RationalWiki:What is going on in the world?/March 2016

March 2016
The FBI will unlock other iPhones in criminal investigations. There will be no justice for Jamar Clark. Here we go again: California charter school temporarily shuts down when a non-vaccinated child tests positive for measles, after potentially exposing a large number of classmates. The school will be reopening soon only to vaccinated children and staff, barring unvaccinated children for several more weeks as a safety precaution. Amnesty International confims that Qatar is using forced labor in order to build the 2022 World Cup stadium. A damning report comes out of Arizona about the shooting of an unarmed man begging for his life who was shot 5 times after complying with all of the officers demands, including being forced to crawl to him. The department refuses to release the video but the officer has been charged with second degree murder. Seselj cleared of war-crimes and crimes against humanity related to the Bosnian War Pro-Tip: If you're a suspected Dark Web drug dealer, it's probably a bad idea to try to officially trademark your brand as a drug dealer. US prisons are doubling up solitary confinement cells. CNBC's secure password tutorial sent your password in the clear to 30 advertisers. An alarming amount of Americans support banning Muslims from entering the country and creating special police units that will patrol Muslim neighborhoods. San Francisco State is investigating a confrontation on campus after a white man was assaulted for having dreadlocks. ...And justice for all! Obama commutes the sentences of 61 federal prisoners while the DOJ pushes prisons to take trans prisoners' safety in account when housing them.Meanwhile, Anastasio Hernández Rojas's family is suing the US's border police in the Inter-American Court of Human Rights for his torture and subsequent murder. Thirdly, a federal appeals court has ruled that a FBI whistleblower was wrongfully terminated for revealing agent's sex trips.Lastly, activists and politicians are helping to fight the overcriminalization of black women. THE COMPANY THAT BRIBED THE WORLD: Oil companies and corruption. How unexpected. Update: The FBI, US Department of Justice and anti-corruption police in Britain and Australia have launched a global, joint investigation. Another Trump rally and more escalation of violence from Janesville, Wisconsin. A video surfaces of a Trump supporter sexually assaulting a 15 year old girl holding a protest sign who then berates and shoves him. 30 seconds after the altercation starts another attendee pepper sprays her in the eyes at close range. There is also a more complete video available below where you can hear a few Trump supporters yelling "Get that n****r loving bitch out of here". A 2500 year old stone covered in Etruscan writing has been found in Florence. Prosecuters are rarely punished for their misconduct A UN commission has ruled that the Falkland Islands lie within Argentinian waters. The DOJ has reinstated civil asset forfeiture. What progress! North Carolina Attorney General refuses to defend anti-LGBT law in court. Split U.S. Supreme Court decision preserves a teacher's union's right to collect dues. Aren't you glad Scalia's gone? Harrisonburg, VA police refuse to release police body cam video of a fatal shooting; they have also rejected a third party investigation citing "department preference". After massive big business pressure, Georgia's governor vetos the state's 'religious liberty' bill. Meanwhile the ACLU has sued North Carolina over its LGBT discrimination bill. No longer will we need to worry about the possibility of living in a world where courts can order phone companies to release your info, as the FBI drops its case against Apple! Since they hacked it. A far-right group in Spain has burned down a Madrid mosque. In Moldova thousands gather to march for reunification with Romania. Neo-Nazi protesters disrupt a vigil commemorating the Belgian bombing. An active shooting has occurred on Capitol Hill. CNN discovered that, in the land of the Vikings, marriage is outdated. CIA-armed militias are shooting at Pentagon-armed ones in Syria. Syrian and Russian forces have retaken the ancient city of Palmyra, a huge blow to ISIS. Why are western leaders so quiet about this? Anonymous 'Burner' phone purchases may become illegal in the US, through a bill that would mandate providing ID when buying one. Detroit schools open despite sickout threat. Cops arrest a local reporter for requesting public records and a mail man for yelling at them. Another cop harasses a Muslim woman for wearing a hijab to a public library. Oklahoma will teach pro-life propaganda in school, but they can't afford to. Scotland is officially coal-free, but carbon emissions are higher than they were 66 million years ago. [http://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-35908512 A massive explosion has occurred at Lahore Park in Pakistan. Most of the dead and injured are children.]

