CGW4UI/4CI-2014 What’s Happened In the World Since You Started Your Summer Break?

CGW4UI/4CI-2014What’s Happened In the World Since You

Started Your Summer Break?

Offensive by Ukrainian Military Results in Gains

The Ukrainian military begins an aggressive campaign, using airstrikes to back up ground troops. The military forces rebels from the towns of Sloviansk, their military headquarters, and Kramatorsk; surrounds Donetsk, the largest city in eastern Ukraine; and takes control of some of the border crossings through which Russia had been arming the rebels. The offensive is not without cost: by the end of the month, about 1,130 people are killed, including about 800 civilians.

ISIS Declares Territory in Iraq ISIS changes its name to the Islamic State and declares the territory in Iraq under its control-Anbar province

(west of Baghdad) and most of Nineveh (north of Baghdad)-a caliphate. Iraqi forces, with the guidance of U.S. military advisers, begin developing a strategy to maintain control of Baghdad and the surrounding area.

Murders of Israeli and Palestinian Teenagers Increases Tension (July 2)

(July 2): The body of a missing Palestinian teenager is found the day after the burial of the three Israeli teenagers who were kidnapped and killed while hiking in the West Back in June. Both incidents increase tension between Israelis and Palestinians, including riots in East Jerusalem and an exchange of rocket fire in Southern Israel and Gaza.

By the end of July… Israel announces a 12-hour cease fire and extends it to 24 hours, but backs out

of it amid heavy rocket fire from Gaza. (July 31): The Palestinian death toll rises to more than 1,410, mostly civilians, while 59 Israelis have been killed.

Passenger Jet Crashes in Eastern Ukraine (July 17) – It Was Shot Down

A Malaysia Airlines Boeing 777 en route from Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, crashes in eastern Ukraine near the Russian border killing all 298 passengers and crew members. Ukrainian and American officials say the plane is shot down by a Russian-made surface-to-air missile, citing satellite images. Poroshenko accuses the separatists of launching the missile, which they deny. Russian president Putin also denies having any role in the disaster. (July 18): A day after the crash, President Obama says he believes that the (Russian) rebels shot down the plane. He calls the crash a "global tragedy" and faults Putin for continuing to arm the rebels and for not stopping the fighting.

Ebola Outbreak Hits West African Countries (July 31) According to the World Health Organization, the death toll from the Ebola virus in West Africa is

672, with the total number of confirmed, infected patients at 1,323, making this outbreak the worst since the virus was first identified almost forty years ago. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have issued a Level 3 warning, its most urgent travel notice. Meanwhile, West African governments are taking steps to fight the virus, such as deploying the army and police to conduce house-to-house searches.

U.S. Launches Limited Airstrikes on ISIS in Iraq (Aug.) ISIS threatens to kill all Christians in Mosul who don't convert to Islam. Nearly all of

the city's Christians, who numbered about 60,000 ten years ago, flee. (Aug. 7): ISIS militants take control of the largest dam in Iraq, which is located in Mosul. President Obama announces in a press conference that he has authorized limited airstrikes on ISIS as well as airdrops of humanitarian supplies. While not a full-scale engagement in Iraq, the mission does mean the return of the U.S. military for the first time since 2011.

ISIS Members Kill American Journalist (Aug. 19)

Members of ISIS behead American journalist James Foley, 40, in apparent retaliation for U.S. airstrikes against the group. Foley, who worked for GlobalPost, went missing in Syria in November 2012. ISIS releases a graphic video of his killing. After his death, the U.S. announces that troops had attempted to rescue him and other U.S. hostages in July, but they had been unable to locate him. President Obama refers to ISIS as a "cancer." The U.S. steps up its airstrikes against the militants following Foley's murder.

Hundreds of African Migrants Flee to Spain Through Morocco (Aug. 11-12) Hundreds of migrants attempt to flee from Africa to Spain when they are intercepted in the

Strait of Gibraltar by Spanish authorities. The migrants come via Morocco and have been for over a year. However, the numbers greatly increase for this two day period in August. The numbers are so great that Spanish authorities convert two sports centers into shelters.

Deadly shooting of instructor by 9-year-old girl with uzi ignites furious debate over children and guns The death of a firing-range instructor at the hands

of a 9-year-old girl bracing an Uzi submachine gun has set off a powerful debate over youngsters and guns, with many people wondering what sort of parents would let a child handle an Uzi. As the girl opened fire at a black-silhouette target, the recoil wrenched the fully automatic weapon upward, and the instructor was shot in the head and killed.

How Much of These World Events Did You Hear/Know/Inform Yourself About?

Most people in North America tune in to entertainment… but this is NOT news!

To Inform Yourself About World Issues, start watching and reading…!

Homework (yes… you have some!) Watch (or read) ½ hr of any news segment

(CTV, CBC, BBC, CNN, etc.) - summarize 3 featured stories (5W and H) - identify which stories are local, national and

international in scope, explain - identify station and time you watched

program *to be handed in tomorrow (at the start of

class)