SUN SUNI KHABAR FEBRUARY 28TH, 2016
CHRIS ROCK: HOLLYWOOD IS RACIST
This year’s Academy Awards have been surrounded with controversy. Accusations of discrimination due to a lack of minority actors in the nominations ran rampant. Several actors boycotted the Oscars as a result, including Jada Pinkett Smith and Spike Lee. Notable omissions from the nominee list included the entire cast of Straight Outta Compton, the movie detailing the rise of rap titans N.W.A. and Michael B. Jordan for his role in Creed. Chris Rock, hosting this year’s Oscars addressed the controversy in his opening monologue, saying that Hollywood is racist, but not in the way everyone is thinking. Rock alludes to ‘sorority racism’, saying that white Hollywood actors politely exclude their minority counterparts from projects.
DETAINED U.S. STUDENT ADMITS TO HOSTILITY AGAINST DPRK
Otto Frederick Warmbier, a student at the University of Virginia, was detained on January 1st, 2016, under charges of attempting to steal a political slogan. According to an unnamed North Korean official, Warmbier met with a member of Friendship United Methodist Church in Wyoming, Ohio, who told him to steal an important symbol from North Korea in order to weaken their unity. Nearly two months after Warmbier’s arrest, the North Korean government allowed the world a glimpse at the detainee. Warmbier made a statement, admitting to the attempted theft. Whether this statement was of his own volition, or coerced out of him by the North Korean government, remains to be seen.
CESSATION OF HOSTILITIES IN SYRIA OPENS DOOR FOR MORE AID
Last week, the United States and Russia proposed a plan for a partial ceasefire in Syria. All fighting was to cease, with the exception of ISIS fighters. The cessation of hostilities, which began Saturday, is expected to allow the United Nations to expand the amount of aid they send to the war torn Middle Eastern country. The UN said that it was ready to help nearly half a million people over the next five days and nearly 2 million by the end of March. UN humanitarian coordinator in Syria, Yacoub el-Hillo, said that this is the best chance for long lasting peace and stability that Syrians have had in the last five years.
INDIA AND U.S. CLOSE TO MILITARY COOPERATION
A pact to share military logistics between India and the United States has been 12 years in the making. With China growing belligerent, the two countries have ramped up their talks, showing signs of strength with regard to their defensive ties. The United States has held more joint military exercises with India than any other country in the world. They also topped Russia in arms supplied to India. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed a desire to move ahead with the Logistics Support Agreement, which would allow the U.S. and India to use each other’s bases for resupply and repair, among other things.