California will raise its minimum wage to $15 dollars an hour. Oregon will spend $30,000 on one-way bus tickets for homeless people. Trump supporter gets 90-day jail term and probation for plot to bomb Muslims. 25k sign a petition to allow them to openly carry weapons at the RNC. Two Turkish journalists are facing a secret trial for revealing arms deliveries to Syria [http://www.latimes.com/science/la-me-exide-health-20160326-story.html? California isn't using blood-test data that could help focus Exide cleanup efforts.] The Global War on Drugs has unleashed an international health crisis. Indiana Governor, Mike Pence, signs new abortion restrictions into law. IS claims suicide bombing on stadium in Iraq that killed 29. Lawrence Wilkerson applauds Edward Snowden.

Israeli rights group releases video of soldier executing wounded Palestinian suspect. Jian Ghomeshi is acquitted of sexual assault. Voters accuse Arizona of election fraud as Phoenix mayor requests federal investigation. Pope Francis washes feet of Muslim migrants, says ‘we are brothers’. Erik Prince, Blackwater’s Founder, is under investigation for money laundering, ties to Chinese intel, and brokering mercenary services. Former Bosnian-Serb leader Radovan Karadzic guilty of genocide. Sentenced to 40 years A true sporting legend, Johan Cruyff, dies aged 68 In order to improve its Millennial base and build a better understanding of AIs developing natural conversation, Microsoft released "AI fam from the internet" Tay, a "teen girl" chatbot AI which learns from the conversations it holds with anyone she chats with on Twitter, Kik, and Groupme. It... goes about as well as you'd expect. For the first time ever, developing countries invest more in renewable energy than their developed counterparts. Meanwhile, the fossil fuel industry continues to receive heavy subsidies, up to six times as much as the renewable energy industry. It is not surprising, therefore, when one learns that what has been done, while encouraging, is simply not enough. A bill introduced by Kansas state legislators would allow students to sue their school if they notice a transgender student in the "wrong" bathroom, and would entitle the suing student to no less than $2,500 in "damages for all psychological, emotional and physical harm suffered". Disney threatens to boycott Georgia if their governor signs an anti-gay "religious freedom" bill. In the US poor white kids are less likely to be imprisoned than rich black kids. Missouri further restricts abortion rights. North Carolina passes a bill that prevents local LGBT anti-discrimantion ordinances. SCOTUS rules against Tyson and paves the road for worker class action lawsuits. Georgia's “felony driving law” targets blacks, latinos, and undocumented immigrants. A lab explosion in the University of Hawaii injuries one. The International Criminal Court recognizes rape as a war crime. The CDC tells doctors to stop testing patients for marijuana The state of NY is proposing a slash to campus funding for supposed tolerance of Antisemitism. Probe launched into Pentagon handling of NSA whistleblower evidence. Since Paris, there have been hundreds of terrorist attacks. DEA agent reveals that the DEA avoids arresting rich white people Syrian refugees save a German, Neo-Nazi politician. Gay “Cures” Are Harmful And Don’t Work, Says World’s Largest Body Of Psychiatrists [http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/world/2016/03/20/cuba-dissidents-protesters-arrested-president-obama-visit/82048950/ Cuba arrests dozens of protesters ahead of Obama's visit to the country. (Autoplay video)] A suicide bombing has occurred in Istanbul, Turkey Ex mayor Rob Ford deaded Terrorism in Belgium: Multiple explosions at Brussels airport and metro stations starting at about 8 a.m. GMT.  