Edward Snowden

Edward Snowden

Edward Snowden was a special agent that worked in CIA but he made a mistake because he revealed important information about the American government. He escaped and it is supposed that he is hiding somewhere in Russia. Evo Morales, Bolivia´s president, was in Moscow in a convention of gas exporting companies and when he was returning to Bolivia, there were some rumors that in that airplane, was hidden Snowden. When they heard those rumors, the plane had to make a non-planed stop in Vienna, Austria. But France and Portugal, the countries where he was supposed to stop, refused to this making the plane stop in Austria. But before this, Snowden was asking for asylum in Ecuador and after hearing all that is happening right now, Correa is regretting the fact that he was going to give him asylum. Because of what happened in Europe with Morales, the UNASUR (Union de Naciones de America del Sur), decided to have a meeting to decide what to do about this whole issue because they took it as an insult to the whole South America. After the meeting, they demanded a public apology to Bolivia after denying the plane to land on their country.  After everything that is going on, countries like Ecuador or Brasil, have apparently joined together and are all feeling insulted by this. This issue has also brought problems to south America because due to the fact that Ecuador offered Snowden asylum, united states has taken it as betrayal and there is some kind of conflict between both of them and there are some rumors saying that United States is behind this whole issue, and thanks to this, Morales is saying that they won’t regret closing the American embassy. 

Nelson Mandela

Nelson Mandela

Rolihlahla Mandela was born in Transkein, South Africa on July 1918.  His parents were Nonqaphi Nosekeni and Nkosi Mphakanyiswa.

He attended primary school in Qunu, were his teacher gave him the name of Nelson; it was a tradition for the teacher to name his students with Christian names. He later attended to a Wesleyan secondary school.

He began his studies for a bachelor of art degree in Fort Hare University and later, he later became involved in politics and studied law in the University of Witwatersrand.

In 1944, Mandela joined and helped found the African National Congress (ANC). By 1947 he appointed the position of a Secretary at the ANC and in 1950, he was appointed as national president.

The same year (1944), he married a nurse called Evelyn Mase. They had four kids together. Two boys, Madiba Thembekile ‘Thembi’ and Makgatho and two daughters both called Makaziwe.

In 1958, he got divorced. Later the same year he married his social worker Winnie Madikizela. They had two daughters Zenani and Zindziswa. They later divorced in 1996.

He was imprisoned in 1962 when he led the struggle to replace the apartheid regime. At first he was only imprisoned for five years but later in 1964, he received life sentence. He stayed at Robben Island Prison and later at Pollsmoor Prison in total of 27 years. He left prison in 1990.

In May 1994, after winning with 62% of the votes, he became president of South Africa until 1999. He was the first black president of the country.

In 1993, he won the Nobel Peace Price since he played a leading role in the drive for peace.

In 1998, he married Graça Machel.

Ever since 2004, Mandela has been suffering from depreciating health condition, which worsened in 2011 when he was hospitalized due to respiratory illness. He was recently hospitilized in 2013 and is in bad condition.

(ISABELLA RIVERA)

EGYPT COUP

The Egyptian Armed Forces overthrew the country’s President today ^4th of July, the Islamist, Mohamed Mursi. The Constitution was suspended and they announced that the President of the Constitutional Court, Adli Mansur, provisionally assumes the Head of State. The announcement of the coup d’état was made by the chief of the army and minister of defense, Abdel Fatah Al Sisi, in a speech televised to the country.

The Armed Forces, held by a large segment of the population of Egypt, ended the mandate of Mursi. He was just one year in the presidency of the Arab Country, but the military issued an ultimatum of 48 hours which expired today, for him to redirect its policy that has created a climate of strong social division. He didn’t make any changes in his policy even though he had a warning held by the Armed Forces, so that’s why they make a putsch against him and remove him of power.

After announcing the temporary suspension of the Egyptian Constitution, Al Sisi declared that the President of the Constitutional Court shall call early presidential elections and the new President shall have full power to make constitutional declarations. In the speech to the nation, Al Sisi said that Mursi ‘’did not respond to the demands of the people’’ after the 48 hours ultimatum, declaring he was out of presidency. As a consequence of this, an explosion of joy flooded at Cairo’s Tahrir square, the population was glad a about it and celebrate because the President was out. Even though he was just one year in the Egyptian Presidency, people did not like him because he divide the population socially, and was not likely.

GABRIELA BRAIN