Record 65.3 Million People Were Displaced Last Year: UNHCR
One in every 113 people on the planet is now a refugee.
06/20/2016 03:28 am ET


GENEVA (Reuters) - A record 65.3 million people were uprooted worldwide last year, many of them fleeing wars only to face walls, tougher laws and xenophobia as they reach borders, the United Nations refugee agency said on Monday.

The figure, which jumped from 59.5 million in 2014 and by 50 percent in five years, means that 1 in every 113 people on the planet is now a refugee, asylum-seeker or internally displaced in a home country.


Fighting in Syria, Afghanistan, Burundi and South Sudan has driven the latest exodus, bringing the total number of refugees to 21.3 million, half of them children, the UNHCR said in its “Global Trends” report marking World Refugee Day.

“The refugees and migrants crossing the Mediterranean and arriving on the shores of Europe, the message that they have carried is that if you don’t solve problems, problems will come to you,” U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees Filippo Grandi told a news briefing.

“It’s painful that it has taken so long for people in the rich countries to understand that,” he said. “We need action, political action to stop conflicts, that would be the most important prevention of refugee flows.”

A record 2 million new asylum claims were lodged in industrialized countries in 2015, the report said. Nearly 100,000 were children unaccompanied or separated from their families, a three-fold rise on 2014 and a historic high.

Germany, where one in three applicants was Syrian, led with 441,900 claims, followed by the United States with 172,700, many of them fleeing gang and drug-related violence in Mexico and Central America.

Developing regions still host 86 percent of the world’s refugees, led by Turkey with 2.5 million Syrians, followed by Pakistan and Lebanon, the report said. "2015: 65.3m were displaced, compared to 59.5m just 12 months earlier"
“RISE OF XENOPHOBIA”

Asylum-seekers fleeing conflicts or persecution are increasingly confronted with walls or anti-foreigner sentiment, Grandi said. “The rise of xenophobia is unfortunately becoming a very defining feature of the environment in which we work.

“Barriers are rising everywhere - and I’m not just talking of walls. But I’m talking about legislative barriers that are coming up, including in countries in the industrialized world that have been for a long time bastions of principle in defending the fundamental rights linked to asylum.”

After Balkan countries closed borders, Turkey and the European Union (EU) struck a deal in March to stem an influx that brought a million refugees and migrants to Europe in 2015.

“The fact that that flow has stopped does not mean the problem of displacement has ended. It may have ended for some countries that don’t have to deal with it anymore, for now,” Grandi said.

Progress has lagged on a scheme to redistribute 160,000 asylum seekers from Greece and Italy to other EU states to alleviate pressure on the two frontline countries. Only 2,406 people have been relocated, EU figures show.

Grandi, asked about stalled relocation, said: “There is no Plan B for Europe. Europe will continue to receive people seeking asylum.”

“Everybody has to share responsibility now,” he said.

Response

Recently, United Nations refugee agency made a report that a record of 65.3 million people were displaced  worldwide last year. this significant number has esclated from 59.5 million in 2014 to 65.3 million this year. with this number, the article reports that 1 in every 113 people on the planet is now a refugee, asylum-seeker or internally displaced in a home country. The source behind why the number of migrants and refugees increased is due to conflicts that are going on in in Syria, Afghanistan, Burundi and South Sudan.  Due to these countries the total number of refugees from these countries count to 21.3 million, half of them children. In addition to the conflicts and wars that take place in there homelands, another struggle for the migrants and refugees face is the xenophobia, the fear of that which is perceived to be foreign or strange. in many countries such as, Greece, the US, and many others are hesitant to help foreigners. Overall, when it comes to my opinion of this article, I can clear see that the bias is against countries that are xenophobic. Furthermore, I also find myself agreeing to this article since it addresses the problem that if people don't solve the problem now, the problem with eventually turn up in front your door.


citation:

Nebehay, Stephanie. "Record 65.3 Million People Were Displaced Last Year: UNHCR." Huffington Post. N.p., 20 June 2016. Web. 20 June 2016.
<http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/2015-refugee-crisis_us_57679939e4b0fbbc8beacef8?section=>

French policeman and partner killed in 'ISIL attack'

Assailant shot dead, as ISIL claims responsibility for knife attack at officer's home in Paris suburb.


An attacker has killed a French police commander and his partner at their home in a Paris suburb before being shot dead by police officers. The attack on Monday evening was claimed by the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL, also known as ISIS) group, which said the assailant was one of its fighters. French President Francois Hollande said on Tuesday that the killing was "unquestionably a terrorist act". The couple were "murdered in cowardly fashion by a terrorist," Hollande told reporters after the overnight attack at the couple's home northwest of Paris, adding: "France is facing a very significant terrorist threat." A French Interior Ministry spokesman said the attacker stabbed the officer, Jean-Baptiste Salvaing, outside the home and subsequently barricaded himself inside the building, taking the couple's three-year-old son hostage. Attempts to negotiate an end to the standoff failed and police forces raided the house in the Magnanville area, killing the suspect, named Larossi Abballa, according to the AFP news agency. The body of the officer's partner was found inside the house and the boy was rescued. "Negotiations were unsuccessful, a decision was made to launch an assault," Interior Ministry spokesman Pierre-Henry Brandet said, according to the Reuters news agency. The Elysee presidential palace said President Francois Hollande was meeting Prime Minister Manuel Valls, Interior Minister Bernard Cazeneuve and Justice Minister Jean-Jacques Urvoas.
Previous conviction Abballa, who was 25-years-old, had previously been sentenced to a three-year term - six months of which were suspended - for "criminal association with the aim of preparing terrorist acts", in a trial with seven other defendants. The attacker was linked to armed groups in Pakistan, according to sources close the investigation, the AFP reported. If confirmed, the attack is the first since ISIL launched bomb and gun attacks across Paris in November last year, killing 130 people. The French government put into place a state of emergency after those attacks, and ISIL has vowed to continue its campaign in the country. France like many European countries is dealing with the threat of attacks by fighters from within its own borders returning home after fighting with ISIL and other armed groups in Syria and Iraq. In March, ISIL fighters killed 32 people in a series of bombings in the Belgian capital Brussels. The men behind the attack were linked to the Paris cell. The ongoing UEFA European Championship is being held in France and security forces have stepped up security across the country to combat the threat posed ISIL and other armed groups.

