Coronavirus becomes global threat
By Muhammad SiddiquiStaff Writer
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By Muhammad SiddiquiStaff Writer
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By Muhammad Siddiqui Web Editor Now that we are in the final stretch of the semester, one of my more frequently asked questions as a tutor on campus is how to manage the increasing course load as the semester comes to a close. Even though some advice may vary with different classes or areas of study, there is some advice that I think applies to everyone. Firstly, I would recommend getting a tutor for any class you are struggling in. Even though most students get a tutor near the start of the semester, it is never too late to sign up. Tutors are free for all students at the College and are a great way to clarify what you do not know while finding other study strategies more specific to your class. Since sessions are held weekly, they are also just a great way to make sure that you are studying a little each week and not cramming all the material before an exam. On a similar note, students should take advantage of their professor’s office hours. I frequently take advantage of office hours to clarify material that I do not understand and have been told numerous times that I am one of the few students who actually taking advantage of the time. More often than not, professors have said that the students who are struggling the most never come to office hours nor bother to schedule another meeting time to get help. Whether it’s hosting office hours or group study sessions, professors make time in their busy schedules to help their students, and they want you to come to them. Even if you are not struggling in class, office hours can help you guide your studies. There are also many smaller steps that students can take to help their studies. Ample sleep is hard to come by, but it can make a difference in the quality of your writing or your scores on tests. I have gone into many tests sleep deprived and have found myself unable to focus, which is the last thing you want if you have been studying hard. Making sure you are studying in the right setting is equally crucial. With so many buildings across campus, you can usually find a good place to study that suits your preferences. In addition, surrounding yourself with the right people when studying is equally important. Even though having friends around can really help to mitigate stress during this time, it’s important to make sure that they are not distracting you when you are trying to focus on your material. That brings me to my last point— find time to relax. As important as your studies can feel, especially with final exams around the corner, it's important that we remember to be kind to ourselves and destress when we feel too much pressure. As you plan out your studies, remember to make time to hang out with friends, watch Netflix, read a book or do whatever takes your mind off the stresses of college life. After all, what we take away from our college experience will be less about the material we studied and more about the work ethic and memories we formed along the way.
By Muhammad Siddiqui Web Editor On Jan. 23, opposition lawmaker and head of Venezuela’s National Assembly Juan Guaido declared himself the interim president of Venezuela, according to The Washington Post. This earned him the swift backing of several nations, including the United States, which opposes Venezuela’s current socialist regime under President Nicolas Maduro. The oil-rich nation of Venezuela has seen economic woes in recent years. As a result of cronyism in the Chavez era and his poor economic policies, Venezuela’s economy was suffering when Maduro took office as his successor in 2013 and when oil prices dropped in 2014, according to The Washington Post. Since then inflation rates have hit record highs with an annual rate of 1.3 million percent in 2018, according to BBC. For many, the costs of basic goods have soared out of reach, leading to mass migration of Venezuelans into neighboring South American nations, according to The Washington Post. These poor economic conditions have hit Maduro’s popularity, with thousands taking part in anti-Maduro protests, according to BBC. Maduro was narrowly re-elected last year, but amidst much controversy that involved the jailing of opposition candidates, according to BBC. The opposition-held National Assembly claims that under such unfair elections, the country’s constitution allows for the head of the Assembly to take over as interim president while a new election is held. However, Maduro has refused to let go of his power and has accused Guaido of mounting a coup, according to BBC. With top military leaders still pledging their allegiance to Maduro, Guaido has been unable to gain control over the nation and protesters have had to contend with clashes with the police. Some support for Guaido emerged on Jan. 26, as several European nations demanded that another election take place within the next eight days, reported BBC. This follows a statement from President Donald Trump on Jan. 23, when he declared Guaido the interim president of Venezuela and urged other nations to give him the same recognition, according to CNN. Trump also added that he “will continue to use the full weight of United States economic and diplomatic power to press for the restoration of Venezuelan democracy,’’ CNN reports.
