Tag: Relations

EXCLUSIVE: Pressure Against Separating Illegal Immigrant Families Grows

By Nick Baum

TUESDAY – 6/19/18

Recent reports and news has shown that pressure and opposition to separating families at the US – Mexico border continues, as the separating of families also continues. Recent outcry has come after the policy that was around since the Bush Administration had finally taken effect under Trump, and many have since urged Trump to stop the activity.

A photo taken for the New York Daily News shows a small immigrant infant crying, supposedly because of her family being separated, but it is yet to be confirmed. The photo also had a caption targeting Trump, and it landed the front page of the paper. Politicians like Tim Kaine, Hillary Clinton, Nancy Pelosi, and Former First Lady Laura Bush have all taken to social media to share their dislikes in the acts. Pelosi also held an announcement relating to it.

The White House also hosted a press conference with Sarah Sanders relating to Trump’s “zero tolerance” immigration policy. While many have tried to urge Trump to back down, many predict he won’t due to his support amongst bordering states and citizens along the border. As of now however, CNN reported that the the families are receiving donations of more than $4,000 per minute.

Sources: Flickr, CNN, White House, New York Daily News

Trump and Kim Meet in Summit

By Nick Baum

TUESDAY – 6/12/18

Last night, US President Donald Trump and North Korean Leader Kim Jong Un met in Singapore for peace talks toward denuclearization and relations. The summit, which was held in the popular resort Capella Singapore, featured an extended handshake, signing a document in terms of denuclearization, and both leaders exchanging words for a better future.

The document that was signed by both leaders, held four main points, according to journalists, but the point of it was for the North Koreans to “work towards denuclearization”, and for the United States to halt all military exercises, according to the Wall Street Journal.

While some argued that the document itself proved to be thin and underwhelming, others argue that the document only establishes the countries’ intentions, and that lots of the summit was spent working between the two administrations at a working lunch. In the working lunch, featured a mix of western and asian foods, and for dessert was the top favorite Häagen-Dazs vanilla ice cream.

Sources: Time, Wall Street Journal, CNN, Fox News

Trump and Kim Jong Un Arrive in Singapore

By Nick Baum

MONDAY – 6/11/18

Both North Korean Leader Kim Jong Un and US President Donald Trump have now arrived in Singapore, for a summit that will be held on June 12th. Kim Jong Un arrived earlier, in the morning hours of yesterday, June 10th, while Trump arrived just hours later from the G7 Summit that he skipped part of.

Today, both leaders will also be completing activities. Trump has accepted an invitation for a state visit with the Singapore government, and reports suggest that Kim Jong Un brought his own toilet, as he is conscious about it. The meeting itself is going to be held at the luxury hotel Capella Singapore, a five star venue with many activities and space for the summit.

Security footage and photos have already been shown, showing the high stakes and preparations needed for the summit. Both leaders plan to have a private conversation, a public one, and a photo op together. This is also the farthest outside of North Korea, that Kim Jong Un has ever been, and the first meeting between a North Korean and American leader in years.

Sources: Wikipedia, CNN, Channel NewsAsia, TicToc by Bloomberg

OPINION: Tariffs Never Work

By Nick Baum

THURSDAY – 6/7/18

The news about tariffs in the most recent months is absolutely idiotic, but before I dive in let me explain exactly what a tariff is. A tariff is an added tax or price on a certain product that comes from another country. For example, President Trump had the US start its tariff program by adding tariffs on Chinese steel and aluminum, meaning steel and aluminum in the United States that came from China will be higher, which will force companies to buy from American workers.

So you can see why tariffs are used a lot, as it is seen as a way to protect American workers and sort of force companies to buy and hire American. Except, it doesn’t really work in real life. When tariffs are added in a certain category, it actually has a very low chance of actually helping the country’s workers, because usually, the companies who are most effected by the tariffs will either find a loophole, use a different material, or just take the same product from another country.

