It’s been another several weeks since my last tweet update, and plenty of noteworthy events have transpired. Whether it be the world of sports, religion, clashing of races, or the recently prevalent drama of the United States administration, much has occurred that warrants a closer look.
So who exactly conceded defeat, Kaepernick or the National Football League?
Sports twitter received its fill earlier this week when Colin Kaepernick and his lawyer Eric Reid settled their grievance claim with the National Football League. Part of the settlement includes a confidentiality agreement, barring either side from further public discussion on the issue. This could represent a first step to getting the Super Bowl XLVII starting quarterback back on the field in 2019.
Hamidou Diallo shines bright in the NBA Slam Dunk Contest
The National Basketball Association hosted its annual All-Star festivities in Charlotte, North Carolina this past weekend. Despite media focus recently shifting to the stars competing in the three point competition, Oklahoma City Thunder forward Hamidou Diallo of New York City brought some swagger back to the dunk contest by winning the coveted title on Saturday night. As a child of Guinean parents, his win helped bring even more attention to Africa as a hot bed for basketball talent as well as hopefully setting a standard for future competitions.
Vatican confirms secret broken-celibacy rules for priests
The New York Times reported that the Vatican has documented guidelines for priests that break religious celibacy vows and father children. With the world’s bishops also meeting with the Vatican on child sex abuse issues, a rampant crisis, this confirmation further adds to the shroud of secrecy surrounding the Catholic Church historically,
Racist Alabama newspaper supports call for KKK rise
The Democrat-Reporter, a small newspaper based out of Linden, Alabama has faced backlash for the comments one of its writers, Goodloe Sutton made in an editorial, calling for a KKK resurgence. When questioned on his comments, he defended his claims, even going as far as to suggest lynchings as a method of dealing with corruption in Washington, DC. His comments led Auburn University and the University of Southern Mississippi to rescind honors previously bestowed upon Sutton.
President Trump seeks congressional approval for ‘Space Force’
The President of the United States Donald J. Trump plans to push forward his agenda to add another branch to the US military, dubbed the Space Force. President Trump initially planned for the branch to become an independent entity in the military, but the proposition has the Space Force falling under the Air Force administrative umbrella. Congress would need to approve of this development in order to proceed with the creation of the Space Force, another budget discussion that could lead to quarrels over government finances in Washington.
Coal pollution in Siberia affects snowfall in the region
Several cities in the Russian northern region of Siberia experienced black snowfall this week, suspected to be a result of the pollution from coal processing plants in the area. This black snow is an effective representative of the toxins that are present in the area, as the smog that develops in warmer climates such as Beijing and Los Angeles is less prevalent in intensely cold areas. This dreary winter precipitation serves as a grim wake up call that the status-quo climate-wise is not healthy in many parts of the world, even as remote as Siberia.