By Muhammad Siddiqui Staff Writer A wildfire know as Camp Fire in northern California has claimed at least 87 lives and burned more than 150,000 acres of land, as of Nov. 23, making it the most destructive wildfire to ever affect the state, according to ABC News. The number of missing people was at one point above 1,000, but it fell once survivors were able to contact family members or were seen active on social media by authorities, according to The New York Times. Families have been scattered throughout California, which complicates search efforts for survivors. Lisa Vasquez of Paradise, California, a town almost completely destroyed by the fire, told TIME that limited access to phones and the internet meant that many people lost access to the ways they usually keep in touch. Some survivors had been living in makeshift camps in a Walmart parking lot until they were instructed to move to nearby shelters, according to CBS News. For authorities, the most painstaking task will be combing through the rubble of the nearly 13,000 destroyed homes, according to The New York Times. This includes searching for the remains of those who could not get out in time. The sheriff heading the search, Kory L. Honea, told The New York Times that most of the remains have been reduced to bone fragments. As a result, TIME reported that authorities have recruited a team of archaeologists from California State University Chico, as well as a team of 24 cadaver dogs to help with the search. Rain is expected soon in California, which will assist the firefighters’ efforts. However, rain could also complicate the search for remains and may trigger mudslides, ash flows, and flooding, according to CBS. While the worst fires continue in northern California, the state has had to deal with another wildfire simultaneously in the south, dubbed the Woolsey Fire, which killed two people. This fire is believed to have started at roughly the same time as Camp Fire, according to CNN. Woolsey Fire, as of Nov. 21, is 98 percent contained, according to The New York Post. However, in its early stages the Woolsey fire torched Malibu, destroying the homes of celebrities Gerard Butler, Miley Cyrus and Robin Thicke, and burned enough vegetation that NASA could spot the aftermath via satellite. The causes of all the fires are still unknown, according to CNN. One utility company, PG&E, reportedly experienced a transmission line outage shortly before Camp Fire started, in an area only one mile northeast of the where of the fire is believed to have originated. Similarly, SoCal Edison reported circuit problems at a substation close to a possible source of Woosley Fire, only two minutes before the fire began. Investigations are ongoing, according to CNN. California Gov. Jerry Brown estimates the cost of damages resulting from the flames to be in the tens of billions, according to CBS. The governor also thanked President Donald Trump for his pledges of aid to the state, despite his earlier comments in which he threatened to withhold federal payments due to poor forest management.
By Muhammad Siddiqui Staff Writer Iran is promising a “crushing response” after a terrorist attack on Sept. 22 targeting a military parade claimed at least 29 lives and left 70 others wounded, according to Al Jazeera. The attack took place in Ahvaz, the capital of Khuzestan, a southwest province of Iran. It holds the largest oil reserves in the country, according to Al Jazeera. The area is also home to Arab minorities and has been the focal point for ethnic clashes before. In the 1980s, the province became a battleground for the Iran-Iraq War, which the parade on Saturday was intended to commemorate. The event was part of the country’s “Sacred Defense Week,” and was one of many parades across the country, according to The New York Times. According to The New York Times and NPR, among those injured when the militants clashed with security forces were spectators, including a 4-year-old boy, and members of the country’s paramilitary unit, the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corp. The militants responsible for the attack were reportedly dressed to blend in, wearing outfits akin to the actual soldiers in the parade. Iranian armed forces spokesman Brig. Gen. Abolfazl Shekarchi also stated on Iranian news that the militants had hid their firearms in the area days before the attack, according to Al Jazeera. Four militants carried out the attack; three were killed in the clashes and one died of his injuries while in custody, according to Al Jazeera. The exact alliance of the suspects is unknown. While the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria has claimed responsibility for the attack, its claim was dismissed by officials, according to The New York Times. Arab resistance groups in the area are being met with more suspicion. According to CNN, two regional groups, the Patriotic Arab Democratic Movement in Ahwaz and the Arab Struggle for the Liberation of Al-Ahwaz, have both been blamed for the attack, despite spokespersons from both groups denying responsibility. A third armed group, al-Ahvaziya, which the Iranian government believes is funded by Saudi Arabia, claimed responsibility. While many other regional countries have offered their condolences to Iran, Saudi Arabia has yet to issue a similar statement, according to CNN. The two countries have been vying for influence in the region, and more recently, have been arming opposing sides in conflicts in Iraq, Lebanon, Syria and Yemen in an attempt to spread their influence, according to Al Jazeera. While Iran also blames the U.S. for the attack, the U.S. issued a statement on the same day as the attack condemning “all acts of terrorism and the loss of any innocent lives,” according to The New York Times.