response 

quite recently French police commander and his wife was killed in Paris. The suspect, identified as 25-year-old Larossi Abbala was later shot dead by the police and hours later the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL, also known as ISIS) group, claimed the assailant was one of its fighters. In response, French President Francois Hollande claimed the murder of police commander and his wife was "unquestionably a terrorist act". and also stated that the couple were "murdered in cowardly fashion by a terrorist," and pointed out that France is facing a serious terrorist problem. Overall, when it comes to my opinion on this matter, I agree with Prsident Hollande that France is going through a troublesome time with terrorists and I would also say that the whole of Europe, not only France is facing this problem. Furthermore, these killings/statements Islamic State have been executing and plotting have been as constant issue that have been costing innocent lives and if i could come up with a solution to prevent these attacks i would probably rant about it however, i don't have a real legitimate solution so instead I would pray for God to do his will.

source
"Frenchman shot video of deadly knife attack on police." 14 June. 2016. Al jazeera. 6 June. 2016.
<http://www.aljazeera.com/news/2016/06/french-police-officer-wife-killed-knife-attack-isis-160614041405891.html>

US presses China to cut steel production

Washington envoys press Beijing to cut excess steel production that is flooding global markets.

US envoys pressed China on Monday to cut excess steel production that is flooding global markets and to reach a diplomatic settlement to territorial disputes in the South China Sea as the two sides opened a high-level dialogue. Washington is asking Beijing to move faster with plans to shrink a bloated steel industry that its trading partners complain is flooding their markets with unfairly cheap exports, hurting foreign producers and threatening jobs. The US has responded by imposing anti-dumping tariffs on steel, and European officials say they have launched a trade investigation. "Excess capacity has a distorting and damaging effect on global markets," US Treasury Secretary Jacob Lew said at the opening of the two-day event, "and implementing policies to substantially reduce production in a range of sectors suffering from overcapacity, including steel and aluminum, is critical to the function and stability of international markets." The annual Strategic & Economic Dialogue rarely produces agreements on major issues, but provides what officials on both sides say is a valuable setting to air disputes, clear up misunderstandings and share experiences. Beijing announced plans this year to slash the size of its state-owned steel and coal industries at a cost of millions of jobs. But plans for other bloated sectors, including aluminum, glass and solar panels, have yet to be announced. Speaking at the event's opening ceremony, Chinese President Xi Jinping promised action on reducing overcapacity but announced no new initiatives. "China will redouble efforts to promote supply-side structural reform," Xi said. The annual Strategic & Economic Dialogue rarely produces agreements on major issues, but provides what officials on both sides say is a valuable setting to air disputes, clear up misunderstandings and share experiences. This year's event is led by Secretary of State John Kerry and Lew on the US side, and Vice Premier Wang Yang and State Councilor Yang Jiechi on the Chinese side. Amid deepening US concern that China is militarising the South China Sea, Kerry said that he would "make it clear that we are looking for a peaceful resolution to the disputes". Beijing and neighbours including Vietnam and the Philippines have conflicting claims to portions of the sea and possible oil and gas resources. China's military is building outposts on man-made islands to enforce its claims. Beijing said over the weekend that it would ignore an upcoming international arbitration decision in a dispute with the Philippines. China also has conflicting claims with Taiwan, Indonesia, Vietnam and Brunei, who all want American help. Further complicating matters are reports that the Chinese may soon establish an air defence zone over part of the sea, which Washington opposes. "We have taken no position on any of the claims," Kerry said. "The only position we have taken is, let's not resolve this by unilateral action. Let's resolve this by rule of law, by negotiation, by diplomacy." Xi warned against allowing diplomatic tensions to disrupt mutually beneficial trade and other relations. He acknowledged that differences "are hardly unavoidable", but called on Washington to help manage them in a "pragmatic and constructive fashion". "What is important is to refrain from taking differences as excuses for confrontation," Xi said

response 

Yesterday the US envoys held talks with China concerning their production of steel. The worry is, with china's steel production would flood the markets, hurting foreign producers and threatening jobs. In response, the US have decided to impose anti-dumping tariffs on steel. In addition, the  European also have launched a trade investigation. Overall, this article writes the concerns of China's cheap product of steel and also writes that the complications that are happening in between China, Philippines, and other south Asian countries which might involve the US' help. when it comes to my personal opinion on this matter i believe there should be a some kind of limit that must be placed on China. Since the Chinese are getting bolder and bolder not only economically but also aggressive through territory expansion.  Furthermore, I believe the US should not be too involved when it comes to conflicts of the southeast Asia's conflict with China.


source
"US presses China to cut steel production." 6 June. 2016. aljazeera.com. 7 June. 2016.
<http://www.aljazeera.com/news/2016/06/presses-china-cut-steel-production-160606073701996.html>

A Vision for Building a Better World
The world has been changing. Some say it is in tumult. Globalization continues and different forms of resistance are in play. The international community has been strong in adopting agendas, but not as strong in delivering them. Therefore, I believe we have to ask ourse lves, What is it we are doing wrong? Or is this really the first time we are trying to synchronize our global-development efforts, and we need time to work it out? Complex challenges such as contemporary and protracted conflicts, dire humanitarian situations, migration/refugee flows, the spread of international terrorism and violent extremism require an effective, efficient and more relevant UN system. The UN requires strong leadership that will make it fit for said purpose, and to rebuild trust in the Organization. We also need fresh faces within the System to ensure that needed change happens.

At the same time, I truly believe that the role of the next Secretary-General will not be to reinvent the wheel, but to ensure to optimize delivering on agreed-upon agendas, including through mobilizing collective wisdom to make a more effective, efficient and relevant UN. To make ever more value for the money invested in it. However, all this will sound like platitudes, too elusive and vague if we do not come up with certain proposals on how to perform better.

