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“Vulnerable people...are paying the ultimate price”

By SS

Seeds: Decades of wars have caused great poverty in this newly founded country. Last year there was a major refugee crisis, with over 1 million people fleeing the country seeking refuge in surrounding areas because of the violent conflict that persists between ethnic groups.

Core: A famine was formally declared, and this means that malnutritions exceeds 30%, more than 20% of households have extreme food shortages, and a certain percentage of people are dying from starvation.  100,000 people are facing starvation, with a million more very close. According to some organizations, more than 40% of South Sudan’s population (4.9 million people) are in desperate need of food.

Skin: Several people are calling it a man-made famine, mainly due violence that hurt the farmers ability to produce crops and the already crippling economic instability of the country.

Leaves: Here are links to a few ways that you can help people in South Sudan stay alive: Action Against Hunger, World Food Programme, Red Cross.

Food For Thought: Do you think that other nations owe more help to countries like South Sudan?

Still Hungry? CNN, BBC, The Washington Post, The UN

Think we missed something? Tell us in the comments.

The title is a quote from Emma Jane Drew, Oxfam's humanitarian program manager in South Sudan.

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Michael Flynn's Resignation Condensed

By SS

Seeds: On November 18 Michael Flynn was announced as President Trump’s pick for National Security Advisor. He was only in this position for three weeks and three days.

Core: February 13 Flynn resigned from the position. It was leaked previous to this that Flynn had conversations via mobile phone with the Russian ambassador. Moreover, when asked about what he discussed, he gave “incomplete information” to the Vice President, saying that he did not discuss sanctions, or that he could not remember doing so. Sean Spicer, the White House Press Secretary, stated that Flynn was asked to resign because of the misinforming of the Vice President.

Skin: There is discussion in Washington about whether Flynn outrightly lied or just omitted information about a call he probably was not supposed to make (it is illegal for unauthorized citizens to deal/negotiate with foreign governments about disputes, and Flynn is an advisor, not an ambassador).

Leaves: For more information on this complicated issue, here. Retired Gen. Kellogg is currently the acting-National Security Advisor.

Food For Thought: Do you think Flynn truly forgot? Who do you think should be the next advisor? Do you think any other members of the cabinet would resign in the future?

Still Hungry? BBC, New York Times, npr, Washington Post, Fox News, CBS News

Think we missed something? Tell us in the comments.

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#TBT Nelson Mandela Release

By SS

Seeds: In 1948, an all-white national party gained power in South Africa and began installing segregation laws. The party won on the slogan “apartheid,” which translates to “separateness” from Afrikaans. This party not only wanted to separate the white minority from the rest of the population, but also divide native African tribes to decrease their political power. Interracial marriage was banned, every person had to be classified by race in government documents, 80 % of public land was set aside for the white minority, and all non-white participation in national government was denied.

Core: On February 11, 1990, Nelson Mandela was released after 27 years of incarceration for his activism. He was a symbol of the anti-apartheid movement in South Africa for several years, and he consistently denied recanting his political statements to expedite his release from prison. After his release, Mandela continued to work to establish a multiracial government and was eventually  inaugurated as the country’s first black president in 1994. In 1996, he enacted a new constitution and remained an activist for peace and equality until his dying day.

Skin: The anti-apartheid activists relied heavily on international media to fuel their cause. While domestic media during the apartheid era was heavily censored, enough activist press leaked through, spurring international discussion.

Leaves: On June 17,1991, the South African government repealed the apartheid laws, but tensions between races and tribes still remained. To this day, the country struggles with political corruption, violent crime, and HIV/AIDS. In some rural areas, racial equality is still elusive, even twenty years after the end of apartheid.

Food for thought: Do you think that this kind of racial/ethnic segregation remains a prevalent problem in other developed countries? What about racism or ethnic discrimination? Tell us what you think.

Still Hungry? NY Times, Britannica

Think we missed something? Tell us in the comments.

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Who’s Betsy DeVos?

By SS

Seeds: When President Trump was elected he nominated DeVos to be the Secretary of Education, an d many people have been angry.

Core: DeVos is a “billionaire philanthropist” who has advocated for a “school-choice” system where parents can decide which public, charter, or private school their children should go to. Many say this would be incredibly expensive and difficult to pass. She has pushed for the deregulation and expansion of charter schools, which some say has caused a lessening in their quality and that of the education in Michigan (where she’s from) in general. Also, groups such as the ACLU and AARP say that this deregulation of charter schools could allow for discrimination against students of color or impoverished students.

