Denuclearization Talks:

The United States and North Korea discussed the option of returning to denuclearization (not using nuclear weapons) talks between the two countries. The Washington Post reports, “former and current officials have been discussing the idea of holding talks about how to resume the six-party negotiations aimed at persuading North Korea to abandon its nuclear ambitions.”

“David Straub, a former U.S. negotiator with North Korea, said the North Koreans ‘want to give the impression that it’s the Americans who are being unreasonable right now,’” The Washington Post said.

Despite this, progress is being made. A month ago, a group of American officials met with Ri Yong Ho, North Korea’s vice foreign minister and lead nuclear negotiator in Singapore. The meeting was to check “the lay of the land,” according an individual interviewed by The Washington Post who is familiar with this issue.

This is an important subject for not only journalists, but for individuals from every walk of life. Without this knowledge, many would not be informed about relations the United States is having with other countries such as North Korea. For students, this effect can be long-term and have a lasting effect. Individuals from this generation will be able to learn from this event because of journalist’s careful documentation of this latest issue.

Charlie Hebdo Shooting:

Gunmen armed themselves with AK-47s and shouted “allahu Akbar” as they stormed the offices of the French satirical news magazine, Charlie Hebdo, Jan. 7 in an attack that left 12 people dead, including the editor and two police officers. The men were also heard yelling “God is great” and “we have avenged the prophet Muhammad” as they attacked the offices.
The shooting happened after the Charlie Hebdo published a satirical cartoon of the Muslim prophet Muhammad.

“Police, alerted to a shooting incident, arrived at the scene as the gunmen were leaving the building,” BBC World News said.
Over the next two days, attacks continued to strike France while policemen rushed to find the culprits. A gunman shot and killed a policewoman and injured a man before escaping the scene the next day.

A lead on the criminals was given the following morning when the two men robbed a service station and fired more shots. While a high speed chase for these men ensued, a third man took hostages from the station and threatened to kill them if the two men in the car were not let go. Policemen stormed into the station, “shooting the gunman dead and freeing 15 hostages from the store. According to BBC World News, Policemen “found the bodies of four hostages.” The two other men were captured that day.

By journalists reporting events such as these, the public is able to stay informed about dangerous events. Students at Dreyfoos benefit from this report as well. Without knowing this, students could have possibly been in a dangerous situation. This was thought to have been part of a terrorist attack which could have spanned farther if not caught. By journalists reporting these events they are keeping the public informed and therefore safer.

Request for Engagement with ISIS:

President Barack Obama has gone to Congress in hopes of formal authorization to Islamic State of Iran and Syria (ISIS) which would limit engagement to three years. Not only does President Obama face Republicans, who are unsure of the strategy for defeating ISIS, but he also faces Democrats who have become more conservative as to where the United States should be sending its troops.

“The White House has tried to address concerns by drafting a resolution that tries to be both circumscribed and flexible. It would explicitly disallow extended use of combat forces, lawmakers and aides who are familiar with the plan,” The New York Times said.

The White House says that this resolution would also have no geographic limitations. This is feared by many Democrats as another open-ended conflict. President Obama faces many reservations because of this. However, President Obama is continuing to the next step of this situation.

“The Obama administration has insisted that it does not need Congress’ authority to continue its military campaign,” The New York Times said.

This can affect where journalists will be stationed to give the news in the future and shape what the news will be about. For individuals, especially those at Dreyfoos, this can largely impact lives. Students who are considering joining the army could be facing a new time of war. Students are closer to this situation than ever before, they will be inheriting this war which can also affect who to vote for in the upcoming presidential elections. When journalists report this, they are not only reporting what is happening in present day, but also what the future looks like.