Chechen gov’t imprisons and tortures gay men
U.K. officially begins process of leaving the EU
Sunken South Korean Ferry raised and reinvestigated
BY EMMA RUBIN '20
On March 23, the South Korean Government initiated the process of raising the MV Sewol, a sunken South Korean ferry. The 6,800 ton ship was en route to Jeju from Incheon, carrying primarily high school students on a field trip when it capsized in April 2014, killing over 300 passengers, according to NPR.
Mount Holyoke Arab Association hosts “Bringing Yemen to the Table”
BY EMMA RUBIN '20
On Wednesday, March 1, the Mount Holyoke Arab Association hosted Bring- ing Yemen to the Table, an event seeking to inform community members about the current situation in Yemen in light of the ongoing civil war and President Trump’s previous executive order banning Ye- meni travellers from entering the United States.
2017 French Presidential Elections approaching in April
Germany plans for a stricter deportation program
Israel announces plan for new West Bank settlement
Mount Holyoke Welcomes Friends of Fulbright Scholars
BY EMMA RUBIN ’20
In early January, 11 students from various cities in Argentina arrived at Mount. Holyoke College as part of the Friends of Fulbright program. The exchange grants Argentinian students the opportunity to study at various institutions in the United States for 6 to 8 weeks. For the 2017 program, 121 scholars were accepted into the program and are studying in various states throughout the U.S.
British parliament demands vote to determine Brexit
BY EMMA RUBIN '20
The majority vote of a United Kingdom referendum held in June 2016 called for the state’s secession from the European Union. This division, commonly known as Brexit, began to face additional hurdles on Nov. 3 when the state’s High Court of Justice ruled that Parliament must first approve the procedure.
Eliot House’s Interfaith Lunch features Hindu Fall Holidays
BY EMMA RUBIN '20
Every Wednesday, the Eliot House for Religious and Spiritual Life hosts an Interfaith Lunch at which students can learn about different religions and their respective traditions. On Oct. 26, participants had a chance to learn about Hindu fall holidays while indulging in potato leek soup, French bread, garden salad and various cookies. “This provides the first door to learning more about [different religions],” Alison Branistky ’18 said.
The “Way of the Tea” comes to Eliot House
Caribbean islands shaken by category 4 Hurricane Matthew
BY EMMA RUBIN '20
On Oct. 4, category 4 Hurricane Matthew directly impacted the Caribbean, most notably devastating Haiti. From Haiti, the storm went on to make landfall in Cuba, the Bahamas and the Southeastern U.S. Although Matthew only made landfall in these nations, Jamaica, Curacao, Aruba, Turks and Caicos and the Dominican Republic (which is on the same island as Haiti) were also affected either through hurricane or tropical storm effects, according to CNN.
Mount Holyoke students commemorate Latinx Heritage Month
BY EMMA RUBIN '20
From mid-September to mid-October, members of the Latinx community across the country celebrate Latinx Heritage Month. The purpose of the month is to celebrate the histories and cultures of American citizens whose ancestors hail from Mexico, Spain, Central and South America and the Caribbean. According to HispanicHeritageMonth.gov, the tradition began as a celebratory week in 1968 started under President Lyndon Johnson. In 1988, it was expanded to encompass a 30-day period from the Sept. 15 to Oct. 15. Sept. 15 marks the anniversary of independence for El Salvador, Costa Rica, Guatemala, Honduras and Nicaragua. Chile and Mexico celebrate their independence on the Sept. 18 and the Sept. 16, respectively.
Landmark Paris climate deal sees some progress this September
BY EMMA RUBIN '20
In celebration of Earth Day, April 22, the Paris Agreement opened for signing. The Paris Agreement is a proposal under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change that calls to decrease greenhouse gas emissions so that global average temperature is less than 2°C (ideally 1.5°C) above pre-industrial temperatures. The plan also calls for the UNFCC to reconvene in 2020, and every five years after that, to continue to develop plans to curb climate change. A long-term goal of the agreement is to reach net-zero emissions “in the second half of this century,” as stated by the World Resources Institute.