Outside Iona
March 12, 2023
Throughout our hectic student lives, we should always remain aware of what is happening around us. In this column, I find some of the most significant things around us and provide you with a small blurb and nitty-gritty details. Here are some of the major events that have been taking place:
President Biden cancerous skin lesion removed.
Last month, President Biden had a cancerous skin lesion removed from his chest. All cancerous tissue was removed, and no other treatment was necessary. Basal cell carcinoma is the most common form of skin cancer, which is easily treatable when detected early. The White House physician commented that this kind of skin cancer does not tend to spread. He also said that the president remains healthy after his physical and fit to successfully fulfill all his presidential duties. Last January, the First Lady also had a pair of basal cell carcinoma cancerous lesions removed from above her right eye.
Information from NPR, NBC News and CNN.
Bolsonaro jewelry scandal.
The former president of Brazil, Bair Bolsonaro, denied he did anything illegal following reports that he tried to bring jewelry worth more than $3 million into the country in 2021 without declaring it to authorities. The jewelry in question is a set of earrings, a necklace, a ring and a watch of the Swiss brand Chopard, which was given to the former president by the Saudi Arabian government when he was in office. Bolsonaro visited Saudi Arabia after attending a 2021 Middle East summit. According to Brazilian law, goods that are brought from abroad that are worth more than $1,000 must be declared for taxation. A Brazilian newspaper revealed that the jewelry was found in luggage belonging to an adviser to Bolsonaro’s mines and energy minister in Sao Paulo’s international airport. The current president, Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, pledged to investigate the matter further.
Information from ABC News, Reuters and The Washington Post.
Bids to the presidency.
As the upcoming presidential election of 2024 comes closer, there has been a lot of speculation over who is going to run. Recently, there have been a couple of key announcements. Author Marianne Williamson announced her bid for the Democratic presidential nomination. She states that her bid is not a direct challenge to President Biden but as a challenge to the system. Williamson, who ran previously in 2020, emphasizes economic issues such as providing free healthcare, free college and free childcare. Although Williamson is currently the only Democrat to challenge Biden, more announcements are expected. President Biden is expected to announce his reelection bid in the spring as he stated in the past that he intends to run. A majority of House Democrats are supporting Biden for a second term, while several Republicans are considering running. President Trump launched his campaign for the presidential nomination in November. Nikki Haley, the former South Carolina governor and United States ambassador to the United Nations, launched her bid for the 2024 presidential nomination.
Information from the Guardian, NBC News and CNN.
Sources:
President Biden cancerous skin lesion removed.
https://www.npr.org/2023/03/03/1161049252/biden-skin-cancer
Bolsonaro Jewelry Scandal.
https://www.cnn.com/2023/03/03/politics/president-biden-cancerous-lesion-removed/index.html
Bids to the presidency.
https://www.cnn.com/2023/02/14/politics/2024-republican-presidential-contenders-list/index.html
