Global Current Events
Are you in the know? it doesn’t affect me at all.” But with such a heterogeneous population, students are not aware that current events have a major impact on them. It all started when my step-father and two sisters went to Egypt last January. Two days after they arrived, the rebels had gathered and held protests all over Egypt. Although American citizens were allowed out of Egypt immediately, my step-father, as an Egyptian citizen, was not allowed to leave. If I had not kept up-to-date, I would have never had been able to find out if/when he was able to come back home. Oddly enough, if students are aware of current events, they are usually not from credible news sources, but from social networking sites such as Facebook or Twitter. “I found out about Hurricane Irene and Steve Jobs dying on my Twitterfeed,” sophomore Aysha Ghaffar said. “Other
AHS students struggle on global current events BY DESTINY GAMMON AND NADIA ELGENDY International Editor Staff Writer
wwSaudi Arabian ambassador targeted for assassination: On Tuesday, October 11, Saudi ambassador, Adel al- Jubeir, was the target for an alleged assassination by Iran’s security agency. The two men were caught when they attempted to hire a hit man who happened to be a U.S. informant posing as a member of the Mexican drug cartel. Although it’s possible that Iran’s president, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, was oblivious to this plan, it is believed the leader of the Quds, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, knew about this plot. The Iranian government believes the US is attempting to ruin their relationship with Saudi Arabia, but the Saudi Arabian prince, Turki al-Faisal, has no doubt that Iran is responsible for this event.
In a school filled with an assortment of races, one would infer that the students would be, at the least, slightly informed on the current events taking place around the world. However, when several students were asked to name people significant to incidents taken place recently, only a few amount of students could name them successfully. “I’m so busy with homework that I don’t have time to catch up with current events,”sophomore Jazmine Gomez said. “Even if I had time [to watch the news],
What country is struggling to control narcotic trafficking?
Where was Osama Bin Laden found hiding?
• Wasn’t he killed in his house?
• Europe
• “He probably got overthrown that’s why he’s hiding..but skip.”
• What are narcotics?
• Here, in the U.S.?
• God-hoffiee
• South Asia...South America?
MEXICO
Jacob Velazquez,
Holly Prencipe, freshman
Some other students’ responses included:
• Well there’s always a famine going on somewhere in Africa.
• Well obviously in Israel, I don’t believe in Palestine, it belongs to the Jews
• Hungary, LOL!
• Europe
ASIA
Jordan Dickerson, senior
• Africa
Josh Musih, sophomore
What continent is undergoing economic issues?
What was the currency of the European Nations?
What countries is the U.S. at war with? Some other students’ responses included: • Iran • We’re not at war • Somalia • Libya
AFGHANISTAN Edgar Alverado, sophomore
Name one country that is considered an “enemy” of the U.S.
Some other students’ responses included:
Some other students’ responses included:
Some other students’ responses included:
• Nigeria or Libya
• 1 Billion, wait what?
• We are
• Pounds
• We have a lot of enemies...
• Like everybody, are you kidding me?
• Dolla’Bills
• Russia • Japan
EURO
NORTH KOREA
Mairead Kennedy, junior
Dajin Chung, sophomore
Have I seen you somewhere before? Below are pictures of world leaders and student responses on who they thought they were
Queen Elizabeth
Hu Jin Tao
England
President of China We also heard:
Angela Merkel Chancellor of Germany We also heard:
Fidel Castro Cuban Dictator We also heard:
Tenzin Gyatso Dalai Lama We also heard:
“An old lady”
“Jackie Chan”
“Hillary Clinton”
“Osama Bin Laden”
“Bhudda”
“Betty White”
“Kim Jong Il”
“Sarah Palin”
“Fernando Castro”
“Ghandi”
“I have no idea”
“An Asian. . .”
“Some old lady with crows feet”
“Korevavich”
“Kung Lao”
“Some Russian leader”
“Ummmmmmmm”
“Oh! Is that Reba?”
“Ching Chong”
A container ship, called The Rena, hit the Astrolabe Reef, a reef off the coast of New Zealand, about a week ago allowing oil to leak into it’s waters. According to reports 70 containers of oil had fallen off the ship, and the ship itself hold 11 hazardous containers filled with dangerous chemicals, which are feared to fall off due to inclement weather. Oil clumps have been washing onto beaches, and the wildlife death count is up to 53, and 17 birds have been found soaked in oil, and the effects are feared to worsen.
Nelson Mandela Former President of South Africa We also heard:
On your smart phone, scan the code above using the application “QR Code” to view an editorial on the Israeli/ Palestinian conflict.
• I don’t know
Some other students’ responses included:
• Down the street!
We also heard:
Israeli/Palestinian Conflict
MUMMAR QADAFFI Natalie Hall, sophomore
What continent is Israel/ Palestine in?
James Barker, sophomore
Pointing fingers for New Zealand oil spill:
Some other students’ responses included:
• Libya
PAKISTAN
SOMALIA
What is the name of the Libyan leader in hiding?
• Afghanistan
EUROPE
President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf has Liberian voters questioning whether to vote for this new Nobel peace prize winner, or Liberian football player Dave Weah. Citizens are stuck between the two candidates because despite Sirleaf’s love for her citizens, there were many broken promises throughout her term. Another point made is the fact that almost half of Liberia’s population is under the age of 14, making Sirleaf disconnected from this young population. Weah on the other hand is a popular choice among citizens due to his famous role as one of Libera’s most well known football players and his want for an affordable living for all citizens.
current events, our future generation will feel unaffected by things that happen to them.
Some other students’ responses included:
Some other students’ responses included:
U.N. peacekeepers killed in Darfur:
Liberian citizens prepare for election:
AHS students find themselves in the dark when it comes to international news.
than that, I don’t really look for news.” Students aren’t up-to-date when it comes to current events. If students fail to become aware of international
Answers to current event questions—pictured are those who got the correct answers
Which country(s) is officially undergoing a famine? On Monday, October 10, a refugee camp in Northern Darfur was attacked and three United Nations peacekeepers were killed while on security patrol while only one of the assailants were killed. Darfur is considered the most dangerous area for U.N. peacekeepers with the numbers of those forced from their homes at 2.7 million and the death toll at 300,000. The reasoning for this attack unknown but the U.N. Secretary General Ban Ki- moon wants the Sudanese authorities to investigate this attack and to find those responsible for these murders.
Oct. 18, 2011
AJ MCCAFFERTY
12
INTERNATIONAL
Nicholas Sarkozy President of France
We also heard:
Manmohan Singh Prime Minister of India We also heard:
“Obama”
“Mr. Bean”
“Ghandi”
“ Hold up, hold up, hold up, hold up. .”
“It’s the baking guy, isn’t he gay?”
“ Aladdin”
“Morgan Freeman”
“Isn’t that the guy running for office?”
“Some Islamic leader” “Osama Bin Laden”
Julian Assange
Wikileaks “Master” We also heard:
Kim Jong Il President of North Korea We also heard:
“Neil Patrick Harris”
“Leader of South Korea”
“ WOW, that’s a big forehead”
“ Nice glasses. . .”
“ Oh my god, I know who that is....I give up”
“Skip”