International News

Mexican Supreme Court Sets Groundwork for Marijuana Legalization

The Mexican Supreme Court ruled Wednesday citizens should be allowed to grow and distribute marijuana for personal consumption. While the decision only applies to one cannabis club and does not change the country’s drug laws, it sets a precedent that could lead to legalization. The ruling comes amid a growing sentiment among Mexican citizens that the drug war and strict substance abuse laws targeting small-time drug users are more costly than beneficial. nytimes.com

 

The UK Suspends Flights from Egyptian Resorts, Citing Fears around the Russian Crash

Flights from Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt to anywhere in Britain were temporarily halted after Prime Minister David Cameron said the chartered flight that dismantled midair on Saturday could have been the target of an explosive device. One report provides evidence the recordings on the flight data recorder suddenly stopped, supporting the possibility that the plane was downed with an explosive device. Another theory states the fuel tank ignited, causing the plane to break apart. An Egyptian affiliate of the Islamic State has claimed responsibility for the crash, but Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi dismissed this as propaganda. nytimes.com

 

Romania Sees Second Night of Protests

Thousands participated in an anti-corruption protest in Bucharest, Romania and other cities throughout the country Tuesday night. Protests originally broke out Monday over a nightclub fire that killed 32 people, with protesters claiming the deaths were linked to corruption in Romania’s leadership that lead to the compromised safety protocol. As a result, Romanian Prime Minister Victor Ponta resigned Wednesday, and protestors now demand further reform. bbc.co.uk

 

National Spotlight

Houston Anti-Discriminatory Measure Overturned

Houston residents voted to overturn an anti-discriminatory measure after conservatives dubbed it the Bathroom Ordinance. The measure, which protected minorities, the elderly and members of the LGBTQ community, allowed people to enter public restrooms of the gender with which they identify in order to protect the rights of transgender people. The conservative opposition claimed it would lead to men entering women’s bathroom with violent intentions. nytimes.com

 

Volkswagen Recalls 92,000 Cars in the U.S. Over Power Brakes

Volkswagen, under fire for its diesel-gate scandal, was forced to recall 92,000 vehicles due to mechanical problems that can cause power-assisted breaks to fail. Models recalled include Beetle, Golf, Jetta and Passat from the 2015 and 2016 model years. The company said owners of these models can continue driving their cars but should be wary of warning lights or other problems and report these to their dealer immediately. No injuries have been reported in connection to this issue. Volkswagen expects to have the problem solved by the end of March next year. abc.go.com

 

DEA Report Says Heroin Use Has Increased Dramatically in the Last Decade

A Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) survey released Wednesday found the use of heroin in the United States has increased across age and income levels, surpassing methamphetamine as what the DEA considers the nation’s number one drug threat. DEA Administrator Chuck Rosenberg said approximately 8,000 of 46,471 overdose deaths in 2013 were heroin-related. Rosenberg said while heroin trade and abuse is up, it still does not lead to as much violent crime as methamphetamine. nbcnews.com

Print