"What in the World?" - Week of Feb 25-March 3, 2018

The United States--along with Australia, Japan, South Korea, and Singapore--is considering intercepting and searching ships suspected of supplying North Korea with the materials it needs to continue its nuclear missile program. One option is to send U.S. Coast Guard vessels to patrol shipping channels to and from North Korea. Despite the crackdown, the U.S. And its allies will avoid doing THIS, an action Pyongyang has said it would consider a declaration of war.

Seizing any materials suspected of being useful to North Korea’s nuclear missile program

Arresting the crew of any ship accused of carrying prohibited materials to North Korea

Imposing a naval blockade on North Korea

Patrolling in North Korea’s territorial waters

A week of intense bombing by Syrian government forces on rebel enclaves in THIS region has left 500 people dead, and exacerbated an already severe shortage of food and medicine. In response, the U.N. Security Council demanded a 30-day truce for medical evacuations and access to aid.

Ghouta

Aleppo

Homs

Raqqa

Satellite images taken in Myanmar show that the nation’s government has been razing Rohingya villages, potentially destroying evidence of atrocities committed against the ethnic minority. Myanmar’s government claims that the satellite images actually show THIS:

Rebuilding efforts

Construction undertaken with an eye to repatriating those Rohingya who fled

Economic development initiatives to boost employment opportunities

All of the above

The United States is tightening its requirements for THIS type of visa, commonly used in tech industries to hire highly skilled, foreign-born engineers, IT specialists, and software designers. Employers will now be required to file more detailed arguments to support the need for foreign talent:

H1B

Cw1

The Nigerian town of Dapchi was the scene of yet another apparent mass kidnapping of school girls by the jihadist militants of Boko Haram. The Dapchi kidnappings have stirred dark memories of the 2014 Chibok kidnappings—also orchestrated and carried out by Boko Haram. THIS activist organization, which garnered world-wide support for the return of the Chibok girls, is pressing Nigeria’s government to release the names of the kidnapped girls:

#NeverAgain

#BringBackOurGirls

#SafetyForAll

#HeForShe

The Chinese government has seized control of Anbang, an insurance and financial services conglomerate. In an unusual move, the government announced that it will run the company for one year. Experts speculate that by seizing Anbang, Beijing hopes to accomplish THIS:

Reduce financial risks that might cause economic havoc

Curtail any political ambitions held by Anbang’s CEO, Wu Xiaohui

Use Anbang international holdings to increase Chinese global financial influence

Reinforce the image of the Central Committee as China’s true governing body

An admitted affair with a former staffer and allegations of sexual harassment led THIS leader of the National Party, and Australia’s deputy prime minister, to resign his office:

Barnaby Joyce

Tony Abbott

Malcolm Turnbull

Kevin Rudd

Ahead of a general election on March 4, clashes between anti-fascist demonstrators and members of far-right parties have become increasingly frequent, and violent, in THIS European country:

France

Italy

Spain

Austria

An investigation lasting over a year thwarted smugglers who had been using diplomatic mail from the Russian embassy in Argentina to transport THIS:

Diamonds

Firearms

Cocaine

Heroin

As if the allegations of graft and corruption swirling around him in the face of upcoming general elections weren’t enough, Malaysia’s prime minister Najib Razak prompted yet another uproar this week as he stated that he prefers THIS food, because, “it’s better than rice.” The food in question, 23 times more expensive than rice, is out of reach for the majority of Malaysians:

Spelt

Barley

Quinoa

Millet

"What in the World?" - Week of Feb 25-March 3, 2018

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