RationalWiki:What is going on in the world?/March 2018

March 2018
22 year old man in South Scotland arrested over 'offensive napkin comments'. A Dalit (lowest Hindu caste) man was murdered for owning a horse. Government forces have retaken most of eastern Ghouta. Trump told his aides not to publicly discuss his policy on Russia. Russia has tested a nuclear missile that even the most advanced defense systems are unable to stop. A teenage girl was beaten with broomsticks and had hot cooking oil poured on her for refusing a forced marriage. At the other end of the spectrum of fortune, a mathematically talented high school drop out is graduating from college for the exceptionally gifted at age 17 and has received substantial scholarship offers from some of the top schools in the country for her PhD in chemical engineering. Kentucky teachers have started a walkout over pension concerns, as Oklahoma teachers plan to start a walkout on Monday. 30 Somali men allege inhumane treatment under ICE detention. Facebook has been collecting your Android call history and SMS data for years. Five American citizens flying to New York from Moscow had their flight cancelled, and were forced by the airline onto a flight to India under threat of being deported there due to their skin tone, despite the US embassy telling the airline they couldn't do that. Trump froze over $200 million in funds for Syrian recovery efforts as what appears to be part of plans to leave Syria. The EPA's public affairs office sends staffers a memo (confirmed by the EPA) containing talking points that downplay the role of humanity in climate change. (Union of Concerned Scientists' take on it.) Using chosen names reduces odds of depression and suicide in transgender youths. A megachurch pastor and religious adviser under Bush Jr. has been accused of defrauding investors of $3.5 million. At least a dozen Palestinians were killed and hundreds injured in the Israeli military response to a massive protest on the Gaza border. Russia kicked out 59 diplomats from 23 countries. A poll conducted by a nonpartisan think tank shows that most Americans support major healthcare reforms. 2017 was a record year for renewable power generation in Scotland. In related news, the State of New York is committing $1.4 billion to renewable energy projects, more than most other states.

Pope Francis says hell doesn't exist, though the Vatican denies this. Anti-slavery groups say face growing threat in Mauritania A summit between the two Koreas is set to happen on April 27, and will mark the first time a North Korean ruler has set foot south of the DMZ. The water supply of a fifth of Estonians is radioactive. Trump ousted the VA secretary yesterday and nominated the presidential physician as his replacement. A Texan teacher has been suspended for pushing a "homosexual agenda". Eating out increases levels of phthalates in the body, study finds Trump tweets misleading photos suggesting the border wall is underway. Malala Yousafzai is visiting Pakistan for the first time since the attempt on her life. The embassy housing Assange has had his phone and internet cut, as well as visitors being banned from seeing him. It’s official! Ireland will be voting on Friday 25th May on the 36th amendment. This is the to allow abortion in Ireland.

Former Supreme Court Justice John Paul Stevens backs repealing the Second Amendment. Scientists have discovered a previously unknown organ. Protests arose demanding the resignation of authorities after a shopping mall fire has killed 64 people, mostly children, in Kemerovo, Russia (warning: auto-play video!). California is suing the Trump administration over plans to add a question about citizenship to the 2020 census. The leader of a cult in New York has been arrested in Mexico for sexual slavery of its female members. Austrian ban of full-face veils proves ineffective - intended to prevent Muslims hiding behind burqas, those stopped by police include several people in winter sports gear, tourists in smog masks, a youth outreach worker in a giant rabbit costume, and only one woman actually wearing a full-face veil.

US Congressman Steve King mocks Parkland survivor Emma González because of her Cuban heritage. Stocks rebound as trade war fears ease. In a first for the country, Pakistan has a trans news anchor. American healthcare is becoming unaffordable even for much of the middle class. One of the largest US gunmakers filed Chapter 11. US Army General John Nicholson is accusing Russia of aiding the Taliban. The US is to expel 60 Russian diplomats as a result of the poisoning of an ex-Russian spy and his daughter. A fake photo of Parkland survivor and gun control activist Emma González ripping up the US Constitution went viral.

Riot police in Belarus attack protesters calling for end to dictatorship. Former Catalan president Carles Puigdemont has been detained in Germany, and if extradited could be facing up to three decades in prison for separatism. Protests erupt in Catalonia as a result. A Jewish Holocaust survivor found burned and stabbed to death in her apartment is suspected to be the victim of a hate crime.

In a tremendous case of irony, Donald Trump signed a Republican federal spending bill that not only rejects his proposals but also fulfills, even exceeds, those of Barack Obama when he was President. The Nigerian government is negotiating a possible ceasefire with Boko Haram. White nationalism is rapidly growing in one of the most progressive European nations. Jehovah's Witnesses come forward to describe sexual abuse in the church.

