The year 2019 has been a great year so far! It has been a year well spent (relatively though) that we are now already even in the second quarter. It seems just like yesterday when we all just celebrated the New Year’s Eve and enjoyed our New Year day with neighbors, friends and family. How remarkably fast it can be! Just like with previous years, 2019 brought a lot of happenings and memorable events that left quite an impression on every one of us. There were some shocking stories in 2019 that made the world news headlines of many news outlets around the world. Just like the Animal Farm Commandments were broken in George Orwell’s fable, Animal Farm. The events and happenings that led to the breaking of Animal Farm Сommandments are symbolic to the modern age and are already manifesting in our society.
Government Shutdown of Trump
Donald Trump, on the 22nd of December, 2018, shut down important parts of the United States’ government. This came after Democrats’ rejection of Trump’s five billion dollars funding request to build a wall in the US/Mexico border to prevent the illegal immigration of Mexicans into the country. The shutdown ran into January and lasted for about 35 days. Trump’s shutdown was the longest in the history of America and was popularly criticized even by some Republicans. This shutdown also caused an uproar amongst many US citizens and even foreigners, in which many criticized or lauded the activities of the POTUS to halt illegal immigration from Mexico to the USA. It was really shocking news; many people didn’t expect that President could do that over this debatable issue.
Shootings at UNC Charlotte
This was appalling news! Imagine my shock when I heard on the 3oth of April that two people were reported to have been murdered and four seriously injured by a shooting that occurred on the campus. It was just like with the animals in Animal Farm breaking all the 7 Сommandments! So, the 22-year-old suspect of this shooting incident, Trystan Andrew Terrell, shot the victims in a classroom, after the university had just ended its spring semester classes. Although the suspect, who was also a History student at the school before he withdrew in February, has since been apprehended, tried and found guilty of ten counts, this incident will continue to be remembered in history as a very sad one, especially for my UNC Charlotte Community.
When They See Us
This movie was a revelation; a documentary of what actually happened in NY Central Park’s case – where five young boys were wrongly accused of assaulting and raping a jogger in that area. Despite the fact that these teenage boys strongly maintained their innocence, and fought convictions for years thinking that they’d eventually be released. They later pleaded guilty and were imprisoned for many years until 2002, when the real rape victim was exposed. This movie reveals some of the shocking facts about this devastating incident, especially by presenting the intense discrimination blacks and Hispanic suffered in the past.
Trump’s Sanctions on Huawei
Trump’s sanction on Huawei was another shocking news in 2019. The sanctions came after it was alleged that this Chinese telecommunications company had been selling its equipment to America’s enemy state, Iran, despite the international rules and regulations banning the sale of telephone-system equipment to the country. Shocking news related to this was the arrest of the daughter of the founder, Meng Wanzhou, who also works as the Chief Financial Officer of the company, in Canada. Many people believe that this is as a result of the ongoing trade war between the United States and the Democratic Republic of China. This sanction will negatively affect a lot of people, businesses, and even the two countries involved if it is not lifted before the 90-day extension comes to an end.
Fire at Notre Dame’s Cathedral
This is one of the most shocking news of the year. Massive fire in Paris’ cathedral of the medieval time. Notre Dame Cathedral is one of the most popular structures in the world and a famous tourist site. Firefighters were able to stop the fire and save the building even though the Gothic roof and spire fell. Even the president of France described the fire incident as a “terrible tragedy,” and many presidents around the world have sympathized with the country. Up until today, no one knows what the cause of the fire could have been. One of the worst things that have happened to Paris in history. Gladly, most of the structure is still intact, even the golden cross at the church. Presently, renovations are undergoing to restore the lost glory of this cathedral.
