Final Paper: Current Event Analysis For this assignment, I want you to put yourself into the shoes of a media commentator. You will choose an event/incident/phenomenon currently in the news cycle and provide additional context for the audience. You should respond to the questions in interview style – imagine you are a guest on an “in-depth” exploration of the news topic. There are two steps: 1) Find a specific newspaper or online news media article that describes a current event. Print it out. It has to have been produced in English needs to have been published since the start of this class (May 8, 2017). If you have an article that you wish to write about that was published before the start of the class, you must talk to me for final approval. 2) Write up responses to the following questions. NOTE: The responses have specific word count limits- Remember time and word count are a major challenge in presenting information to the public- if you go over, you’ll be penalized. After each response, please highlight, do a Word Count for that response and list it. (For example – WORD COUNT: 53) INTERVIEW QUESTIONS: 1. What is the basic news story you will discuss? (maximum 200 words). 2. What is the historical context of this story? What should we know about the history of this situation or region? (maximum 500 words) 3. What has changed to make this news now? (maximum 150 words) 4. Why is this news story important to international audiences? (maximum 150 words) 5. What could be an easy misunderstanding that could occur for an audience that does not understand the historical background, and how can you clarify the issue to prevent this confusion? (maximum 400 words) 6. Is this connected to any other stories in the news right now? (maximum 200 words) 7. How do think this situation will resolve – what is your prediction or recommendation? (maximum 200 words). Formatting: Papers should be in 12-pt font Times New Roman, double-spaced, with 1” margins. Direct or paraphrased quotations must be cited and a bibliography must be included. You can use Chicago style, MLA, or APA citations, but please be consistent. Your bibliography should include your news article, any related news stories you mention in question 6, and at least 3 scholarly books or articles on the topic. DUE: Sunday, June 25, 2017 by 11:59pm via email. What to include in email: • • Full paper with word counts and full bibliography. A copy, preferably PDF or direct link, of your article. Running head: CURRENT EVENT ANALYSIS 1 What is the basic news story you will discuss? Summarize the news The basic story in the news that will be under the discussion revolves around the relationship between the Fidel Castro’s regime in Cuba and the US government. The relationship between the US government and that of Cuba has not been good especially after Fidel Castro introduced policies that started distancing the trade relationships with the US (more specificity on policies) Castro drifted his business interests from the United States to the Soviet Union, making the United States feel profound alienation from the land. Besides, the government expropriated the agricultural estates and businesses under the American ownership. Many administrations have wished for the end of the regime of the Castro, with some attempting to plan militia attacks on the government of Cuba to overthrow the administration but without success. In the regime of President Obama, there was the introduction of such policies like funding of the Cuban intelligence and military as well. He introduced fairer rules that facilitated movement of the citizens of the two countries hoping that the relationships between the two lands would improve (Grayson, 2007). (Word count: 175) What is the historical context of this story? What should we know about the history of this situation or region? Cuba and America used to be in good terms in the trade sector until the introduction of the new policies with the Castro’s regime that seemed to bend away from the interests of the United Sates. Initially, the US could do business without any barriers in the country, but there reached a point where the CURRENT EVENT ANALYSIS administration of the Castro started to alienate the US trade and agricultural undertakings in the land. Fidel Castro took the leadership of the country where he started introducing radical policies like the expropriation of the agricultural estates and businesses of America (Segrera, 2017). Entering the trade agreement with the Soviet Union further deepened the distrust of Americans where the economic ties with America seemed severed by the year 1960. Despite the attempts to overthrow the regime, the Castro’s army has been strong to crush down any such attempts. The darkest relationship between the two countries came on October 15 of the year 1962 with the CIA realizing that the Soviet Union was building missile bases in the town of Cuba when Kennedy was still the President in the U.S. Other issues that have been of concern included the crisis in the economy of the land that was such severe that some nationals ran for political asylums to the neighboring territories. Castro released criminals, and political prisoners and people with a mental health condition who landed on the shores of Florida and he refused to take them back. With Helms-Burrton Act, the U.S strengthened its embargo rule in the year 1992 and 1996 in reiteration of the shoot down of 2 US airplanes by Cuba to all the foreign countries trading with Cuba (Segrera, 2017). In the aftermath of Hurricane Michel, an agreement was made to sell food to Cuba by the U.S, and the US has remained its primary supplier since then. For these reasons, most of Presidents have attempted to end the Castro’s regime or rather hope for its ending, but this has not been the case. In the administration of the Obama, he attempted to introduce policies that would 2 CURRENT EVENT ANALYSIS enhance the relationships with the country. However, Trump has been opposed to the policies of the former admiration claiming that the policies were only enriching the Castro’s regime, which required termination for the good of Americans and the relationship between Americans and Cubans. (Word count: 451). What has changed to make this news now?(why is this news happen) and focus on Trump—campaign on cuba; prior to this news article, what was his stance on cuba; then what does this announcement change Some changes were introduced in the past administration that the current President of the US is opposed to, a reason why the media has focused on the matter. The two governments have not had good terms in the history that the US had even attempted to overthrow the government of Cuba. Later on, the Cubans shot two U.S planes. The US strengthened embargo rules in the years 1992 and 1996 with the Act of Helms-Burton. More so, the basis and situation of the political climate have influenced the US tightening the relax restrictions on Cuba. President Obama introduced changes like lifting remitting and travel restrictions for those with families in Cuba. Telecommunications companies were also allowed to do business in the country (Segrera, 2017). These changes, according to Trump’s administration, will encourage tourism and enrich the regime of Castrol that should be terminated for its inhuman undertakings (Word count: 149). 