ORACLE (WEEK OF APRIL 2-8TH)

O

Asa Hutchinson, the former governor of Arkansas and possible Republican presidential party nominee was searching for votes in his favor in Iowa. He is known for his criticism of Donald Trump during his presidency. He is preaching the message of “consistent conservatism” to Republican voters to Trump supporters as well as embracing Arkansas’ abortion ban in front of voters. Some of his work in politics includes signing the abortion ban that made no exception for pregnancies stemming from rape or incest, advocating for the repeal of the Affordable Care Act, and leading a task force following the Sandy Hook School Shooting in 2012.

R

The Biden administration's proposal for a new free trade agreement with the European Union receives backlash because lawmakers argue that the reasons behind the proposal are not valid. Congress will need to provide approval of the free-trade agreement, and the confusion surrounding the proposal. The proposal aims to deepen trade relations by addressing issues such as tariffs, regulatory barriers, and intellectual property rights. This move is seen as part of the Biden administration's strategy to promote international economic cooperation and strengthen ties with key allies. (NYT)

A

Popular social media platform TikTok has been fined by the UK regulator for violating children's privacy laws. Following TikTok’s failure to protect the privacy of its young users and collect appropriate consent for data processing, the company received a fine from the Information Commissioner's Office in the UK. This is part of a broader global trend of increased regulatory scrutiny on social media platforms and their handling of user data, particularly when it comes to protecting children's privacy. (NYT)

C

Donald Trump creates history by being the first ex-president to be charged with a crime. In the state of New York, he was indicted and pleaded not guilty to 34 felony charges of hush money. The case was built based on a hush money payment made to Stormy Daniels, an adult film star. He allegedly paid Daniel $130,000 to keep their affair silent, but the issue stems from his falsifying business records to influence the 2016 election. He is being accused of orchestrating a scheme to “...influence the 2016 presidential election by identifying and purchasing negative information about him to suppress its publication and benefit the defendant’s electoral prospects”. (The Guardian)

L

The Indian Child Welfare Act is being challenged by the Supreme Court after the state of Texas claims that the act introduces an “unconstitutional racial preference”. The Act was introduced in 1978 and reduced abuse cases against Native American foster children and protects foster children's tribal identity. The law prioritized the needs and safety of children. Jeopardizing this act is instilling fear in Native American Nations, as it may be a threat to tribal self-government, calling it a nuclear war attack on ICWA. (Desert Sun)

E

NASA is sending the most diverse team of astronauts to space on their Artemis 2 mission. A person of color, woman, and Canadian will all be flying to space hoping to explore the actual environment of deep space. The crew will set out for a 10-day mission in 2024 to the moon and Orion’s system. This is NASA’s first lunar mission in 50 years and NASA introduces this diverse group to promote equity and hope to inspire young people to get introduced to space. The Artemis program aspires to be more economically and politically sustainable, and encourage international collaboration on future missions.