Study of Current Events 2019

On Wednesday, Germany's highest court ruled that a German man convicted of murdering two people during a disagreement in 1982 won the right to have his name removed from online searches. This ruling could force publications to restrict publications to online archives. While imprisoned for the crime, in 1999, the Der Spiegel magazine uploaded three reports on the case between 1982 and 1983. All of the reports include the man's full name and can still be found with a simple online search. In 2009, the man became aware of the articles and complained they violated his rights as well as "his ability to develop a personality," according to a court statement. Initially, the case was thrown out in 2012 after a federal court ruled that the man's right to privacy did not outweigh the public interest as well as press freedom. However, the constitutional court overruled the federal court's decision this year. Now the case will return to federal courts. This "righ...

        Domestic violence has been an issue in Russia for years. There is a saying there: "if he beats you, it means he loves you."         In 2017, Russia decriminalized domestic abuse, and this meant police there do not do anything if someone is the victim of abuse. One woman had both her hands cut off by her husband and had to use her public story to pressure the police into giving him a linger sentence. In another case, a woman was killed by her husband, a police officer, and her body was later discovered by their son. Again, the police gave what seemed the mother of the woman who was killed not a harsh enough sentence for the crime. It was likely reduced because he was a police officer. Many women in prison are victims of domestic abuse who had no other choice but to defend themselves because the police would not.         Efforts are being made to change this. One member of the state Duma, Oksana Pushkina, is fighti...

       At Northwestern University in Illinois, the university hosted Jeff Sessions, who was speaking at a lecture hall. Protesters barged through the back door, unsuccessfully held back by police. The next day, a photographer from the university newspaper The Daily Northwestern posted the picture of a student who had fallen over after being shoved by police. The student saw it and criticized the image being posted. The picture was deleted and the newspaper apologized for posting photos like that.        This follows a wave of college papers clashing with the traditional ways of reporting and the student activists. Heightened criticism of the media has made the working environment harder for student journalists. Some student journalists have responded by adhering to the core tenants of free press while others are struggling to balance the changing expectations of students while upholding the standards of journalism 1990: Students in Kansas burne...

       On Wednesday, Beijing urged Hong Kong's leader to to support a push for stronger security measures there, as they have been hit by months of protests against the government. However, what the Communist Party has suggested is unclear and could be difficult to enforce. For one, Hong Kong politicians have little interest in national security laws that have the potential to spark more protests. In addition, experts wonder how much Beijing can enforce their will on Hong Kong without damaging the trust in its special status both in China and internationally.        The latest warning to end the protests that have gone on in Hong Kong for 22 weeks was delivered by a vice premier who oversees China's policy towards the territory. He described the protests as the worst conflict in Hong Kong since China took it over from the British in 1997.        China did consider sending troops to stop the protests, but that idea went nowher...