In my vision, we need a more robust position in the Deputy Secretary-General, who should have a leading role in dealing with regional and sub-regional arrangements, as well as in the field of mediation and prevention. If elected, I would appoint a female DSG, in an effort to ensure gender parity. I also believe we need to show further commitment to Africa and the developing world by basing the DSG in Nairobi, as one of the UN’s headquarters. With reference to peace and security, more efficiency and effectiveness can be brought about by setting up the UN Peace Operations Group, closely supervised by the SG and DSG within the Chief Executives Coordination Board, which also has to be strengthened. This modification can make a difference in supplying the Security Council and the Peace Building Commission with necessary and improved insight, enabling better decision-making and improved coordination. A special tribunal to hold UN peacekeepers accountable for human rights violations, like the sexual abuse uncovered in the Central African Republic, should be considered. By doing all that we can to start true implementation of the peace architecture recommendations.

Turning to the development agenda, the SDGs are great work, but an even greater opportunity for the UN. In order to avoid duplication, it is critical to define leading UN AFPs (agencies, funds or programs) for each SDG in a cluster-shaped structure. Cooperation must be strengthened with multilateral partners and the private sector. Regional Economic Commissions should be important players in establishing Regional Fora for Sustainable Development, consisting of different stakeholders. The UN Development Group should be transformed into a UN Sustainable Development Group, co-chaired by the UNDP Chief Administrator and the Human Rights High Commissioner, thus ensuring a new generation of UNDAFs to fully reflect the complementary Agendas related to development and human rights. We need to use the potential of outstanding individuals from different life spheres to bring SDGs closer to the ordinary people. We should not keep the UN detached from young people, thus an Office for Youth should be established. Additionally, the fact that human rights permeate the whole 2030 Agenda but are at the same time in the core of the peace operation gives that pillar a very prominent role. Therefore, necessary budget reforms need to address a frequent mismatch between the mandates, expectations and core budget appropriations. With only 3.5% of the core budget and a growing need, there has to be a process of identifying duplications and economies in order to strengthen the work of the OHCHR.

All the above will still sound hollow unless the SG undertakes a deep review of the current budget in line with the need to prepare to deliver on the vast agenda agreed upon globally in 2015. An independent panel from all the regions should be established to ensure fresh external views. The core budget needs to recognize all the SDGs through appropriate program budgeting in order to mirror adequately the cluster-shaped structure of AFPs responsible for the implementation. This is an important tool to mobilize resources for multi-sector implementation of the Agenda, as it should serve as a lever to attract and better coordinate other donors’ funds.

The last thing we need is to see the UN becoming irrelevant. If elected, my role and the role of the future UN administration will be to invest best efforts to reflect the needs of the ever-changing world. Nothing lasts forever but the certainty of change. Therefore, we have to work to build a better world for future generations. That is why my vision is about ensuring an effective and efficient UN system in addressing existing and emerging challenges by extending partnerships and strengthening coordination. We need to reinvent multilateralism through the principles of responsibility, inclusiveness and engagement.

This post is part of a series produced by The Huffington Post regarding the selection and appointment of the next Secretary-General of the United Nations. A new Secretary-General will take office on January 1, 2017, and each of the declared candidates for the position was invited to participate in this blog series. The President of the General Assembly noted that, this year, the selection process will have more transparency than ever before. The declared candidates for the position are listed by the UN here. To see all the posts in the series, visit here.

In this article reflects on the writer's opinion on the appointment of the next Secretary-General and his personal opinions on how the United Nations can improve our world. in addition, the writers expresses his opinion on how the UN should focus and more policies on Africa and should appoint a female Secretary-General. Overall, there are several biases that are expressed in this article, for example, the idea on how there should be UN headquarters in Nairobi in order to improve the situation in Africa and etc. In conclusion, I believe all the opinions that are stated in this article are reasonable, I believe the policies that the writer expresses could improve our world that is economically and socially struggling. 

Igor, Luksic. "Huffington Post" 9 May. 2016. A Vision for Building a Better World. 9 May. 2016.

<http://www.huffingtonpost.com/igor-luksic/a-vision-for-building-a-better-world_b_9842542.html>

The Biggest Companies in America Are Being Handed $27 for Every $1 They Pay in Taxes
By Tess Owen
April 14, 2016 | 1:00 am

If you're a United States citizen who is pained by doing your taxes, April can be the cruelest month of the year. Maybe you dread deciphering the tax code or doing paperwork — or perhaps you're frustrated by the realization that you're subsidizing public services beyond your means while your city's infrastructure is falling apart.

These aren't things that some of the country's biggest corporations really need to worry about.

Oxfam America took a close look at the way large, profitable companies use offshore tax havens and other methods to slash their corporate tax rates in the US rather than pay taxes where the majority of their business takes place.

The report, "Broken at the Top," found that the 50 largest companies in the US have $1.4 trillion hidden in tax havens while at the same time receiving trillions of dollars in tax payer-funded loans and subsidies. The tax practices of these corporate behemoths cost Americans an estimated $111 billion per year and cost developing countries another $100 billion a year.

Apple, the world's second-largest company, was the company with the greatest amount stored abroad — $181 billion in three subsidiaries. Next in Oxfam's league table was General Electric, with $119 billion stored in 118 tax haven subsidiaries, followed by Microsoft which had $108 billion kept overseas.

According to a Pew Research Poll from 2013, only 6 percent of Americans think it is morally acceptable for people not to report all their income on their taxes while 64 percent reported being very bothered by the idea that corporations weren't paying their fair share in federal taxes.


The impact of falling tax revenue goes beyond a question of ethics, however.

The US House of Representatives is currently considering a budget plan that would slash even more federal funding for food stamps by over $150 billion over the next decade, for example, taking food assistance benefits away from about three million of the country's poorest and most vulnerable citizens. Major cuts to public health funding have also left health departments ill equipped to deal with the growing threat posed by the Zika virus.

Budget cuts have led local governments to cut corners with their spending, which can cause infrastructure like roads and bridges to crumble and pose a threat to their citizens.

