- The Trump administration is deploying hundreds of military advisors to Afghanistan as part of a renewed campaign against the insurgent Taliban. There are now 14,000 U.S. troops in Afghanistan, up from 8,400 soldiers there at the end of the Obama administration in January 2017. The Pentagon has also ramped up the U.S. bombing campaign targeting the Taliban. (“As Advisory Role Grows in Afghanistan, So Does Risk to U.S. Troops,” Washington Post, Nov. 28, 2017; “Trump’s Afghan Policy Causing a Rethink on both Sides in Conflict,” Christian Science Monitor, Oct. 20, 2017)
- Weeks before Hurricane Maria ravaged Puerto Rico, 100 lawyers crammed into a federal court room in San Juan to debate the restructuring of $75 billion dollars in Puerto Rico’s debt. The lawyers represented various groups of bond investors, hedge funds and vulture funds. (“100 Years of Colonialism: How Puerto Rico Became Easy Prey for Profiteers,” In These Times, Nov. 13, 2017)
- Even as Donald Trump continued to stoke the nation’s culture wars, Evangelical Christians are losing followers and experiencing a growing generational divide as younger Evangelicals reject hot button issues like same-sex marriage. According to the Public Religion Research Institute, only 11 percent of evangelicals are under 30. (“Amid Evangelical Decline, Growing Split between Young Christians and Church Elders,”Christian Science Monitor, Oct. 10, 2017)
Subscribe to our Weekly Summary