Skin: DeVos was confirmed today, in a 50/50 vote that had to be broken by Vice President Pence. This is the closest such vote for the position in the history of the Senate. Funny Note: She famously said that schools in Wyoming might want guns on campus to prevent grizzly bear attacks. Tell us if you think that’s likely.

Leaves: Many who critique DeVos say that she is not a good pick simply because she lacks the experience acting teaching or administrating in schools, something that most Education Secretaries have had in the past. Time will tell what DeVos does.

Food For Thought: What do you think of DeVos? What about the other cabinet nominees?

Still Hungry? Politico, CNN, The Atlantic, Washington Post

Think we missed something? Tell us in the comments.

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Neil Gorsuch in less than 200 words

By SS

Seeds: Gorsuch is 49 years old, a graduate of Oxford, Columbia, and Harvard, and the youngest Supreme Court nominee in a quarter century. He apparently has an impressive knowledge of Winston Churchill quotes, so that’s kind of interesting. He also wrote a book about how he believes assisted suicide (euthanasia) is immoral and illegal.

Core: Gorsuch has clear conservative leanings in his rulings. He, like the late Justice Antonin Scalia, believes in textualism – a form of interpreting the Constitution strictly with its words. Many believe he would make similar rulings to those of Scalia – therefore researchers predict he would be likely to rule against affirmative action and expanding LGBTQ+ rights.

Skin: While there has been some resistance to Gorsuch’s nomination, given his credentials and the need for a 9th justice, it has not be significant as of yet.

Leaves: Republicans in the Senate are hoping to have Gorsuch on the bench by April.

Food For Thought: What do you think of the nominee? Do you think the Constitution is a “living document?”

Still Hungry? BBC, The New York Times, Reuters, CNBC, Washington Post

Think we missed something? Tell us in the comments.

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Trump's Wall

By KH

Seeds: You may remember this line from the very beginning of Trump’s candidacy, “When Mexico sends its people, they're not sending their best...They're bringing drugs. They're bringing crime. They're rapists. And some, I assume, are good people.” From that moment on, Trump became a symbol of harsh immigration reform for conservatives. Thus, the concept of the wall along of the southern United States border was born.

Core: Yesterday, in one of his many executive orders during his first week in office, Donald Trump ordered the construction of the border wall he boasted about over the last year. In addition, The White House announced today that Trump was considering a 20% border tax on imports coming in from Mexico, but an official plan to pay for the wall has not yet been decided.

Skin: In a swift response to Trump’s executive orders, President Enrique Peña Nieto of Mexico publically cancelled his scheduled trip to the White House.

Leaves: Many are worried that Trump’s presidency threatens the relationship between the United States and Mexico, a relationship that has remained friendly since the Mexican- American War in 1848.

Food For Thought: Do you think Trump will find a way to pay for the wall? Do you think the wall will actually get built?

Still Hungry? TIME, CNN (1), CNN (2),  The New York Times

Think we missed something? Tell us in the comments.

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The Netherlands is Countering U.S. Abortion Funding Cut

By OH

Seeds: Yesterday, President Donald Trump signed an executive order that prohibits federal funding for international organizations that provide abortions or support for family planning overseas.

Core: In response, Netherlands set up a global fund in which other governments and businesses can donate to financially support women’s reproductive rights and the groups that will be affected by this ban.

Skin: Many are upset by this ban, as many believe banning abortions will not stop them from happening and cutting support will only result in the performance of unsafe procedures. However, many people who are pro-life see this ban as a step in the right direction.  

Leaves: This ban is just one of the many of Trump’s recent executive orders. Trump has also spoken about cutting domestic abortion funding too. We can only wait and see what else the newly elected President has planned.

Food For Thought: What do you think of the ban and the international community’s response? Are you pro-life or pro-choice? What else can you predict about Trump’s first 100 days?

Still Hungry? BBC, ABC News, Reuters, ProLifeAction.org, FoxNews

Think we missed something? Tell us in the comments.

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#TBT El Chapo…¿Quién es?

By SS

Seeds: Joaquín “El Chapo” Guzmán is the notorious face of the Sinaloa cartel in Mexico. Many consider him head of the most powerful drug cartel in the world, perhaps in history (we consider him the owner of the grossest mustache, but hey). With a net worth of more than $1 billion as estimated in Forbes, El Chapo is the face of a cartel known for drug trafficking, money laundering, and organized crime. They deal methamphetamines (meth), marijuana, heroin and cocaine, while supposedly having deep connections within the governmental structure of Mexico.