Details emerge about ties between Bannon and Cambridge Analytica. The value of Facebook dropped by $58 billion last week. [https://www.nytimes.com/2018/03/20/world/europe/norways-justice-minister-resigns-in-storm-over-facebook-post.html Norwegian minister of justice forced to leave after she claimed on Facebook that the opposition favors terrorists over national security. When the far-right sent her flowers to show that people want her to stay as minister, people who wanted her to leave raised $2 million for Doctors Without Borders to show the opposite, while also supporting a good cause.] Romanian courts refuse to overturn a man's death certificate because he appealed too late. The New Peruvian president promises to tackle government corruption after his predecessor resigned in disgrace. Over two dozen civilians killed in airstrike.

Protesters, many of them students, rally in Washington, D.C., and across the United States demanding stricter gun control legislation. They are joined by like-minded people in multiple cities worldwide. Rights groups vow to fight Trump's 'transphobia masquerading as policy' Two killed by bombing in Alexandria ahead of the Egyptian presidential "election". Trump has signed the budget bill as his own party criticized him for the veto threats. Chevron's lawyer, representing oil companies rejects climate change denial, but thinks they can't be sued over it and blames global warming on "economic use" a.k.a. their customers.

Sweden to offer $26,000 compensation to trans people who were legally forced into sterilisation Owen Smith was sacked for calling for a second Brexit referendum. Fears of a government shutdown rise as Trump threatens to veto the spending bill. Three killed in an Islamic terrorist attack (along with the shooter). Facebook could face up to $2 trillion in fines. A former Playboy Playmate says Trump offered to pay her after sex. China announces counter-tariffs on the US. Trump announces via Twitter that John Bolton is the new national security adviser. A Palestinian teen has been sentenced to eight months and a $1725 fine for assaulting an Israeli soldier. The Atacama corpse, often touted as an extraterrestrial due to its bizarre appearance, tragically but unsurprisingly turns out to be human. Trump moves to implement $60 billion in tariffs on imported Chinese products. Déjà vu all over again: Congress scrambles to prevent yet another government shutdown. China admits they sold missile technology to Pakistan. The last northern white male rhino has died. Researchers, however, save genetic material from him so they can attempt to artificially inseminate the remaining two females. Prosecutors seek arrest of former South Korean president for allegedly accepting over $10 million in bribes. The coastal areas are being ravaged by serious storms. Homeschooled, homophobic and anti-abortion: details emerge about the Austin bomber. The party of lower taxes presents: about a one in three chance of at least four Fed hikes this year. Former Facebook insiders are turning on the social media giant. Five South African peacekeepers are taking paternity tests under allegations of sexual exploitation. The gun debate has made its way to Canada. Congress is almost done with a spending deal that will give the border wall some funding (though only a fraction of the amount needed to complete it), while destroying efforts to give federal funding to a project to improve passenger rail to and from Manhattan. A suspect in the Austin serial bombings [https://www.cnn.com/2018/03/21/us/austin-explosions/index.html kills himself. Austin Police Department recommends people remain vigilant in case there are more bombs.] The remains of 39 Indian migrant workers in Iraq kidnapped by DAESH have been found in a mass grave. A Californian town of about 12,000 is moving to opt out of the sanctuary state law. Child refugees of the Rohingya genocide are being forced into sex trafficking. A package bound for Austin blew up in a FedEx building, and has been connected to the bombings. The man who created the viral video of a dog doing the Nazi salute has been convicted of a hate crime. Thanks to a new treatment derived from stem cell research, two people had their vision partially restored. Senator Bernie Sanders held a town hall on income inequality at the U.S. Capitol auditorium; the event attracted about 1.7 million live viewers. Even Mitch McConnell thinks Mueller should get to finish the Russia investigation. Former French president Sarkozy is under questioning due to claims he took campaign funds from Gaddafi's Libya in the 2007 election. Two wounded when a student [https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/public-safety/maryland-authorities-investigating-shooting-at-high-school/2018/03/20/4deeadee-2c39-11e8-8ad6-fbc50284fce8_story.html?utm_term=.d33c199171f7 opened fire at a Maryland high school. The shooter was killed.] UPDATE: As of 23/3/18, 16 year old Jaelynn Willey (one of the wounded) has passed away. President Xi warns that any attempts at separatism are "doomed to fail." In this he includes the "separatists" in Taiwan. Controversy has formed about DNC vice chairman Keith Ellison's relationship with black nationalist Louis Farrakhan. A provisional Brexit agreement has been reached. American oil exports have been and will continue to surge. Pope Francis and Patriarch Bartholomew are planning a synode in İznik. Mississippi has banned abortion (with exceptions) past fifteen weeks. For what may be the second time in history, someone has been killed by a self-driving car. (A driver was killed in 2016) Two wounded by a bomb detonation in Austin, less than a week after another bombing in the city caused a fatality, and in the same month that yet another bombing killed two. China is spending trillions on what some are calling the next Silk Road. Students in Arkansas who went to the gun violence walk-out without the school's permission get either suspension or a paddling. Turkish forces have seized Afrin. 50 million Facebook profiles harvested for Cambridge Analytica in major data breach A school board will debate a proposed settlement for a lawsuit about three students being indoctrinated into a cult by four educators. For the first time in Californian history, an undocumented immigrant has been appointed to a state post. Grocery store part of the giant  chain announces it is to stop selling firearms.  Black man beaten in Charlottesville found not guilty of assaulting white supremacist.