By Muhammad Siddiqui Staff Writer Heavy rains in Kerala, a coastal state in southern India, have displaced hundreds of thousands of people since the start of monsoon season in May. The heaviest rains, which began on Aug. 8, have swept away entire homes, bridges and villages in the floodwaters and landslides, according to the Australian Broadcasting Corporation. More than 190 people have been killed due to the most recent rains in Kerala, and at least 370 people have died since the start of monsoon season, according to Al Jazeera. It is estimated that 800,000 people have been displaced as a result of the recent rains, but Kerala’s finance minister T. M. Thomas Isaac told Al Jazeera that he estimates 1.5 million citizens are displaced once those who have relocated with family and friends are taken into account. The rains have begun to ease up as of Aug. 19, giving first responders and rescuers time to aid those affected by the worst flooding to hit the Indian state in more than a century, according to the Australian Broadcasting Corporation. Since the start of Kerala’s monsoon season, rains have been unusually heavy, exceeding previous years’ average rainfalls for the entire season, according to Al Jazeera. In addition to the damage caused thus far, the monsoon season is still expected to last for at least another month. More than 200,000 displaced families have found refuge in relief camps, and the Indian government has pledged to give the state an immediate grant of 5 billion rupees (around $71 million), according to BBC. Survivors in relief camps are still coping with a lack of food, clean drinking water, power and medicine. Officials are growing increasingly concerned with the possibility of waterborne disease outbreaks caused by the hazardous conditions, according to BBC. As the rains have recently subsided, officials had the opportunity to focus relief efforts on those who have been stranded for days. The Indian Army, Airforce and Navy, alongside members of the National Disaster Response Force, sent troops and boats to the region, according to Al Jazeera. Their efforts focused on search and rescue and airdropping supplies to isolated areas. Many, however, are calling local fishermen the “unsung heroes” of the flood. Isaac told Al Jazeera that more than 500 fishing boats have been used in the relief effort. Some fishermen have reportedly been putting their lives in danger, without safety guards or the proper equipment, to reach those stuck in areas that government rescuers deemed too risky reach. In a phone interview with Al Jazeera, one graduate student recounted, “‘If it wasn’t for them (fishermen), I would’ve died inside the flat.’” More aid is expected to arrive in the area, as the state plans to renegotiate its aid grant with the central government. According to the Australian Broadcast Corporation, the cost of damages is currently estimated to be near $3 billion, but is expected to rise before the monsoon season comes to an end. One-third of the roads have been damaged, with the repair estimated to cost about 1 billion rupees ($14.3 million). Moreover, Isaac told Al Jazeera that water systems will need to be rebuilt with aid from multinational agencies. Many foreign donations have been pledged, particularly from individuals in the United Arab Emirates. The UAE Prime Minister ordered the formation of an emergency committee to provide aid to the flood victims, according to The Hindu.
By Muhammad Siddiqui Correspondent U.S., British and French forces launched a joint airstrike campaign in Syria the morning of April 14, hitting three suspected chemical weapons facilities, according to The Guardian. A week prior, on April 7, reports began to emerge of a chemical attack in Douma, a suburb of Damascus. After reviewing many corroborating reports, photos and videos of suffocated civilians with chemical burns, a report published by the French government concluded the regime of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad was behind the attacks, according to USA Today. “The opposition rebel force does not operate helicopters nor does it use barrel bombs,” said Karen Pierce, the British ambassador to the United Nations, according to USA Today. “No other groups but the Assad regime could have carried out this attack.” In reaction to the chemical attack on Syrian civilians, Donald Trump tweeted a warning of the strikes to come on April 11. “Get ready Russia,” Trump warned in the tweet. “You shouldn’t be partners with a Gas Killing Animal who kills his people and enjoys it!” The primary targets of the strikes were three chemical weapons facilities, according to USA Today. Two facilities were in Homs, used for weapon storage, and another facility was in Damascus, where research and development of Syrian chemical weapons was suspected to be taking place. More than 100 cruise missiles were fired by the U.S., France and Britain, none of which were intercepted despite claims to the contrary from Russian and Syrian media, according to The Guardian. The U.S. delivered a warning to Russia prior to the strikes in an attempt to give the Russian and Syrian armies time to remove their troops from the area, according to The Independent. Russia, a longtime ally of Assad, expressed concern over the strikes, calling them “an act of aggression against a sovereign state,” according to a statement by President Vladimir Putin. American reactions to the attacks are mixed. While some Republican party members praised President Trump for the strikes, Democrats have not been as thrilled, according to the The New York Times. Despite the division along party lines, the Pentagon remains satisfied with the outcome of the attacks. “We took every measure and precaution to strike what we targeted and we successfully hit every target,” said Dana White, the chief Pentagon spokeswoman, according to The Guardian. “We do not seek conflict in Syria but we cannot allow such grievous violations of international law.”