How Did New Zealand Make The News?
Henry Larson
Recently, the small country of New Zealand, so small it contains four times as many sheep as people, made headlines due to a protest in the parliament. This protest was an Indigenous Māori dance known as the Haka, a ceremonial dance for almost all occasions, from sports games to funerals and, yes, to protests. The Haka began with the youngest member of New Zealand’s parliament, a Māori woman named Hana-Rawhiti Maipi-Clarke, with other Māori members of parliament immediately joining in. She began the Haka in response to a bill that would alter New Zealand’s founding document. This document was an agreement between the king of Britain and the indigenous people of New Zealand, that granted the Maori people certain rights in exchange for the British governing New Zealand. The bill was intended to remove these rights, causing anger from Māori who already feel that they face discrimination in New Zealand.
The Isreal – Palestine War Is Now One Year Old, Where Are We Now?
Sam Jordan
After a full year of fighting, what’s happening now? Israel has once again come into conflict with Iran after several missile exchanges last October, prompting worries about further destabilization in the region and the potential for an Iranian nuclear threat. Benjamin Netanyahu, current Prime Minister of Israel, has continued to be severely condemned by numerous groups and nations for his aggressive policies towards the conflict and refusal to find a permanent resolution to it. In November, the International Criminal Court issued an arrest warrant for Netanyahu for war crimes and crimes against humanity, a big step forwards for those who want him out of office. International aid for Palestinian civilians continues to be lacking. The Israeli parliament, in November, passed a law banning all activity in the region by the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestinian Refugees (UNRWA) and severing all legal ties with them, severely hampering aid operations in Gaza. Organized gangs have begun looting what little aid still remains. While the conflict still rages, there is good news. In the morning of November 27th, a 60 day ceasefire was called, brokered by the U.S. Plans have been laid out for the withdrawal of Israeli troops from the area south of the Litani River.
What Happened to Ukraine?
Henry Larson
When the war in Ukraine began nearly three years ago in February of 2022, news outlets and everyday conversation paid great attention to what was happening, but now it is very rarely mentioned. So here’s the situation. Currently, Russia has control over large amounts of Ukraine’s southeast, which includes most of Ukraine’s coast. On the other hand, Ukraine controls some small parts of Russia and is still fighting hard. Foreign aid is the most important factor in this war. The United States has given a large amount of weapons to Ukraine, however until very recently, the Biden administration had restricted the use of those weapons, greatly reducing Ukraine’s fighting capabilities. The removal of these restrictions signals hope for Ukraine. However with the election of Donald Trump, who in the presidential debate refused to state his support for a Ukrainian victory in the war, and the increasing support for the pro-Russia far right in many European countries, many are worried about the future of Ukraine.
