News you might have missed: Trump is mad at things, first 'Far Side' cartoons in 25 years

Published: 
Listen to this article
  • Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro has Covid-19 and may get sued for exposing the press to the virus
  • Archaeologists confirm that Indigenous Americans and Polynesians met each other as early as 1200 AD
Dannie Aildasani |
Published: 
Comment

Latest Articles

Hong Kong teen windsurfing champions share the value of hard work and dedication

Face Off: Should foreign domestic helpers be given the same wages and rights as other workers?

Write to Win: What historical figure would you choose to be? (Round 4)

How Hongkongers can stay healthy, eat without stress in festive period

Your Voice: Equal facilities for low-income elderly, embracing body positivity (short letters)

Your Voice: Building a progressive society, working hard for a better future (long letters)

US President Donald Trump sits at a roundtable discussion he's very excited to be at. Photo: AFP

A LOT of stuff happened this week, and it's not possible to keep up with everything. Here's a few things you might not have read about:

DNA testing proves epic voyage

A study has confirmed that Indigenous Americans and Polynesians made contact with each other as early as 1200 AD, centuries before the arrival of Europeans. Archaeologists already believed this because of the early, widespread cultivation of the South American sweet potato in Polynesia, but now researchers have conclusive evidence through DNA testing – people from several eastern Polynesian Islands have genetic traces in their DNA linked to the Zenu, an indigenous group from Colombia. What researchers haven’t yet figured out is if Polynesians ventured to South America, or the other way around.

What happened last week?

Brazilian press takes Bolsonaro to court

Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro has Covid-19, and may get sued by the Brazilian Press Association for potentially exposing members of the press to coronavirus after taking off his mask at the press conference where he announced he had tested positive for the virus. They also say he did not respect social distancing measures. Bolsonaro has long dismissed the seriousness of the virus, and has often appeared in public without a mask and has accused local politicians in Brazil of inflating the number of people infected in order to make the federal government look bad. Brazil is second only to the US in numbers of Covid-19 infections and deaths.

Brazil's President Jair Bolsonaro adjusts his protective face mask during a press statement to announce federal judiciary measures to curb the spread of the coronavirus disease. Photo: Reuters

First "Far side" since the 90's

The Far Side cartoonist Gary Larson published his first new work in 25 years. He had retired in 1995, citing “fatigue and fear that if I continue for many more years my work will begin to suffer.” His newest works aren’t the typical pen-and-paper cartoons, but rather the result of his journey into the world of digital art. He warned fans that the release of new work doesn’t mean he’s resurrecting The Far Side and said he’s “just exploring, experimenting and trying stuff.”

The national security law, explained

What made Trump mad pt. 1

New York City is painting a Black Lives Matter mural on the street directly outside US President Donald Trump’s Manhattan headquarters. The city’s mayor, Bill de Blasio, authorised the bright yellow mural earlier this month. President Trump was unhappy with the decision, calling the phrase “Black Lives Matter” a “symbol of hate” and suggested police officers block workers from making the mural. De Blasio responded by saying “When we say ‘Black Lives Matter,’ there is no more American statement, there’s no more patriotic statement, because there is no America without Black America.”

An activist takes a knee over a Black Lives Matter mural in front of Trump Tower on Fifth Avenue in New York city. Photo: DPA

Trump to grant favour to friend

In more Trump news, Trump said he may grant clemency to his long time friend and sometimes political advisor Roger Stone, who is set to go to prison this month. He was convicted of, among other things, five counts of lying to Congress. Trump has indicates he may pardon Stone, meaning he won't have to go to jail for his crimes. Stone is currently set to go to prison on July 14 to begin a 40-month sentence. He has asked for emergency help to delay his prison term until September, citing his concerns about catching coronavirus in prison, but the US Justice Department supports the original decision.

Sign up for the YP Teachers Newsletter
Get updates for teachers sent directly to your inbox
By registering, you agree to our T&C and Privacy Policy
Comment