NATO in Crisis? President Trump Openly Criticizes Allies

The annual NATO summit took place on Wednesday July 11th. President Trump took no time to openly throw NATO allies, including Germany and Britain, under the bus in the media. "Germany is a captive of Russia," said Trump on Wednesday. Such accusations have only escalated the tension among the United States’ European allies, provoking anxiety among some US officials. “NATO is indispensable,” said Paul Ryan upon hearing Trump’s hasty remarks.

Supreme Court Nomination: The New Era of Conservatism?  

With the sudden announcement of Justice Anthony Kennedy’s retirement, President Trump was given the opportunity to nominate a candidate to fill Justice Kennedy’s position. On July 9, President Trump chose Brett Kavanaugh, a conservative judge who Democrats, LGBTQ and, abortion rights supporters fear will become the deciding factor in the Supreme Court if confirmed.

 Amnesty Report Finds UAE Responsible for Human Rights Violations in Yemen  

A report by Amnesty International, a human rights investigative advocacy network, urges further investigation on UAE’s presence in southern Yemen. “The families of these detainees find themselves in an endless nightmare where their loved ones have been forcibly disappeared by UAE-backed forces,” states the report. The UAE joined the Yemen conflict in 2015 and has since provided equipment and other financial support to Yemeni officials.

Cambodia’s Election

As Cambodia’s general election is approaching in late July, critics in Cambodia have taken it upon themselves to openly criticize the polling process as a “sham.” The current Prime Minister of Cambodia, Hun Sen, has been accused of “violence and intimation to silence dissent.”  Newspapers that have commented on the removal of the opposition party have been forced to close after being issued huge tax bills by the government.

Guam Can No Longer Offer Abortion After Physician Retired

Guam no longer has any physicians who can perform abortion due to the retirement of the only physician who had previously provided it for years. Many physicians are against abortion and therefore refuse to offer it. The government has not taken the initiative to provide clinics or referrals to women seeking abortion services. "Our legislators and governor created an environment that has driven legal abortion providers away from Guam, and they're setting up a system where women will perform their own abortions or travel at great lengths and great risk to get legal or illegal abortions," said Anita Arriola, attorney and longtime advocate for abortion access in Guam.