The National Interest Foundation Newsletter
Issue 17, October 23, 2019
Welcome to the latest edition of the NIF Newsletter. In this week’s domestic headlines: U.S. Energy Secretary Rick Perry gets set to step down by the end of the year and new polls indicate that a majority of Americans support the impeachment inquiry against President Donald Trump. Meanwhile, around the world: dozens are killed in a mosque bombing in Afghanistan and protests erupt over plans to impose new taxes in Lebanon.
United States
U.S. Energy Secretary
U.S. Department of Energy Secretary, Rick Perry, handed in his resignation to President Trump on October 17th. (Photo from Flickr)
U.S. Energy Secretary to Step Down on December 1st
U.S. Energy Secretary, Rick Perry, announced on October 17th that he would be resigning his position. In a statement released a few days later on October 21st, the Department of Energy said that Perry would be officially stepping down on December 1st. President Trump has stated that Secretary Perry’s replacement is already being considered. The Secretary’s resignation came the day before records subpoenaed by Congress were scheduled to be turned over, with Perry previously expressing that he would not be complying with the subpoena.
New Public Opinion Polls
A recent poll found that a majority of Americans support the House impeachment inquiry against President Trump. (Photo from Getty Images)
New Polls Indicate Growing Support for Impeachment Inquiry
The latest survey from the Pew Research Center shows that a majority of Americans support the U.S. House of Representatives’ decision to begin an impeachment inquiry into President Donald Trump. The results, which were released last week, find that 54% of American adults approve of the investigation into the President’s actions. Young Americans support the House’s probe in even higher numbers, with 63% of respondents aged between 18 and 29 indicating support for the impeachment inquiry. The study surveyed over 3,400 adults between October 1st and October 13th to gauge public opinion regarding the House investigation.
Around the World
Afghanistan
Rescue workers and local villagers sift through rubble to search for survivors of the blast in Afghanistan. (Photo from The Guardian)
Dozens Killed and Injured in Afghanistan Mosque Bombing
A mosque in the remote eastern Afghan village of Jawdara was rocked by a bomb during Friday prayers last week. The mosque sits in the district of Haska Mina, about 30 miles from the provincial capital of Jalalabad. 62 worshippers were immediately killed, with authorities raising the number over the weekend to 73 killed and 36 injured. Of this number, at least 23 were teenagers or younger. The mosque was full when the explosion went off, and locals and authorities spent the weekend sifting through rubble looking for survivors.
Lebanon
Thousands of Lebanese citizens have taken to the streets to protest against government corruption. (Photo from Getty Images)
Protests Erupt in Lebanon Over Plans to Impose New Taxes
Protests erupted in Lebanon last week after a proposed 20-cent tax on all WhatsApp and Facebook Messenger calls was made public. The protests have largely united all sectors of the population to protest the ineffectiveness and corruption of the current government, a shift from the more politically divisive protests that have occurred in the past. In recent years, the country has been facing an economic downturn, weak currency, failing crops and gas supply, and an inability to effectively combat national disasters.
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