Good morning Her Campus! With a break-neck news cycle, there is no possible way for you to stay on top of every story that comes across your feeds—we’re all only human, after all.
But, life comes at you fast. So grab a cup of coffee and settle in for this quick and dirty guide to stories you might’ve been sleeping on (like, literally. It’s early.)
At Least 21 People Are Dead In Iranian Anti-Government Protests
Following protests that erupted in Iran last Thursday in response to economic anxiety (as well as rising fuel and food costs), 21 people have been killed, CNN reports. Iranian State Media also reports that about 450 people have been arrested over the past three days.
The protests have also brought on multiple tweets from U.S. President Donald Trump who also blamed the Obama administration’s Iran deal.
The people of Iran are finally acting against the brutal and corrupt Iranian regime. All of the money that President Obama so foolishly gave them went into terrorism and into their “pockets.” The people have little food, big inflation and no human rights. The U.S. is watching!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 2, 2018
According to CNN, Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei blamed the protests on “enemies” of Iran and said they were “waiting for an opportunity, for a flaw, through which they can enter.”
“Look at these events over the last few days. All those who are against the Islamic Republic, those who have money, those who have the politics, those who have the weapons, those who have the intelligence, they have all joined forces in order to create problems for the Islamic Republic and the Islamic Revolution,” he said.
American Girl Introduces A New Astronaut For The Girls In STEM In Your Life
American Girl has introduced a brand new collaboration with NASA to bring space-obsessed girls a doll they can look up to: Luciana Vega, a 10-year-old aspiring astronaut.
“3…2…1…Meet Luciana Vega! Our newest character is on a mission to be the first astronaut on Mars, leading the way for girls to explore their own curiosity about space and science—and helping their confidence soar. #CharacterCounts,” American Girl writes via Facebook.
In a statement discussing the collaboration, NASA said that they were deeply involved providing information and input for Luciana’s books, merchandise and for additional content on the American Girl app and website.
Megan McArthur, a NASA astronaut who served on the project’s advisory board, said “It is so important to find exciting new ways to inspire our next generation of space explorers. I always want to encourage girls and boys to pursue their dreams, no matter how big, and I think it helps to show how those dreams can become reality for any kid.”
American Girl fans are not-only excited to welcome a new science-loving doll, but are also happy to see another young Latina woman represented among their ranks.
The New Years ‘Super Moon’ Was Gave A ‘Yuge Start To 2018
The first full moon of 2018 wasn’t playing around, giving a New Years Day show that could rival any fireworks.
The moon wasn’t just full but was also a “super moon,” which occurs when the moon reaches its full phase on the same day it’s orbit is closest to Earth.
Tonight’s supermoon will appear 14% bigger and 30% brighter than the July 27 full Moon, occurring at the farthest point in the Moon’s orbit. Use the interactive Dial-A-Moon to see the difference in apparent size. https://t.co/s6Egk9vvTj pic.twitter.com/0a8R71FsCq
— NASA Moon (@NASAMoon) January 1, 2018
This moon, according to NASA, was 14 percent bigger and 30 percent brighter than the full moon that occurred in July (which was farthest from the Earth in the moon’s orbit.)