History Readings

"The very day that Nadella said women at Microsoft are paid equally for performing the same work as men, the CEO made headlines for his mammoth $84 million pay package." Women only make up 29% of the Microsoft workforce, and only 17% of the higher-paid positions in the company.

The United States has recently returned about 20 ancient artefacts - some more than 1,800 years old - to Peru. Pottery and pieces that were obtained from ancient Peruvian graves have finally been returned to their homeland of Peru. These items were found by the US Customs Services, and have now been returned to their rightful owners in Peru.

Nato jets have intercepted a Russian spy plane that was flying over the Baltic Sea. Russia has recently been accused of several recent border violations in the region and has also been accused of sending submarines into Swedish waters, crossing borders once again.

European leaders set out to strike a climate deal to cut greenhouse gases 40% by 2030. While this is the aim of many European leaders, "Poland threatens to use veto against agreement aimed to set the stage for Paris summit if it is not granted exemptions."

After the shooting in Ottawa, Canadian on Wednesday, lawmakers have gone back to work, receiving many calls urging for increased security that would "provide safety while maintaining the openness that is a hallmark of the country's parliament and society."

While there has been suspected foreign underseas activity in Sweden, uncertainty exists surrounding who the vessels are being operated by (evidence points to Russia) and for what purpose. Helicopters, battleships and minesweepers have been used to hunt for the submarines, but to no avail. Sweden is becoming increasingly more paranoid, willing to do anything to force the submarines to surface.

Theresa Corbin decided to convert to Islam when she was 21 years old. As a feminist, this decision confused many of Corbin's close family members. Corbin believes that many Islamic ideals relate closely to her feministic beliefs. She also believes that not all who practice Islam must be the same: "Muslims come in all shapes, sizes, attitudes, ethnicities, cultures and nationalities."

This opinion article by Sally Kohn discusses the signals that the violent events in Ferguson could possibly be sending out about America. Sally Kohn suggests that "Ferguson protests reflect a larger picture of America's racial divide." Kohn also suggests that politicians seem to believe that crime and poverty are African American problems only.

A German U-boat from WWII has recently been discovered off the coast of North Carolina. The submarine (U-576) was heading from Virginia to Key, West Florida on July 14, 1942. This specific U-boat sank as a result of Allied forces. Few people realize how close to American shores these U-boat attacks occurred, so this discovery demonstrates the geographic extent of WWII.

Many believe that it is impossible to talk about guns without also talking about race. Some scholars also believe that gun culture in the United States is rooted in fears that go back to slavery. This article is an important read, as each week a new story about a shooting is discussed, and race is often involved.

Photographer Ernest Cole has taken images that capture the misery of African Americans during the time of the apartheid in South Africa. One of the images appears as though it could have been taken in a wretched prison, while it was actually taken in a communal shower room for mineworkers in SA under apartheid. Few images have been captured of the horrors of the apartheid, but Cole effectively exposes the injustice.

According to Kenya's Ministry of Health, 1.4 million people are infested with jiggers, a debilitating foot parasite. Young children are most commonly affected by the parasite, making it difficult for them to attend school and rise above the poverty line. In response, a village ambulance has been created, basically a detachable bed that hooks to a motorbike.