A recent conflict in Khartoum, the capital of Sudan, has raised concerns over the prospect of a civil war. On April 15, 2023, fighting erupted in Khartoum between the Sudanese Armed Forces and a paramilitary group called the Rapid Support Forces, Al Jazeera reported. Not only could the conflict cause damage to Sudan’s transition to democracy, but experts warn it also has implications for the already unstable region.
The United States, Panama and Colombia have issued a new plan to end migration through the Darién Gap, a jungle passage between Colombia and Panama. According to Al Jazeera, this 60-day campaign was created to “end the illicit movement of people and goods through the Darién by both land and maritime corridors,” and will implement “new lawful and flexible pathways for tens of thousands of migrants and refugees,” per a U.S. Department of Homeland Security statement. The Associated Press described the third part of this new plan as an investment to lessen poverty and build more jobs in the communities that are on the border of Colombia and Panama to discourage trade from smuggling migrants.
On Tuesday, April 11, criminal charges were brought against Mexico’s top immigration official, Francisco Garduño, for the fire that killed 40 people in March 2023, NPR reported. Five other lower-ranking officials have also been charged, as well as a Venezuelan migrant. The fire occurred on March 27 in a facility housing 68 men, CNN explained.
On April 14, 2023, Jack Teixeira, who was charged with releasing classified government documents, appeared in federal court for a hearing, NBC Boston reported. According to BBC News, the documents contained information describing how the United States government views Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, along with information about allies of the U.S. and their involvement in the war. The leaked documents have raised concerns about how safe classified information is in the U.S..
Large protests, which began on April 5, 2023, have taken place in Ethiopia’s Amhara region in reaction to the government’s decision to create a unified paramilitary force, BBC reported. According to Reuters, members of Amhara’s special forces and militias opposed Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed’s command to merge the regional military with the national force. Ahmed has claimed that the new plan was made “for the sake of Ethiopia’s national unity.”
On March 30, 2023, the Russian Federal Security Service announced that they had detained Evan Gershkovich, an American reporter for The Wall Street Journal, and were opening an espionage case against him, The Guardian reported. According to CNN, the FSB has charged Gershkovich with attempting to “obtain state secrets.” Almar Latour, chief executive of Dow Jones, the company that publishes The Wall Street Journal, has staunchly denied this allegation.
The United Nations adopted a new resolution on March 29, 2023, which requested that the International Court of Justice give an advisory opinion on countries’ obligations to combat climate change, a U.N. press release reported. The U.N. also asked the ICJ to weigh in on the consequences for countries that do not provide aid to efforts that combat climate change. The resolution highlighted developing island nations and the global south as regions that experience the impacts of climate change disproportionately.
On March 27, 2023, at least 38 migrants from Central and South America died in a fire at a migrant detention center in Ciudad Juárez, Mexico, Reuters reported. According to NPR, a surveillance video, which was posted online, shows detainees trapped in a locked cell while uniformed agents left the building without aiding them. BBC reported that the agents ignored the men trying to escape the fire while they yelled and banged on the door. After the smoke filled the room, however, it is unknown what took place at the facility.
On March 27, 2023, Prime Minister of Israel Benjamin Netanyahu announced that he will be delaying the proposed judicial reforms that were announced earlier this year. According to an Al Jazeera news article, this announcement followed a mass strike of workers across the country, as well as protests from tens of thousands of Israelis opposed to the reforms. Malls and kindergartens were closed, seaport workers refused to work and flights were suspended at Ben Gurion International Airport. Al Jazeera also explained that the delay announced last Monday means that the proposed changes will not be voted on by parliament until late April at the earliest.
20 years ago on March 20, 2003, the United States invaded Iraq, starting the war on terror with the goal of ending President Saddam Hussein’s rule and removing the alleged weapons of mass destruction from Iraq, Al Jazeera reported. According to Council on Foreign Relations, the U.S., the United Kingdom and other allies swiftly took over the Iraqi Army, and three weeks after the invasion U.S. soldiers and Iraqi civilians pulled down a statue of Saddam.
On Feb. 27, 2023, legislation from the British parliament titled the Windsor Framework was introduced. According to PBS News, the bill will open the border between Northern Ireland and the United Kingdom, allowing free trade in place of the previously restrictive custom checks on some goods such as meat, eggs and medicine.
Photos courtesy of Alex Liang.
By Jesse Hausknecht-Brown ’25
Managing Editor of Layout & Features Editor
The Chinese Cultural Association hosted the annual China Night celebration on Friday, Feb. 17. The event is a celebration of the Chinese Lunar New Year. There were a variety of performances including dance groups from Mount Holyoke and the Five Colleges, singing, kung fu and guitar. The night concluded with a fashion show, which highlighted Chinese fashion throughout time. A catwalk stretched across the floor of Chapin Auditorium, where the event was held, for models to walk on. The Alumni Association created a video in which alums wished a happy Lunar New Year from around the globe.
Graphic by Mari Al Tayb ‘26.
By Qingyun Shi ’23
Staff Writer
On Jan. 31, 2023, South Korea dropped indoor mask mandates, a New York Times article reported. Beginning March 13, 2023, the government of Japan will further ease COVID-19 guidelines on mask-wearing, including those pertaining to public transportation and schools. According to The Japan Times, Prime Minister Fumio Kishida hopes that relaxing public health measures will benefit economic and social activities.
The New York Times article explained that wearing a mask has become part of a daily routine in people’s lives over the past three years, especially in some East Asian countries where pandemic restrictions have lingered for much longer than in other parts of the world. Despite the fact that governments are now easing legal restrictions, the article reported that many residents in countries such as South Korea and Japan are unlikely to stop wearing masks completely any time soon.
Naomi Tanaka, who lives and works in Japan, spoke to this issue in a recent interview with Mount Holyoke News. “Japanese people have always been wearing mask[s], even before COVID-19,” Tanaka said. “In Japanese society, wearing masks is very common; many people — including me from time to time — will put on a mask when going outside.”
There are several reasons for people to continue wearing masks, according to the article. First, the habit can be difficult to change since masking has been the norm for the past three years. In Japan, for example, some call masks “kao pantsu,” or “face pants,” to convey that individuals would feel the same level of embarrassment when removing their masks as when removing their pants in public, The New York Times explained. For others in South Korea and Japan, masking can be a solution for social pressures around behaviors such as wearing makeup or smiling frequently. The article also explained that mask-wearing is seen as an effective measure for protecting individuals such as the elderly or those at risk of developing severe symptoms from being infected with COVID-19.
Tanaka discussed the reasons why many people in Japan still wear masks. “I think there are two main reasons why Japanese people adopted this habit. One: wearing a mask when sick is a sign of consideration for others in Japanese culture. Two: Many Japanese people are allergic to flower [spores] in the air, especially in the spring. Wearing a mask can help you avoid contact.”
As of March 13, passengers on public transportation in Japan will not be required to wear masks due to individual seating, an article by The Japan Times reported. Students and teachers will also not be required to wear masks during upcoming graduation ceremonies as long as preventative health measures are put in place, such as adequate ventilation in rooms. The government will also encourage institutions to not pressure people to remove their masks if individuals wish to continue wearing them. Masks will continue to be recommended in congested indoor areas when social distancing is impossible, The Japan Times said.
Although both South Korea and Japan are continuing to reduce mask regulations, The New York Times reported that health authorities in both countries still encourage mask-wearing. COVID-19 infections in both countries have declined steadily in the past month, but health authorities worry that decreased regulations around masks and travel restrictions will cause another spike in cases.
