ELISHA VALLADARES-CORMIER
SOCIAL MEDIA MANAGER
National
Two Ohio Police Officers Killed After Responding to Call
Two police officers died Saturday after being shot in Westerfield, Ohio, a northern suburb of Columbus. According to CNN, the officers were responding to a 911 call that had ended in the caller hanging up. Officers Eric Joering, 39, and Anthony Morelli, 54, were shot at as they entered the apartment where the call came from, said Westerfield Division of Police Chief Joe Morbitzer. Morbitzer said that Joering had been with the department for 17 years and Morelli for 30 years. President Donald Trump and Ohio Gov. John Kasich both offered their thoughts and prayers for the two officers, with Kasich calling the deaths, “a terrible tragedy.” A male suspect was wounded and hospitalized, said a police spokesman.
https://www.cnn.com/2018/02/10/us/ohio-police-officers-killed/index.html
Trump Administration Staffers Face Abuse Allegations
Two members of President Donald Trump’s administration resigned in the past week within days of each other after facing allegations of abuse from former spouses. Rob Porter, the White House staff secretary, resigned Feb. 7 after two former wives came forward accusing him of being abusive to them during their marriage. Despite denying the accusations and receiving support from White House Chief of Staff John Kelly, Porter announced his resignation. Two days later, White House Speechwriter David Sorensen resigned when a former wife came forward with similar accusations. Sorensen also denied the alleged abuse, but said that he resigned because he didn’t want to distract from President Trump’s agenda. This is the latest hit for a White House that has come under great scrutiny for its approach towards allegations of abuse.
Kansas Teenagers Running for Governor to Angst of Adults
More than half a dozen teenagers are running for statewide office in Kansas, according to a Washington Times report. The fad began when a high school junior found a loophole in the state’s electoral laws that didn’t specify a required age in order to run for governor. Since he filed to run in the Democratic primary, several other teenagers have also filed to run in the state’s upcoming election. Some believe that this could help motivate young voters in the state to vote as a paltry 13 percent of Kansans between the ages of 18 to 24 voted in the last non-presidential election. However, state lawmakers have begun to fight back against the youth movement and have introduced legislation that will create more specific requirements in elections moving forward. The proposed changes will not affect the 2018 election.
International
Pence Avoids North Korea at Winter Olympics
US Vice President Mike Pence made several political statements towards North Korea as the 2018 Olympic Games got underway in Pyeongchang, South Korea. The vice president, who had been asked by President Donald Trump to lead the country’s Olympic delegation, had several chances to interact with representatives of the North Korean government at private receptions before the game and then at the Games’ opening ceremonies. However, Pence made no move to recognize them and chose to ignore them, keeping with the Trump administration’s rhetoric to isolate North Korea “economically and diplomatically” until they dissolve their nuclear program. Pence sat in a VIP box for the opening ceremonies just 10 feet from Kim Yo-jong, the sister of North Korean dictator Kim Jong Un, but the two did not exchange any sign of recognition.
Israel Strikes Syria, Downing Iranian Drone
Israel shot down an infiltrating Iranian drone on Saturday during its most serious engagement in neighboring Syria since fighting began in 2013, according to an ABC News report. An unmanned Iranian aircraft that entered Israeli airspace was shot down and Israel then destroyed the Iranian site in Syria that allegedly launched it, the country said. Israel has made it clear that it does not accept Iran’s increased military presence along its borders in Syria and Lebanon and called the drone infiltration a “severe and irregular violation of Israeli sovereignty.” Iran has denied the “ridiculous” report that Israel had shot down a drone, or that the drone violated Israeli airspace, while Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said that he will do whatever is necessary to protect his country’s sovereignty and security.
Thousands Protest Migrant Shooting in Italy
Several thousand people rallied in the Italian town of Macerata to protest a migrant shooting by a far-right activist last week. The protesters were drawing attention to the alleged shooting by Luca Traini, a member of the anti-immigration Northern League. Traini confessed to the drive-by shooting that left six people, who he thought were migrants, wounded. Traini was motivated to violence following the arrest of a Nigerian migrant who was suspected of committing the gruesome murder of Pamela Mastropietro, 18, whose body was found dismembered and hidden in two suitcases. Since the shooting, protesters have clashed with a local far-right group and schools remain closed over fears that more violence will break out. The Italian national elections will be held March 4, and immigration is expected to be a key issue for voters.