Have you been so busy with #WorkForest that you haven’t had any time to keep up with the news? Here are some tidbits from this week to keep you updated and in the know!
*Image from NYTimes
Thank goodness, it’s finally over. Last weekend we heard about the Nairobi, Kenya mall siege. The Shabab terrorist group kept hostages there for several long days, mutilating and torturing their victims. The Westgate Mall had grown to be a symbol of Kenya’s new-found wealth and growing middle class. Many families would go to the mall together on Sundays. The attackers knew this, planning the siege for over a year and renting out one of the shops to store weapons and gather reconnaissance. The Islamist militant group claims that the attack was retaliation for Kenyan military operations in Somalia. This has truly devastated Kenya.
Earthquake leaves hundreds dead. This week, Pakistan experienced several major earthquakes that destroyed many lives. The first earthquake came on Tuesday and killed at least 359 people so far. Thousands were left homeless after the 7.7 magnitude monster. And then, disaster struck again on Saturday, as another earthquake, this one of 6.8 magnitude, hit the very same region. The province where these earthquakes hit is sparsely populated in comparison to the rest of Pakistan; however, the terrain and lack of organized roads has made rescue efforts quite a doozy. The second earthquake from yesterday has a death toll of 15 so far. We can only hope that these quakes are over and the region won’t feel any more tremors in the coming weeks.
*Image from NYTimes
Hit the road, Jack. This Monday, an Egyptian court filed an injunction banning the Muslim Brotherhood from the country. The Muslim Brotherhood is a political and religious movement that has held much sway over Egyptian politics in the past. After the 2011 Egyptian Revolution, their candidate, Mohamed Morsi, won the presidency. However, several months ago Morsi was ousted after mass protests, a similar scene to Egypt as it was two years ago. The court ruling will effectively outlaw the Brotherhood and seize all of its assets.
So call me, maybe. This Friday, September 27, marked a historic moment as President Obama spoke on the phone with Iranian President Hassan Rouhani. This is the first time that American and Iranian leaders have spoken directly since the Iranian Revolution in 1979. This phone call comes after a rough week at the UN General Assembly, where hopes of President Obama and Rouhani speaking were dashed. It may very well be the start of a road to peace and diplomacy.
*Image from EOnline.com
Ruh-roh. The October 1st deadline of a government shutdown is fastly approaching, only 2 days away, in fact. Congress has still not passed a budget and the government will certainly be shut down if it doesn’t do something, and quick. Last week, the GOP-controlled house passed a bill that would keep the government running, while also defunding Obamacare (no coincidence there, as that goes into effect on October 1st). Problem is, there is no way that provision will make it through the Democrat-led Senate. Earlier this week, the Senate approved a procedural vote that passed the House bill, just so that it could send it back to them without the Obamacare part. Senator Ted Cruz (R-TX) gave a 21 hour speech trying to block the Senate vote but he had no such luck, despite his temper tantrum about Obamacare and green eggs and ham.
This morning, the House voted for a bill to avoid government shutdown by delaying Obamacare for one year. The House Republicans are refusing to compromise, catering to a Tea Party minority that truly despises Obamacare. The Senate will take a look at this bill and almost certainly send it back to the House without the one year delay. If so, Speaker John Boehner will have to decide if he is willing to put it on the floor for a vote. Either way, time is running out…tick, tick.
*Image from theblaze.com
Pasta loves everyone. This week, the chairman on Barilla pasta, Guido Barilla, made some remarks regarding homosexuals. He basically said that Barilla would only allow for traditional families in its advertisements and if anyone objected, they could eat a different kind of pasta. These remarks have sparked a worldwide boycott of the leading pasta brand, starting a Chick-fil-A style debate all over again.
“We won’t include gays in our ads, because we like the traditional family. If gays don’t like it, they can always eat another brand of pasta. Everyone is free to do what they want, provided it doesn’t bother anyone else.” – Guido Barilla