Today, there are many things happening around the world that are being reported on the TV and internet all day. However, with everything going on in our lives, it can sometimes be hard to pay attention to it all. Whether you've been too busy applying to colleges, studying for finals or taking double shifts at work, it's understandable why watching/reading the news probably isn't your top priority.
Despite that though, it's still important to be aware of the world's problems, since they could one day be your problems. So in case you haven't had a chance to catch up on the latest articles, here are 5 things on the news that you should know about!
1. ISIS
You've got to be living under a rock to not have heard about ISIS, so I'm sure you at least known that they're a jihadist extremist group in Syria and Iraq. However, did you know that its founding organization is Al-Qaeda, which is the same group responsible for 9/11? Also, more than 20,000 people from Tunisia, Saudi Arabia, Russia, France, United Kingdom, the United States, etc. have left their country to join ISIS. The extremist group has also videotaped a number of hostages being killed and has taken credit for the recent Paris attacks, where 130 innocent people were killed in seven coordinated attacks. Because of all this, the United States and Russia have teamed up to fight ISIS and with the help of other countries, justice will hopefully come.
2. Presidential Election
Okay, so there are currently 17 candidates running in the Presidential Race and I certainly will not bore you by writing a paragraph on each of them. However, you should know a little bit about who they are and what they stand for. That way, you'll have a better idea of who to vote for in 2016. And yes, I'm saying you should definitely vote (if you legally can) when the time comes because you probably don't want someone like Donald Trump becoming America's new President. I mean, unless you actually like people who are racist and ignorant. Anyway, to make your life easier, here's an AMAZING website with information about the candidates' lives, what they support, how they're doing in polls, etc. Now you have no excuse for not knowing who they are!!
3. Syrian Refugees
3. Climate Change
Is it hotter than usual where you live? If so, it's most likely due to climate change. I know some individuals don't believe in this, but there has to be a reason why 2012 was the nation's hottest year and why the glaciers as well as Arctic sea ice are rapidly melting. According to the U.S. Global Change Research Program's website, "the burning of coal, oil, and gas, and clearing of forests have increased the concentration of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere by more than 40% since the industrial revolution". Hopefully with the recent Paris Climate Agreement where almost 200 countries pledged to reduce greenhouse gas and carbon dioxide emissions, we'll see progress in the future.
5. Planned Parenthood Shooting
For anyone unfamiliar with Planned Parenthood, it is an organization that helps people with STDS, birth control, abortions, the morning after pill, etc. CNN reported that on November 27th, a man killed 3 innocent people at a Planned Parenthood location in Colorado Springs. He had a gun and repeatedly stated that he was a "warrior for the babies". This man was obviously disturbed and the incident really just shows how important gun control and women's rights are. It seems as though shootings like this have become increasing popular in the last few years and some people just cannot accept the fact that the Supreme Court allows women to decide if they want to keep the baby or not. The bottom line is that whether you are liberal or conservative, incidents like this simply should not be happening in America (or any other country). We have rights, and they're there for a reason.
Having read all that, I hope you feel a little bit more informed about current events around the world. Of course watching or reading the news can sometimes seem boring, but it's still important to know what's happening around us. Remember, knowledge is power!
