November 13, 2024

World news briefs: From Mitt Romney to the Pope

The Fate of “Obamacare”
The Supreme Court of the United States (SCOTUS) began hearing oral arguments for and against the Affordable Care Act (ACA), the health care reform law commonly referred to as “Obamacare.” The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit struck down the more controversial parts of the legislation, most significantly the individual mandate. An official decision isn’t expected until early summer.

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Connecting with Romney
Meanwhile, in the executive realm of the federal government, Governor Mitt Romney is facing continued criticism over his inability to connect to the average American.

Like many people in the country, he has trouble finding adequate parking around his home. Therefore, he has decided to add a car elevator to his home. No word yet on whether the car can fit in the elevator with a dog riding on top.

The hoodie debate
The entire country has been captivated and enthralled with the recent murder of Trayvon Martin, a young African-American who was shot and killed by George Zimmerman, a Latino community-watch volunteer. While Martin’s family and supporters say the killing was racially motivated, Zimmerman claims Martin attacked him and only shot him out of self-defense. Zimmerman has yet to be arrested for any wrongdoing as an investigation of the incident begins.

The Pope’s fiesta
Pope Benedict XVI recently visited Cuba and met with the former leader Fidel Castro in an effort to open dialogue and sow seeds for future cooperation. He called on Cuba to move away from its communist system of government, but also chastised the United States for the nearly fifty-year-old trade embargo, which he claimed hurts the Cuban people.

The pontiff’s visit was compared to the last papal visit by John Paul II in which he spoke in front of a statue of Che Guevera to thousands of spectators.

Author

  • Adam Schneider

    When he's not seen walking the halls of Renner Hall, Mr. Schneider enjoys escaping from various captors, deciphering hidden messages on the back of napkins, and being in a continuous state of grumpiness.

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