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Tuesday January 28th

Nation & World

A supermoon is when a full moon passes through the closest point to Earth in its orbit (Photo courtesy of Shane Gillespie/Photo Editor). 

Blue Supermoon marks the end of summer, India’s moon landing marks the start of a new future

By Aneri Upadhyay | Sep. 4, 2023

The end of August is usually associated with summer ending and school beginning. This year, however, it was also marked with a blue supermoon in the sky. A supermoon is when a full moon passes through the closest point to Earth in its orbit. This causes the moon to look bigger and shine brighter than usual. The blue supermoon was not the only lunar achievement happening this month. Just recently, India became the first country to land a spacecraft, Chandrayaan-3, near the moon’s south pole.

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President Joe Biden recently announced he is running for reelection in 2024 (Photo courtesy of Wikimedia Commons / “Joe Biden presidential portrait” by Adam Schultz. March 3, 2021). 

President Biden announces bid for reelection in 2024

By Aneri Upadhyay | May. 7, 2023

On April 25, President Joe Biden announced he is running for reelection in 2024. Biden is already the oldest sitting president at 80 years old and would be 86 at the end of a second term. According to AP News, he is hopeful his accomplishments during the first term and vast experience will take precedence over scrutinies surrounding his age. Republicans who have officially launched campaigns include Former President Donald Trump, Nikki Haley, Vivek Ramaswamy, Larry Elder and Asa Hutchinson. 

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Top-rated Fox News anchor Tucker Carlson was suddenly fired on April 24 following ongoing controversies surrounding his show and comments he had made on and off-air (Photo courtesy of Wikimedia Commons/“Tucker Carlson” by Gage Skidmore. December 18, 2021). 

Tucker Carlson and Don Lemon dismissed from Fox News and CNN following controversies

By Nicole Trinkl | May. 6, 2023

Top-rated news anchor Tucker Carlson was suddenly fired from Fox News Network on April 24 following ongoing controversies surrounding his show and comments he had made on and off-air. Carlson's dismissal from Fox comes after Fox News Network agreed to a $787.5 million settlement to resolve the defamation lawsuit Dominion filed against Fox in March 2021 that claimed Fox News was spreading false election claims. Similarly, Don Lemon was also abruptly fired from CNN on the same day following controversies and comments he had made on air.

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Sudan’s military forces broadly support General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, the country’s de facto ruler, while the country’s main paramilitary force, the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) are loyal to the former warlord General Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo (Photos courtesy of Wikimedia Commons/Left: “Secretary Pompeo Meets with Sudanese Sovereign Council Chair General Fattah el-Burhan” by U.S. Department of State. August 25, 2020. Right: “General Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo” by Russian Government. February 25, 2022). 

Conflict erupts in Sudan over control of the country

By Gauri Patel | Apr. 24, 2023

On April 15, violence broke out in Sudan's capital city, Khartoum, between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) over control of the country. The clashes erupted amid a power struggle between the two rival groups, led by two military leaders each vying for power, according to The Guardian. 

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21-year-old U.S. air national guardsman, Jack Douglas Teixeira, was identified as the sole suspect in leaking Pentagon documents and was taken into custody by the FBI on April 13 (Photo courtesy of Wikimedia Commons/“Jack Teixeira” by U.S. Air National Guard. After August 2019). 

U.S. air national guardsman suspected of leaking highly classified Pentagon documents

By Nicole Trinkl | Apr. 21, 2023

Hundreds of leaked Pentagon documents containing U.S. intelligence information, including highly classified details on the war in Ukraine, have been circulating the internet on different social media platforms over the last few weeks. On April 13, 21-year-old U.S. air national guardsman, Jack Douglas Teixeira, was identified as the sole suspect in leaking these documents and was taken into custody by the FBI. 

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Johnson’s victory demonstrates the prevalence of voters’ liberal views on issues such as abortion, education and, in particular, crime (Photo courtesy of Wikimedia Commons/“Brandon Johnson (3x4a)” by TDKR Chicago 101. March 28, 2023). 

Progressives see victories in recent Chicago and Wisconsin elections

By Gauri Patel | Apr. 18, 2023

Following the surprise victory of the Democrats in the 2022 midterms, the Democratic party has seen boosts of momentum after recent victories in the Chicago and Wisconsin elections. The results in Chicago and Wisconsin are an affirmation of how voters "turn out and are responsive to" the Democratic party’s messaging on key issues, like crime and abortion, according to Colin Seeberger, a senior advisor at the Center for American Progress Action Fund. This could have implications for the 2024 presidential race, especially after news broke about former President Donald Trump’s historic indictment. 