Not only that, but tariffs can easily backfire because it raises the price of products in America. If you’re shopping for clothes in America and you found something that recently had a tariff on, that price will rise, and in many circumstances, by a lot. Tariffs sometimes help American workers, but backfires when it makes it difficult for American consumers to get the certain product.

Donald Trump recently added tariffs in different categories on China, and the response is, well, you guessed it. Different prices are soaring, American workers are somewhat being helped, but now a trade war is occurring. A trade war is when different countries slap tariffs on certain products from the same country that slapped tariffs on them. Basically, it is an endless back and forth cycle of countries putting tariffs on different products.

Already, after the United States’s tariffs, Canada, Mexico, and the European Union decided to add their own tariffs, and that doesn’t even include China, which is most effected by this decision. Not only does this prompt poor relations, but it hurts the economy, because certain products have gotten more expensive. If it wasn’t for Trump’s tariffs, the stock market could’ve shot even further up. However, now it is rocky, not only the stock market, but trade relations with our closest allies.

Sources: CNN, Wall Street Journal, Wikimedia Commons, Fox News

Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy out by Parliament Vote

By Nick Baum

FRIDAY – 5/1/18

Last night in Spain, Mariano Rajoy was ousted from his spot as Prime Minister of Spain by the country’s parliament based on previous corruption and scandals. In fact, Rajoy has become the first Prime Minister in Spain’s modern history (1977 – Now) to be ousted by the parliament.

In return, the leading candidate of the Spanish Socialist Workers’ Party (PSOE), the main opposition of Rajoy’s party, the Popular Party, Pedro Sanchez, will become the next Prime Minister of Spain. Rajoy’s sudden replacement can be linked to previous scandals involving the Popular Party, with the party supposedly using slush funds to help fund election campaigns.

It is yet to be determined where Rajoy will be next, but prosecutors say they will investigate into previous accounts of corruption. Rajoy lost the parliamentary vote with a decent margin. Out of 350 members of the parliament, 180 voted him out, 169 voted to keep him in, and one absentee was recorded.

Sources: CNN, Reuters, Daily Mail

Trump Cancels US – North Korea Summit

By Nick Baum

FRIDAY – 5/25/18

Just yesterday, US President Donald Trump announced that he will be cancelling the planned summit between the United States and North Korea on June 12 in Singapore due to current relations with North Korea and recent actions committed by the country, the White House announced. President Trump sent a letter to North Korea through the same channel where CIA Director Mike Pompeo communicated to North Korea with.

The decision by Trump was thought to be because of declining relations with North Korea, in which North Korea threatened the summit due to U.S. – South Korea military drills being taken place on the southern part of the peninsula. Just days after, a top North Korean official said that recent decisions by the US have threatened relations between the nations, and that North Korea could see the United States “on the brink of nuclear showdown”.

The decision by Trump has met both approval and criticism from both sides of the aisle. Democrats held a press release in which House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi panned the decision, saying “Kim Jong Un must be giggling”. However, North Korean Leader Kim Jong Un said that the summit can happen “Anytime, and anywhere”.

Sources: CNN, Wall Street Journal, Fox News

Trump says that North Korea Summit “Could be Called off”

By Nick Baum

WEDNESDAY – 5/23/18

US President Donald Trump said in a press release, that the planned summit between North Korea and the United States, thought to be seen as a great step towards peace between the two nations, as well as a victory for the Trump Administration, could be called off. The meeting was originally going to be held on June 12, in Singapore, thought to be a neutral ground for the two countries as Singapore hasn’t been an active member on either side of the peace talks.

The statement by President Trump has been decided after Kim Jong Un threatened peace talks between the two nations after the continuous use of military drills with South Korea, despite growing relations with North Korea. North Korean leader Kim Jong Un also said that North Korea “will not give up” its nuclear arsenal, and that the United States needs to tone down their hopes.

As of now, it is still very unclear whether the summit will still be held or not, with the possibility that it could be postponed to a later date. However, if relations between North Korea and the US continue to slip, then no summit between the two nations could be seen as a bad loss for not only Trump, but the country.

Sources: CNN, Wall Street Journal