Iran Shoots Down U.S. Drone
Earlier this month, btw brought you the story of rising tensions between the United States and Iran over the explosion of two oil tankers in the Gulf of Oman. Since then, the relationship between the two countries has continued to deteriorate. Here, btw takes a closer look at what’s happening now. Looking Back…. Tensions between […]
Oil Tankers Attacked in Persian Gulf
Last month, Election Central brought you the story of rising tensions between the United States and Iran. Relations between the two nations have deteriorated significantly since Trump pulled the U.S. out of a 2015 nuclear deal with Iran, and then began imposing a series of economic sanctions against the Middle Eastern nation. Now, that tension […]
Japanese Emperor Abdicates Throne
Emperor Akihito, the 125th emperor of Japan, is stepping down from the throne he has held since 1989. Why is this such significant news? Because Akihito is the first Japanese emperor in modern history (since about the mid-1800s) to abdicate, or leave, his throne. Here, btw takes a closer look at the decision, and at […]
New Zealand Grapples with Mass Shooting
On March 15, fifty people were killed and another fifty wounded when a 28-year-old Australian shooter attacked two mosques in Christchurch, New Zealand. Here, btw takes a closer look at the tragedy. What Happened? At about 1:40 pm on March 15, the shooter, a white supremacist dressed in military gear, walked into the Al Noor […]
Trouble in Helsinki
On July 16, Donald Trump met with Russian president Vladimir Putin in Helsinki, the capital of Finland. The two hours of closed-door talks between the two leaders was followed by a news conference, which turned out to be one of the most troubling moments of Trump’s presidency so far. Here, btw takes a look at […]
Europe’s Immigration Crisis
If you’ve been paying attention to the news lately, you’ve probably heard a lot about Trump’s “zero tolerance” immigration policy, and the controversy surrounding the separation of immigrant and refugee parents and children at our nation’s borders. But the United States isn’t the only country facing an immigration crisis. Europe is also harshly divided over […]
Stuff YOU Should Know
Shareable Scooters Hit the Road Move over, buses and subways and ride sharing. A new public transportation trend is hitting the streets: e-scooters. E-scooters, or shareable electric scooters, are stand-up, battery-powered personal transportation devices that are part of the growing micro-mobility trend in cities nationwide. Here’s how they work: you use an app on your […]
A Look at Vladimir Putin
Last week, Russian president Vladimir Putin–who is up for re-election later this month–gave a fiery annual address to his country. In it, he talked a lot about domestic policy: improving living standards, cutting the poverty rate in half, emphasizing technology and business growth, and growing the economy. But that’s not what earned his speech international […]
Trump’s Asia Tour
This week, President Trump and his wife Melania have been on a twelve-day, five-nation tour of Asia. This has been the president’s longest foreign trip to date. Included on the itinerary are stops in Japan, South Korea, China, Vietnam, and the Philippines. Here, btw takes a look at some of the highlights of the visit. […]
Missile Launch Raises Questions
Last week, North Korea fired an intermediate range missile over Japan. The Hwasong-12 missile, which is designed to carry a nuclear warhead, traveled about 1,700 miles in fourteen minutes before crashing into the Pacific Ocean 575 miles east of Japan. This isn’t the first time that North Korea has launched an object into the skies […]