Letter from the Editor

Greetings CWU,

As the clouds start to part and make way for some rays, remember to be kind to yourself. Being kind to yourself allows space for vulnerability, which was one theme on my mind while writing my opinion piece about overcoming grief on pg. 8. Being open and honest builds confidence and trust with yourself and in relationships, which is important in our personal lives as well as in the field of journalism.

This week is National News Literacy Week, and the News Literacy Project published statistics showing that only 26% of American adults polled last year said they trusted most news most of the time, a significant decline from an all-time high of 72% in the 1970s post-Watergate scandal. We want to hear what our readers think: do you trust the news you are reading? What types of news sources are reputable to you, and how do you determine this? Send a letter to CWUObserver@gmail.com to weigh in. There are resources available to develop news literacy at Newslit.org for those who wish to improve their reading accuracy.

Thousands of supporters of Brazil’s Former conservative President Jair Balsonaro invaded Brazil’s National Congress building, mirroring the Jan. 6 attacks, according to The Guardian. Rioters gathered after Balsonaro refused to concede to election results claiming election fraud.

While China has been working towards its “zero COVID” policy, it has left a negative impact on the economy and led to population decline. According to US News, the National Bureau of Statistics reported around 850,000 fewer people in 2022 than reported in 2021.

Argentina and Brazil are potentially in the works of combining a common currency between them. According to CNN, the currency change may help reduce reliance on the U.S. dollar.