Local

Know: Nelly, St. Louis native and rapper, filed countersuit after being sued for sexual assault, Jan. 27.

Inform: Monique Greene sued Nelly for raping her during a tour stop in Washington state, October 2017. Two additional women accused Nelly of sexual assault as well after Greene filed the suit. One accuser claimed that Nelly grabbed her leg and placed his hand under her skirt without consent during a VIP meet-and-greet at his concert in London, June 9, 2016. The other accuser said that Nelly touched her without consent and forced her to have oral sex after they met at his concert in Essex, England, Dec. 5., 2017.

Care: Movements such as Time’s Up and #metoo have sparked awareness towards the growing issue of sexual misconduct. The decisions adults–especially those covered in the media–make influence children who are watching.CAs adults make decisions, those decisions create the context for children to make similar decisions. With increased awareness of speaking up against inequality and the balance of power in the workplace, the movements have inspired people to come forward, spark change. 

National

Know: A fifteen year-old male student opened fire at Marshall County High School in western Kentucky, killing two and injuring 18, Jan. 23.

Inform: Police arrested the shooter on the scene charging him with two counts of murder and 12 counts of first degree assault. The shooter has not been named since the charges are in juvenile court. The shooter killed 15 year-olds Bailey Holt and Preston Cope. The other 14 male and six female victims ranged from ages 14-18.

Care: There have been nearly 300 school shootings in the U.S. since 2013 with 11 so far this year. Unfortunately. school shootings have become a common tragedy. RSD has prepared for this by updating emergency drills to active shooter drills involving  lock down simulations and  escape plans. Rachel’s Challenge speakers spoke, Jan. 3. With the increase of school shootings, presenters encouraged students and faculty to find ways of bringing kindness back to the community.

International

Know: A suicide bombing in Kabul, Afghanistan killed 103 people and wounded 235, 30 of which were police officers, Jan. 28.

Inform: The suicide bomber drove an ambulance loaded with explosives past a security checkpoint. While the policemen were able to identify the attacker at the second checkpoint, they weren’t able to stop them in time. The attack took place in what was considered the most secure part of the city. The Afghan government set aside Monday as a public holiday and Tuesday as a day of prayer for the victims of the attack.

Care: Hundreds of U.S. troops are on their way to Afghanistan to train Afghan troops. Since the mission involves being in the front lines, soldiers have a higher risk of deadly combat situations. Ever since 9/11, the U.S. has been involved with Afghanistan in order to fight terrorism, which is one of the growing issues in the U.S. and around the world. As the U.S. becomes more involved in other countries, more Americans will be at risk. Between sending soldiers out into deadly warfare and threats from North Korea, the U.S. is struggling to balance international relations while maintaining order within the borders.