Dozens of Westerners are travelling to Syria to help the Kurdish forces fight against the Islamic State. Jacob Zuma, ex-President of South Africa, will go on trial for corruption charges related to a multi-billion dollar arms deal with a French company (which will also face charges). The European Union publishes a massive list of American products that could be subject to retaliatory tariffs. The UK, France and Germany propose new Iran sanctions to appease Trump.

A giant hole in the ice has opened up in Antarctica. A Twitter fight over Bernie Sanders reveals a network of fake accounts and even a new form of censorship.

Madrid migrants clash with Police after death of street vendor Israel is divided over whether to abolish the draft exemption for ultra-Orthodox Jews. Students walk out all around the US as a result of the Parkland shooting. The new German interior minister says "Islam doesn't belong to Germany."

A new study shows most bottled water is contaminated with plastic. (warning: autoplay video) Special Counsel Robert S. Mueller III subpoenaed the Trump Organization, demanding documents about Russia. The US has announced sanctions on Russia. Saudi Arabia announces a plan to start making nuclear power. To try and combat disinformation and conspiracy theories on YouTube. The website is going to start linking and cross referencing items with information on Wikipedia. However, Wikipedia's owners Wikimedia complained that they haven't been informed about it. The Slovak PM offers to resign amidst the largest protests since the Velvet Revolution, on the condition that his party gets to choose his successor. The Mediterranean hot season will be two months longer by 2100. Fox News is under suit by murdered DNC staffer Seth Rich's parents. Stephen Hawking finally succumbed to his ALS at 76. RIP. McCain slams Trump's decision to nominate Gina Haspel for CIA director, saying she was involved in "one of the darkest chapters in American history."

New Zealand diplomat in trouble for telling US Democrats to "get your shit together or we all die" British authorities say that Novichok, a Soviet-era nerve agent, was likely used in the attempted murder of and his daughter. Trump announces Secretary of State Rex Tillerson's sacking via Twitter

A leaked UN draft report alleges Singapore has been selling luxury items to North Korea. The US made a $215 billion budget deficit in February. Telford authorities have failed to prosecute sex rings. The Governator plans to sue oil companies for "knowingly killing people all over the world." Chinese students in the US are reportedly being pressured by the to espouse Chinese and pro-Xi nationalism. himself wants the tech industry regulated. KJU announces desire to sign a peace treaty with the US. Elizabeth Warren supports Trump on tariffs. The Castro family is finally relinquishing control of Cuba. Try as he might, Donald Trump will not be able to derail the nation-wide push for renewable energy.

Mishandling of the opioid crisis has had patients taken off of much-needed painkillers. After the longest teachers' strike in state history, West Virginia decided to just dismantle the Department of Education and the Arts. As this is happening, Oklahoman state employees have threatened to join a planned teachers' strike if their demands aren't met. UPDATE:  In West Virginia, it's the Department of Education and Arts that's getting cut, not the whole Department of Education. Different other thing. The Australian trade minister denies that they struck a security deal with the US to be exempt of steel and aluminum tariffs. Meanwhile, the EU and Japan have been pushing for their own exemptions. The CDC is baffled by a rare disease that's killing dentists. Chinese congress most likely to approve the abolition of term limits tomorrow. UPDATE: China has officially abolished term limits. A Texan police officer has been charged with human smuggling. Cartel violence soars in Mexican tourist stops. Florida's House of Representatives passes a bill 97-10 requiring all schools in the state to display 'In God We Trust' after the bill's sponsor, Kimberly Daniels, reported seeing a "vision" from God telling her "not to politicize" the recent school shootings. A Senate report has proven that Lithuania hosted a CIA jail. There are tensions between the Irish government and the anti-immigrant population of a village they're making accept migrants. An African antelope was found at Fort Bliss with no explanation as to why. Fraudsters have been repeatedly impersonating Elon Musk in replies to his tweets on Twitter, offering large amounts of Ethereum in return for smaller amounts. Floridian governor Rick Scott has passed the gun control bill.