Oxfam's findings come in the wake of the Panama Papers leak, which revealed how the rich and powerful have used the Panamanian law firm Mossack Fonseca to establish offshore arrangements in order to avoid paying taxes in their own countries.

The organization estimates that $7.6 trillion is currently stashed in offshore tax havens. That's more than the German and British economies combined, and roughly a 10th of the total world GDP in 2014.

"As Americans rush to finalize tax returns, multinational corporations that benefit from trillions in taxpayer-funded support are dodging billions in taxes," Raymond C. Offenheiser, Oxfam America's president, said in a statement. "The vast sums large companies stash in tax havens should be fighting poverty and rebuilding America's infrastructure, not hidden offshore in Panama, Bahamas, or the Cayman Islands."

"When corporations don't pay their fair share of taxes, governments — rich and poor — are forced to cut services or make up the shortfall from working families and small businesses," he added. "Neither is acceptable."

The Oxfam report found that between 2008 and 2014, the 50 largest US companies — which include Disney, Walmart, American Express, Alphabet (Google), AT&T, Bank of America, Pepsi, and so on — collectively received $27 in federal loans, loan guarantees and bailouts for every $1 they coughed up in federal taxes. Between 2008 and 2014, they collectively received more than $11.2 trillion in tax-payer funded help.

In 2008, the world economy was hit with the biggest crisis since the Great Depression of the 1930s. US households lost on average nearly $5,800 in income due to reduced economic growth during the acute stage of the financial crisis, from September 2008 to the end of 2009.

The federal government shelled out about $2,050 for each household on average within that span to help mitigate the impact of the financial crisis. Meanwhile, according to the Oxfam report, America's biggest companies enjoyed the lion's share of US taxpayer funded support, receiving $11 trillion in federal loans, guarantees, and bailout assistance between 2008 and 2014.

In 1952, corporate income taxes contributed to 33 percent of the US federal budget. Today corporate income taxes cover just 9 percent of the budget.

But the era of rampant corporate tax evasion might be coming to an end. Bringing corporate profits back onshore has been an issue that has seen bipartisan support during the 2016 presidential campaign. Where the candidates differ is how exactly they should do that.

The current federal tax rate on corporate taxable income can be as high as 39 percent — the third-highest rate in the world. To lure corporations back to American shores, Republican frontrunner Donald Trump proposes lowering that tax rate to 15 percent. Democratic candidates Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders have both pledged to raise tax rates and close the loopholes that have made tax dodging possible.

On April 4, the Obama administration unveiled aggressive new rules to curb tax inversions — corporate mergers that are meant to relocate a company's tax exposure abroad.

The maneuver typically involves a US corporation buying a smaller company in a country with a lower income tax rate, and then shifting its headquarters to the foreign country. The new rules will dramatically shake up the world of corporate finance and have tax lawyers working for corporate firms scrambling to find other loopholes.

The new guidelines were credited with the collapse of the corporate merger of pharmaceutical companies Pfizer and Allergan, which would have allowed Pfizer to avoid paying $35 billion in US taxes.

Obama called for international tax reform on the heels of the Panama Paper revelations.

"The problem is that a lot of this stuff is legal," he said.

Few weeks ago 11million documents have been leaked exposing leaders, major companies, many wealthy individuals. The 2 terabytes of information that was leaked is called the panama papers which listed a large amount of wealthy indicduals and corporation and their offshore bank accounts which helped them to avoid taxes. looking at the statistics of the money that was hidden in theses offshore accounts, have shown corruption not only in the corporation but also involved in politics also. currently it is estimated that $7.6 trillion is currently stashed in offshore tax havens, Which is more than the German and British economies combined, and roughly a 10th of the total world GDP in 2014. Overall, this article gives out statistics and numbers on how much major compnies like Microsoft, Google, Apple, and etc have been avoiding taxes but hiding their money and profits through offshore accounts in Panama. When it comes the authors perspective or the articles opinion, there isn't much side parting but the statistics show and the numbers show that the article is against offshore bank accounts and the indivduals and corporations that are not being taxed fairly. Overall, when it comes to my opinion on this issue, I believe avoiding taxes is morally wrong although I have never been wealthy enough to understand the opposite side; I believe everyone should pay a fair amount when it comes to taxes. 

 Owen, Tess. "Vice News."  14 April. 2016. The Biggest Companies in America Are Being Handed $27 for Every $1 They Pay in Taxes. 2 May. 2016. <https://news.vice.com/article/top-50-us-companies-get-27-from-the-government-for-every-1-they-pay-in-taxes>

Obama announces 250 new military personnel for Syria
Officials say move to boost US presence five-fold is aimed at backing groups going up against ISIL.

US President Barack Obama has said he plans to send 250 more troops to Syria, a sharp increase in the number of Americans working with local Syrian forces. "I've decided to increase US support for local forces fighting ISIL in Syria ... I've approved the deployment of up to 250 US personnel in Syria, including special forces," Obama said, announcing the decision after a meeting in Hanover with German Chancellor Angela Merkel The deployment, which will increase US forces in Syria to about 300, aims to accelerate the process of driving back the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL, also known as ISIS), White House adviser Ben Rhodes said. Obama also said that Europe needed to take on its share of the burden to ensure collective security, adding that the Western allies could do more in the fight against ISIL. ISIL controls the cities of Raqqa in Syria and Mosul in Iraq and is proving a potent threat abroad, claiming credit for major attacks in Paris in November and Brussels in March.
While Obama has resisted deploying US troops in Syria, he initially sent 50 US special operations personnel there last year. The US officials described the forces as being on a "counterterrorism" mission rather than involved in an effort to tip the scales in the war, which UN envoy Staffan De Mistura estimates has killed 400,000 people. Obama pledged to wind down wars in the Middle East when he was first elected in 2008. However, in the latter part of his presidency, he has made decisions to keep or add to the numbers of troops deployed to conflicts in Iraq, Syria and Afghanistan.
The president is ending a six-day international trip that began in Riyadh, where he held talks with Gulf Arab monarchs concerned that Washington's commitment to the Middle East had warned.
After that meeting, Obama sidestepped a question about whether he would send special forces to Syria if talks failed to end the war, saying: "None of the options are good." Obama also said the US-led coalition fighting ISIL had squeezed the group's territory in Iraq and Syria, reducing its numbers and cutting off its finances.

