1. STRESSFUL START FOR THE OLYMPICS

On July 26, 2024, coordinated attacks on three high-speed rail lines disrupted train travel in France despite heightened security measures for the Olympics, which kicked off with the opening ceremony later that day. The increased security included police and soldiers sweeping Olympic sites and central Paris, and placing 155 people under house arrest. Their efforts have yielded some results: a Chechen man was charged with planning an attack near an Olympic soccer match, a neo-Nazi sympathizer was imprisoned for publishing an explosives recipe, and a 40-year-old Russian man was charged with attempting to provoke hostilities in France to destabilize the Olympic Games. Thousands of people were stranded at train stations when the lines were affected by the arson attack, with disruptions felt as far away as London, where Eurostar operates frequent trains to Paris that many Olympics spectators were depending on. Paris had already closed more than twenty Metro stations ahead of the Olympic Games for security purposes. Write an article about the arson attacks and how they affected the start of the Olympic Games and the thousands of spectators trying to get into Paris.

2. IMPORTANT ELECTION

This Sunday, Venezuela will hold a crucial presidential election. Voters will decide if they want to reelect President Nicolas Maduro, who has been in office for 11 years and has faced many crises, or if they want to give the opposition a chance to change the country's direction. The opposition, which used to be divided, is now united behind one candidate, Edmundo González Urrutia, a former diplomat. This makes it the strongest challenge to Maduro's rule in decades. Both sides ended their campaigns with big rallies in the capital, Caracas. There are several important issues framing this election: Maduro's popularity has dropped because of an economic crisis, corruption, and mismanagement. He still has support from loyal followers and public employees, but his party's influence has weakened as the economy worsens. Over the past decade, more than 7.7 million Venezuelans have left the country due to instability, making it the largest migration crisis in Latin America's recent history. If Maduro wins again, more people might leave. If the opposition wins, some might stay, especially if the economy improves. María Corina Machado, a popular opposition figure, can't run because Maduro's government banned her. Despite this, she supports González, helping to unify the opposition. Venezuela also has the largest oil reserves in the world, but production has dropped due to mismanagement and corruption. U.S. sanctions on Venezuela's oil industry have also hurt the economy. The election's outcome could affect whether these sanctions continue. Finally, the US has reimposed sanctions on the country, citing threats to election fairness after the government cracked down on opposition, arresting and harassing critics. The results of this election will not only affect Venezuela but could also impact migration patterns, regional stability, and international relations. Write a summary of the political situation in Venezuela and how this election could affect the region and the rest of the world, using research from your newspaper or online.

3. NEBRASKA BILL STANDS

The Nebraska Supreme Court has upheld a law that restricts both medical care for transgender youth and abortion. The Supreme Court found that the law does not violate the state’s constitution, which requires bills to stick to a single subject, because both abortion and transgender care fall under the category of medical care. The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) and Planned Parenthood challenged this law, but the court ruled that it was constitutional. The Nebraska Legislature originally proposed separate bills for the abortion ban and gender-affirming care restrictions. Justice Lindsey Miller-Lerman, in her dissent, criticized the majority for giving the Legislature too much leeway and not upholding the Constitution. Nebraska Governor Jim Pillen and the state’s attorney general praised the decision. Consider Nebraska’s rule that a bill can only cover one topic. Thinking about bills you may have read about recently, do you think this is a positive change to how legislation is created? Write an opinion article, using research and citing recent bills to back up your claims.

4. FAMINE IN SUDAN

Sudan is on the verge of a massive famine, worsened by its ongoing civil war. The military is blocking U.N. food trucks at a key border crossing, stopping aid from reaching hundreds of thousands of starving people. Experts fear this could lead to one of the worst famines in decades. The situation is most critical in Darfur, where many people are already close to starvation. The blocked border at Adré, a crossing point from Chad, prevents much-needed food from getting through. The military claims the blockade is to stop weapon smuggling, but arms and fighters still enter Sudan through other routes. Refugees from Darfur say they are fleeing mainly due to hunger, not conflict. Aid efforts are being diverted to a longer and more dangerous route through another crossing, but only a small fraction of the needed supplies are getting through. The international response has been slow and underfunded, making the situation worse. Some aid organizations and U.S. officials are calling for the U.N. to push harder to reopen the Adré crossing, but there's little progress. Meanwhile, refugees in camps face dire conditions with insufficient food, water, and shelter. Without immediate action, experts warn that millions could die from hunger in Sudan by the end of the year. Why do you think certain conflicts and wars get the world’s attention more than others? Consider how much you know about the war in Ukraine or Palestine compared to the ongoing civil war in Sudan or the Democratic Republic of Congo. Write at least a paragraph explaining why you think these haven’t gathered as much international attention, then research the events in these countries and write a paragraph summarizing them.

5. FUTURE DEBATE UNDETERMINED

Former President Donald Trump has decided not to commit to a debate on September 10, which he had previously agreed to, now that Vice President Kamala Harris is the likely Democratic nominee instead of President Joe Biden. Trump’s campaign stated that they won’t finalize debate details until Democrats formally confirm their nominee, claiming there’s still uncertainty and some Democrats, including former President Obama, may not fully support Harris. (Both former President Obama and his wife, Michelle, have publicly endorsed Harris since.) Biden had initially agreed to two debates with Trump, the first of which happened on June 27, but he dropped out of the race after a poor performance. Harris quickly gained support from the Democratic Party and is in the process of selecting a running mate. Despite Harris's commitment to the September debate, Trump suggested moving it from ABC News to Fox News and hinted at rethinking his participation. A survey shows a close race between Trump and Harris, with Trump leading by just one percentage point. Look up Harris’ debate performance against former Vice President Mike Pence during the last presidential election cycle. Then, write an article speculating how Harris would perform against Trump in comparison to how Biden did in the June debate.

4. SWIMMING IN THE SEINE

The Mayor of Paris, Anne Hidalgo, swam in the Seine River to show it's clean enough for the upcoming Paris Olympics. A lot of work and money were spent cleaning the river so it can be used for Olympic events. Mayor Hidalgo swam in the river to keep her promise and show it’s safe. The river will be used for swimming and other events during the Olympics, which start soon. This is the first time in more than 100 years that people can swim in the Seine, thanks to this big clean-up effort. The river was too toxic for most fish and swimmers for decades, filled with trash and used for shipping and passenger boat traffic. Previously, bacteria-filled wastewater was dumped directly into the river after heavy rains. Now, there’s a storage facility the size of 20 Olympic swimming pools where the dirty water will be treated before being put back in the environment. Write a paragraph about the Seine River and how it’s been changed, and draw a picture or map to go along with your summary.

5. CARVING SURFBOARDS

Leleo Kinimaka is a Hawaiian man who makes special surfboards called alaia boards, which have been used in Hawaii for a long time. He grew up in Kauai, surfing and swimming in the ocean, so making surfboards is very personal for him. Leleo carves designs into the surfboards that tell stories and show Hawaiian symbols. Some boards are made for surfing, while others are more like art pieces and are sold to museums and collectors. He uses local wood and tries to make his work as eco-friendly as possible. After learning carpentry in California, Leleo returned to Hawaii and began creating these unique surfboards in 2009. He enjoys blending traditional Hawaiian culture with his craft and feels very proud of his work. If you were going to design a surfboard that included symbols or images from your life, what would you put on it? Draw a version of your design and write what the different elements you chose represent.