This week’s world news was, surprisingly, dominated by dramatic events surrounding the former Soviet state of Russia. Other headlining news includes a reigniting of student protests here at home against social injustice, a topic that should be of particular interest to La Salle students.

Russian Passenger Plane Downed in Egypt

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A Russian commercial airliner was shot down over the Sinai Peninsula in Egypt last week, killing 224 people, to an immediate cry from jihadist groups claiming responsibility for the disaster. Earlier last week, investigation officials were keen to downplay the bombing angle, focusing more on the possibility of mechanical failure – after all, the airliner had a history of poor maintenance, and the airline that the plane originated from was not of top-notch quality. Recently, after more analysis of communications on the plane and captured ISIS messages, investigators say it is much more likely now to have been an intentional sabotage or bombing.

Specifically, a group called al Wilayat Sinai claimed responsibility for the crash, a jihadist group affiliated with but not under the banner of ISIS.  With Russia’s recent military forays into the Middle East, it would be no surprise if the Russian President, Vladimir Putin, retaliated with airstrikes in the region.

Russia Caught in Illegal Drug Scheme

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An independent committee from the World Anti-Doping Agency, an organization dedicated to keeping sports competitions enhancement free and fair, has discovered a state-sponsored enhancement and doping program for Russia’s track and field athletes, used in the lead-up to and during their home 2014 Sochi Olympic Games. The independent committee has suggested an immediate suspension of all Russian track and field athletes during the 2016 Olympics.

In a turn of events that was no surprise to anyone, Russian officials have denied allegations of doping, and denied international jurisdiction over whether or not their athletes can compete. Some in the Russian government have suggested that the report is only part of a Western smear campaign conspiracy against Russia. Whatever internal affairs officials in the country may say, international sports officials seem intent on taking these allegations and investigations seriously. Only time will tell whether or not Russia’s 2016 hopes are dashed.

University of Missouri President Forced to Resign

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The President of University of Missouri, Tim Wolfe, resigned this Monday, after weeks of pressure from the student body on campus. These complaints stem from accusations that the President has done too little to address racism and social inequality on campus and beyond, especially considering the college’s geographical proximity to the Ferguson protests and riots of last year. There have been numerous incidents in the last few months that have incensed the students of Missouri to call for his resignation, including the smearing of a swastika in a school bathroom, an incident involving the undergraduate student body president being called a racial slur, and another incident in which numerous students were verbally harassed with racial slurs and epithets. The student body has reacted with widespread demonstrations, and the football team had refused to play until the demands of the protesters were met.

Some say that these events are only evidence of political correctness run amok in our university system, and that forcing the President of the organization to resign was an overreach of power by the student body. The argument is that the inequalities that existed in the system were not put in place by the President, but were only addressed slowly by the administration, a problem not worth resigning over. Whatever the case may be, it seems that this is only part of a wider pattern of demands for increased social justice affecting university policies nationwide.

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