Preventing “fake news” becomes relevant international policy
BY CASEY ROEPKE ’21
The phenomenon of fake news, spotlighted recently in the 2016 U.S. presidential election, is not a new occurrence. Russia’s alleged interference during the campaign, via Facebook and other social media sites, was not the first time news was fabricated to alter the results of an election. In an episode of “Backstory,” a weekly history podcast, historian Mark Summers discussed the practices of “Gilded Age-era elections” and argued that past politicians consistently published lies about their opponents in newspapers in order to sway public opinion. However, before examining the effects of fake news in the U.S. and around the world, it is important to precisely define “fake news.”
Stephen Biddle tackles US involvement in Syria
BY MAYA HOFFMAN ’20
Stephen Biddle, professor of political science and international affairs at George Washington University (GWU), gave a talk on “U.S. Policy and Strategy for Syria and ISIS” on Feb. 23. Biddle’s areas of expertise are “U.S. National security policy, military strategy and the conduct of war, technology in modern warfare [and] recent operations in the war on terror,” according to the GWU website. He has a Ph.D. from Harvard University and has been on the GWU faculty since 2012.
Poland outlaws references to their complicity in Holocaust
Burmuda repeals same-sex marriage act
Upcoming holidays
BY SAVANNAH HARRIMAN-POTE ’20
Feb. 12-18 — Maslenitsa
Maslenitsa is an Eastern Slavic folk holiday that takes place one week before the Russian Orthodox Lenten. According to NPR, the holiday is now tied to Christianity, but was initially celebrated by sun-worshippers to commemorate the lengthening of days and upcoming harvest of the spring season. Maslenitsa is often referred to as “Butter week” because of the abundance of blini, a warm, round Russian crepe that symbolizes the sun; they are usually drenched in butter.
State of the Union addresses immigration
BY MAYA HOFFMAN ’20
On Jan. 30, Donald Trump delivered the State of the Union in the chamber of the United States House of Representatives. The speech was long, lasting approximately an hour and 20 minutes. Pauses were filled with loud standing ovations from one half of the room, while the other half remained seated. Despite the theatrics of the ceremonial event, Trump had a somber task at hand; as the second year of his term began, the president attempted to establish the State of the Union, the goals of American foreign policy and the fate of immigration under his administration.
Mi Gente, Shirley Chisholm and Mosaic LLCs focus on community
BY GABBY RAYMOND ’20
The introduction of the Mi Gente floor will mark the third Living Learning Comminity (LLC) which welcomes students of Lantinx descent. This floor will join two floors opened in the fall of 2017: Mosaic floor, which welcomed all people of color (POC), and the Shirley Chisholm floor, which was specifically for students of the African diaspora.
Ballistic missile scare highlights vulerability of the Pacific region
BY CASEY ROEPKE ’18
After months of conflict and Twitter warfare between President Trump and Kim Jong-un, residents and visitors of Hawaii were greeted by what appeared to be the culmination of North Korea’s nuclear threats: an emergency warning message, reading “BALLISTIC MISSILE THREAT INBOUND TO HAWAII. SEEK IMMEDIATE SHELTER. THIS IS NOT A DRILL.”
Cape Town to become first city without water
BY EMMA COOPER ’20
Cape Town, the second most populous city in South Africa, is on track to become the first major city in the world to run out of water. According to TIME Magazine, once the city dams reach 13.5 percent capacity, municipal water access will be cut off for homes and most businesses, an occurrence that is marked as “Day Zero.” According to the city’s estimates, it will occur around April 16 of this year.
New Dining Commons disrupts Language Tables for spring semester
Student visa process poses threat to MHC international community
BY SAVANNAH HARRIMAN-POTE ’20
International students who choose to study at Mount Holyoke often travel thousands of miles from their home country to the United States, but their journey to the College begins long before they board a plane. According to the U.S. Department of State (DOS), citizens of other countries who wish to study at an institution of higher learning in the United States must first obtain a Nonimmigrant type F-1 visa.
Jhumka helps students decompress at Jhumba dance event
BY GABBY RAYMOND ’20
Jhumka was founded in 2006 as the first fusion dance group on campus, according to the College website. The dance group mixes hip-hop and Bollywood styles to create unique student-lead choreography each semester. They perform at events like VariAsians, Himalaya Night, Diwali celebrations, Pangy Day and UMass Asia Night. Last year, they even performed at Drag Ball, and hope to repeat the performance this year as well.
Clothing drive aids Holyoke families
BY SAVANNAH HARRIMAN-POTE ’20
Dec. 6 marked the conclusion of the C.A.U.S.E. board’s three-week long winter apparel drive. According to their Facebook page, the C.A.U.S.E board will now give all Mount Holyoke students’ donations of “new or gently used winter clothing” to their two community partners in Holyoke, Enlace de Familias and Nueva Esperanza.
Headlines from around the world
BY VICTORIA WANG ’20
Cambodia
Cambodia’s six-person national figure skating team competed at the Southeast Asia Games in Kuala Lumpur for the first time in August, according to the BBC. Unlike other Southeast Asian countries, such as Nepal, which regularly compete in winter sports, Cambodia only formed its national ice-skating team in 2015. Sen Bunthoeun, 27 and Khiev Panha, 23, were the first Cambodians to represent their country in a winter discipline at the Southeast Asian Games and placed eighth and ninth respectively, out of nine individual figure skaters.
Students conceptualize diversity
Newfound International Affairs Association fosters discussion
BY VICTORIA WANG ’20
Every Thursday evening from 7 to 9 p.m., a group of students eat and engage in discussions about global politics in the international relations lounge in Skinner 101 Some of these students study international relations or politics and some are simply passionate about global affairs.
VariAsians in perspective: Snapshots from performers
Eight Catalonian independence leaders jailed, protests break out in central Barcelona
BY VICTORIA WANG ’20
A protest campaign broke out in St. James's Square in central Barcelona on Friday, Nov. 3. According to the BBC, the protest was triggered by legal action taken late Thursday afternoon by a Spanish judge, ordering the imprisonment of eight former Catalan government members for supporting Catalonia’s independence.
