Recap: April 25 – May 1
Death toll rises in Aleppo after attack, ivory burns carried out in Kenya, first female infantry officer joins the Army and protests turn violent at Trump rally in news this week.
May 1, 2016
International Affairs
“President Barack Obama announced Monday an additional 250 special operations forces will be sent to Syria in the coming weeks in a speech in Hannover, Germany, in an effort to stem the influence and spread of ISIS.”
“Paris attacks suspect Salah Abdeslam has appeared before a French judge hours after his extradition from Belgium. His lawyer said the 26-year-old French national had been placed under formal investigation for murder and attempted murder of a terrorist nature. Salah Abdeslam is thought to have played a key role in planning the Paris attacks and transporting the attackers.”
“Airstrikes and artillery killed more than 60 people in the past 24 hours in Aleppo, including dozens at a hospital in a rebel-held neighborhood, as Syria’s largest city was turned once again into a major battleground in the civil war, officials said Thursday. Aid agencies warn that Aleppo is on the brink of a humanitarian disaster with the collapse of a two-month cease-fire and stalled peace talks. The intensified violence — by far the worst since the partial cease-fire began — coincides with reports of a military buildup outside Aleppo that many fear is a prelude for a government attempt to force a complete siege of the city’s neighborhoods.”
“In an unannounced visit shrouded in secrecy, Vice President Joseph R. Biden Jr. came to Iraq on Thursday for the first time in almost five years, hoping to help a weak prime minister and bolster the military campaign against the Islamic State. The intense security and clandestine nature of the trip reflected the challenges Iraq still faces 13 years after the United States-led invasion. Mr. Biden arrived for the visit, which was under discussion for months, at a moment when the country’s political leadership is mired in yet another crisis.”
“Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta has set fire to a huge stockpile of ivory in an effort to show his country’s commitment to saving Africa’s elephants. More than 100 tonnes of ivory was stacked up in pyres in Nairobi National Park where it is expected to burn for several days. The ivory represents nearly the entire stock confiscated by Kenya, amounting to the tusks of about 6,700 elephants. Some disagree with Kenya’s approach, saying it can encourage poaching. […] The burning comes after African leaders meeting in Kenya urged an end to illegal trade in ivory.”
Domestic Affairs
“Donald Trump completed a five-state sweep in Tuesday’s Republican presidential primaries, strengthening his shot at avoiding a contested convention – while Hillary Clinton scored convincing victories but was denied the same bragging rights of a primary sweep by a surprise Bernie Sanders win in Rhode Island.”
“Now that a judge branded him “a serial child molester,” Dennis Hastert must prepare to serve his 15-month prison sentence. Once he’s out, the former House speaker must participate in a sex-offender program that could include lie-detector and other tests to determine how many children he’s molested in his lifetime. Judge Thomas M. Durkin imposed a harsher sentence than guidelines suggested, citing how the Illinois Republican sexually abused at least four of the wrestlers he coached at Yorkville High School from 1965 to 1981.”
“Capt. Kristen Griest, one of the first women to earn the coveted Ranger tab, will once again make history by becoming the Army’s first female infantry officer. Griest is expected to graduate from the Maneuver Captain’s Career Course on Thursday wearing the distinctive blue infantry cord, officials confirmed to Army Times. [… This comes alongside] “a multifaceted Army campaign to open all branches and specialties to women, as ordered by Defense Secretary Ash Carter in December. Other initiatives include combat arms reclassification opportunities for enlisted women, and the opening of officer, warrant officer and enlisted assignment opportunities with the 75th Ranger Regiment, a unit previously closed to women.”
“Hundreds of demonstrators filled the street outside the Orange County amphitheater where Donald Trump held a rally Thursday night, stomping on cars, hurling rocks at motorists and forcefully declaring their opposition to the Republican presidential candidate. Traffic came to a halt as a boisterous crowd walked in the roadway, some waving American and Mexican flags. Protesters smashed a window on at least one police cruiser, punctured the tires of a police sport utility vehicle, and at one point tried to flip a police car.”
“For the final time, President Barack Obama delivered one-liners and laughs at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner, lampooning himself, Congress, and his upcoming status as a lame duck. […] Comedian Larry Wilmore, the evening’s professional entertainment, began by saying, “It’s not easy to follow the president.” Then he proved his point, offering a series of jokes about the president, different media organizations and various presidential candidates that often were racially tinged and drew a mixture of laughter and groans.”