Airports and metro systems closed nationwide. Belgian media reporting 26 deaths, over 100 injured as of about 1.30 p.m. GMT. U.S. drops spying case against former envoy, Robin L. Raphel. [http://www.nytimes.com/2016/03/22/business/media/hulk-hogan-damages-25-million-gawker-case.html A jury rewards Hulk Hogan with $25 million on top of the $115 million already awarded. Gawker is planning to appeal.] Triple homicide suspect who had guns taken from him was given them back in 2008. A Georgian man who poured boiling water on a gay couple will not be chargeed with a hate crime because Georgia doesn't have any hate crime legislation. Hillary Clinton's campaign has a political 'hit list'. Johns Hopkins researchers poke a hole in Apple’s encryption. Brazil is engulfed by ruling class corruption. (TL:DR? Then Hank Green will explain it.) Recently declassified CIA documents prove that the Iraq war was justified with incompetence and dishonesty. Two Syrian refugees deliver a child molester to the Greek police. Royal research vessel could be called 'Boaty McBoatface' A Congressman has called Elizabeth Warren "Darth Vader" and believes she should be "neutered" for attacking Wall St. Yemen's civil war:41 civilians have been killed in airstrikes on a market in Yemen. The Houthis have rebuked Iran's support. Two cattle trading Muslims have been lynched in India for slaughtering cattle. Three former leaders of a Franciscan order have been charged with abetting a member who sexually abused children, the first time members of a Roman Catholic religious order have been charged with aiding an abuser. This week in "small government conservatism": proposed Tennessee bill would strip funding for University of Tennessee's Office for Diversity and Inclusion and use the money to put "In God We Trust" decals on law enforcement vehicles. Trump supporters aren't authoritarians. [http://phys.org/news/2016-03-mortal-enemies-allies-ants.html Turning mortal enemies into allies? Ants can.] Homosapiens' sex with extinct species was no one-night stand. WikiLeaks has released a searchable archive for Hillary Clinton's emails. Carl's Junior/Hardee's CEO Andy Puzder threatens to automate jobs if the minimum wage goes up, naming Bernie Sanders and Hillary Clinton specifically in his rant. [http://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/soccer/2016/03/16/fifa-admits-to-world-cup-hosting-bribes-asks-us-for-cash/81850202/ FIFA has admitted to taking bribes. They have requested that the US return their money.] The US government has accidentally revealed that they were investigating Edward Snowden during the Lavabit case. (duh) The Clintons have received $3 billion in contributions over the past 41 years. The GOP has proposed a bill that would codify Trump's bigotry into law. The US State Department declares that ISIL has committed genocide in Syria and Iraq. Pregnant T-rex discovery sheds light on evolution of egg-laying. Mounting evidence shows the US killed Serbian diplomats in an airstrike conducted in Libya.

Study: vaccine refusers helped spark recent measles and whooping cough outbreaks Denmark remains the world's happiest country. That's right, Madam Secretary, the USA is not Denmark. Carbon dioxide emissions have stalled for a second year running thanks to a surge in investments in renewable energy, particularly in the United States and China, the world's worst polluters. UC's intolerance policy goes dangerously astray on anti-Semitism Netherlands votes to ban weapons exports to Saudi Arabia. FBI raids in Ramapo target yeshivas, tech businesses Hawaii Supreme Court revokes permit for massive telescope A high school assistant coach has been terminated after saying he would hang black students from a tree by their toes if they acted out. Commenters have already piled on saying "It's not that bad, just rowdy kids" till later in article it states this coach has repeatedly shouted racist things at players while the administration ignored repeated complaints. Sikh Americans still struggle for civil rights. The terrorist watchlist now shows up on rap sheets. There is still no justice for Italian hostage, Giovanni Lo Porto, who was killed in an American drone strike. America’s airlines are introducing a class below economy. Chris Matthews plays "softball" with guests who are donating to his wife's campaign. Three Belgian police officers wounded in an anti-terrorism operation relating to the 2015 Paris attacks. The two suspects are currently on the run in Brussels. Parents concerned over vaccines demand more vaccines Jamie Gilt has a serious lady-boner for handguns. Jamie brags that her 4 year old gets totally "jacked up" to target shoot with his .22. 