Headlines:

• Europe’s Migrant Nightmare
• China Announces new Aircraft Carrier
• Anniversary of Guantanamo Bay

Europe’s Migrant Nightmare

The last week has seen European media stations go into a frenzy over refugees largely from the Muslim world about the sexual harassment of European citizens. The latest country to add to the issue is Sweden who claim to have “covered up” the sexual abuses. Both Germany and Sweden are countries previously hailed for their altruism after accepting some of the highest numbers of refugees but opposition from groups within their countries and those across Europe has been translated into a media frenzy. Knowing that their countries have pledged the acceptance of such large numbers of migrants has instilled fear in their hearts especially after incidents such as the Paris bombings.  Meanwhile, despite sending back 200 migrants a day Germany amongst others are now seeing how the situation will only get worse as existing problems in the Muslim world get worse.

China Announces new Aircraft Carrier

China has confirmed that they are building their second aircraft carrier. With China claiming more and more of the South China Seas, its navy development has been increasing at an astonishing rate.  Its first aircraft carrier – the Liaoning, which was an ex-Soviet aircraft carrier that was refurbished and became operational in 2012. China in the last two years achieved many firsts, for the first time Chinese ships travelled to Finland and crossed through the Bering straits – the 50 mile gap between the US and Russia.  China continues building capabilities that will in a few decades allow it to operate globally.

Anniversary of Guantanamo Bay

14 years after it was initially opened, and 7 years after President Obama promised to close it, the detention centre at Guantanamo Bay remains open and active. Today it houses around 100 detainees, split between those uncharged and cleared for release, and those uncharged but intended to be kept in detention essentially forever. The detention site was initially opened outside of the US on the notion that basic legal rights simply wouldn’t apply to those held overseas, and people could be held without charges as long as the government saw fit. While this has remained the underlying policy of US governments since then, Congress has largely codified Gitmo’s status as a legal black hole at this point, and indeed seemingly has authorized open-ended, extra-judicial detention on demand for presidents. Obama’s pledge to close the site in 2009 came and went, and even though he keeps insisting he’s determined to get the facility closed before he ends his term, it seems all but certain at this point the site will outlast him.