Newshour: Nintendo Saves The Video Game Industry (1988)

 

The 1983 video game crash was devasting to electronic entertainment. Nintendo in order to survive decided to produce home consoles. The Famicom was released in Japan in 1983 and the Nintendo Entertainment System came to North America in 1985. The video game industry remained intact due to Nintendo's new business strategy. The Famicom and NES was marketed as a toy. According to the report from Newshour in 1988 sales hit an estimate of $1.8 billion. Nintendo at the time had two major competitors. This included Sega and Atari. Going into the 1990s, competition would become known as the console wars. The technology was also becoming more advanced. The 8-bit era was considered high tech, but that would not compare to what would come later. Nintendo's rise demonstrates how globalization changed the world economy and culture. A Japanese corporation was seeing success internationally. When new forms of media are introduced, detractors tend to attack it. Some parents were concerned about the time children spent playing video games. Others objected to the focus on boys being the major demographic for sales. Some women complained that female characters were all damsels in distress in Nintendo's games. The 1988 news report criticizes a video game for girls that involved aerobics. Child psychologist Laura Kastner voices this complaint. Kastner did not understand video games are for everyone. Metroid  has female protagonist Samus , Kastner would rather have a game about a woman being promoted in a corporation. Regardless of detractors, Nintendo was able to function in the US. The biggest challenge is not from parents, competitors, or the false notion video games are a horrible influence.  US imposed multiple tariffs in 2025. The following year Nintendo sued the US government. The tariffs caused the increase in prices of Nintendo products. 

Coordinated Attacks By Terrorist Organizations and Rebel Groups Strike Mali

 

Mali has been under attack from multiple terrorist organizations and rebel groups. Since 2012, Mali has been a state of civil war. The attacks were done in coordination and the intent might be to depose the military junta. Bamako was saw breach in security. Besides the capital, other cities and towns were targets. The outbreak of this violence resulted in an assassination. Defense Minister Sadio Camara was killed. So far, there has been no investigation into how security collapsed when Camara's house was attacked. Assimi Goita remains unharmed. The Front for the Liberation of Azawad and Jama' at Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin have been identified as the sources of violence. Most of the attacks are directed at military compounds and bases. More armed groups could be forming with the help of foreign assistance. The Alliance of Sahel States faces a major security challenge. The presence of French troops and UN missions did nothing to end the insurgencies in Mali. France's intent was to exploit Mali's natural resources. The UN wants some type of international relevance, when their credibility is declining. The insurgency can now be described as transforming into a full scale civil war. Malian refugees are seeking safety in Mauritania. The increase of refugee camps has further caused deterioration in human rights in West Africa. ECOWAS or the African Union are not willing to provide assistance to the Malian government fighting a civil war. 

Hu Jintao Removed From National Congress of the CCP (2022)

During the National Congress of the Chinese Communist Party , former president Hu Jintao was removed. The incident generated much international attention in 2022. The explanation was that Hu Jintao was feeling unwell. The escorting of the former president was thought to be political removal. President Xi Jinping has become one of China's most powerful head of state. Making Hu Jintao retire or no longer participate in the National Congress demonstrates a change in political direction. During the Hu Jintao era, China was expanding its foreign relations and opening up to more foreign investment. The 2000s was the period of being more open, which was demonstrated by the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games. The era of  coexistence and understanding was ended with the Asia pivot. President Xi Jinping responded to the sudden anti-China foreign policy from North America and Europe. When President Hu Jintao left office in 2013, relations were already in deterioration due to the rebalancing to the Pacific. Hu Jintao no longer has a large role in the CCP. His removal during the National Congress session demonstrates that President Xi Jinping wants move the CCP away from the influence of senior leaders. 

