Stuff YOU Should Know
#Bring Back Our Girls
On April 14, a Nigerian terrorist group called Boko Haram abducted more than 300 Nigerian female students from their boarding school in the town of Chibok in Borno State, Nigeria. These men are opposed to the “westernization” of their country (adopting aspects of American culture like politics, religion and lifestyle). They are particularly upset by the fact that girls are allowed to attend school, which is strictly forbidden by their religion (the name Boko Haram means “Western education is forbidden.”) The leader of of the terrorist group released a video saying the girls will be forcibly converted to Islam and sold as brides or slaves. Reports say that 53 of the girls have managed to escape.
This terrorist group has engaged in similar action since at least 2010, but awareness is growing due to social media. A Los Angeles woman named Ramaa Mosley heard the news on the radio but could find little information on the ordeal when she did a search. So she began hashtagging the refrain she heard from Nigerian women protestors–Bring Back Our Girls–and forwarded it to as many politicians and celebrities she could think of. It has been retweeted 800,000 times (including First Lady Michelle Obama) and has become a rallying cry.
Dig Deeper Keep following this story until the girls are returned. Politicians say that the situation is very complicated and that sending armed forces to Nigeria is not a good idea. See if you can find out why.
California Drought Update
Credit: Nature Picture Library/Alamy; the need for rain in California is causing wildfires and other problems.
Earlier this year, btw brought you news of a drought in California. Governor Jerry Brown is calling on the efforts of Save Our Water, a statewide initiative created in 2009 by the California Department of Water Resources, to increase awareness about the problem and help residents take the proper measures to reduce their water consumption. In cities like Santa Cruz, water utilities have issued allotments for its customers based on the individual needs of each household (depending on how many persons live there and the climate of the location). The city plans to charge large fines for those who exceed them.
One of the biggest current concerns caused by the drought is the heightened risk for wildfires as California approaches the summer fire season. The state is already experiencing more than double the average amount of wildfires compared to the past five years. In response, the state Department of Forestry and Fire Protection is focusing on prevention. The department is cutting down excessive brush and trees that feed a small fire and allow it to burn out of control. Other issues facing officials are how to deal with reduced agriculture yields as well as the health impacts due to heat.
Dig Deeper If faced with the task of conserving water in your household, what do you think the biggest challenges would be for you and your family? How about your neighborhood? Or city?
First Female Professional Mens Soccer Coach
A French association football club called Clermont Foot 63 hired a new coach, Helena Costa. She will become the first woman to ever coach a professional men’s soccer team. Costa, 36, gained experience coaching men at the regional level in Portugal, and was a scout for a club team in Scotland. She reportedly said that coaching men on a professional level had been a goal for her, but that she never thought it would be possible, due to deeply held perceptions of the sport. While she was once a player herself, she was drawn to coaching early on in her career. She developed women’s teams in both Qatar (in the Middle East) and Iran from scratch.
Many believe Costa will be closely watched by the world of soccer. The debate over her choice as the leader of the Clermont Foot 63 has already filled the opinion pages in Europe. Some suggest her appointment is nothing more than a publicity stunt for a team that is currently ranked 14 out of 20 in its league. Others believe that in an age where women are breaking professional barriers that it was inevitable. Some question her minimal direct experience in coaching men, where others say that under-qualified male coaches are hired all of the time.