Core: El Chapo wasrecaptured after escaping from a maximum security prison in June of 2015. El Chapo is notorious for his prison escapes, having done so in 2001 by hiding in a laundry cart after enduring 8 years of incarceration. He was recaptured in 2014, but escaped in 2015 through a hole in the bottom of his shower. By doing so, he has proved once again that he had the prison, and those who ran it, under his thumb. Also, proving that he will do anything to avoid taking a shower, so says staff writer, KH.

Skin: While most people are pleased that the infamous cartel leader is captured, there have been several twitter users expressing their deep sorrow for the fact the El Chapo was recaptured before he could have a sword fight with Donald Trump atop “the great wall of Texas”

Leaves: Today, El Chapo was extradited to the United States to face charges of drug trafficking, as well as others. The United States has made many requests to extradite him, in hopes that our prison system is slightly better at keeping him behind bars.

Food for thought: Do you think El Chapo will escape again? How much of his success do you think can be attributed to the cartel’s political ties? Tell us what you think. 

Still Hungry? NBC News, NYTimes, Vox, Washington Post

Think we missed something? Tell us in the comments. 

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Obama's Final Press Conference

By: KH

Seeds: Over the last year, the country has counted down the lasts of the Obama administration. Final State of the Union address, final White House Correspondents dinner, final turkey pardoning, you get the idea. Today, President Obama had his final press conference.

Core: In the press conference, President Obama thanked the reporters present for the role they play in American government. The overall tone of the press conference was one of hope. Despite all that’s happening, President Obama continues to “believe in the American people” and “believe that people are more good than bad.”

Skin: The questions asked in today’s press conference were not especially hard-hitting, but rather had a slightly personal touch. The last question Obama took as President of the United States had to do with his daughters and how they will move forward in light of the election.  

Leaves: As President-elect Donald Trump prepares to take the oath of office on Friday, the country is preparing for a change in tone at future presidential press conferences.

Food For Thought: The New York Times

Still Hungry?: How do you feel about the end of Obama’s term in office? What kind of president do you think Donald Trump will be?

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What to expect on Inauguration Day

By SS

Seeds: This Friday, January 20th, President-elect Donald J. Trump will be sworn in as the 45th President of the United States of America and Mike Pence will be sworn in as his Vice President.

Core: The musical performances, opening remarks, ceremony itself and some of the parade after will all be televised. The ceremony will start at 11:30 and President-elect Trump will deliver a short speech after he is sworn in. There will also be media coverage of the Inaugural Balls, so if you’re into fashion, stay tuned for those. If you live in or around D.C., expect a lot of traffic.

Skin: Dozens of Democrats have said that they will not be attending the ceremony, and some will be hosting protests instead.

Leaves: Many groups and organizations have said that they will be holding protests before, after, and during the Inauguration ceremony. The largest noted is the Women’s March on Washington, which expects some 200,000 people to join. However, there are many more expected to take place all around the country, not just in D.C.

Food For Thought: Are you excited for Friday? Nervous? Ready to cheer? Ready to march?

Still Hungry? ABC News, CNN, Politico

Think we missed something? Tell us in the comments.

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Trump’s Press Conference, Condensed

By SS

Seeds: Nine days before his inauguration President-elect Trump had a press conference. Watch the entire event here (his Q&A starts around 20 minutes in).

Core: Some highlights included:

He stated that Russia has hacked us, “the United States is hacked by everybody. That includes Russia and China and everybody — everybody. OK.”

He says that “the wall” will be built and that Mexico will repay the U.S. in some way.

When the Supreme Court was brought up he said that he would put forth a pick within the first two weeks of his presidency.

He told a CNN reporter “Don’t be rude,” “your organization is terrible,” and “quiet” because he wouldn’t take his question. That was kind of funny.

He also said that he would be “the greatest job producer that God ever created” when talking about keeping jobs in the US.

Skin: Some news outlets are bashing the conference, calling it a trainwreck. This isn’t surprising given that the President-elect was doing some bashing of his own during the event. Also, other outlets stated that he filled the room with paid staffers who clapped and cheered a great deal, some are insinuating that they were told when to do so.

Leaves: For a more in-depth look at what his other policy-related statements mean, we suggest this annotated article.