Due to the ever growing problem and presences of Isis in Syria and in the middle east President Obama has initiated 250 new military personnel to be deployed. In addition, this article also gives some background information on how Obama has dealt with Isis in the middle east by deploying or adding the number of troops and also states that he has been he has made decisions to keep or add to the numbers of troops deployed to conflicts in Iraq, Syria and Afghanistan. When it comes to bias in this article I haven't noticed a serious opinion or a bias from the writer. Overall, this article focuses on the recent actions Obama has taken. Personally, I do have a deep concern on Isis and believe is a major problem. Then again, I also am concerned with the brave men and women who are risking their lives serving their country. Furthermore, I am aware of Isis' presence in the middle and the problem that is ever growing, however, I believe it is unnecessary for the US to send in troops to fight someone else when it clear to see that the Iraqis and other neighbouring countries are capable of handling this kind of threat.

source

"Obama announces 250 new military personnel for Syria" 25 April. 2016. Al Jazeera. 25 April. 2016. <http://www.aljazeera.com/news/2016/04/obama-syria-troops-160425061530370.html>

North Korea Says American Student Tried To Steal Item With Propaganda Slogan
The 21-year-old student allegedly said he was impressed by North Korea's "humanitarian treatment of severe criminals like myself."

SEOUL (Reuters) - A U.S. student held in North Korea since early January was detained for trying to steal an item bearing a propaganda slogan from his Pyongyang hotel and has confessed to "severe crimes" against the state, the North's official media said on Monday. Otto Warmbier, 21, a student at the University of Virginia, was detained before boarding his flight to China over an unspecified incident at his hotel, his tour agency told Reuters in January. North Korea has a long history of detaining foreigners and has used jailed U.S. citizens in the past to exact high-profile visits from the United States, with which it has no formal diplomatic relations. "I committed the crime of taking out a political slogan from the staff-only area of the Yanggakdo International Hotel," the North's KCNA news agency quoted Warmbier as telling media in Pyongyang, the North Korean capital. It did not say what the item was. CNN showed video of a sobbing Warmbier saying: "I have made the worst mistake of my life, but please act to save me." Warmbier said a "deaconess" had offered him a used car worth $10,000 if he could present a U.S. church with the slogan as a "trophy" from North Korea, KCNA said. The acquaintance also said the church would pay his mother $200,000 if he was detained by the North and did not return, KCNA quoted Warmbier as saying. "My crime is very severe and pre-planned," Warmbier was quoted as saying, adding that he was impressed by North Korea's "humanitarian treatment of severe criminals like myself". Warmbier's parents have not heard from him since his arrest, according to a statement from his family provided by the University of Virginia. "I hope the fact that he has conveyed his sincere apology for anything that he may have done wrong will now make it possible for the DPRK (North Korea) authorities to allow him to return home," the statement said. "I urge the DPRK government to consider his youth and make an important humanitarian gesture by allowing him to return to his loved ones." Other Westerners detained in North Korea previously have confessed to crimes against the state. North Korea's state media said in January that Warmbier "was caught committing a hostile act against the state", which it said was "tolerated and manipulated by the U.S. government". The senior pastor at Friendship United Methodist Church in Wyoming, Ohio, told CNN that he did not know the person identified by Warmbier in the KCNA story as a deaconess there, and said Warmbier was not a member of the congregation. According to KCNA, Warmbier also said he was encouraged in his act by a member of the Z Society, an elite philanthropic organization at the University of Virginia that he hoped to join. An official in the university's communications office could not immediately be reached for comment. Isolated North Korea is expected to face tough new U.N. Security Council resolution following its nuclear test in January and a long-range rocket launch this month. Warmbier was on a five-day New Year's tour of North Korea with a group of 20 and was delayed at immigration before being taken away by two airport officials, according to a tour operator that had sponsored the trip. While the vast majority of tourists to North Korea are from China, roughly 6,000 Westerners visit the country annually, though the United States and Canada advise against it. Most are adventure-seekers curious about life behind the last sliver of the iron curtain, and ignore critics who say their dollars prop up a repressive regime.

the article I have decided to read and respond to this week concerns an American Student who had been detained by North Korea for stealing an item with a propaganda slogan. The student from the University of Virginia was Otto Warmbier, was detained before boarding his flight to China over an unspecified incident at his hotel. Otto now has apologized towards North Korea and has also stated that  he was impressed by North Korea's humanitarian treatment of severe criminals like himself. In addition to Otto's statement, the North Korean media has also reported and accused Otto that he was a working for the US government and also stated that he was hired by a church to bring items out of North Korea and that his mother would be given 200,000 dollars from the church if Otto was detained. Through this article, I haven't noticed an substantial amount of biased opinion from the author but this article certainly gave me biased opinion and more reasons to think North Korea is truly ridiculous. when to comes to my opinion towards this matter i believe the statements Otto gave about North Korea was false since North Korea is capable of forcing people to proclaim North Korea is good country. Furthermore, I also believe North Korea's statement on the church and how the church was willing to pay that kind of money for Otto's family was absolutely ridiculous.  Overall, my thoughts about the hermit Kingdom stays the same, an absolute dictatorship that is willing to claim false reports to keep an non-existent reputation. 

citation

Pearson, James. "North Korea Says American Student Tried To Steal Item With Propaganda Slogan." 29 Feb. 2016. Huffington Post  29 Feb. 2016. <http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/north-korea-college-student-confession_us_56d44f9ce4b0871f60ebfd90?utm_hp_ref=world>

The US is Selling Weapons to Nearly Half the Countries in the World
By Samuel OakfordFebruary 23, 2016 | 1:20 am

The global trade in arms continued to grow over the last half decade, buoyed by an appetite for weapons in the Middle East and a near doubling of exports from China.

