In Case You Missed It: Scalise, Cuba, Islamic State.

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Welcome to the second edition of “In Case You Missed It,” a weekly news roundup that focuses on some of the biggest news stories from around the globe every week. So, in case you missed it, here’s your week in review:

Congressman Steve Scalise Shot

House Majority Whip Steve Scalise was shot on Wednesday at a Republicans’ early-morning practice ahead of the Congressional charity baseball game.

The shooter, now dead, was identified as James T. Hodgkinson, a 66-year old Bernie Sanders supporter. He was strongly anti-Trump, referring to him repeatedly on social media as a “traitor” and calling for his impeachment. He also stated that “Republicans are the Taliban of the USA,” back in February.

Scalise is in critical condition and has been through multiple surgeries since the shooting.

The left has made this issue, once again, about gun control, even though the gun used — an M4 — is banned in Illinois.

Trump Canceling Obama’s Cuba Policy

During his Friday press conference, Trump announced his intent to cancel parts of the policy that lifted the Cuba travel and trade embargo, an action that Obama took towards the end of his second term.

“Effective immediately, I am canceling the last administration’s completely one-sided deal with Cuba,” Trump said. “We will not be silent in the face of communist oppression any longer.”

Trump restricted free trade and travel to Cuba, but left key parts of Obama’s changes in place, including leaving the newly reopened U.S. embassy in Havana.

“We do not want U.S. dollars to prop up a military monopoly that exploits and abuses the citizens of Cuba,” Trump said, while also pledging that U.S. sanctions wouldn’t be lifted until Cuba frees political prisoners and holds free elections.

ISIS Top-Ranking Official Al-Rawi Killed; Leader Bagdadi Also Possibly Dead

Fawaz Joubair Al-Rawi, top-ranking official of the Islamic State, was killed around noon Friday from an airstrike by an international coalition fighter jet. Al-Rawi, 40, was head of the ISIS financial department, and was also allegedly head of the organization’s “ministry of finance.”

Al-Rawi was known as the mastermind behind the illegal financial transactions that helped to finance the Islamic State.

Russia also has announced that one of their airstrikes last month may have killed the Islamic State leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi.

The leader has frequently been reported killed or wounded since it was clear that he became leader in 2014, which has created a lot of skepticism surrounding this news.

If true, his death would prove costly to the Islamic State, though some are weary, as militaristic foreign policy that repeatedly toppled terrorist organizations has led to the formation of worse organizations with every occurrence.

That’s it for this week’s roundup. Check back every Friday for the news of the week, in case you missed it.

Photo Credit: Al-Furqaan Media

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Nicholas Amato

Nicholas Amato is the News Editor at Being Libertarian. He’s an undergraduate student at San Jose State University, majoring in political science and minoring in journalism.

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