Food For Thought: How do you think the conference went? Do you think it was a PR nightmare or a strong start? Are you excited for his presidency or nervous? Indifferent?

Still Hungry? The New York Times, BBC, CNN, npr, Politico

Think we missed something? Tell us in the comments.

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The Jury Ruled: Death Penalty

By SS

Seeds: Dylann Roof opened fire in a Charleston Church in June of 2015, killing 9 black parishioners. He was convicted last month of 33 crimes, including hate crimes. He is an admitted white supremacist, famously saying, “I felt like I had to do it. I still feel like I had to do it.”

Core: Today Roof was sentenced to death for his crimes. Throughout the trial Roof had insisted that he was not psychologically unstable, asked for no witnesses, essentially ignored his lawyers, and presented no evidence in his defense.

Skin: Roof’s horrendous acts spurred on a renewed discussion about racism in the southern US. The confederate flag was taken down from the South Carolina statehouse as a result.

Leaves: Roof has asked to appeal the trial, which could lead to a years-long trial, especially if Roof readdresses his mental health as a factor in his crimes (he hinted at it in his final statements).

Food For Thought: What do you think of the death penalty? How do you feel about flying the confederate flag?

Still Hungry? BBC (1), Washington Post, npr, CNN, The New York Times

Think we missed something? Tell us in the comments.

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What we know about Russia hacking the election

By SS

Seeds: In October, the US government announced that Russia hacked the Democratic National Convention (DNC) which resulted in the public release of thousands of emails, including emails that some say damaged both the party as a whole and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton’s campaign. Evidence was found that Russia was also funding outlets that spread fake news, another aspect that some say contributed to President-elect Trump’s win. Also, the CIA has concluded that parts of the RNC and groups who fund both directly and indirectly the Republican party were hacked.

Core: US intelligence agencies have found that Russian agents, on orders by President Putin, were behind the hacks, specifically seeking to injure Hillary Clinton's image and help swing the vote in President-elect Trump's favor. Within the last two weeks President Obama ejected 35 suspected Russian intelligence operatives and imposed sanctions on two of Russia's intelligence services as a strike back to this news. 

Skin: President-elect Trump and his team have repeatedly denied that validity of the assessment and probes requested by many of the House members calling it “ridiculous.” He recently acknowledged that the claims must be true. Representatives from Russia continually deny these claims. 

Leaves: Senior aides to President-elect Trump have stated that he is considering actions against Russia in light of this news.President Obama, in his last few weeks

Food For Thought: Do you think that Russia-US relations will warm or worsen? Do you think that Russia's so-called "influence campaign" worked? 

Still Hungry? CNN, Reuters, npr, Wall Street Journal, The New York Times (1), The New York Times (2) BBC

Think we missed something? Tell us in the comments.

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#TBT Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

By OH

Seeds: In the 1950’s and 60’s, Martin Luther King Jr. was one of the most influential American civil rights activists. He fought for racial equality in the United States at a time of racial segregation.

Core: Most famous for his “I Have a Dream” speech, King was known for his eloquence and peaceful rhetoric. However, as a result of speaking out, he was arrested over 20 times and his house was bombed on several occasions by conservative segregationists. In 1964, he gained global renown and was awarded a Nobel Peace Prize. On April 4th, 1968, King was assassinated while staying at a motel in Memphis.   

Skin: On this day, many volunteer in citizen action groups, furthering his legacy. Not only known as a brilliant speech writer, Martin Luther King Jr. is also a symbol for peace and unity and inspires Americans to this day.

Leaves: Today, Martin Luther King Day (celebrated on Jan. 16) is a day synonymous with the celebration of human rights. Perhaps most importantly, the federal holiday named in his honor encourages Americans to take a moment and assess how socially just our current society is.  

Food For Thought: What’s your favorite MLK quote? Can you think of other advocates who mirror his goals?

Still Hungry? History.net, Time and Date, National Service.gov, Youtube

Think we missed something? Tell us in the comments.

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Another attack in Istanbul

By KH

Seeds: On Sunday, many of us gathered with friends and family to shake off the difficulties of 2016 and ring in the new year. Many had hoped that the restarting of the calendar year might bring some sort of relief from 2016, a year plagued with hundreds of deadly terrorist attacks. Istanbul already had terrible bombings earlier this year. However, the events on New Year’s Day in Istanbul denote that 2017 could be more of the same.

