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Sep 307 min read

The Monthly Outlook

POLITICS


Another Attempted Assassination on Donald J. Trump

Written by: Jasmin Pais

Researched by: Carmen Tan, Andy Huang

Edited by: Jessica Kwok


WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. — Donald Trump, Republican presidential nominee, was recently subject to another attempt on his life. On Sept. 15, the former president was between the fifth and sixth hole at the Trump International Golf Course at West Palm Beach, Florida when Secret Service members spotted a rifle barrel with a scope. Agents fired at the suspect who immediately fled the scene. A witness was able to identify the car the suspect got into and soon after, the Martin’s County Sheriff's Office were able to detain a suspect. Three law enforcement sources confirmed that the suspect is Ryan Wesley Routh.  

Routh, 58, was criminally charged on Sept. 16 with illegally possessing a firearm as a convicted felon and for possessing a firearm with an obliterated serial number. Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis was dissatisfied with these charges. He made his displeasure known during a press conference where he stated that he wants a statewide prosecutor to charge Routh with attempted murder. However, since it’s illegal to detain suspects for long periods of time without charges against them, prosecutors typically start with charges that are easier to obtain. Former terrorism prosecutor Steven Ward stated: “when you have somebody like Mr. Routh, who presents a threat to public safety and to the presidential candidate, you want to neutralize it, so you pick them up on whatever the simplest thing it is to hold him on.” 

A few days later, a civilian contacted law enforcement and claimed that Routh had dropped off a box at their residence. The civilian opened the box after learning about Routh’s actions on Sept. 15. The box contained a handwritten letter addressed to “The World,” which stated: “This was an assassination attempt on Donald Trump but I failed you.” The letter also contained Routh’s opinions on Trump’s handling of the Middle East, stating that Trump “.... ended relations with Iran like a child and now the Middle East has unraveled.” The FBI also searched Routh’s Nissan Xterra and found a Hawaii driver’s license with Routh's name, passport and several documents. One of these documents had Trump’s scheduled appearances for August, September and October. Routh is currently in custody awaiting trial as the investigation continues.

This is not the first time there has been an attempt on Trump’s life. He was shot during a rally this July in Butler, Pa. The bullet had grazed Trump’s ear and many people felt that the Secret Service wasn’t doing enough to stop potential threats against the Republican presidential candidate. This time, the Secret Service was able to identify the threat before any shots were fired at Trump. As we get closer to the election date, a question arises: Is the threat of violence against potential leaders enough to get people to act?


Explosive Pager Attack in Lebanon

Written by: Eason Zhu, Lydia Luo

Researched by: Melanie Nguyen

Edited by: Jonathan Zhang

BEIRUT — On Sept. 17, pagers all over Beirut and other regions of Lebanon exploded, killing Hezbollah members and civilians alike and marking another major escalation in the Middle Eastern conflict. As a result of this unexpected attack at least 32 people, including two children, have been killed along with thousands suffering life-threatening injuries to their faces, eyes, and hands. 

While the details remain uncertain about the attack there are things we know for certain: the model of the pagers used in the attack was owned by Gold Apollo, a Taiwan-based pager firm, who licensed its brand out to BAC Consulting, a Hungary-based company to manufacture the devices. According to a Reuters report, Gold Apollo founder Hsu Ching-kuang explained to reporters that "the product was not ours. It was only that it had our brand on it." The Hungarian government said BAC had "no manufacturing or operational site" in the country. A New York Times report added to the sketchiness of the company, claiming that BAC was a shell company that acted as a front for Israel, citing Israeli intelligence officers. 

The founder and owner of BAC, Cristiana Barsony-Arcidiacono, was contacted multiple times for comments and only recently responded to NBC News stating that she was just a “just an intermediate” and never had custody of the pagers. Barsony-Arcidiacono’s mother responded, telling the AP that her daughter was “not involved in any way.” However, despite the claims that her daughter was not connected with the pagers, Hungarian security officials have stated that investigators have concluded that BAC was indeed a shell company and was used by Israel as a part of an operation to deceive Hezbollah, though the direct involvement of Barsony-Arcidiacono remains unclear. 

