Graphic by Jack Yan

The Permanent Five Members of the UN Security Council, Germany, and Iran achieved a nucelar deal on July 13. The deal is based on a framework released Apr 2.

Iran Deal

After months of negotiations, a deal that would curb Iran’s nuclear program was finally achieved on July 13. Previously, many feared that Iran was developing its nuclear program in the hopes of creating a nuclear weapon. The deal would force Iran to cut down on uranium enrichment, which is used to create weapons-grade uranium. The deal would also slowly lift economic sanctions, or trade bans, on Iran that the international community had implemented. The deal will have to pass through Congress in order to become final.

Greece Bailout Plan

Greece and the European Union agreed on a bailout plan on July 13. The European Union is to provide Greece 85 billion euros to help pay off its debt over the course of three years. In exchange, Greece will be forced to take austerity measures such as  government spending cuts and increased taxes to lower debt. The Greek voters have been against austerity. If the plan had failed, there were fears that Greece would have to default or declare bankruptcy on its debt and be forced to leave the Eurozone.

Chattanooga Shooting

Four Marines and one active shooter died on July 16 at Naval Reserve facilities in Chattanooga, Tenn. The shooter, Muhammad Youssef Abdulazeez, attacked two separate facilities. He died at the scene of the second shooting; it is unclear how he died. In addition, one Chattanooga police officer was injured. It is believed that this was a case of domestic terrorism and that Abdulazeez was inspired by the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS), a violent terrorist organization, as listed by the US list of terror organizations..

Sandra Bland

Chicago native Sandra Bland was pulled over on July 10 in Texas after failing to signal a turn. She kicked the officer, he arrested her. Three days later, on July 13, she was dead in her jail cell. A female jailer found her at 9 a.m. dead; Bland appeared to have died from hanging. Initially it was believed she died from suicide. However, it is suspected that  foul play was involved, according to the Washington Post. Bland is an African-American women arrested in a state with a history of discrimination. Her family claims that Bland would never have committed suicide and believes her death was a murder.