trillion rupiah, or roughly $32.4 billion. The bill passed by approvals from eight factions, with one faction rejecting, according to Indonesian House Representative Puan Maharani.
Read MoreOn January 20, prosecutors from the United States charged four Belarusian officials with aircraft piracy after diverting a flight to the Belarussian capital Minsk to arrest opposition journalist Raman Pratasevich, according to Reuters.
Read MoreThis past week, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken traveled to Europe to meet with partners and adversaries to discuss the growing threat of a Russian invasion of Ukraine. According to the Military Times, Russia has built up nearly 120,000 troops as well as conventional military equipment along its border with Ukraine and Belarus, signaling a potential invasion in the coming weeks.
Read MoreBritish Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s political career may be in danger as allegations swirl that he attended a 50-person Christmas party at 10 Downing Street while the rest of England was under lockdown. According to BBC News, Johnson also hosted a “bring your own booze” event with around 100 invitees in May of 2020. The revelations have sparked speculation Johnson may have to step down, and that a Conservative party election will determine a new party leader and prime minister.
Read MoreThe eruption of the Hunga Tonga Hunga Ha’apai volcano on January 15 created continuous challenges in aiding Tonga, the nation of Pacific islands caught in the disaster. One of the main challenges resulting from the eruption, according to PBS News, was the severing of Tonga’s fiber-optic cable, cutting off communication with the rest of the world.
Read MoreWhen adults in the United States are arrested and charged with a crime, they have the right to be released on bail. The 8th amendment of the U.S. Constitution states that “excessive bail shall not be required, nor excessive fines imposed, or cruel and unusual punishments inflicted.” It is a right given to every adult offender no matter the age or nature of the offense.
Read MoreSalami tactics, or conquering an enemy piece-by-piece, is a well-known strategy in international relations used to overcome opposition and weaken enemy states. The People’s Republic of China and India faced tensions earlier this year in what was their second faceoff since 2020. In May 2020, a clash between the troops of both countries along the Sino-Indian border resulted from India’s infrastructure plan in the bordering region near Ladakh. Both the countries engaged in cross-border-firing on September 7, 2020, the first time in 45 years.
Read MoreBoth India and Pakistan have characterized the residents of Kashmir as pawns in their never-ending political and religious games of chess. Kashmiri women, in particular, bear the brunt of the conflict’s consequences. Among other things, they are subjected to sexual violence with little recourse for justice, and the battle for national and religious superiority in the region only worsens the physical impact on women.
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