Figures released by the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute, a monitoring group, showed that even as the total trade in weapons grew by 14 percent between 2011 and 2015, the two largest exporters, Russia and the US, managed to capture even greater portions of the pie. American exports made up a full third of the global trade, up from 29 percent between 2006 and 2010. According to a congressional report, US arms sales increased by more than a third in 2014 alone, to $36.2 billion from 26.7 the year prior. SIPRI reported that over the last five years, the US sold "major" weapons to at least 96 countries — just a hair under half the total number of UN member states.

Russia meanwhile captured a quarter of all exports in SIPRI's most recent assessment, up from 22 percent in the previous reporting period.

In line with longstanding security alliances in the Gulf, the US sent nearly 10 percent of its total exports between 2011 and 2015 to Saudi Arabia, and a further 9.1 percent to the United Arab Emirates. Both countries are members of the coalition that has intervened militarily in Yemen for nearly a year, largely with American-supplied aircraft and munitions. According to the Congressional Research Service, the US sold them more than $90 billion in armaments and weapons systems since 2010.

Overall, imports to the Middle East rose by 61 percent; Saudi Arabia and the UAE were the second and fourth-biggest global importers between 2011 and 2015. Elsewhere in the region, Qatar's imports grew by 279 percent, while Egypt's increased by 37. Weapons purchases by Iraq, which is battling Islamic State militants, rose 83 percent more during the past five years than between 2006 and 2011, continuing a steady flow that began following the US-led invasion of the country in 2003.

"Despite low oil prices, large deliveries of arms to the Middle East are scheduled to continue as part of contracts signed in the past five years," said Pieter Wezeman, Senior Researcher at SIPRI, in a statement.

Russia sent nearly 40 percent of all its exports to India, followed by sales to China and Vietnam. The latter increased its spending on foreign arms by a whopping 699 percent, catapulting their rank among importers from 43rd to eighth over the past five years. Nearly all of the weapons delivered to Vietnam came from Russia, including 8 combat aircraft, 4 submarines and 4 "fast attack craft." SIPRI assessed that Vietnam's stepped-up purchasing reflected fears of Beijing's growing power in Asia and territorial claims in the South China Sea that overlap with its own.

While China still only accounts for 5.9 percent of global arms exports, its share is growing faster that practically any other state. Between 2006 and 2015, it's share of exports rose 88 percent. Most were destined for other Asian countries, including Pakistan. SIPRI noted that Beijing "is increasingly capable of producing its own advanced weapons and has become less dependent on arms imports," which fell 25 percent in the recent reporting period. But China, wrote researchers, "remains partly dependent on imports for some key weapons and components, including large transport aircraft and helicopters, and engines for aircraft, vehicles and ships."

For the first time, China's weapons exports exceeded those of France, long one of Europe's top arms sellers. From 7.1 percent of global exports between 2011 and 2015, France captured 5.6 percent in the last five years. Germany's share fell even further, from 11 percent to 4.7. The UK's share increased marginally, from 4.1 percent to 4.5 percent. Arms imports to Europe, meanwhile, fell by 41 percent.

Over the years global arms deals have had a steady increase and rise. Recently, the two nations that dominate on the global trade in arms have been the US and Russia. The overall statistics that is reported in this article is that the US' weapons export covers one third of the world while Russia dominates a quarter of the world, making both of them the largest exporters on weapons. In addition to that information, the position this author is standing seems a little ambiguous, however I believe  the author is trying to state that the amount of money the Russians and  Americans are spending are unnecessary compared to other nations like the UK, France, and many others. When it comes to my opinion on the matter of spending significant amount of money on weapons I believe it is a bit unnecessary. Then again, I do believe there are times when buying or selling weapons are necessary to protect oneself or to boost the economy of a state. But when it comes to US and Russia's situation i believe there position on the global arms race is bizzare, since the statistics that are compareable betweem these two nations and the rest of the world is drastic. In summary, the article reports a good amount of data that supports the fact that the US and Russia are significnat in our world's weapon business and the position of the author seems to stand is that it is unncessary for them to do so. furthermore, I also have an understanding that the US does have a responsibity to be the world's police but I believe they should makes some significant cuts for their military budget and sales.

Oakford, Samuael. "The US is Selling Weapons to Nearly Half the Countries in the World." 2 Feb. 2016. ViceNews 23 Feb. 2016. <https://news.vice.com/article/the-us-is-selling-weapons-to-nearly-half-the-countries-in-the-world>

Sudan and South Sudan to Open Borders for the First Time in Nearly Five Years
By VICE NewsJanuary 28, 2016 | 9:10 pm


Sudan and South Sudan will soon be one step closer to improved relations and to boosting economic ties nearly five years after they split into two countries. On Wednesday, Sudan's President Omar Hassan al-Bashir ordered the opening of his country's border with South Sudan for the first time since the south's secession in 2011. The move is aimed at improving economic links between the two nations. Their border was closed in 2011 when relations deteriorated after the south seceded through an independence referendum following a long civil war, taking with it three-quarters of the country's oil. "President Omar al-Bashir issued a decree today ordering the opening of borders with the state of South Sudan and ordered the relevant authorities to take all measures required to implement this decision on the ground," Sudan's state news agency SUNA reported on Wednesday. Michael Makuei Lueth, South Sudan's government spokesman, said the reopening of the border would boost economic ties. South Sudan currently occupies land containing an estimated 5 billion barrels of proven reserves, according to the United States Energy Information Administration. "This is a positive move in a right direction because this is what will lead to the normalization of our relations with Sudan," he told Reuters. The Sudanese government in Khartoum accuses its counterpart in Juba, the capital of South Sudan, of backing a rebellion in its Darfur region and a separate but linked insurgency in Blue Nile and South Kordofan. South Sudan denies the allegations. "We hope that South Sudan takes its helping hand away from rebel movements that are against our government in Darfur, Blue Nile, and South Kordofan," Sudan's information minister, Ahmed Bilal Osman, told Reuters on Thursday. Osman said he expected commercial relations to be restored and landlocked South Sudan would now be able to benefit from Sudan's coastal ports as it had done in the past. South Sudanese President Salva Kiir had unexpectedly and unilaterally announced a normalization of relations on Tuesday in response to Bashir agreeing to cut the transit fees for South Sudanese oil crossing Sudan's territory via pipelines to the Red Sea last week. After the reduced transit fees were announced, Kiir ordered South Sudanese troops stationed at the border to retreat five kilometres, a move that paved the way for the border to be opened, Osman said. Relations have been tense between the two countries since 2011 as they failed to agree on borders and the status of several regions that both sides claim sovereignty over.