The Discovery of A New Species of Spinosaurus

 

The Spinosaurus mirabilis is the newest dinosaur to be added to the growing fossil record. More is going to uncovered with advances in paleontology. The Spinosaurus mirabilis differs from other species with what appears to be a horn shaped bone  on its cranium. There is not enough information to state the anatomical purpose. Scientists have known about Spinosaurus' since 1915. The year 2026 was a significant development in the study of these extinct organisms. Questions remain about their behavior and what type of predators they were. Either they swam to acquire pay or stalked their food on shore. New species give insight into the evolution of dinosaurs. The bone on the head was either for fighting or a sexual signal. The bone is to small to be effective for fights. If this was a sexual symbol then this indicates sexual dimorphism in the species. Either it was a male or female trait. This is speculative seeing as it is not possible to do natural observation of extinct animals. The bones of Spinosaurus mirabilis were excavated in Niger. More fossils of dinosaurs could be in the Sahara Desert. What scientists know about dinosaurs is constantly changing. When more fossils are discovered a number of texts are going to be revised to include new information. Spinosaurus mirabilis was a formidable predator, which means it could have been attacking larger animals for food.   

Tim Cook Is Retiring As CEO of Apple

 

Tim Cook is retiring from the position of CEO of Apple. Cook will be going to a new position in the company as executive chairmen. Tim Cook became CEO in 2011, after the death of Steve Jobs. Concerns were raised in the 2010s about Apple's condition with its one of its important founders gone. The corporation has seen major successes with the iPhone, Macs, and Apple Watch. Under Tim Cooks there was the emergence Apple News, Apple TV, and Apple Pay. Apple was shifting from just a focus on hardware and software to other services. Concerns about artificial intelligence and its role are new developments that Apple will have to confront. Then the question of worker exploitation in China has drawn criticism. During Tim Cook's leadership, Apple became more reliant on China for the manufacture of its products. Workers in China are paid less for labor and workers in the US are subject to globalization. Inflation and tariffs are increasing the prices of Apple products. If those prices keep rising, the consumers might seek less expensive alternatives. Apple was able to become dominant through innovation of its technology. Unless smartphones can do more, Apple's success is not secure. John Ternus is set to become the next CEO, when Cook retires from the position in September. There could be a shift back to focusing on hardware products. Tim Cook's leadership of Apple can be described as a period of business  diversification.     

The Death of Ayatollah Khomeini (1989)

 

Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khomeini died in 1989. After intestinal bleeding and  cardiac arrest his decade long rule came to an end. This did not mean the Islamic Republic disappeared. A new process was made in selection of the leadership. Iran's senior clerics selected a new Supreme Leader. Ali Khamenei was selected for the post. Reports stated at the time the Supreme Leader position was going to be made ceremonial. The office was the most powerful one in the Islamic Republic. The post of president was won by Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani. The presidential office was tasked with the actual running of government. Iran's system of succession explains why the targeted assassinations of the leadership in 2026 did not result in regime change. Khomeini's death caused grief among those in Lebanon and Shia Muslims in other West Asian countries. The news report mentions the Iran-Iraq War and how it harmed Iran's economy. What was omitted was that Saddam Hussein was armed by the West in an attempt to remove the theocratic government. The Iran-Contra affair revealed that the US was arming both sides of the war.  Former President Jimmy Carter acknowledged that Ayatollah Khomeini was seen as a heroic figure. This was because the Pahlavi monarchy was deposed by the Iranian Revolution. The West at the time had a desire to work with more moderate forces in Iran. After the support for the Pahlavi monarchy and Baathist Iraq, Iran was not willing to have diplomatic relations.    

The End of The Viktor Orban Hungary

 

After 16 years, Prime Minister Viktor Oban was defeated in an election. During his administration, xenophobic nativist nationalism was embraced. While his racism was documented prior to becoming prime minister, the European Union's disdain of him was due to diplomatic relations with the Russian Federation. Having dialogue with Russia should not be considered an offense. The Russo-Ukrainian War has divided Europe. The election of Peter Magyar does not mean dramatic political change. Magyar was at one time a member of Orban's Fidesz Party. Magyar expressed a desire to end corruption in government and improve public services. These are mere promises and it appears that new economic policies would result in more harm to the public. Hungary refused to stop using Russian energy. A shift to more Western European political direction is taking place. The new government is centre-right, which is suitable to the EU liberal establishment. The desire to stop the rise of right-wing nationalist  populism makes the political establishment embrace conservatives that are their enemies. The project to force European integration generated a backlash. If Peter Magyar fails to solve domestic concerns or foreign policy matters, Hungary could elect another far-right leader. Hungary's population was struggling with a declining economy. The European Union releasing funds is not going to be enough to solve these challenges. At some stage Viktor Orban was going to lose. Being prime minister for years, winning elections become more difficult.