2014: The year's biggest headlines
Ferguson
This small Missouri city is ground zero for the nation's outrage over racial injustice and police brutality, sparked in August when Ferguson police officer Darren Wilson shot and killed unarmed black teen Michael Brown.
Within weeks, more unarmed black men died at the hands of police. The issue came to a tipping point in November when a grand jury decided not to indict Wilson. Protests, some violent, erupted nationwide, with a push for better police training and legislative changes.
Obamacare
Right out of the gate, the Affordable Care Act was besieged with problems. In addition to the continual technical issues and security concerns with the HealthCare.gov website, Americans said the mandated health insurance was not affordable.
In November, Repulblicans filed a federal lawsuit claiming the Obama administration abused its executive authority in implementing the act, among other complaints.
Ebola
The 2014 Ebola outbreak in Africa became even more concerning when the disease spread overseas. The world watched as Dr. Kent Brantly, medical director for Samaritan's Purse in Liberia, was airlifted to Emory University Hospital in Atlanta. Within weeks, a small but growing number of Americans who had connections to Africa were diagnosed, including two Texas nurses who had treated an Ebola patient. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is continuing the efforts to create a vaccine.
Malaysia Airlines Flight 370
On March 8, Malaysia Airlines Flight 370 took off from Kuala Lumpur International Airport in Malaysia bound for Beijing Capital International Airport in China. Less than an hour after takeoff, the plane disappeared with 227 passengers and 12 crew members. Despite the weeks-long multinational effort to find the aircraft in waterways that include the South China Sea and the Straits of Malacca, it has never been found.
Islamic State
Middle East terror group IS beheaded several Western hostages this year, including American journalists Steven Sotloff and James Foley, aid worker Peter Kassig and British aid worker David Haines. IS members said the beheadings are in retaliation for U.S. airstrikes in Iraq. Republicans and Democrats have complained that the U.S. response to the IS has been slow at best.
Marijuana legalization
Early in the year, Colorado and Washington opened their doors to legalized recreational marijuana. Voters in Alaska, Oregon, and Washington, D.C. approved legal recreational use, while Maryland, Minnesota and New York voters approved medical marijuana. In November, Congress approved a provision in the federal spending bill that prohibits the U.S. Department of Justice from using federal money to raid and prosecute dispensaries in states where medical marijuana is legal.
Rosetta comet landing
In January, the European Space Agency announced the Rosetta spacecraft awakened from hibernation after a 10-year journey to rendezvous with a comet. In November, Rosetta released Philae, a mini lander that descended to the comet's surface, marking the first time scientists landed a probe on a comet.
After about 50 hours of work, Philae stopped transmitting data when its batteries died. Observers see the landing as a tremendous victory for space exploration. It's the first step in sending a manned mission to Mars.
Article Source: http://www.upi.com/Top_News/2014/12/23/2014-The-years-biggest-headlines/5611418845644/
Image Source: https://encrypted-tbn1.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcSNSJYW6lE7iy7FCeV7qPuq-NzKU9KNwZHInENRWIjCc0lS5aJf
VOCABULARY WORDS:
1. Ground zero (n.) ~ a scene of great devastation
2. Spark (v.) ~ to set in motion
3. Tipping point (n.) ~ a critical moment in a complex situation
4. Besiege (v.) ~ to surround with hostile forces
5. Mandate (v.) ~ to make mandatory as by law
6. Retaliation (n.) ~ action taken in response for an injury or offense
7. Recreational (adj.) ~ of or relating to the occasional use of drugs for pleasure or intoxication
8. Hibernation (n.) ~ the act of retiring into inactivity
9. Rendezvous (n.) ~ the process of bringing 2 soacecrafts together
10. Probe (v.) ~ to penetrate or explore physically
QUESTIONS FOR DISCUSSION:
1. What do you know about each news in the article? Discuss.
2. What is the latest on Ebola virus?
3. It’s been almost a year but the Malaysia Airline Flight 370 is still missing and everybody is still clueless on what happened to it. Do you think there is still a chance this mystery will be solved? Why?
4. Why is the Rosetta Comet Landing a very important step on manned mission to Mars?