24 hours later irony does exactly what you thought it would do. Myanmar elects a civilian president after over 50 years of military rule. NFL acknowledges, for first time, a link between football and brain disease. Utah has declared porn to be a public health crisis. Russia has begun to subjugate the Crimean Tatars. AT&T defeats class action in unlimited data throttling case. Kalamazoo shooter says he was possessed by his Uber app In the UK the wealth of super rich soars as the worst-off lose out. The Justice Department recommends that states shouldn't jail people who can't afford their fines. Putin withdraws Russian forces from Syria. An explosion kills 37 people in Ankara. Turkey proceeds to bomb Kurdish rebels in their southeast and northern Iraq. Both Ben Shapiro and Michelle Fields have resigned from Breitbart. A federal judge upholds Puerto Rico's same sex marriage ban. The Republicans pass even more draconian anti-abortion bills in state legislatures. AEI invites several politicians to a private meeting in order to discuss how to beat Trump. More police brutality and corruption: An Orange County district attorney investigator beats a defense attorney; a deputy shoots a man's dog after he loses everything in trailer fire and then arrests him for disorderly conduct; scientists claim New York police forced them to fake DNA tests to convict more suspects; Houston police fatally shot an unarmed black man. White blood cells found in birds may help destroy Cryptococcus neoformans, a fatal fungal illness. New Pew Poll Suggests Almost Half of Israeli Jews Back Transfer or Expulsion of Arabs China cracks down on funeral strippers. The U.S. Justice Department has "discussed" taking civil legal action against the fossil fuel industry. Harper Lee's estate will no longer print the inexpensive paperback version of To Kill a Mockingbird. Hillary Clinton made a factual error and actually corrected it and apologized for it on Twitter According to fivethirtyeight "nones" (i.e. people with no religious affiliation) are the most likely to be "socialist" The UN finds that South Sudanese militias associated with the government were allowed to commit war crimes and rewarded with rape. American religiosity is waning. Controversy and discussions about personal politics sparked in the transgender community after Caitlyn Jenner comes out in support of... Ted Cruz? Historic flooding leaves parts of Louisiana under water. Person suspected of shooting Idaho pastor arrested after throwing things over the White House fence. Before doing so he posted a manifesto alleging that Martians secretly control the world (paging David Icke!). Police say he has "a history of mental illness", but of course he was still able to obtain guns because 'MURICA! PLOS One publishes a paper containing a comment that human hand coordination is evidence of a divine creator, then retracts it after outcry. Interestingly, it appears the comment was a result of a mistranslation by the authors, who aren't native English speakers. But it does raise questions about the journal's review process. Americans exercising their Second Amendment rights kill six near Pittsburgh in an apparently planned shooting. The NSA's database will soon be used for domestic spying and the Pentagon admits to using drones for domestic spying. Luckily, students are having the debate about surveillance that Congress is unwilling to have. ISIS insider releases identities of over 22,000 members God and the Holy Spirit fail to save a true believer's ass [http://wiadomosci.onet.pl/tylko-w-onecie/marihuana-lecznicza-bedzie-refundowana-w-polsce/4rh7xk Polish government made medical cannabis refundable. The surprising part? PiS (Law and Justice), a considerably right-wing party did it.] U.N. torture envoy appeals again for visit to U.S. prisons. New documents show the Obama admin aggressively lobbied to kill transparency reform in Congress. National Bar Association thinks Chicago's police superintendent should resign. West Virginian lawmakers drink raw milk to celebrate legalizing raw milk, get a mysterious stomach bug The US has killed 150 people in Somalia, but they have no info on who they killed. In the meantime the US promises to release their drone casualty report, but it won't include 'active hostility zones'. Now Google's AlphaGo has beaten Go player Lee Se-dol. Update: AlphaGo goes 3-0 against Lee Se-dol. Both Democrats and Republicans agree that corporations need a tax break of $400 billion. Another heartbreaking, but avoidable tragedy: co-owners of nutritional