First Bolivia and now Kosovo? Maybe the UN should move their headquarters to Morningside instead.

Content Warning: mentions of police brutality

Happening in the World: Kim Yo-Jong, the influential younger sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un, has recently come forward and announced that North Korea is willing to resume talks with the South. This declaration comes as a response to South Korea’s renewed call to formally end the Korean War, a conflict that, in 1953, ended in an armistice rather than a peace treaty. Earlier this week, South Korean president Moon Jae declared his intentions to bring peace to the Korean peninsula— a task that the Seoul administration has been trying to tackle for nearly 5 years. However, the North Korean administration has made it clear that they will only resume peace talks should their southern counterparts end their “hostile policies” (BBC).

Happening in the US: Derek Chauvin, the former Minneapolis police officer responsible for the death of George Floyd, has come forward and announced his intent to appeal his conviction and sentence. Earlier this year, Chauvin was found guilty of second and third degree murder as well as second degree man-slaughter, resulting in a 22.5 year prison sentence. Though Chauvin has stated that he has no legal aid in the appeals process, he intends on appealing on 14 grounds. Among these include complaints that Judge Peter Cahill refused Chauvin’s request to relocate the trial out of Minneapolis due to pre-trial publicity (NBC). 

Happening in NYC: A Brooklyn high school is under fire after an investigation discovered that it had quarantined over one-third of it’s staff without notifying parents or students. This had occurred on the eve of the first day of school, following exposure to a COVID-19 positive colleague 72 hours prior. Due to the prevalence of cases like these popping up throughout the city, the Department of Education is now facing pressure from parents to establish clearer forms of communication regarding COVID-19 threats (Gothamist). 

Happening in Our Community: At 12:30 today, Vjosa Osmani, President of the Republic of Kosovo will speak at the Columbia University World Leaders Forum. During the discussion, Osmani will touch upon Kosovo’s foreign policy and its relations with the United States. Who doesn’t want to hear a president speak? Click here for more info. 

Vjosa Osmani via Flickr