Sourced: Zukiman Mohamad
Canadian prime minister’s brownface accusations
Brownface accusations against Justin Trudeau, Canada’s prime minister, have arisen in the wake of national elections which are scheduled to take place next month. Controversy formed surrounding the prime minister’s past actions after Time magazine published a photograph from 2001 depicting Trudeau in brownface makeup at a party for a private school where he taught. Another photo depicting Trudeau in brownface as a student has also emerged. Since the photos resurfaced, the prime minister has publicly apologized, admitting that his past actions were racist. According to BBC News, Trudeau said he “deeply regretted” his actions and “should have known better.” Especially since Trudeau positions himself as a champion of social justice and inclusion, a strong response has been elicited from the Canadian media and the public. A BBC reporter explained that these photos will no doubt have a lasting impact on Trudeau’s bid for re-election.
Greta Thunberg speaks before United States Congress
Last Wednesday, Greta Thunberg, a 16-year-old Swedish environmental activist, spoke before U.S. Congress and warned legislators of the risks of ignoring scientists. Thunberg has devoted much of her young life to raising awareness for global climate change and holding politicians accountable for their lack of action on the climate crisis. According to The New York Times, she called out members of Congress in the House Ways and Means Committee when she said, “This is the biggest crisis humanity has ever faced, you cannot solve a crisis without treating it as one.” Thunberg first gained widespread attention in 2018 when she skipped school at the age of 15 to demonstrate outside the Swedish parliament for stronger climate action. Since then she has become a global climate activist leader and has inspired student-led climate demonstrations across the U.S. and the world.
Saudi oil facility attacked
Last weekend, a major Saudi oil processing plant and an oil field were targeted by a series of air attacks. According to NPR, images from commercial satellites released by the U.S. government showed at least 17 points of impact at the two sites. The larger of the two facilities, known as Abqaiq, are among the most important oil production facilities in the world. Following the attack, Houthi rebels in Yemen claimed responsibility for the attack and announced that they had launched 10 drones against the Saudi facilities. While the group has conducted drone attacks in Saudi Arabia in the past, evidence of the 17 points of impact have led many to believe that they did not carry out the attack. In the wake of the attack, Trump authorized the release of oil from strategic petroleum reserves in order to counter the effects on gas prices in the U.S.
