By: Abi Hernandez Castillo & Thalia Pliego

The people of Canada have been demanding to put an end to the COVID-19 vaccine mandates. These protests have been going on since late January of this year. According to ‘Fortune’, Canadas “Freedom Convoy” began when the protestors, many of which were truckers, drove from the west coast of Canada to the national capital of Ottawa. They are protesting the COVID-19 mandate for truckers.

Besides truckers, ordinary Canadians were also fed up with the restrictions that the pandemic has placed upon them. Some claim that the mandates cost them their jobs and have affected their families, and because of their frustration, they have also joined the protests. These protesters were spreading to the border crossing between Canada and the United States and interrupting trade. 

Because of these protests, truckers have cost half of a billion dollars worth of daily trade with the United States. Since the protestors have left Ottawa paralyzed, the mayor has declared a state of emergency. The mayor of Windsor, Ontario, where the protesters have closed down the Ambassador Bridge border that crosses to the United States, said that the police were preparing to physically remove any protesters if it was necessary. Even with this subtle warning, the protesters did not let that stop them. According to ‘Fortune’, they continued to fight until officials decided to remove all COVID restrictions nationwide. 

How do these protests in another country affect us here in the United States? According to ‘Deseret News’, Jeff Schuster, president of the LMC Automotive consulting firm in Troy, Michigan said, “We’re dealing with part shortages in general and supply chain issues. This is just another wrench in the industry that we’re dealing with right now.” Schuster mentions the lack of parts and this is not just him experiencing it. Any business in the United States that relies on Canadian trade is being impacted at a high level right now.

According to ‘Newsweek’, the Ottowa City Council has voted to “redo” Valentine’s Day on March 14th, 2022 because as a result of the protest, restaurants, and businesses that would usually be open on Valentine’s Day and get more sales were forced to close. The city council and development staff would work with local businesses to promote shopping and dining on March 14th, 2022.  Susan Murray told CTV News, “I think it’s great that the city has thought about small businesses and what impact the last February 14th might have had on them”. Many businesses are losing money due to the protests and having to close down. The Rideau Center, which is a shopping mall, lost approximately $20 million CAD in the week of these protests.

The very few police officers, that were seen, were swallowed up by the enormous crowds of people. Scott Spenser, 36, said in the ‘New York Times’, “They don’t have an easy job, hopefully, this all ends peacefully and they lift the mandates and we all get back to living.”

Many who supported the protests wanted the “Freedom Convoy” to continue until vaccine mandates and other COVID-19 measures in the country were dissolved. The police said that they may arrest anyone who is blocking the streets or helping anyone else do it. They also mentioned that anyone going into Ottawa to join the protests may have their vehicles seized, face fines, or have their licenses suspended. 

According to ‘ABC News’, A judge has denied bail to one of the leading organizers behind the Ottawa protests on Tuesday. Ottawa police have made 196 arrests, with over 100 facing more than one charge. 115 vehicles were also towed that were connected to the protest.

By: Toby Martin-Kohls

You may have heard in the media about the conflict between Russia and Ukraine. You might have heard eye-catching headlines such as NBC New’s “Biden warns Americans to leave, says sending troops to evacuate to be a ‘world war’”. But what is this conflict even about?

In short, Russia has currently amassed 130,000 troops at various points along their shared border with Ukraine, complete with other war aids such as field hospitals. Putin has a list of demands for the West or more commonly referred to as NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organization). Negotiations are ongoing, but Russia has enough troops positioned to launch a full-scale invasion.

His demands include that NATO stop expanding, for NATO to remove troops out of Eastern Europe, and assurances that the US won’t protect Eastern European allies. He knows that these demands are far-fetched, but then he could claim he went the diplomatic way before an invasion.

To fully understand this conflict, you need to understand what NATO is and also take a step back into the past.

NATO was formed in 1949 by the US to provide collective security against the Soviet Union. Before Russia became the Russia that it is today, it was the USSR, or also known as the Soviet Union. The Soviet Union was a socialist republic and tried to build a communist society.

After the fall of the Soviet Union in December 1991, former Soviet republics declared some forms of independence, and today they are recognized as sovereign states. These countries are now known as: Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Estonia, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Latvia, Lithuania, Moldova, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan.

Since modern-day Ukraine was once part of the Soviet Union, there were, and still are, many deep cultural ties to the region. For example, the leader of the Soviet Union when it fell, Mikhail Gorbachev, had a Ukrainian mother and a Russian father. To people like him, and Vladimir Putin, Ukraine, and Russia share similar interests and objectives.

Putin became President of Russia in 2012, but he was a high-ranking government official for years prior. In a 2005 speech, Putin said, “The collapse of the Soviet Union was the greatest geopolitical catastrophe of the century,” and “As for the Russian people, it became a genuine tragedy. Tens of millions of our fellow countrymen found themselves beyond the fringes of Russian territory.”

In his mind, all the new territories from the old regime were essentially still Russian. When the West shows up to these former republics offering their ideological beliefs such as democracies and inviting them to join their military alliance (NATO), which again, was first started to provide security against the Soviet Union, he felt threatened, because of this belief that Ukraine is Russia.