For this week's article response I decided to write about the latest situtation in South Sudan. Recently, there have been reports that the relations between Sudan and South Sudan have opened up for both countries to improve and boost their economic ties. In addition to this information, the article also sums up the background and history of the two nations and how tensions were tight during 2011 and also the natural resouces the South possess which could benefit the North. Overall, when it comes to my personal opinon of these two nations; I feel content with the situation.Furthermore, I also believe to the bias of this article it was a bit hard to other than the article writing off the benefits of both countries Over the past few years I have lived in both these countries and witnessed the conflict that have immerged between them. Now that these nations have a agreed to help one another I hope and pray these nations would develop into wealthy nations in North-east Africa. 

"Sudan and South Sudan to Open Borders for the First Time in Nearly Five Years." 28 Jan. 2016. ViceNews. 1 Feb. 2016. <https://news.vice.com/article/sudan-and-south-sudan-to-open-borders-for-the-first-time-in-nearly-five-years>

The US Is Thinking About Sending More Weapons to the Korean Peninsula

By Reuters News AgencyJanuary 11, 2016 | 3:32 pm

The United States and its ally South Korea were discussing on Monday sending more strategic US weapons to the Korean peninsula, a day after a US B-52 bomber flew over South Korea in response to North Korea's nuclear test last week. North Korea said it set off a hydrogen bomb last Wednesday, its fourth nuclear test since 2006, angering China, the North's main ally, and the US, which said it doubted the device was a hydrogen bomb. In a show of force and support for allies in the region, the US on Sunday sent a nuclear-capable B-52 bomber based in Guam on a flight over South Korea, accompanied by South Korean fighter jets. North Korea's Rodong Sinmun newspaper, the mouthpiece of the ruling Workers' Party, said the US was bringing the situation to the brink of war. South Korean media said the US may send B-2 bombers, nuclear-powered submarines, and F-22 stealth fighter jets to South Korea. A South Korean defense ministry spokesman declined to give details. China called for all sides to avoid raising tension. The chairman of South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff warned that North Korea was likely to carry out further "sudden provocations," a South Korean defense ministry official said, while the commander of the 28,500 US troops in South Korea, General Curtis Scaparrotti, urged them to be vigilant. "I want you to maintain the highest level readiness from a long-term view as joint military exercises are coming up," Scaparrotti told US and South Korean forces on a visit to a base — apparently referring to joint annual military exercises that usually begin in February or March and invariably provoke an angry reaction from North Korea. On the diplomatic front, South Korea said its chief nuclear negotiator planned to meet his US and Japanese counterparts on Wednesday to discuss a response to North Korea, and the next day, he would meet China's nuclear envoy in Beijing. North Korea has been under UN Security Council sanctions since its first test of an atomic device. After its third test, in 2013, the Security Council took about three weeks to agree a resolution that tightened financial restrictions and cracked down on its attempts to ship and receive banned cargo. South Korea and Japan used a military hotline for the first time after of North Korea's test, South Korea's defense ministry said, in a sign the North's behaviour is pushing the two old rivals closer together. South Korea has also resumed anti-North propaganda broadcasts through loudspeakers along the border, a tactic that the North considers insulting. It responded with artillery fire the last time South Korea used the speakers in August. Meanwhile, CNN reported from Pyongyang on Monday that a Canadian pastor serving a life sentence in North Korea for subversion said he spends eight hours a day digging holes at a labour camp, while a naturalized American citizen said he is being held by the state for spying. If confirmed, Kim Dong Chul, who CNN said was 60 and formerly of Fairfax, Virginia, would be the second Western citizen known to be held currently in North Korea. He was being held for spying for South Korea and asked the South or the US government to rescue him, CNN said. Hyeon Soo Lim, a South Korean-born Canadian who was the head pastor at one of Canada's largest churches, who has been held by the North since February, was brought into a Pyongyang hotel for an interview. He said he works eight hours a day, six days a week digging holes in an orchard at a labour camp where he has seen no other prisoners.

 

For this week's article response I decided to choose an article that is realtible to our new discussion in which is North Korea. Ever since, North Korea tested theur Hydrogen bomb the tension between the North and South Korea has intensified. As a respond to the north's Hydrogen bomb, the US send in a B-52bomber to fly over the South Korea told their allies to stay alert. In addition, reports also show that China, North Korea's main allie, was also displeased with the testing and called for all sides to avoid raising tension. In addition to the summary of the tension between the North and South, the article also gives another story of a South Korean-born Canadian pastor who is being held by the North. When it comes to the biases of this article, I believe this article is a bit more bias towards the US and South Korea since the reports of the situation is all coming from one side rather than stories from both the South and North. Furthermore, my opinion on the situation is that the testing of the H-bomb has rasied high tension and I also believe that in order to achieve some kind of peace both the North and the South should begin by dimiliarizing their boarders. 

