In The News

Algerian Leader Resigns: BBC

April 4, 2019
Algeria's President Abdelaziz Bouteflika, in power since 1999, has resigned following weeks of massive street protests, reports BBC News. The president had already promised not to run for a fifth term, with the current term ending April 28, but the army said he was no longer fit for the position. Protesters want sweeping reforms and an end to corruption. “The demonstrations have also called...

Challenge to Turkish Poll Results: Al Jazeera

April 2, 2019
Preliminary results suggest that opposition candidates won narrow victories in Turkey’s two largest cities. Candidates with the Republican People's Party, CHP, won mayoral races in both Ankara and Istanbul. “Nationwide, the Justice and Development Party (AK Party) and its coalition partner won more than 50 percent of votes in Sunday's election, but the ruling party lost the capital,...

MPs Fail to Back Brexit Proposals: BBC

April 1, 2019
The United Kingdom still cannot decide on how they should end and replace membership in the European Union. The original deadline passed on March 29, and the European Union provided a brief extension. The concern is that the United Kingdom will leave without a deal, causing economic chaos. “The Commons voted on four motions for leaving the EU, including a customs union and a Norway-style...

Israel and US Politics: New York Times

Nathan Thrall March 31, 2019
Support for strong US-Israel relations crossed party lines from the 1970s to the start of this century. More recently, though, a rift has opened between the two major parties as surveys show that the least pro-Israel demographics – among black, Hispanic, the young and nonreligious voters – represent a larger proportion of the Democratic Party. "Many blacks and Hispanics draw strong parallels...

Social Media Blackout in Chad: Africannews

Abdur Rahman Alfa Shaban March 30, 2019
A keypad, like the pen, can be mightier than the sword, and some governments impose social media blackouts. For the past year, Chad has prohibited the use of social media platforms like Facebook, Twitter and WhatsApp, reports Abdur Rahman Alfa Shaban for Africannews. The impoverished nation of about 15 million people has endured years of rebellion, civil war and extremists like Boko Haram. The...

Brexit Proposal Fails for Third Time: CNBC

David Reid March 29, 2019
Criticizing big initiatives and relationships is easy, but developing a big fix is much more difficult, as the United Kingdom discovers in its attempt to exit the European Union. Members of parliament once again rejected a deal she made with EU officials, 344 to 286, despite her offer to resign in exchange for support. “Friday’s vote was considered slightly different as it only covered the ‘...

Thai Election: Straits Times

March 26, 2019
With high interest and high stakes associated with elections, political parties no longer patiently await official results. Instead, they turn to fast, global communications to tout victory, criticize results and shape the view of those on election watch. The goal is to weaken opponents, with the consequence of weakening entire nations and democracy. The Straits Times, relying on newswire...