Supreme Court Limits Authority of Judicial Injunctions
TOPIC: The U.S. Supreme Court has ruled that individual judges do not have the authority to grant national injunctions. What does this ruling mean and how does it impact how the Trump administration can pursue its agenda? What is the impact on the issue of birthright citizenship? What is the legal basis of the ruling and what was the basis for the dissenting opinion of the court? What has been the reaction from legal authorities in the country? What other recent Supreme Court decisions have there been that impact on the processes and rules for the federal government and what has been the reaction to them?
SEARCH TERMS: “Supreme Court” AND (judge OR judicial OR judges) AND (injunction OR injunctions) AND Trump
Assassinations of Minnesota Politicians
TOPIC: Minnesota state legislator Melissa Hortman and her husband Mark have been assassinated in their home. State legislator John Hoffman and his wife Yvette, were also shot in their home but survived. Who has been arrested for these crimes and on what evidence? What appears to be the motive for these shootings? How many other people did the accused have on his target list and why did he appear to be targeting those on his list? What major Minnesota politicians have commented on these killings and what did they say? What else is known about this case?
SEARCH TERMS: Boelter AND (“Melissa Hortman” OR “Representative Hortman” OR “Rep. Hortman”)
School Shooting in Austria
TOPIC: A 21-year-old man has killed and injured many pupils and teachers in his former secondary school in Graz. He legally owned both the handgun and shotgun that he used in the killings and had successfully passed a psychological test required for firearm ownership. He had been unable to complete his education, being described as an introverted and withdrawn student during the time he attended the school. What external and social factors come into play in the evaluation process of potential shooters? How is Austria responding to this tragedy and supporting the victims’ families?
SEARCH TERMS: (Austria OR Graz) AND ("mass murder" OR massacre OR shooting) AND ("high school" OR "secondary school" OR school OR BORG)
U.S. Resumes Visas for Foreign Students
TOPIC: The U.S. State Department has started to resume the processing of student visa applications. Why had this process been suspended and why is it now restarting? What new requirements have been added for foreign students to qualify for a visa to attend college in the United States and why have the requirements changed?
SEARCH TERMS: “social media” AND (“student visa” OR “student visas”) AND (process OR processing)
Australia: The Dangers of Reporting from the Frontlines
TOPIC: As she was reporting from the Metropolitan Detention Center, the Los Angeles protests against the immigration raids escalated, and Lauren Tomasi, a television reporter from Nine News Australia, was shot in her leg with a rubber bullet by an American police officer. Why was she shot? What has been the response in Australia to the shooting? How can the safety of journalists be managed as they are reporting from the frontlines of civil unrest?
SEARCH TERMS: "Lauren Tomasi" AND "rubber bullet" AND (journalists OR journalism OR reporting)
Los Angeles Protests
TOPIC: Huge protests in a small section of the city of Los Angeles against the process and militarization of the United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) were a mix of peaceful protest and rioting. What was the reaction by the Trump administration to these protests and why? What was the reaction to these protests from state and city politicians, and what are some events that resulted from this political conflict? How did these protests merge with the Los Angeles staging of the No Kings protests and what were common themes between the two?
SEARCH TERMS: (protest OR protests) AND (“Los Angeles” OR “No Kings”) AND (immigration OR immigrants OR migrants OR ICE OR Trump OR militarization)
Iran: Jashn-e Tirgan
TOPIC: Jashn-e Tirgan, the annual Zoroastrian celebration of thanksgiving, takes place on July 1st each year. Zoroastrians commemorate this religious observance by visiting the Fire Temple to praise Ahura Mazda, offer thanks, and pray for rain, water, and agricultural success. What is the mythology that is spoken about through stories during the celebration? What are some of the community activities and traditions that are part of the observance? How might the recent political strife impact the annual Zoroastrian celebration?
SEARCH TERMS: (Zoroastrian OR "Jashn-e Tirgan" OR Tirgan OR (Tir AND (devine OR divinity)) NEAR30 (festival OR faith OR temple OR "fire temple")
Southern Baptist Convention
TOPIC: The annual Southern Baptist Convention took place in June. What were the top issues discussed, what positions were decided, and what was the reasoning behind these decisions? What is the history of the Southern Baptist Convention and what are the faith’s core beliefs? How do these core beliefs differ from the Baptist denomination in other regions of the US?
SEARCH TERMS: “Southern Baptist Convention”