infamous for increasing the price of a lifesaving drug by a factor of 56, has been sentenced to seven years in federal prison for securities fraud. Concerns are raised about the censoring of high school textbooks and examination papers by a state-funded Orthodox Jewish school in London. The censoring involves references to homosexuals and women socialising with men. Trump and KJU are planning to hold talks. Macron announces that France will one day recognize West Jerusalem as the Israeli capital. Abstinence-only sex "education" is making a comeback under the Trump administration. 11 nations have signed the TPP without the US. The rise of private label foods should terrify name brands. A Florida gun control bill resulting from the Parkland shooting just needs the governor's signature to pass. To stop trans kids from committing suicide, a new study says accept them. Australia may become the first country to eradicate cervical cancer. Military and VA healthcare has been ravaged by a detrimental new software. Trade war over aluminum and steel tariffs is nothing compared to the impending dispute with China over intellectual property theft. Xi Jinping has been deemed a living Buddhist deity. A new study suggests humans stop making neurons around adolescence. Republicans are turning against Trump on tariffs. Merkel says Germany has no-go zones, the gov't won't say where. The Israeli interior minister may now revoke the residency rights of any Palestinian in Jerusalem. Turkey is vital to Russia's strategy on NATO. Trump blames presidents as far back as H. W. Bush for economic troubles. The EU plans to impose tariffs on American juice and peanut butter imports. Health-based approach proposed to prevent school shootings. Canada has declared that bestiality is legal so long as there is no penetration involved. Switzerland overwhelmingly rejects (72%-28% and all cantons) in a referendum abolishing public In response to the referendum,  agrees to slim down the company and cut the price of the licence. Trump quietly lifts the ban on elephant trophy imports. 10-day state of emergency declared in Sri Lanka following interfaith violence. New South African finance minister has no idea how inflation works. Man murdered after a argument over who was the "least gay." Wrong patient given brain surgery. Chinese company considers making condoms in multiple sizes after the Zimbabwean health minister complained they were too small.[not The Onion] West Virginian teachers' strike finally ends with a 5% pay raise for all state employees. LEGO admits to overproducing last year. Russia helped shape Italy's migrant obsession. North Korea open to denuclearization if its safety is guaranteed. Rural California wants its own state. Racially motivated serial killer allegedly threatened to shoot up his high school and "kill all white people." The Health Ranger's YouTube channel has been taken down. (verify) Commentary from Debunking Denialism. Fourteen states are still recovering from the housing bubble collapse. Steel and aluminum tariffs will allow domestic producers to hike prices, and may hurt the industries they're supposed to help. California adds 'non-binary' gender option on state licenses (warning: anti-adblocker crap) Trump praised China's abolition of term limits, even saying maybe the US will "give that a shot some day." Worsening gang violence in Sweden is being exacerbated by grenades left over from the Venezuelan mass exodus resulting from its economic collapse is starting to overwhelm neighboring countries. Fears of an impending trade war form as Trump slaps tariffs on steel and aluminum. French embassy targeted by gunmen. In a series of recently unearthed radio talk shows, Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Scott Pruitt dismissed the theory of evolution, lamented that "minority religions" are pushing Christianity aside, advocated for Constitutional amendments banning same-sex marriage and abortion, praised the Second Amendment as divinely granted and condemned federal judges as the "judicial monarchy". Lawsuit claims YouTube refused to hire white and Asian men for some positions. Denmark is doubling the penalty for crime in ghettos. Trump suggests we execute drug traffickers. The next five years will shape sea level rise for the upcoming 300. These studies assume all ambitious goals of the Paris Climate Agreement are reached. Europe suffered from a spike in measles cases last year, thanks to the anti-vaccination movement. Several Asian countries are moving away from brutal anti-drug laws. Much to no one's shock, Alex Jones is being sued for racism, antisemitism, and sexual harassment. Conservatives are losing the culture war over guns. Trump may be backing the Democrats on gun control. Senators to force a vote on pulling out of the Yemeni Civil War.