The Signal

Serving the College since 1885

Sunday September 24th

International


The Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program has been declared illegal again by a U.S. judge (Photo courtesy of Flickr/“DACA-16” by Susan Ruggles. November 12, 2019).  

DACA ruled illegal (again) by Texas judge

The Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program has been declared illegal again by a U.S. judge. According to KFF, 580,000 people in the U.S. are DACA recipients as of 2022. While the program remains intact for now, the case over DACA may end up in the Supreme Court. Despite the wide use of DACA, the program has faced scrutiny for years.

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(Photo courtesy of Wikimedia Commons/“Joe Biden, Rishi Sunak and Ursula von der Leyen at G20 New Delhi - 2023” by Dati Bendo / European Commission. September 10, 2023). 

What happened at this year’s G20 summit?

The annual G20 summit showcases 20 of the world’s most influential nations in a conference where the representatives of each country discuss important issues such as climate change or the global economy. The next couple of months will be critical in seeing how these changes develop and play a role in the relationships between the countries involved. 

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In the past weeks, Murphy has appointed Tahesha Way, the current Secretary of State, to become New Jersey's new lieutenant governor (Photo courtesy of Flickr/“181111-Z-AL508-1086” by Mark C. Olsen. November 12, 2018). 

New Jersey appoints new lieutenant governor

New Jersey's Lieutenant Governor, Sheila Yvette Oliver, passed away due to an undisclosed medical issue at the age of 71 on Aug. 1. Oliver described herself as a "Jersey Girl," having been born and raised in Newark and earning a Bachelors of Art degree from Lincoln University and a Masters of Science degree from Columbia University. In the past weeks, Murphy has appointed Tahesha Way, the current Secretary of State, to become New Jersey's new lieutenant governor. 

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A devastating earthquake recently struck Morocco, killing at least 2,900 people and leaving more than 5,600 injured (Photo courtesy of Wikimedia Commons/“Collage of 2023 Marrakesh-Safi earthquake” by Huy91. September 13, 2023). 

Rescuers race to find survivors after devastating Morocco earthquake

A devastating earthquake recently struck Morocco, killing at least 2,900 people and leaving more than 5,600 injured. With a magnitude of 6.8, this was the strongest earthquake to hit the nation’s center in more than a century. Morocco’s government said it has activated all available resources to aid victims, and emergency response efforts will continue as cities attempt to navigate the aftermath of the earthquake. 

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Flooding associated with Tropical Cyclone Daniel has ravaged the coastal city of Derna in Libya (Photo courtesy of Wikimedia Commons/“Greece Storm Daniel DJI 0206 (2)” by Makis Theodorou. September 13, 2023). 

11,000 Dead in Libyan Floods, With Political Strife and Climate Change to Blame

A summer characterized by increasingly extreme weather events around the globe has now evolved further into disasters of previously unknown scope. Flooding associated with Tropical Cyclone Daniel has ravaged the coastal city of Derna in Libya, with ABC reporting an estimated 11,300 dead and another 10,000 missing. As survivors mourn and attempt to pick up the pieces left behind by the storm, blame for the severity of the tragedy is being directed to a deadly combination of climate change, political conflict and administrative incompetence. 

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Mexico’s Supreme Court recently decriminalized abortion nationwide, ruling that the previous restrictions on abortion access violated the constitutional rights of women (Photo courtesy of Wikimedia Commons/“Marcha legalización del aborto 01” by Wotancito. September 28, 2019). 

Mexico’s streets flood with victorious celebrations as abortion is decriminalized nationwide

Mexico’s Supreme Court recently decriminalized abortion nationwide, ruling that the previous restrictions on abortion access violated the constitutional rights of women. The ruling officially removed abortion from the nation’s federal penal code. In contrast with the expansion of abortion access across Latin America are the ever-increasing restrictions on reproductive rights in the United States. Mexico’s court ruling opens doors for those in the United States seeking to get an abortion if they are in a position where it is illegal for them to do so in their own states.

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There have been developments of a new vaccine that has a version of the omicron strain XBB.1.5 (Photo courtesy of Wikimedia Commons/“COVID-19 vaccines (2021) A” by Agência Brasília. July 22, 2021). 

Covid-19 cases rise as new vaccines develop

The last few years have been associated with the rise and longevity of Covid-19. Although the College has rolled back on testing, the pandemic is still relevant with a new strain affecting more people. There have also been developments of a new vaccine that has a version of the omicron strain XBB.1.5, according to AP News. Moderna and Pfizer have both been working on vaccines respectfully. Moderna is confident in their vaccine’s ability to protect against the new BA.2.86 variant by 8.7 times more, reports Reuters. 

