ISIS
The Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant, known as ISIS, is a militant group most recently known for the beheading of journalist James Foley and their extremist ways, the mildest of which is human trafficking. Their main goal is to form an Islamic empire, and the group has gained a lot of traction since the U.S. invaded Iraq in 2003. Right now, they have control of roughly two-thirds of Syria and a third of Iraq. After receiving funding from Al-Qaeda, they broke ties and now they are on their own.
Ferguson
Ferguson, Mo. is the town where black 18-year-old Michael Brown was shot and killed by Darren Wilson, a white police officer. His death triggered protests that revolved around racial discrimination in police forces. Riots ensued with Ferguson police arresting protestors and journalists, as well as using tear gas to keep them at bay.
Gaza Ceasefire
A ceasefire was signed on Aug. 26, stopping five weeks of conflict for the nearly 1.8 million Palestinians who call Gaza home. This ceasefire has been discussed for weeks, with the final ceasefire combining elements from many different proposals. Hamas, a Palestinian Islamist political organization, has been trying to replace Israel (Gaza’s neighbor) and also governs Gaza. Palestine and Israel are fighting over territory and have been for at least two decades.
Governor Indicted
Rick Perry was indicted on two felony counts, one for abuse of official capacity, and one for coercion of a public servant, both of which stem from a threat that he made to veto funding to a public integrity unit. Perry is entering his last months in office, and with a predicted 2016 Presidential run in the works, he doesn’t seem too worried — he even smiled in his mug shot.
Attorney General Cancels Debate
Republican gubernatorial candidate Greg Abbott has canceled a debate scheduled for Sept. 30 with opponent Wendy Davis. He said he doesn’t agree with the topics they going to debate. This would have been the only statewide televised debate between Abbott and Davis. Davis called the cancellation “nothing short of an insult to the voters of Texas.”