Ukraine has been flirting with becoming more allied with the West, which has Putin on edge. After Russian annexed Crimea, a southern region of Ukraine, in 2014, Ukrainians elected a pro-West president. The current president, elected in 2019, is also a closer ally of NATO countries, and has talked about the country joining NATO. A Unian poll asked Ukrainians if they were in favor to join the European Union which 58% of respondents said yes. It also asked if they were in favor of Ukraine joining NATO, of which 64% said yes.

Further emphasizing his position, on his blog, Putin wrote, “…Of what is essentially the same historical and spiritual space, to my mind is our great common misfortune and tragedy…But these are also the result of deliberate efforts by those forces that have always sought to undermine our unity. The formula they apply has been known from time immemorial – divide and rule.”

He truly believes that Ukraine has aligned itself with the West to thwart Russia.

Perhaps his most effective argument is, “Just have a look at how Austria and Germany, the USA and Canada live next to each other. Close in ethnic composition, culture, in fact sharing one language, they remain sovereign states with their own interests, with their own foreign policy. But this does not prevent them from the closest integration or allied relations. They have very conditional, transparent borders. And when crossing them the citizens feel at home. They create families, study, work, do business. Incidentally, so do millions of those born in Ukraine who now live in Russia. We see them as our own close people.”

That does not excuse using force to take over a sovereign state. If Putin ends up invading Russia, this will give NATO a new purpose, albeit similar to why it was formed. Putin and his legacy all seem to rest on gaining land back that he deems as part of Russia.

By: Musab Mohamud

World hunger is an issue that plagues millions of people globally. The suffering that many face isn’t easily fixable and is one of many issues caused by war, famine and poverty.

Hunger is viewed as a third world issue when in reality, humans are starving everywhere. In cities such as Paris, New York, and Rome, the streets are full of people who are forced to beg for their next meal. Many children in the United States rely on school food so they won’t go hungry.

There are many proposals to help end hunger; funding agricultural programs is one that is sustainable and practical. In settings like rural Africa, Asia, and South America, it could be integral to feeding a family or village. However, it would be limited in more urban areas with the lack of space necessary for enough food for mass consumption. There are vast spaces in those rural countrysides that could be used as planting areas. Pushing people to create gardens with free seeds could be very helpful in improving food production.

A solution for urbanized areas could be government sanctioned food drives directed towards homeless and impoverished people. While there are already programs of the sort, they are not very effective. With countless organizations attempting to help stop hunger, they are making progress, however, it’s obviously not enough. Non-profit organizations simply don’t have the resources that the government does.

A quote from a student reads, “People should consider using compost more, you can reuse inedible food to grow food again.” Compost is a very good example of sustainable agriculture and could be used to reduce waste and help grow healthy and natural food. Soil is very important in the growth of food and cannot be wasted, so introducing compost to the mix could increase food production and lessen costs as a side effect.

By: Hayat Osman

The demonstrations in Colombia began after the President, Iván Duque, announced a pandemic related tax reform on April 28, 2021. The reason behind the reform was because the government needed to raise
about $6.85 billion to fix the economic imbalance of the country. People quickly took to the streets to voice their outrage to the government. Unions and politicians were angry about the proposal.

Although the protests held in Colombia have only been ongoing for about 3 weeks, according to Colombia’s human rights officials, at least 42 people have died. Thousands have been injured, and many are believed to be missing, as increased violence and unrest spreads across the nation.

Unions who organized the protests, said the tax reform would disproportionately affect the middle class and poorest citizens, who have already been struggling due to the pandemic. Several protests, and a strike led by different organizations, were successful. After 4 days of protesting in large cities, the president decided to cancel the tax plan, and seek a new plan through a consensus.

According to NBCNews.com, researchers have pointed out that the tax reform was a catalyst for continued social unrest. Even though President Iván has withdrawn the tax plan, demonstrations continue being fueled by a mix of undelivered promises, inequality, violence, the mismanagement of the pandemic, and excessive force used by police. As violence increases, organizations are trying to negotiate terms with the government.

During the past few weeks, multiple videos of police abusing their authority over citizens have surfaced on social media. Both the UN, and European Union, have warned about the excessive use of force by the police. Despite the dangers, many protesters continue to take to the streets because of their disagreement with government policies.

The injustices that police have inflicted these past few weeks upon protesters in Colombia is unlawful. Protesters have asked for international attention. Let’s take the time to listen to the concerns of Colombians, and help them get the justice they deserve. Michel Adolfo Torres Carmona, a protester from Cali, Colombia has said, “There are many missing people. But we must continue the fight. The world must know what they are doing to us.”