While the initial effects of the pagers exploding have been devastating to the Lebanese people, the long-term effects have been even more detrimental. Thousands of people have fled to southern Lebanon to seek refuge from Israeli attacks, specifically aerial strikes that have so far killed over 550 people in Lebanon and injured many others. The damages that Israel has caused to Lebanon have been devastating, and the lives lost should be remembered. We should all try to come together in these difficult times and send prayers to the victims' families and friends who are experiencing these losses.


ENTERTAINMENT


Bridgerton Introduces Sophie Baek — Featuring Yerin Ha

Written by: Stella Hung

Researched by: Madison Lee

Edited by: Kate Sum


Just months after Netflix dropped season 3 of “Bridgerton,“ the team has announced that filming for season 4 is already underway. “Bridgerton,” known for its romantic, intriguing depiction of Regency-era London has become one of the most popular shows on Netflix with all three seasons topping Netflix’s most popular charts. The showrunners opened the announcement with this: “The fourth season of ‘Bridgertonm turns its focus to bohemian second son Benedict ... Despite his elder and younger brothers both being happily married, Benedict is loath to settle down — until he meets a captivating Lady in Silver at his mother’s masquerade ball.” This new season features the love story between Benedict, played by Luke Thompson, and Sophie Bae featuring Yerin Ha. The Korean-Australian actress previously acted in “Dune: Prophecy” (2024), “Halo” (2022) and “Bad Behaviour“ (2023). Her ability to challenge diverse roles has made her a rising star in the international acting scenes, and her casting in “Bridgerton” season 4 marks a new milestone in her acting career. Ha’s role as a main lead not only reflects her acting skills, but also represents the diversity of the show, known for its inclusive casting choices and aim to broaden representation in period dramas. 

There is much anticipation for Sofie Baek — renamed from Sofie Beckett — as the TV series has been known to take its own spin on their adaptations. When asked about the role, Ha told Tundum: “What drew me to Sophie was that she immediately has obstacles — something that she constantly has to overcome …. Whether it’s this battle around social status or trying to hide her feelings from Benedict.” The magic of season 4 revolves around a familiar Romeo and Juliet plot line with real world intricacies tied in, creating a Cinderella moment for the couple who needs to fight through the opinions of high society to reach their happy ever after. Sofie Baek’s role may be shrouded in mystery for now, but one thing is certain — Yerin Ha’s portrayal is set to give the audience something new to discover, adding a new chapter to the “Bridgerton” world. 


Taeil Leaves NCT Following Assault Accusations

Written by: Tasnimul Fahim

Researched by: Anderson Li, Stephanie Zhou

Edited by: Rui Zheng


SEOUL, South Korea — In a statement released Aug. 28, SM Entertainment announced Moon Tae-il’s departure from NCT. According to the company, the decision was made after the singer was “accused in a criminal case related to a sexual offense” and “after discussing with Taeil, it’s been decided that he will withdraw from the team …. We deeply apologize for the controversy caused by our artist.” Fans of NCT were quick to see this announcement, which accumulated about 45.7 million viewers within the span of three hours. Although this seemed sudden, local news outlets in Korea reported that a criminal complaint against Taeil was filed in June, and SM Entertainment claimed to have been made aware of it earlier in August.

Born in Seoul, Taeil began his singing career in 2013 when SM Entertainment scouted him. He joined NCT in 2016, making him one of the founding members of the multifaceted boy group. Throughout the years all the subgroups of NCT collaborated to make their own full-length albums, which Taeil was closely involved in. However, in Aug. 2023, Taeil got into a motorcycle accident that put his career on hiatus for a few months before working on WALK in 2024 — his last project with NCT. 

This isn’t the only recent controversy NCT has faced. Two months prior to Taeil’s police investigation and departure, his fellow members Johnny and Heachan were accused of prostitution and drug usage. These accusations were mainly online and the artists did not receive criminal charges. In contrast to Taeil, SM Entertainment strongly denied this and threatened legal action against those who circulated the rumors. No public comments were made by Taeil addressing the allegations, but he continues to be cooperative with the ongoing police investigation. As of the time of writing, Taeil is not detained and his case has been passed over to prosecution.


GET INVOLVED & LEARN MORE


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