Your Sunday Briefing

Good morning. Here’s today’s briefing.

1. India is having a diplomatic protest against the US after the US’s Department of Homeland Security set-up a “fake university” website (as part of a sting operation), intended to catch illegal immigrants. 129 Indian students have been arrested after enrolling into the school. The Department of Homeland Security maintains that the students knew it was a fake university and were trying to immigrate to the US illegally.
2. The teacher’s strike in Denver, Colorado, is still unresolved, especially after weeks of striking and tensions between the local school district board and the teachers. Tensions were elevated after the school district board threatened to call immigration officials on the teachers.
3. After images showing Virginia Governor Ralph Northam (D) in a racist costume emerged from his 1984 student yearbook on Saturday, many called for his resignation (Republicans and Democrats alike). However, Governor Northam is refusing to resign and may be looking at impeachment.
4. A town in Australia by the name of Townsville is being deliberately flooded by officials after record amount of rainfall caused a local sam to overflow.
5. Ethiopia is celebrating “Car Free Day“, a monthly day which prohibits cars being on the street in cities all over Ethiopia. The holiday is meant to fight pollution and encourage a healthier lifestyle.
6. Today, football fans across the US are watching the New England Patriots face off against the Los Angeles Rams in the 53rd annual Super Bowl. The Patriots are currently winning 3-0 (and it’s the third quarter).
7. Two French grenades from World War I (thought to be potatoes) were found this week in Hong Kong. Government officials in Hong Kong believe the grenade was mistaken for a potato, since it was found among potatoes imported from France meant to be turned into potato chips. The grenade was safely detonated by Hong Kong law enforcement.
8. Inmates in the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn, New York, are going without heat and power. Protests attended by relatives of inmates have started, with the chant “Where is the heat?”.
9. Pope Francis, the leader of Roman Catholics all over the world, has landed in Abu Dhabi, the capital of the United Arab Emirates, on a foreign trip that will span the Arabian peninsula.
10. The opposition in Venezuela has asked for and will reportedly receive aid from the US. Currently, Nicolas Maduro, the dictator, has the military of Venezuela behind him. The opposition in Venezuela has also been the target of internet censors. https://lamundi.news.blog/2019/01/25/how-will-the-maduro-situation-in-venezuela-end/
11. The Pentagon has announced that the US will deploy 2,000 more troops to the US-Mexico border.

This day is over. This briefing will no longer be updated.

Today’s town to visit is Castrillo de Murcia, Spain, (at least virtually if you’re not in Spain) where they recently held their annual baby-jumping festival.