Quebec mosque shooting

On Sunday, a man left six people dead after he arrived at a Quebec City mosque and began shooting. He was later charged with murder and recognized as a “lone wolf”. Alexandre Bissonette was identified as the shooter who opened fire at Quebec Islamic Cultural Center, according to the Royal Canadian Mounted Police and a Quebec City court clerk. He now faces six counts of first-degree murder and five attempted murder charges. Witnesses said he fired indiscriminately into the crowd of worshippers, which included men, women, and children.

For more information: http://www.cnn.com/2017/01/30/americas/quebec-mosque-shooting/

Prison stand off in Delaware

A 19 hour standoff at a Delaware prison ended on Thursday after one of the corrections officials taken hostage by the prisoners was found dead in the facility. Sgt. Steven Floyd, a veteran of the department, was pronounced dead at 5:29 a.m., minutes before authorities secured the scene at the James T. Vaughn Correctional Center. Another prison official who had been taken hostage was rescued from the scene and later treated at a local hospital. It is unclear what weapons the inmates used on the corrections officer. Over the course of the standoff, 46 inmates left the building, said officials, but Robert Coupe, secretary of Delaware’s Department of Safety and Homeland Security warned that all 120 inmates inside, including those 46, are still considered suspects.

For more information: http://www.cnn.com/2017/02/02/us/delaware-prison-standoff/

New Supreme Court Justice Neil Gorsuch

President Donald Trump has nominated Judge Neil Gorsuch to the Supreme Court, which was announced Tuesday night at the White House. Gorsuch is a 49 year-old federal appellate judge from Colorado and his selection as set up an intense fight with Senate Democrats, who are still angry over the Republicans’ decision to ignore former President Barack Obama’s nomination of Judge Merrick Garland last year. Introducing Gorsuch, President Trump said he had committed as a candidate to “find the very best judge in the country in the Supreme Court.”

“Today I am keeping another promise to the American people by nominating Neil Gorsuch to the Supreme Court.” says Trump.

For more information: http://www.cnn.com/2017/01/31/politics/donald-trump-supreme-court-nominee/

UK publishes Brexit plan

On Thursday, the British government formally set out details of its strategy for Britain’s departure from the European Union for the first time. The 77-page “white paper” contained few clues about the government’s overall strategy that were not evident in a speech delivered by Theresa May in January. The white paper was published a day after lawmakers voted overwhelmingly in favor of a bill that, once finalized, would give May the authority to invoke Article 50 in the Lisbon Treaty, the process of leaving the EU.  David Davis, the Secretary of State for Exiting the EU, said that Britain wanted the “European Union to succeed, politically and economically.”

For more information: http://www.cnn.com/2017/02/02/europe/brexit-white-paper/index.html

US-Australia Refugee deal in jeopardy

A deal to settle refugees detained by Australia in the US is in danger after a controversial phone call between Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull and President Donald Trump. President Trump is under pressure if he is to reject or change the deal as he attempts to temporarily halt refugee arrivals and all together ban immigration from several Muslim-majority countries. Turnbull has been attempting to secure reassurance that Trump will honor the deal, which had been signed by the Barack Obama administration. Under the arrangement, Australia would transfer around 1,250 refugees held currently in detention center on the Pacific Island nation of Nauru and Papua New Guinea’s Manus Island. The transfer would be administered by the UN High Commission on Refugees.

For more information: http://www.cnn.com/2017/02/01/politics/australia-us-refugee-deal-turnbull-trump/index.html