Stuff YOU Should Know
Trump’s Surprising Offer
Last week, the investigation into the Trump administration’s ties to Russian tampering in the 2016 U.S. presidential election took yet another strange turn. President Trump agreed to be interviewed by special counsel Robert Mueller, who is leading the investigation against him. Trump also said that he would be willing conduct the interview under oath.
This isn’t the first time that Trump has agreed to an interview with Mueller. He also said that he would back in June 2017, though he later backpedaled and dodged the topic when reporters asked him about it. Mueller may also be investigating whether or not Trump himself interfered in the Russia investigation when he suddenly fired FBI Director James Comey last year.
Trump supporters are viewing this move as proof of his innocence: in other words, the president is willing and eager to speak about Russian connections because he has nothing to hide. Others are more skeptical about his intentions. It’s hard to tell whether Trump’s announcement has the support of his legal team, or if he spoke without their approval. Also, he has made such promises before and then reversed his position. This makes critics less likely to believe that he will come through this time.
Legal experts tend to agree that it would be a mistake for Trump to be interviewed by Mueller under oath. It may be a trap, a way to catch the president committing perjury. But even if Trump doesn’t go through with the interview, he has still gained a political advantage. He has stated publicly that he’s willing to speak out, and if he changes his mind, he can always say that it’s because his lawyers wouldn’t let him.
What Do You Think? Imagine that you are a reporter and that Trump has agreed to grant you an interview under oath. What is one question that you would ask the president?
Sports Diplomacy
In January, btw took a look at the possibility that North Korea might send athletes to the Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang, South Korea, in February. Now, it looks like that possibility will become a reality.
North Korea and South Korea will have a joint women’s ice hockey team at the games. This plan was originally proposed by the South, surprising the world given the current, highly tense state of affairs between the two nations. But last week, North Korean athletes crossed the border into South Korea. Since then, the two teams have eaten together, trained together, and spent free time together. In total, twelve North Korean players will join the South Korean team. Both Koreas will be seen at the Olympics marching together under a single unified flag.
There has also been talk of a joint North Korean/South Korea bobsled team, but that is meeting with significant pushback. Coaches are afraid that introducing new players just weeks before the games will upset the team’s dynamic. The public seems to agree: about 70 percent of people surveyed said that they were against the idea of a combined team because they worry about South Korean players receiving less playing time.
While the image of both Koreas marching under a unified flag will certainly draw headlines, experts disagree about the real diplomatic impact of the games. On the one hand, it’s possible that this show of unified sportsmanship could be the first step toward high-level political talks between the two nations. But many analysts are skeptical about the games’ potential to effect real change. Unification on the ice is one thing, but finding a diplomatic path forward may be far more slippery.
Dig Deeper How, when, and why was Korea divided into two countries? In your opinion, do you think the two nations could ever be unified again? Explain your answer.
No Such Thing As a Free . . . Checking Account?
Do you have a free checking account with Bank of America? If so, you may be out of luck.
Balancing the checkbook just got more challenging for some people. Credit: Photodisc/Getty Images
In 2010, the bank introduced its eBanking program, which charged its customers no monthly fees for their checking account as long as they only used ATMs and received their statements electronically. Meeting with tellers or receiving paper statements tacked on an additional fee. But the bank has now ended that program. Instead, it is transitioning its eBanking customers into a new program where customers must maintain a minimum daily balance of $1,500, or they must receive at least one direct deposit a month of $250 or more. If they can’t do that, then they are charged a $12 monthly fee.
The bank argues that this is fair and that it’s still an excellent value for participants. But critics argue that this new system will disproportionately affect lower-income customers. It’s common for lower-income households to pay much more in banking fees than higher-income ones. In fact, a study released last year found that American households making less than $30,000 per year wind up paying about $31 per month in banking fees, while wealthier Americans pay only $9.
The decision has prompted angry responses from many Bank of America customers. Many have said they will close their accounts and take their business elsewhere. And a petition on Change.org protesting the bank’s new policy has already collected more than 86,000 signatures.
What Do You Think? Imagine that you are a Bank of America customer. Write a letter to the bank’s president explaining whether or not you think the new policy is a good idea, and why.
The Oscars Turn 90
It’s Oscar time again!
For the ninetieth year, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has announced its nominations for everything from Best Picture to Best Sound Mixing. Nominations for Best Picture include “Call Me by Your Name,” “Darkest Hour,” “Dunkirk,” “Get Out,” “Lady Bird,” “Phantom Thread,” “The Post,” “The Shape of Water,” and “Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri.” Nominations for Best Director include Christopher Nolan for “Dunkirk,” Jordan Peele for “Get Out,” Greta Gerwig for “Lady Bird,” Paul Thomas Anderson for “Phantom Thread,” and Guillermo del Toro for “The Shape of Water.” (“The Shape of Water” received 13 nominations, more than any other film.)
The film industry has been praised for becoming more inclusive and diverse by recognizing more female and African American contributors than usual, and for recognizing films with progressive and pro-social justice themes. But one group has seemingly been left out of this progress: Latino Americans. The National Hispanic Media Coalition released a statement accusing the film industry of systemic racism, misrepresentation, and underrepresentation of Latino filmmakers. There is also a new hashtag, #LatinosLeftOut. Only 3 percent of speaking characters in 2016’s top 100 films were Latinos. The last time a Hispanic actor won an Oscar was in 2009: Penelope Cruz won for best supporting actress. But no Latina woman has ever won for a leading role. The only Latino male ever to win for a leading role was Jose Ferrer . . . over 60 years ago, in 1951.
The National Hispanic Media Coalition is planning a protest on February 5 at the annual Oscar nominees luncheon, and another protest the day before the awards ceremony. The Oscars will take place at the Dolby Theater in Hollywood, California at 5:00 pm PST on March 4, 2018.