Political Unrest in Peru
Protests against the government have erupted across Peru since December 2022. The political unrest has disrupted live for Peruvians, led to calls for new elections, and has disrupted tourism in Peru. Why are People Protesting? Protests started in Peru on December 7, 2022, when then-President Pedro Castillo was impeached and imprisoned for trying to dissolve […]
Questions Raised After Deadly Earthquakes in Syria and Turkey
On February 6, 2023, at 4:17 a.m. local time, a powerful earthquake rocked southeastern Turkey and northern Syria. Nine hours later, another quake that was nearly as strong hit farther north in Turkey. As a result, more than 35,000 people died, thousands were injured, and countless more have been left homeless. Questions have been raised […]
French Strikes Show Discontent with Proposed Retirement Reform
French workers have a long tradition of taking democracy to the streets. Now citizens are voicing their concerns about President Emmanuel Macron’s effort to raise the retirement age from 62 to 64. On January 19 and January 31, 2023, thousands of citizens participated in union-organized national strikes against Macron’s plan. As a result of the […]
France to Leave Burkina Faso After Request
Go home, France! The military government in Burkina Faso along with protestors in the west African country’s capital of Ouagadougou made that demand in late January. In response, the French government removed its ambassador from Burkina Faso. France also has agreed to withdraw its 400 special forces soldiers who are stationed there before the end […]
Unlocking Opportunities for Young Kenyans with Recycled Computers
Digital technology has become fundamental to economic success in today’s society. It allows people, countries, and companies to participate more fully in the global economy. Small businesses can use digital technology to reach more customers. Digital skills unlock many new, high-paying jobs. However, people in less developed countries often lack access to these technologies. The […]
The Story of the Afghan Girls Robotics Team
In 2017, the Afghan girl’s robotics team made headlines worldwide when they won a silver medal at the first Global Challenge international robotics competition in Washington, D.C. At the end of 2021, the girls left Afghanistan as the country was falling back under Taliban control. The story of the robotics team is continuing to make […]
Russia Invades Ukraine
Recent headlines and news feeds have been dominated by stories about the Russian invasion of Ukraine, an independent democratic nation of 44 million people. What caused Russia to invade its neighbor? What is Russian president Vladimir Putin’s goal? How will the rest of the world respond? Here, btw takes a closer look at this volatile […]
Humanitarian Aid to Afghanistan
When the U.S. government ended its occupation of Afghanistan in August 2021, the country was quickly overrun by the Taliban. Afghanistan was already a poor and war-ravaged nation, but Taliban control made a bad situation even worse. It devastated the Afghan economy. Now, the country faces a widespread humanitarian crisis as millions of civilians starve. […]
Haiti Faces Series of Natural Disasters
In the wake of the assassination of President Jovenel Moise on July 7, 2021, the Caribbean island nation of Haiti has faced political instability and widespread gang violence. Then on August 14, 2021, Haiti–the poorest nation in the Western Hemisphere–faced an even bigger challenge when it was hit by the deadliest earthquake in more than […]
The Group of 7 Meets in England
Last week was the 47th G-7 Summit. G-7 stands for the “Group of Seven,” and includes the United States, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, and the United Kingdom. The G-7 originated in the 1970s as a meeting of finance ministers from the U.S., France, the U.K., and West Germany. As the organization became more formal […]