For more information, please visit:

• https://www.nytimes.com/2021/05/03/world/americas/colombia-protest-deaths.html
• https://www.nbcnews.com/news/latino/colombia-protests-rcna894?scrlybrkr=790b82f7
• https://www.pbs.org/newshour/show/colombia-protests-enter-week-three-as-violence-es calates?scrlybrkr=96990679
• https://www.reuters.com/world/americas/colombias-president-withdraws-tax-reform-after -protests-2021-05-02/
• https://remezcla.com/lists/culture/colombia-protest-information-and-help-guide/

By: Hayat Osman

The island St. Vincent, of the Caribbean, was subjected to multiple explosive eruptions by a 4,049 foot volcano, La Soufrière, on April 9, 2021.

According to ‘National Geographic’, volcanic ash is formed by tiny particles of jagged rock, glass, and minerals. Due to the ash of volcanoes being made of sharp jagged fragments it is very lethal causing eye, nose, lung irritation, and diculty breathing.

The Volcano La Soufrière emitted so much ash that many were forced to flee towards safety.

The Prime minister of St. Vincent, Ralph Gonsalves, ordered an evacuation as a precaution, on Thursday, for about 1,600 people living in the northern part of the island, after several days of increased activity. Evacuation continued on Friday. The country’s National Emergency Management Organization (NEMO) said that the ash from the first eruption was at 20,000 ft in the air drifting eastwards.

Later on Friday afternoon, 2 more eruptions happened, spewing more ash into the air to the point that the ash had complicated evacuation efforts as visibility was poor. Many citizens of the island shared pictures and photos on social media of the heavy ash fall.

4 cruise ships were sent on Friday, two from Royal Caribbean, and two from Carnival Cruise Line, to help evacuees escape to nearby islands.

For more information, please visit:

• https://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/apr/09/st-vincent-volcano-erupti on
• https://www.nationalgeographic.org/encyclopedia/volcanic-ash/

By: Reagan Welch

In 2020, India experienced 965 earthquakes of magnitude 3 and above, and the number of earthquakes continues to increase each year. All of these earthquakes hit the poor communities harder and harder, leaving thousands in need of food, clean water, and shelter.

The India Development and Relief Fund works to provide support for ongoing programs based in India such as; education, health care, women’s empowerment, eco friendly development, good governance, disaster relief, and rehabilitation.

Those six areas are the main focuses for programs.

IDRF asks for donations of any size, volunteering, fundraising, and partnerships with businesses to help break the continuous cycle of poverty within India, Nepal, and Sri Lanka. They recognize poverty is a deep rooted and oppressed issue. India Development and Relief Fund’s mission is to empower the poor, to guide their programs to be beneficial to the women and children fighting, and having the locals truly take charge so that the change is long lasting.

IDRF’s programs serve the disadvantaged with no regards to religion, race, caste, or creed.

One of the popular programs being run right now is computer literacy to underprivileged children. It is being run all across India right now.

Disaster relief and rehabilitation would be the program used for earthquakes and man made disasters. This program is very active in rebuilding communities in the aftermath of disaster. Once the immediate needs are met, the program focuses on enabling enduring and sustainable development in the area. That way, instead of focusing on transitional relief, IDRF can focus on the long term sustainable options and rehabilitation.

IDRF continues to partner with trustworthy local non government organizations (NGOs) after years of working with them and achieving great results.

IDRF has three COVID-19 relief campaign projects out now; two are based in India, one based in the United States.

IDRF has been awarded 4 out of 4 stars by ‘Charity Navigators’ because it demonstrates strong financial health and accountability.

Now, with the COVID-19 disaster, is the best time to donate and join the IDRF family.

For more information, please visit:

• https://www.idrf.org/about-idrf/awards/

By: Kayla Arellano

*Note, this article may have material that could trigger individuals (sexual assault, violence against women), therefore, we present a trigger warning here.

Human trafficking has been happening in Central America since 1990, and has been the center of attention in Guatemala, Honduras, and in El Salvador. Human trafficking in Central America has increased throughout the years due to gang violence and corruption in Latin American countries. Gang member seduce vulnerable young women into sex trafficking by promising them security, safety, and a better life in the U.S.; fake job offers; deceived into romantic relationships; coerced by older family members; approached by other victims; etc. 63% are underage, and 96% of the woman are from Mexico or Latin America.

The Polaris Project published a report, in 2016, showing how human trafficking happens in clubs, bars, cantinas, and strip clubs. They are smuggled to the United States without them knowing where they are being taken. When they arrive in the U.S., they take them into any of the previously mentioned places, and are forced to work as a cover for business transactions. 

Dressember.org has found research that labor trafficking, and sex trafficking, occurs in these places, and the employer will use fraud and force to maintain the workers and make them believe they have no choice but to keep on working.

The Polaris Project also had a case study where, in a cantina in Texas, inspectors noticed strange behavior in the female employees. It looked like they were being kept away from the inspectors and the woman showed fear towards the employers.

The employers had told the women that they were in enormous debt because they had been taken to the U.S., and that they would have to work at the place they were sent to, and would have to have sexual interactions with patrons every night. If any of the women resisted, there would be physical violence, sexual abuse, or harm to their families, so they had no choice but to work for them. 

For more information, please visit:

• https://www.dressember.org
• https://polarisproject.org