International






The CEO of Volkswagon has resigned in the aftermath of a vehicle-testing scandal. Evidence has
emerged indicating that Volkswagon was able to rig emissions tests on over 500k vehicles by
installing ‘defeat devices’ that switch the engine into a safer mode during standard emissions
testing. The company lost over $15b in market value when stocks plunged 17% following the
announcement.
A military coup in Burkina Faso sparked an outbreak of violence on the streets of Ouagadougou
(the capital city.) The Presidential Guard seized the President and the Prime Minister during a
Cabinet meeting while simultaneously taking control of the state-run TV station. General
Diendere announced that he was running the country and would support upcoming elections
once the electoral code was revised to allow members of former President Blaise Compaore’s
party to run. Diendere was a supporter of Compaore before he was removed by a popular
uprising in 2014.
Members of a Catalan separatist party won a majority of seats in regional parliamentary
elections but fell short of having a majority of the votes. Catalan separatist leaders claim the
victory to be a mandate of the people and they vowed to form a new regional government that
would lead Catalonia to independence within the next 18 months. The current Prime Minister
has indicated that supporters could be suspended from office if they push for independence.
Over 700 people were killed when Muslim pilgrims were killed in a stampede during the hajj in
Mecca. Iran has blamed the Saudi government for the accident and has threatened legal action.
Over 130 Iranians were among the dead. Some witnesses claimed the stampede was caused by
overcrowded walkways with exits closed. One wave of pilgrims leaving a ritual symbolizing the
stoning of the devil ran into a wave that was heading to take part in the ritual.
Law-makers in Japan voted to authorize the use of overseas combat missions to protect the
interests of their allies. The controversial move expands the role of the Japanese military who
had previously been limited to the defense of Japan since the passage of a new Constitution
after the end of WWII. Critics have complained that the legislation could draw Japan into larger
global conflicts. The issue was so controversial that lawmakers physically fought in an effort to
prevent a call for a vote on the measures in the Japanese Parliament.
After visiting Cuba and encouraging more open government, Pope Francis spent 6 days in 3 US
cities before returning home to the Vatican. During his stay in the US the Pope spoke before
Congress calling on the US to be better caretakers of the planet and urging Congress to work for
the ‘common good.’ In addition to calling for the end of the death penalty, he also
acknowledged that individuals should not be forced to violate their religious beliefs while
performing their jobs.
National

Stewart Parnell, the former head of Peanut Corporation of America, was sentenced to 28 years
in prison in connection with a Salmonella outbreak that was traced to unsanitary conditions in a





Georgia Peanut plant. He will likely only serve a small portion of the sentence. Nine people died
and hundreds more were sickened during the outbreak.
Scientists believe they have discovered proof that flowing water exists on the surface of Mars.
The brine-filled water freezes and is instantly vaporized into the atmosphere during the extreme
cold of winter but reappears flooding the sides of craters during the spring. Scientists are now
looking to prove that life exists on the planet surface. Their goal is to return Mars rocks and soil
samples for testing within the next decade.
Shell announced that it is abandoning its search for Artic Oil after determining that it would be
too costly to continue drilling operations. The company has already spent over $7B just to set
up the project and drill test sites. None of the locations turned up a significant oil strike and
with the decreasing cost of oil the venture seemed increasingly unprofitable.
A national survey conducted on 27 universities determined that 1 in 4 female undergrad
students were victims of nonconsensual sexual contact. Freshmen girls were the most likely
victims with 16.9% reporting unwanted contact. Private universities had a slightly higher rate
than public universities. 6 in 10 female undergrads reports instances of sexual harassment.
Investigators have arrested a mother and her boyfriend in connection with the death of an
unidentified girl named Baby Doe. The girl, whose real name was Bella Bond, was allegedly
killed by the boyfriend who beat her to death in an effort to drive out the demons that infected
her. Her body was found on a Boston beach during the summer and sparked a nation-wide call
for help. The biological father helped ID the girl after repeated attempts by the mother to hide
the girls’ whereabouts.
Speaker of the House John Boehner announced that he would resign his position effective the
end of October in the hopes of keeping the Republican Party together. He described the more
conservative members of the Party as “false prophets” who are promising more than they can
deliver. The resignation, which came amidst conservative efforts to defund Planned Parenthood
at the expense of a national budget, came as a surprise to most everyone.
Local



Five people were killed on the Aurora Bridge when a Duck Boat veered into a Charter Bus
carrying International Students attending North Seattle College. Eyewitnesses claimed the
accident was caused when front wheel locked up. Investigators have that the front axle had
sheared off but they do not know if that happened prior to the accident. There is evidence that
a recommendation for front axle repairs that was issued in 2013 was not completed which may
have led to the accident.
The State Dept. of Corrections announced it was bringing Gary Ridgeway back to Walla Walla
after he was transferred to a Colorado prison earlier this year. The state decided that it was
important having Ridgeway in Washington in the event he be needed for questioning in ongoing
cases. Governor Inslee confirmed that the decision was also due, in part, to the outrage by
family members of his victims.
During a visit to Everett and Seattle, Chinese President Xi announced that he was joining with
the US in an effort to fight cybercrimes. Chinese hackers have been blamed for multiple cases of
hacking into government and corporate computer systems to steal information for the military
or to benefit Chinese companies. President Xi vowed that his government would not engage or
encourage commercial theft stating that cyber-theft and hacking were criminal acts that should
be punished.