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‘OUR RIGHT TO VOTE’: HOW COVID-19 IS INFECTING DEMOCRACY AROUND THE WORLD
By Audrey Bimbi, Associate Editor COVID-19 has caused disruptions in more ways that many could have anticipated. Now added to the list of disruptions is the virus’ threat to democracy and the right to vote. As of April 15, 2020, several countries have postponed their elections to avoid putting people’s lives at risk, with South Korea currently standing out as an exception. With approximately 14,000 disinfected voting stations, South Korea is carrying out its elections in the strictest form, requiring voters to wear masks and stand about 3 feet from each other. Even those who are infected can vote by mailing the ballots. Regardless of whether countries will continue to…
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Knife-Crime Crisis: Saving UK Youth Before It’s Too Late
By Briana T. Clayton, Associate Editor LONDON, England — On the night of November 7, 2019, a shocking night of violence resulted in three teenagers being stabbed within 10 minutes of one another. The double knife attack in West London resulted in the death of one of the victims, while at the same time, police rushed to Feltham where another young teenager had been stabbed. Sadly, this story has become all too common in the UK. Young people, specifically teens are falling victim to the knife crisis, some having been caught when they are defenseless, losing their lives too soon, while others make the choice to carry the weapon for…
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Ecuador Agrees to Resume Fuel Subsidies After Weeks of Violent Protests
By Grace Mandry, Associate Editor For the past two weeks, the world has watched as conflicts unfolded in Northern Syria, Turkey, and the streets of Hong Kong. Meanwhile, in South America, thousands of protestors shut down the streets of Quito, the capital of Ecuador. Violence erupted after the President, Lenín Moreno, announced the end of fuel subsidies and controversial labor reforms. The protests are the biggest to occur in years. The government announced the law, Decree 883, as an austerity measure in an effort to secure a $4.2 billion loan from the International Monetary Fund (IMF). President Moreno initially signed the agreement in March. Decree 883 ended forty years of…
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Liberty, Equality, Paternity? France Divided Over Pending IVF Legislation
By Brenna Mason, Associate Editor On October 6, 2019, thousands of people took to the streets of Paris to protest a French bill that would make in-vitro-fertilization (IVF) treatment available to women regardless of their relationship status or sexual orientation. The bill is the largest social issue President Emmanuel Macron has placed on his agenda since taking office in 2017. However, the subject matter of the proposed legislation has divided the country along moral and political lines. Under current French law, IVF treatment is only legal for heterosexual couples who have been married or in a civil union for at least two years and have been deemed infertile by a…
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Old Enough to Save the Planet: Young Activists Lead the Fight for Climate Change
By: Frances M. Rivera Reyes, Associate Editor In this era of social media, distinguished by information overflow, young people have surprised the established system by taking leadership roles traditionally held by nation leaders. Children like Greta Thunberg have made headlines for initiating worldwide movements and expressing blunt frustration with the lack of urgency world leaders have shown in matters that will mainly affect newer generations. Adolescents like Thunberg are paving the way for the growth of movements such as the fight against climate change. Last week, a group of sixteen children ages 8 to 17, including Thunberg, filed a complaint with the United Nations against five of the largest carbon…
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FIFA Lays Down the Law for Iran, Inspired by #BlueGirl
By Jake Gellerstein, Associate Editor In early September, 2019, the hashtag “#BlueGirl” began trending on Twitter. This moniker referred to Sahar Khodayari, an Iranian citizen who passed away as a result of lighting herself on fire in protest. Khodayari was potentially facing up to six months in prison for the crime of entering an Iranian football stadium. Women have been banned from entering Iran football stadiums since the Islamic revolution in 1979. Khodayari’s story received national attention from NGO’s such as the Human Right’s Watch and the Open Stadiums Movement, a coalition started by Iranian Woman seeking to ensure more freedoms for women and end the constant discrimination. Masoud Shojaei,…