Stuff YOU Should Know
Airport Bombing in Turkey
In another all-too-familiar headline, members of ISIS have announced responsibility for a deadly bombing. This one took place in the main airport of Turkey, located in its most populous city, Istanbul. Forty-five people were killed and hundreds more wounded when three bombers first opened fire outside the airport, before blowing themselves up inside the terminal. Seventeen suspects so far have been identified and are currently in court on charges for their involvement. Two of the attackers have been identified as Russian nationals.
In response, the Turks responded with artillery fire and a U.S.-led coalition of warplanes struck dozens of targets in northern Syria, killing 14 Islamic State fighters. In a statement, a spokesperson for Turkish president Tayyip Erdogan vowed a renewed effort between his country and Russia in order to more effectively combat against terrorist troops based in Syria. Security has also been heightened throughout the region, especially in mass transit stations such as subways, train depots and airports, as they have been heavily occupied because of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan. The Marmaray Tunnel in particular, which connects the Europe and Asia, is considered a potential target.
Dig Deeper Find out how this particular attack has affected the United States current policy to limit its involvement in dealing with Syria. Does it intend to increase airstrikes? Is there a plan moving forward? Seek out an opinion piece that supports each side.
The FBI Inquiry Over Clinton’s Emails
The news of Hillary Clinton using a private email server during her tenure as secretary of State broke long before the official announcement of her candidacy. Last week, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) sat down with Clinton to discuss the situation. The conversation (which her campaign team has emphasized was voluntary) is part of an investigation is to determine whether her actions can be considered a criminal offense and whether formal charges will be brought against her.
Attorney General Loretta Lynch said that she would fully cooperate with the FBI and accept the findings. Lynch has received criticism because she recently had contact with Clinton’s husband, former president Bill Clinton. While the nature of the engagement was social, both parties agreed after the fact that the two of them together could be seen as a breach of ethical standards and “cast a shadow” over the Department of Justice (DOJ) investigation.
UPDATE: The FBI announced its judgment on Tuesday.decision before the Democratic National Convention later this month. While the Bureau did not find any evidence of intent to break a law, there was a strongly negative view given of Clinton’s poor judgment on the handling of sensitive diplomatic materials.
What Do You Think? Many say that Clinton’s decision to talk with the FBI was an effort to “bring the review to a conclusion.” How likely do you think this is to happen? Why or why not?
Stonewall National Monument
On June 28, President Obama announced that the Stonewall Inn would be the 412th National Historic Landmark (NHL) of the National Park System. The first national Pride parade took place in 1970, to celebrate the one-year anniversary of the Stonewall riots.
Credit: Jill Braaten/©McGraw-Hill Education
In the early hours of June 28, 1969, the police conducted a raid on a popular gay nightclub located in the Greenwich Village neighborhood of New York City. While the club was subject to a number of justifiable violations (they had no liquor license because many gay establishments would could not get them and did not meet certain health department codes), many believed the police were unfairly targeting gay clubs. Raids were typical during this time and were not usually tense. But pent-up frustrations led to friction between law enforcement and the patrons. A crowd began throwing bottles and rocks at the police, who had to barricade themselves inside the bar. Riots continued, off and on, throughout the following four days.
What Do You Think? While there had been gay rights organizations before Stonewall, many of them had not been overt. Find out how the riots influenced and changed the face of LGBT activism and write a paragraph about what you find.
First Fatal Accident in Driverless Car
Last year, btw brought you news of the development of the “driverless car.” One of the concerns facing automakers is safety. Last week, the first known fatal accident involving an “autonomous” vehicle was reported in Florida. Joshua Brown, 40, of Ohio was in his Tesla in self-driving mode, when a tractor-trailer made a left-hand turn in front of him. His car failed to break, resulting in a collision.
The accident is a blow to the automobile/technology industry in general and Tesla Motors in particular. The Palo Alto start-up company that had quickly came on the scene as a major competitor to the Chevrolet Volt has been looking to expand its offerings from its expensive electric offerings. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has launched an investigation to determine whether the driver or the technology is at fault for the accident. Some say that the incident will surely impact the market. Brown, the driver of the vehicle, was the founder of a technology company and described by those who knew him as an innovator who believed in the promise of technology.