Syrian chemical weapons attack
On Aug. 21 there was an alleged chemical weapon attack on the civilians in the Syrian capital of Damascus. Congress will vote on the Syrian strike on.
A survey taken by Pew Research Center from Aug. 29-Sept. 1 resulted in 29 percent of those surveyed in favor of striking Syria, 48 percent opposed striking, and 23 percent were undecided. On Sept. 6 it was reported that the United States had access to intelligence that Iran may be planning a retaliation strike if the U.S. launched a strike against Syria. It was said that if the U.S. attacks, Iran will strike the American Embassy in Baghdad. However, Iran’s foreign minister denied this report on Sept. 8. For more information about the G20 Summit discussing Syria, go here.
Russia proposes to take Syrian weapons and place them under international control, and later destroy them. There have also been reports that Russian President Vladimir Putin will provide Syria with a missile shield should the U.S. decide to strike. These disagreements only continue to put strain on U.S.-Russia relations.
Food shortages in Venezuela
There have been food shortages and rising prices throughout much of Venezuela. Many people wait in line for hours in front of supermarkets to receive their food; however it is believed that these people may be the cause of the problem. Many people who are buying the goods are smuggling them across the border to Columbia, where some goods can be sold for up to seven or eight times the price they can be in Venezuela.
NSA can get past protective measures and privacy settings of smartphones
The U.S. National Security Agency is now able to get past protective measures and privacy settings of iPhones, BlackBerry, and Android devices. This means that all data in the device is now viewable by the NSA, including contacts, notes, call lists, SMS traffic and location information. This newly obtained information, however, will mainly be used to monitor specific individuals, not any Smartphone user.
Tokyo will hose 2020 Olympic Games
It has been announced that Tokyo will host the 2020 Olympic Games. There was a concern that a nearby nuclear power plant may be leaking radioactive water, but the concern wasn’t enough for Istanbul or Madrid, both of which were highly considered, to win the vote. Tokyo defeated Istanbul 60- 36 in the final round, and Madrid was eliminated in the first round.
New Van Gogh painting discovered
The Van Gogh museum in Amsterdam has officially identified Sunset at Montmajour as an official Van Gogh painting. The painting had been owned by a private collector for years prior to being discovered. The painting will go on display Sept. 24.
Elephant poaching increase
Poaching of elephants, an endangered species, in Africa has increased dramatically over the past few days. Forty-one elephants have been killed with poison darts in Zimbabwe’s Hwange National Park.