 Reuters News Agency,"Vice News." 11 Jan. 2016. The US Is Thinking About Sending More Weapons to the Korean Peninsula.  25 Jan. 2016. <https://news.vice.com/article/the-us-is-thinking-about-sending-more-weapons-to-the-korean-peninsula>

Syrian Children Killed In School Airstrike
An airstrike that killed eight children at a primary school in Aleppo is blamed on Russian fighter jets.
12:10, UK,Monday 11 January 2016

Eleven children have been killed by a Russian airstrike and rebel rocket fire which hit separate targets in Syria, according to a British-based monitoring group. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said the strike that hit the school in the town of Anjara in the province of Aleppo killed eight children and also injured 20 children and teachers. The Britain-based monitoring group also reported that three children were killed by rebel rocket fire on a government-held district in Aleppo. Video posted on social media, which has not been independently verified, shows a tearful young girl who survived the attack saying: "I was supposed to sit my exam today but the plane destroyed my school." Other pictures show bloodied children covered in dust waiting to be seen in hospital and rescue teams attempting to dig people out of mounds of rubble. Control of Aleppo and its surrounding province is split between the Syrian government, a range of insurgent groups battling President Assad, and fighters from Islamic State who control some rural areas close to the city. The government controls western areas of Aleppo city and an array of insurgent groups control the east. Islamic State and other insurgents, including groups backed by President Assad's foreign enemies, have been fighting each other north of the city. The Syrian civil war has dramatically intensified in recent months and there are currently thousands of rebels and government forces across the country engaged in a deadly battle for supremacy and territory. Russian jets regularly bomb targets in non-IS areas in a strategy some observers have suggested seems to be more about saving the Assad regime, rather than destroying Islamic State. Russia says its airstrikes, which began on September 2015, are aimed at Islamic State, although many of the strikes have been in areas held by other rebel groups, including some that have received backing from Assad's foreign opponents.1/25 The war has forced millions of refugees into neighbouring countries and Europe, with the bulk of them currently living in camps along Syria's borders.

In this article reports the recent events on the Russian air force bombing Syrian primary school in Aleppo, Syria. Due to the bombing the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reports that the strike that hit the school in the province of Aleppo killed eight children and also injured 20 children and teachers. So far, Russia say their these bombing are aimed towards the Islamic State, however reports say many of their strikes have been in areas where the rebels are holding. In my personal opinion i believe the reason why these strikes are happening near rebel areas are due to Russia wanting the Assad regime to remain in Syria. As far as I can tell when it comes to the biases in this article I believe this article is bias against Russia. In conclusion I believe there are many people suffering from Russia's false claims of fight against the Islamic state and I hope and pray for the people of Syria.   

citation 

"Syrian Children Killed In School Airstrike" 11 Jan. 2015. SkyNews. 11 Jan. 2015.

<http://news.sky.com/story/1620645/syrian-children-killed-in-school-airstrike>

Saudi Arabia Bans All Flights To And From Iran

The country cuts all commercial ties with Iran following attacks on its embassy in Tehran as tensions in the region grow.

16:31, UK,Monday 04 January 2016
Saudi Arabia is reportedly stopping all flights to and from Iran - and banning its citizens from travelling there. Saudi foreign minister Adel al Jubeir told Reuters all commercial ties between the countries would also be cut. It follows attacks on the Saudi embassy in Iran by protesters angry at the execution of Shia cleric Sheikh Nimr al Nimr. Nimr al Nimr was among 47 prisoners executed by the Saudi regime Sunni-led Saudi Arabia claims the killing was part of a war on terrorism - but it has sparked protests among Shia Muslims throughout the region. In response to attacks on its diplomatic missions, Saudi has ordered all Iranian diplomats to leave the country within 48 hours. The foreign minister blamed "Iran's aggressive policies" over many years. Sunni allies Bahrain, Sudan and United Arab Emirates have also severed or reduced diplomatic ties with Iran. Their intervention represents another escalation in tension between the two branches of Islam. Iran, a Shia powerhouse, has accused Saudi Arabia of using the attacks on its embassy in Tehran to deliberately stoke "tensions" in the region. "Saudi Arabia, which thrives on tensions, has used this incident as an excuse to fuel the tensions," foreign ministry spokesman Hossein Jaberi Ansari said in televised remarks. No Saudi diplomats were in the embassy at the time and all have now been called home. Iranian officials condemned the attack, as well as Sheikh al Nimr's execution by Saudi Arabia. The 56-year-old was a driving force behind anti-government protests in Saudi during the Arab Spring of 2011. He was put to death along with 46 other prisoners on Saturday. Iran's supreme leader said Saudi politicians will face "divine vengeance" for killing the cleric. There has also been sectarian anger in eastern parts of Saudi, with hundreds of Shia Muslims marching through the streets, and demonstrations spread to countries including Turkey, Pakistan, India and Lebanon. Police fired tear gas at demonstrators in Bahrain, while two Sunni mosques were bombed in Iraq's Hilla province. Some 5,000 Shia demonstrators amassed near the foreign ministry in Baghdad on Monday calling for Iraq to sever all ties to Saudi Arabia. China declared itself "highly concerned" with the developments, while Germany and the US called for calm. An unnamed diplomat quoted by Russian state media said Moscow was ready to act as a peacemaker between the two countries. The Arab League said it would hold emergency talks at the request of Saudi Arabia. There had been concerns that Iranians would be barred from making pilgrimages to Saudi Arabia amid the tensions, but the foreign minister confirmed this would not be the case.

In this article explains and sums up the situation and the relations around the middle east after the execution of Shia cleric Sheikh Nimr al Nimr.  Since of the death of Sheikh protests among Shia Muslims throughout Iran sparked which later resulted in an attack on the Saudi embassy in Teharan, As a response Saudi has ordered all Iranian diplomats to leave the country within 48 hours and cut commercial ties with Iran. After the Saudi's response other Arab nations like Bahrain, Sudan and United Arab Emirates decrased their diplomatic ties with Iran. In my personal opinion, I didn't not expect the situation between these two countries would lighten up. I also didn't understand how important Sheikh was to Shia Muslims. in addition, I believe Sky news has done unbiased job on reporting information and the situation between Iran and Saudi Arabia. In conclusion, the tension between the Saudis and the Iranians have increased resulting in other Arab countries to lessen their ties with Iran. In addition, other countries like the US and China show their concerns and the even the Russian have offered their services to keep peace between these nations.   

citation

"Saudi Arabia Bans All Flights To And From Iran." 04 Jan. 2016. SkyNews. 04 Jan. 2016. <http://news.sky.com/story/1616506/saudi-arabia-bans-all-flights-to-and-from-iran>