Core: Around 1 AM on New Year’s Day, a gunman entered a nightclub in Istanbul and shot and killed 39 people. The aforementioned nightclub was a popular location for foreigners and, as a result, victims of this attack hail from a total of 12 countries, spanning from Canada, to India, to Belgium and Tunisia.

Skin: As is common with many of the terrorist attacks that happen abroad in non-Western countries, the attack in Istanbul did not get a ton of coverage from news sources in the United States. This was heightened due to the timing of the event. Instead of covering the attack, most media outlets were focused on the festivities surrounding New Year’s Eve.

Leaves: Today, January 2, 2017, ISIS claimed responsibility for the attack. At this point, the Turkish authorities are still searching for the gunman.  

Food For Thought: Do you think there will be some sort of decrease in terror attacks this year? Is terrorism bound to get worse?

Still Hungry? USA Today, The New York Times (1), The New York Times (2) , The New York Times (3)

Think we missed something? Tell us in the comments.

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#TBT Israeli-Palestinian Conflict

By SS

Seeds: Israel is the world’s only Jewish country, and has been sacred to the Jewish people since biblical times. The capital is Jerusalem, though it is not internationally recognized due to the conflict. In the middle ages the country was conquered by the Arabs, who called it Palestine and practiced Islam, and was held by the Ottoman Empire (kind of like a bigger Turkey) until World War I. After World War I, what was then Palestine  was under British control. During the 20th century Jewish migrations back to the area increased dramatically, as they were often fleeing persecution because Nazism and Stalinism were growing in power. Israel became a country in 1948 after hundreds of thousands of Jews migrated.

Core: However, hundreds of thousands of Arab Palestinians had been living in the region for thousands of years and did not want to leave the land deemed sacred by the Jewish people. After a war Israel possessed 77% of the land they desired and Palestinians inhabited the rest. As a result, there were hundreds of thousands of Palestinian refugees who were without homes or any way to survive. Now there are more than 7 million refugees.

Skin: This conflict is extremely controversial. Those who are in favor of the Jewish state argue that after the horrors of the Holocaust the creation of a Jewish state was necessary. Because Jerusalem was considered by the Jewish people their homeland, Israel was formed where it is. Those who favor the Palestinians argue that the Arabs occupied the territory for thousands of years and should not be forced to uproot their lives. As well as this, they argue that the Israeli government does not treat the Palestinian occupants of the area equally to Israel, there have been cases of torture, imprisonment and extrajudicial killings (killings not legally authorized).

Leaves: The crisis is still not resolved as there is daily violence between the Palestinians and Israelis. As well as this, Israel still tries to expand its borders in areas called settlements, displacing more Palestinians. The UN recently reached a resolution wherein they called for all this expansion to stop, but Israel has already refused.

Food For Thought: What do you think of this contentious debate? With whom do you side? Do you think there is a solution?

Still Hungry? Vox, BBC, The Washington Post, The UN, PBS

Think we missed something? Tell us in the comments.

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UN Vote, Kerry’s Speech, and Netanyahu’s anger, explained

By SS

Seeds: The United Nations (UN) recently voted on a resolution about the Israel-Palestine conflict that would demand that Israel stop all settlement on occupied Palestinian territory, including East Jerusalem (a city very scared to the Israeli people). The United States did not veto this resolution, which surprised many given that the U.S. has historically been one of Israel’s closest allies.

Core: Today, Secretary of State John Kerry gave a speech wherein he insured that the U.S.’s decision to not veto was in line with American values and that this settlement is in line with the idea of creating a “two-state solution” (one where both the Palestinians and the Israelis could live peacefully, dividing the land between the two).

Skin: Israel’s government said that they would continue these settlements and are very upset with the Obama administration, suggesting that the U.S. must have a plot against Israel. The U.S. ambassador was summoned to Israel, and Israel has stated that it will retaliate by ending funding to relief organizations in the U.N. that aid any Palestinians. Essentially, Israel is up in arms; they said that Israel “does not turn the other cheek.”

Leaves: This resolution is non-binding, so there will be no sanctions or other retaliatory measures if Israel does not comply, and it looks like they won’t. However, President-elect Trump has tweeted about his support for Israel and the Israeli government has announced that they look forward to reestablishing and warming ties with the U.S. with his administration.

Food For Thought: What do you think about the Israeli-Palestinian conflict? What about the resolution? Do you think the Trump administration will keep to its promises and aid Israel?

Still Hungry? Vox (1), BBC, The New York Times, npr

Think we missed something? Tell us in the comments.