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A chemical spill into the Delaware River caused contamination in the water systems of the Tristate area, affecting both the people that live there and nearby residents (Photo courtesy of Flickr/“Burlington Bristol Draw Bridge from 100 ft above the Delaware River” by James Loesch. October 29, 2022).

Chemical spill in Delaware River causes water contamination

By Aneri Upadhyay | Apr. 13, 2023

On March 24, a chemical spill into the Delaware River caused contamination in the water systems of the Tristate area, affecting both the people that live there and nearby residents. This caused dangerous material, such as latex, to spill and spread into the Delaware River, which provides water to parts of Pennsylvania, New York, New Jersey and Delaware. 

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Some E.U. members, such as Finland, have joined NATO since Russia’s plan to put tactical nuclear arms in Belarus, further forming and distinguishing countries' alliances (Photo courtesy of Wikimedia Commons/“Flags of Finland and NATO 4.4.2023” by FinnishGovernment. April 4, 2023). 

Finland joins NATO as Russia plans to put nuclear arms in Belarus

By Nicole Trinkl | Apr. 12, 2023

More than a year after Russian forces invaded Ukraine on Feb. 24, 2022, President Vladimir Putin has continued to increase efforts to gain more territory and control over Ukraine. More recently, Russia's plan to put tactical nuclear arms in Belarus has raised concerns of possible escalation. Some E.U. members, such as Finland, have since joined NATO, further forming and distinguishing countries' alliances.

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Protests have erupted across France over President Emmanuel Macron’s move to force through pension system reforms that will raise the retirement age from 62 to 64 (Photo courtesy of Flickr/“Immense manifestation du 23 mars 2023 en défense des retraites” by Jeanne Menjoulet. March 23, 2023). 

Increase in retirement age causes mass protests in France

By Gauri Patel | Apr. 11, 2023

Protests have erupted across France over President Emmanuel Macron’s move to force through pension system reforms that will raise the retirement age from 62 to 64. Although the proposed pension reforms have already been unpopular among workers since the measure was put forth in January, the manner in which the bill was passed has sparked the most anger. After it became apparent that the bill would not be passed through the parliament, on March 16, Macron ordered Prime Minister Elisabeth Borne to invoke a special constitutional power to force the bill through without a vote. 

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In an attempt to address all the growing concerns Americans have of the app, Tik Tok CEO Shou Zi Chew testified before Congress on March 23 (Photo courtesy of Wikimedia Commons/ “Shou Zi Chew” by Tom Williams. March 23, 2023). 

Growing security concerns of Chinese-owned social media app TikTok may lead to a national ban

By Nicole Trinkl | Apr. 8, 2023

As the social media app TikTok has grown in popularity in the United States, increased concerns about privacy and security have arisen, leading to an initiative to try to ban the app. Issues regarding whether the app is collecting Americans’ private information and manipulating users through its algorithm has catapulted Congress’s desire to remove the app entirely from U.S. devices. 

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Former President Donald Trump is facing a slew of legal challenges, leading to possible trouble for his 2024 reelection campaign (Photo courtesy of Donald J. Trump Presidential Library via Instagram. October 18, 2020).

As Manhattan grand jury announces indictment, Former President Trump is facing other legal woes

By Mike Sherr | Mar. 31, 2023

Former President Donald Trump was indicted by a New York grand jury on March 30. While the charge has not been directly revealed at time of writing, the decision was based on a hush money scandal that occurred in 2016. The 45th president is facing other legal challenges, as well including possible interference in Georgia’s 2020 presidential election and the withholding of classified documents at Mar-a-lago. 

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A $1.6 Billion defamation lawsuit against Fox News by Dominion Voting Systems claims that Fox News was spreading false election claims during and after the 2020 Presidential Election (Photo courtesy of Flickr/“Ballot Counting Machine” by Lance Fisher. November 7, 2006). 

Dominion Voting Systems sues Fox News for false 2020 election claims

By Nicole Trinkl | Mar. 29, 2023

A $1.6 billion defamation lawsuit against Fox News by Dominion Voting Systems filed in March 2021, claiming that Fox News was spreading false election claims during and after the 2020 Presidential Election, has led to a landmark case. Dominion Voting Systems Inc v. Fox News Network LLC could significantly impact how news commentators report on the news moving forward. The case could also reinforce what news organizations will be held liable for when they spread false information. 

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12/6/2024