Net Neutrality

Some of the Internet’s top websites have declared Wednesday, July 12th to be a “day of action” in order to protest changes to net neutrality regulation. Net neutrality is defined as the idea that Internet service providers (ISP’s) should grant consumers equal access to all federally approved content from any source.

In layman’s terms, net neutrality means that ISPs like Comcast or Viacom cannot be paid to accelerate or decelerate data from specific websites, nor can they make the executive decision to block certain content. Net neutrality supporters are advocating for change to ensure that ISPs don’t unjustly cut off other service providers.

Unsurprisingly, there are those that refuse to hop on the net neutrality bandwagon. Among them is Trump’s new head of the Federal Communications Commission, Ajit Pai. Pai is concerned that ISPs aren’t investing in critical infrastructure because net neutrality regulations prevent them from earning profits off their investments.

Popular websites like Netflix, Amazon and Facebook are poised to join over 170 organizations by deliberately “slowing down” their service in opposition to the potential changes. Their actions are meant to mimic what using these websites could be like if these proposed changes are approved.

Read more here.

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Mosul Liberated

“I just wanna feel liberated. I, I, I...”-Kanye West

Iraqi Prime Minister Hader al-Abadai paid a visit to congratulate his troops on their victory against Islamic State militants in Mosul. In a recent statement, al-Abadai confirmed that the city had been mostly liberated, with only a small portion of the city still under the control of ISIS.

The territory has remained under Jihadist control since being claimed by Islamic State militants in June 2014. Aided by United States air strikes, Iraqi forces have been striving to retain Mosul for almost nine months.

The streets of Mosul were rampant with celebration and triumph during al-Abadai’s visit, but his administration is waiting until Iraqi troops overtake the remaining Jihadist territories before he formally declares victory over the Islamic State.

Defeating Islamic State militants in Mosul doesn’t signify a victory over Jihadist forces throughout all of Iraq, but it is certainly a promising sign. Gunshots, airstrikes, and clouds of smoke were all still present in Mosul on Sunday, but there is finally hope on the horizon.

Learn more here.

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Donald Jr.’s Relationship with Russia

Just when you thought the conflict between the Trump and Clinton families had ended, the powder keg of tension between the two families was brought back into the national spotlight. Newly released information stated that Trump’s oldest son, Donald Trump Jr., had scheduled a meeting with a Kremlin elected Russian lawyer, Natalia Veselnitskaya, during the 2016 campaign. Trump Jr. was promised injurious information about the Democratic Nominee, Hillary Clinton. Accompanying him to the meeting were Trump’s campaign manager at the time, Paul J. Manafor, and his brother in law, Jared Kushner.

Held two weeks after his father had received the Republican presidential nomination, the meeting signifies the first implication that some aboard the Trump campaign were willing to receive help from the Russians. Rumors of Trump’s collusion with the Russians have been abundant in the news, but this marks the first instance of a confirmed private meeting between Russian representatives and Trump’s inner circle.

Trump Jr. served as an advisor and surrogate during his father’s presidential campaign. It’s still unconfirmed whether Veselnitskaya shared any detrimental information on Hillary Clinton, but this will surely be something that Robert Mueller will consider in his continued investigation.

Read more here.