International News Reviews- March 25

International News Review

I.               USA

a.     Cultural Awareness

                                               i.     Middle East

1.     Islamic state fighters have invaded Tikrit

2.     The U.S. assists Iranian officials to help get rid of Islamic State fighters in Tikrit with the use of airstrikes.

3.     Iraqi officials view this as the start of their freedom

                                             ii.     Israel

1.     President Obama and Minister Netanyahu have had a moment of tension

2.     Minister Netanyahu and President Obama are disagreeing over what measures should be taken with Iran and a nuclear deal

3.     Mr. Dermer has not supported Obama and continues to push for Minister Netanyahu’s side of denouncing a nuclear deal with Iran

b.     International Systems

                                               i.     Clean air costs

1.     Supreme court divided over one of Obama’s environmental initiatives

2.     Environmental Protection Agency did not think about the punishing costs on industries and states that they would impose by limiting emissions of toxic chemicals

3.     The legal question was weather the agency violated the clean air act by failing to undertake a cost- benefit analysis

4.     Lawyers in favor of the agency argued that the benefits far outweighed the costs

5.     The E.P.A has also won a case on limiting power plant pollution and largely prevailed in a case that limited planet warming greenhouse emissions in 2014

6.     Justice Breyer said that costs could be considered later on in the process by placing different power plants under different categories but not all the justices agreed

II.             United Kingdom

a.     Cultural Awareness

                                               i.     Australia

1.     Australian officials have stopped several individuals suspected of leaving the country in attempts to join terror groups

2.     Growing threat of Australian groups trying to join groups like Islamic State

3.     17 year old teenage stopped at airport

4.     Australia estimates that about 90 of their citizens have left to join IS

5.     It is illegal in Australia for citizens to set foot in IS countries and individuals that do so could spend up to 10 years in jail

b.     International systems

                                               i.     Economy

1.     Leaving the EU could cost the UK a 2.2% of total output by 2030

2.     But GDP could rise by 1.6% if the UK negotiated a free trade deal with Europe and pursued deregulation

3.     A UK in/ out referendum on EU membership might take place by the end of 2017

4.     Dartmouth fears EU protectionism hurting the UK in the event of a Brexit were unfounded

5.     UK and EU would be governed by the World Trde Organization rules and rules set by global standards setting forums

6.     28 nation EU remains the UK’s most important single exprt market

c.     US/ UK/ EU relations

                                               i.     Trade between UK and US

1.     Debate over the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership had been oversimplified and misrepresented

2.     The proposed free trade deal faces opposition across Europe

3.     MPs want ministers to make an announcement that public services will be protected

4.     EU and US negotiators hope to agree the partnership by the end of the year

5.     A controversial part of TTIP involves dispute resolution.  This would benefit corporations at the expense of democracy

6.     There has not been enough examination for the benefits of TTIP