supplement company Truehope Nutritional Support face criminal charges after their 19-month-old son died of pediatric meningitis, following unsuccessful naturopathic treatments of dilute maple syrup, whey protein, horseradish, and hot peppers, among others. Even though Trump didn't attend CPAC 2016, conservatives couldn't escape Trump. Protests erupt in Venice over cruise ships sailing in Venice and a planned high speed railway connecting Turin, Italy to Lyon, France. South Dakota will charge you $93 an hr for your right to an attorney The Pentagon's secret foreign aid budget. Turkish-backed pro-Al-Qaeda rebels attacked Kurds in Aleppo, Syria with chemical weapons, causing dozens of casualties. The cryonic preservation of Kim Suozzi, and how bumblingly incompetent Alcor are at the one thing they claim to be able to do. Russia halted sales of to Iran after receiving Israeli intelligence indicating that Iran handed down  to Hezbollah The crime: founding 4chan. The sentence: running Google+. Israeli demolitions of Palestinian homes harmful to peace, says US. ISIS has massacred almost 200 Iraqis in the past week, while Western countries turn away refugees. The director general of the British Chambers of Commerce resigns over support of the Brexit SCOTUS overturns Alabama court ruling against same-sex adoption. New data shows how debt, unemployment and property prices have combined to stop millennials taking their share of western wealth. An analysis done by the Tax Policy Center and CBO shows Trump's plan to reduce "waste" and "fraud" while giving tax breaks to the wealthy will more than double the deficit in 4 years. So much for being the "fiscally responsible" party. In a very special episode, Nancy Reagan has passed Supreme Court reopens Louisiana clinics closed by anti-abortion law The Turkish government has seized Zaman newspaper. State Department removes a dozen emails from unclassified electronic archives Bowdoin College students fall into hot water, with reports of two student government members facing impeachment charges and several students being kicked out of dormitories... for having a party with tequila and mini-sombreros. Imitating other cultures is often creative and valuable but it's now considered politically incorrect. Despite all this it seems there is a history at that college of racially themed parties that mock or demean ethnic or cultural minorities. Good news from South Carolina for once: scientist resurrects ancient, almost extinct crops. Oregon is set to become the first state to ban coal. The first peaceful anti-Assad protests in years has taken place in Syria. Gang of goats "causing havoc" in New Zealand Chimpanzees observed exhibiting proto-religious behaviour. Top Pakistani religious body rules women's protection law 'un-Islamic' Bangladesh may abandon Islam as its state religion. Fed’s Neel Kashkari says banks are ‘Still too big to fail’ Husband of San Bernardino survivor calls for stronger gun laws, not weaker privacy. The Clinton-backed Honduran regime is picking off indigenous leaders Texas Trooper who arrested Sandra Bland finally fired three months after he was indicted for perjury in relation to the traffic stop. Justice Dept. grants immunity to staffer who set up Clinton email server No one at the State Department's Syrian ceasefire hotline can speak Arabic. Fired FBI agent who blew whistle over sex trips wins his appeal. A cop and his 2 family members have been arrested for assaulting an Arab teen. [http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/debbie-wasserman-schultz-paylenders-cfpb_us_56d4ce38e4b03260bf77e8fc Debbie Wasserman Schultz joins the Republicans' efforts at undermining the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. (Autoplay podcast)] Six New Jersey newspapers call for Chris Christie's resignation. Russian Forced to Undergo Psychiatric Evaluation, Faces Up to Year in Prison for Denying Existence of God A Saudi gang rape victim was sentenced to 200 lashes and 6 months in prison for being out in public without a male escort. A Saudi man who is openly an atheist and refused to repent was sentenced to 200 lashes and 10 years in prison In Saudi Arabia all atheists are legally defined as terrorists. Louis Farrakhan praises Trump for rejecting ‘Jewish’ money Bill O'Reilly loses custody of his kids after alleged domestic violence.