3 CURRENT EVENT ANALYSIS Why is this news story important to international audiences?—Why is Trump’s announcement relevant to international audiences? What effect would canceling President Obama’s policies have on the international community？(ex. International businesses) The international audience cannot neglect the importance of this news story because they form the bigger part of the international community. Therefore, it is important that the audience at the international platform get informed of the political policies and actions taking place across different regions. The international audience makes decisions on the relationship they want to establish with another country based on how such a country relates to the rest of the countries. Besides, political climate as in the case of the two consecutive political administrations has seen an introduction of conflicting policies in one country. Therefore, keeping the international audience informed of these matters to some extent serve as a warning on how a change in administration can affect other countries. Therefore, they will take appropriate caution against changes in the political administration and make informed decisions if they were to be engaged in such actions like international trade affairs (Word count: 149). What could be an easy misunderstanding that could occur for an audience that does not understand the historical background, and how can you clarify the issue to prevent this confusion? The cancellation of the most of the policies that Obama had put in place to improve the relationship between Cuba and the United States can cause a 4 CURRENT EVENT ANALYSIS misunderstanding to the audience who fail to understand the historical background of the matter. Indeed, the relationship between the two countries has had its challenges. I do not believe that any of the two presidents of the U.S took the actions they did knowing that they would not bring the intended benefits to the Americans and the citizens of Cuba (Portes, 2015). For the case of the former U.S President, the policies that he had put in place were intended to facilitate restoration of security and economic progress of the country and the US as a partner. The US government funded the intelligence and the military sectors of Cuba, actions that the current administration of President Trump as opposed to supporting. According to President Donald Trump, continued funding of the country is increasing the strength of the administration of Castro that is believed to be oppressive because it has many political prisoners in custody who are not intended for release by the government of the land. It is clear that the relationship between the US government and that of Cuba has improved greatly following the agreement that permitted the United States to export food to the country. Since then, the US has been the biggest supplier of the food to the country. There is a possibility that the current administration of the US has fear against the history of the relationship that existed between the two countries because we initially found Cuba blocking all the trade and businesses, and agricultural activities belonging to the U.S. The policies that Castro administration introduced did not favor the US and attempts were made on different occasions to see if the regime could be terminated (Portes, 2015). While policies of Obama seemed relaxed and more lenient on the 5 CURRENT EVENT ANALYSIS movement into the country, the administration of President Trump has been opposed to the idea. One of the major reason is that the president believed that the action might further strengthen the powers of the bad administration that affect the Americans and the people of Cuba as well. He believes that continued encouragement of tourism will improve the financial stability and, hence the power of the regime of the Castro. (Word count: 386) Is this connected to any other stories in the news right now? There is other news in the headlines that are connected to the administration of the new US President that basis on change of the relationship of America with other countries. The major concern has been the immigration issues, deportation of the Muslims and the Mexicans among others. Besides, he required that those countries with the Muslim majority be denied the visa cards of coming to the country because he believed that they had a great association with terrorism in the U.S. Through his campaign rallies, Trump promised such reforms that he is currently trying to have implemented. Among them being the international movements for the various reasons, be it business, job, education, or trade. However, the case of the Cuba –America policy of Trump favors the Americans to some extent (word count 130). How do think this situation will resolve – what is your prediction or recommendation? I believe the current situation of the relationship that the President of the US is trying to be to the interest of the US citizens, the citizens of Cuba and other 6 CURRENT EVENT ANALYSIS partners who engage in business with the country. However much the administration may be intending good deeds of the stakeholders, it is likely that there will be retarding of the progress of the country and other people. Restrictions on the movements limit the business engagements and investment opportunities among the interested party. Therefore, Americans wishing to do businesses in the country privately will not succeed because of the travel restrictions (Segrera, 2017). I would recommend adoption of policies that would unite and strengthen relationships between the two countries. Besides, it would be important to facilitate security and well-being of everyone in the country so they can freely engage in different activities like trade, agriculture, and tourism to assist the growth of the country and that of the partnering countries. The restrictions on movements between the two countries, especially, should be limited for the sake of the economic progress but peace and stability should not be compromised. (Word count; 187) 7 CURRENT EVENT ANALYSIS 8 References Grayson, G. W. (2007). Cuba's Developing Policies. Current History, 72(424), 49. Portes, A., & Bach, R. L. (2015). Latin journey: Cuban and Mexican immigrants in the United States. Univ of California Press. Segrera, F. L. (2017). The United States and Cuba: From Closest Enemies to Distant Friends. Rowman & Littlefield. Article link: http://edition.cnn.com/2017/06/16/politics/trump-cuba-policy/index.html
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