WHO Urges the Countries to Stall the Administering of Unnecessary Booster Vaccines

Even though our world collectively continues to be shaped by COVID-19, the impact of the virus on international communities has been quite different. As the United States continues to administer third booster vaccines for healthy citizens, inoculations across Africa are far from where they should be. The World Health Organization called attention to this issue, essentially labeling it immoral for countries with an abundance of vaccines to provide healthy people with their booster shot. Africa does not currently have the means to manufacture its own vaccines, so it must rely on buying or receiving donated vaccines from other continents like our own. For those in countries like the USA who do need a booster shot for health purposes, the World Health Organization deems it moral. This conflict raises many questions like: is it the responsibility of other countries to give their vaccines to countries with low vaccination rates? Who gets to make these kinds of decisions for the international community? Because it is an issue of ethical or moral awareness, will countries really feel pressured to act on these grounds? In response to this, the United States has yet to act differently. This inaction causes one to consider the ways in which large international powers pick and choose when and when not to act on the advise of large international organizations like the WHO.

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Dresden Museum Heist

In November 2019, 4,300 gems were stolen from the Green Vault Museum in Dresden in a high-profile burglary. The gems, which make up 21 different pieces, are worth more than 113 million euros and have impressive historical significance. Ministry of Culture officials have gone so far as to say that the jewels possess "priceless material value." Six men have been arrested in Germany and are facing charges. The defendants are all under the age of 30 and are charged with gang theft and arson, among other things. Each of the six men could serve up to 10 years in prison for the crimes they are accused of. These defendants are not only linked by their young age, but also by the fact that they share the same organized crime family, the "Remmo Clan". The Remmo clan is Germany's most notorious crime family and has plagued the country since the late 20th century. Each of the 6 Remmo Clan men were charged for their crimes and are now serving their sentences in German priso...

N4 GIP Event: Prioritizing Cross-Cultural Connections Through Storytelling

Narrative 4 is a cross continental organization built on the principal of providing students and artists with the opportunity to share their stories with one another, cultivating community and international empathy for those with differing realities. After having had the opportunity to participate and multiple story exchanges, it was incredibly illuminating to hear from our three panelists about the goals of N4 as well as their personal experiences with the organization. I was especially moved by the exchange between the students from the Bronx and the students from Ms. Castaneda’s school in Mexico. As both sets of students had been exposed to, and experienced consistent acts of unimaginable violence, the story sharing between these two groups was incredibly effective and impactful. Something else that really stood out from this event was the explanation of action steps that fulfilled N4's motto: Empathy Into Action. Prior to this event, the latter of those two felt ...

Drought Plagues Iran

While Hassan Rouhani closes out his term as President of Iran, the Islamic Republic is facing a serious water shortage. Rouhani has enlisted the government to aid areas that have been the most seriously impacted by the drought. Many report that the drought is a direct cause of global warming. I found it interesting that Iran, a country that supplies much of the world's oil (a fossil fuel), is experiencing first hand the effects of climate change, something that is caused- in part- by the burning of fossil fuels around the world. The drilling required to harness the oil has also impacted the natural landscape of the country, disrupting ecosystems and artificially carving away at the land. Because Iran’s economy, as well as the world’s oil needs rely so heavily on the exportation and distribution of oil, it is not as though Iran will implement tactics to minimize the exportation of this oil in the face of the drought. While the drought is certainly a result of environmental factors, ...

International Musings

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