News Roundup 11/13/17
By Andy Gutierrez
1. Earthquake in Iran:
A magnitude 7.3 earthquake that hit the border area between Iran and Iraq on Sunday killed over 430 people, and injured many more in Iraq, officials said on Monday. The quake also killed at least seven people in Iraq. The area was heavily damaged and many people are left without water, power, shelter or phone service.
Turkey has sent aid to Iraq as Pakistan and the Pope send their condolences. Rescuers are still digging through the ruble with the help of dogs to recover survivors. The quake was felt in Dubai and along the Mediterranean coast in Iran and the shaking was felt as far as Baghdad in Iraq. Iran sits on a major fault line and experiences constant earthquakes.
Source: AP News
2. Trump Jr. Messaged with Wikileaks:
On Monday, Donald Trump Jr. posted conversations he had with the website Wikileaks around the time of the 2016 presidential elections. The website is known for leaking Hillary Clinton’s stolen emails and has received praised from the president. The release of these conversations is expected to intensify the investigation that is being conducted by the special committee that is investigating Russia’s involvement in the presidential elections.
Donald Trump Jr. responded to messages from the website’s twitter account three times over a ten-month period beginning in September 2016. The Atlantic first reported on the conversations, forcing Trump Jr. to release them later that day. Trump Jr., The House and Senate intelligence committees are expected to meet behind closed doors to discuss the matter.
Source: AP News
3. Roy Moore Accused of Sexual Assault:
On Monday, Alabama Republican Senate candidate Roy Moore was accused of sexual assaulting a woman when she was 16-years-old. Moore denies the claims, citing that he does not even know the woman that is accusing him. The woman, Beverly Young Nelson, claims that Moore would frequent a restaurant where she worked, and was offering her a ride home when the assault occurred.
The statute of limitations has already passed, even if the accusations are true. The Washington post reported last week, Moore is being accused by at least 30 more women of misconduct. There are some Republicans that are calling for Moore to drop out of the Senate race due to the allegations.
Source: CNN
4. Travel Ban Partially Reinstated:
A federal appeals court in San Francisco partially reinstated parts of Donald Trump’s travel ban on Monday. This ruling will overturn a lower court’s ruling to stop the travel ban that prevents individuals residing in Muslim countries, specific Venezuelan officials, and most North Koreans from entering the US without having ties to the country. The ban will most likely allow those with family or those who attend school in the US to enter, but is expected to block those on vacation or those seeking medical attention.
This is the third version of the travel ban from the Trump administration as the previous ones have been blocked by judges ruling them unconstitutional, the Trump administration later appealed these decisions citing national security concerns. Officials believe that this version of the travel ban has the potential to travel to the highest court for a ruling.
Source: New York Times
5. Trump Intervenes in China:
While on a trip though Asia, President Donald Trump spoke with Chinese President Xi Jinping concerning the three UCLA basketball players who were allegedly caught shoplifting. Trump asked China’s president to ensure that the case would be settled quickly and fairly.
The three players are being confined to their rooms but were seen in public on Monday with an associate athletic director for the school. The players were allowed to remain in the same hotel where the team stayed while Chinese police investigate. The players were accused of shoplifting from a Louis Vuitton outlet that was close to their hotel.
Source: Los Angeles Times