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A tropical cyclone wreaked havoc through southern Brazil, washing away homes and swamping streets, according to AP News(Photo courtesy of Wikimedia Commons/“File:10-09-2023 Visita a área destruída pelas enchentes na cidade de Roca Sales no Rio Grande do Sul (53177264981)” by Vice-Presidência da República. September 10, 2023). 

Deadly tropical cyclone wreaks havoc on southern Brazil

A tropical cyclone wreaked havoc through southern Brazil, washing away homes and swamping streets, according to AP News. Widespread destruction caused by torrential rains, flooding and powerful winds affected tens of thousands of people, killing dozens and leaving more homeless. Weather forecasters predict more heavy rains are expected to hit the Rio Grande do Sul’s central and southern region, while possibly sparing worst-hit areas, before the storm dissipates by Sunday.

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The U.S Justice Department’s anti-trust case against Google is set to begin on Sept. 12 (Photo courtesy of Wikimedia Commons/“Google 2015 logo” by Google LLC. September 1, 2015 ).

With Google’s antitrust case, is the bubble finally bursting for big tech?

The U.S Justice Department’s anti-trust case against Google is set to begin on Sept. 12, marking the most ambitious step in the government’s crack down on Big Tech’s unchecked dominance. The case marks the beginning of a new age in the increasingly tense relationship between the government and the tech industry, and its outcomes have the potential to finally slow the pace of a sector that has thus far shown no signs of stopping. 

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United States Secretary of State, Antony Blinken, surprised the international political world with his unannounced visit to Ukraine in the thick of intense war conditions (Photo courtesy of Wikimedia Commons/“Secretary Blinken and Secretary Austin Visit Ukraine (52028686831)” by U.S. Department of State. January 1, 2014).  

Secretary of State Antony Blinken visits Ukraine amidst destructive missile strike, pledges more than $1 billion in aid

United States Secretary of State, Antony Blinken, surprised the international political world with his unannounced visit to Ukraine in the thick of intense war conditions. He arrived in Kyiv on Sept. 6 to meet with senior Ukrainian officials and convey unwavering American support for Ukrainian independence, democracy and resiliency in the face of Russian aggression, according to the U.S Department of State. 

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Alabama legislatures are appealing to the Supreme Court following an order from federal judges to redraw the state’s congressional district map (Photo courtesy of Wikimedia Commons / “Alabama Congressional Districts, 118th Congress” by Twotwofourtysix. April 12, 2023). 

Alabama releases revised congressional map, federal judges reject it once again

Alabama legislatures are appealing to the Supreme Court following an order from federal judges to redraw the state’s congressional district map. The panel of judges decided Sept. 5 to appoint an independent special master to propose a new congressional layout for the state. The previous map, according to NPR, was found to be in violation of the Voting Rights Act that prohibits racial discrimination in voting. 

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After the summer recess, members of Congress have returned to deliberate and determine the methods of funding the government (Photo courtesy of Wikimedia Commons / “United States Senate Floor” by United States Senate). 

The looming threat of a government shutdown

After the summer recess, members of Congress have returned to deliberate and determine the methods of funding the government. Nevertheless, the political divide, with a Republican-majority House and a Democratic-majority Senate, has left the issue of financing the government in a precarious state, with the looming possibility of a government shutdown if a resolution on government spending is not reached.

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The Spanish World Cup win itself has unfortunately not marked the end of an already contentious road, with Luis Rubiales, the Federation’s president, non-consensually kissing Jenni Hermoso, a Spanish soccer player (Photo courtesy of Wikimedia Commons/“Jannifer Hermoso7 - Reguero” by Alejandro Reguero. October 21, 2018). 

Waves of “Me-Too” in Spain Following World Cup Kiss

After a year fraught with administrative tensions and player protests, the path to the FIFA World Cup was certainly harried for the Spanish women’s team, affectionately dubbed ‘La Roja’ by its fans. The trophy itself has unfortunately not marked the end of an already contentious road, with Luis Rubiales, the Federation’s president, non-consensually kissing Jenni Hermoso, a Spanish soccer player. The incident has ignited a firestorm of debate within both the soccer world and the wider Spanish community, appearing to be an inflection point for long-simmering tensions over sexism in Spanish sports.

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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

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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