BY VICTORIA WANG ’20

Cambodia

Cambodia’s six-person national figure skating team competed at the Southeast Asia Games in Kuala Lumpur for the first time in August, according to the BBC. Unlike other Southeast Asian countries, such as Nepal, which regularly compete in winter sports, Cambodia only formed its national ice-skating team in 2015. Sen Bunthoeun, 27 and Khiev Panha, 23, were the first Cambodians to represent their country in a winter discipline at the Southeast Asian Games and placed eighth and ninth respectively, out of nine individual figure skaters. 

BY VICTORIA WANG ’20

  A protest campaign broke out in St. James's Square in central Barcelona on Friday, Nov. 3. According to the BBC, the protest was triggered by legal action taken late Thursday afternoon by a Spanish judge, ordering the imprisonment of eight former Catalan government members for supporting Catalonia’s independence. 

BY VICTORIA WANG ’20

The Mount Holyoke College Nepali Student Organization (NEPSO) hosted Himalayan Night on Friday, Oct. 27. The organization seeks to promote awareness about Nepali culture among the Mount Holyoke community and further contribute to the cultural diversity of the campus. Himalayan Night is part of the Mount Holyoke College Diversity Nights tradition, which include events such as VariAsians and other cultural nights. 

BY VICTORIA WANG ’20

China opened its 19th communist party congress in Beijing on Wednesday, Oct. 18. During the week-long congress, which is held every five years, the central delegates discuss keys issues which will project China’s future course of development for at least the next half a decade. As China continues to rise as a global superpower, this congress is particularly crucial to the global community, for it sets goals on China’s international participation in various aspects, as reported by Bloomberg. 

BY VICTORIA WANG ’20

 The Trump administration announced its intent to withdraw from the U.N.’s Educational, Science and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) by the end of next year on Thursday, Oct. 12 due to an “anti-Israel bias,” as well as concern over mounting debt and the need for fundamental reform. 

BY VICTORIA WANG '20

 The government of Saudi Arabia lifted its driving ban on women after a royal decree on Tuesday, Sept. 27. The act was first publicized on Sept. 26 at the United Nations by Saudi Arabia’s permanent representative, and it was soon followed by an official announcement from the Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia Mohammed bin Salman onthe Saudi Foreign Ministry official Twitter account. The decree becomes effective on June 24, 2018. 

BY VICTORIA WANG ’20

A 7.1 magnitude earthquake hit Mexico City, causing massive damage on Tuesday, Sept. 19. The quake’s epicenter was Puebla,  a town about 100 miles south-east of the capital. According to BBC, the death toll has already mounted to 273 people. Mexican civil protection authorities told BBC that at least 38 buildings have collapsed in Mexico City. Among the ruins was primary school Enrique Rébsamen. Officials say 11 children were rescued, but 19 children and 6 adults died, as reported by the BBC.