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In the News is an event hosted at the Paul Meek Library every Wednesday at 4 p.m. The point of the event is to engage students in thought-provoking discussion regarding current events. The current events can be local, regional or global.
“In the News” starts by presenting a globe with multiple pinpoints highlighting areas of hot-topic discussion. The host of the event is Johnnie LaDue, Ph.D., an assistant professor and information literacy librarian at the University of Tennessee at Martin. LaDue started with events from East to West on the screen and opened the forum to discussion with the participants.
At the latest meeting on March 4, the first event discussed was that the impeached former president of South Korea, Yoon Suk Yeol, was found guilty of insurrection and sentenced to life in prison. The ruling, which was highly anticipated among the citizens of South Korea, was delivered by a Seoul court and broadcasted across the nation. Prosecutors had originally asked for the death penalty for Yoon. The verdict and sentence were handed down by a three-judge panel at Seoul’s Central District Court, where Yoon’s supporters and critics gathered amid heightened security.
The next topic discussed was the ongoing war with Iran, as the U.S. enters its eighth day of the conflict as of March 7. President Donald Trump, who called for Iran’s “unconditional surrender,” said Saturday that the country would be “hit very hard.” Saturday morning, a dignified transfer was held for the six American soldiers killed in Kuwait. Among other news in Iran, an airstrike has struck an elementary school in Iran, killing more than 170 people according to Iran. Neither the U.S. or Israel has claimed they were behind the strikes.
Across the globe in Mexico, LaDue focused on the recent killing of the former cartel leader, El Mencho. On Feb. 22, 2026, Mexican Armed Forces killed Nemesio Oseguera Cervantes, known as “El Mencho,” the leader of the Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG). The military operation was held in Tapalpa, Jalisco. The incident triggered widespread, violent retaliation across Mexico.
Another story addressed was President Trump’s State of the Union address, an annual address given by the President to address the nation and current political standings.
Also discussed was the removal of gender affirming health care in federal prisons.
“Under the new rule, trans people will no longer have access to gender-affirming surgery, hormone care, clothing or toiletry items that align with their gender identity,” says an article from Democracy Now!.
When other students were asked if they had any stories they would like to share, one student shared a story about the recent merger between Warner Brothers and Paramount. Paramount, one of the world’s largest streaming platforms, plans to buy Warner Brothers, a move that has often been faced with challenges when companies have attempted to buy Warner Bros. in the past. Paramount has “laid out plans for $6 billion in cuts over the next three years at the combined company — but insisted they could do it without wholesale layoffs,” according to Market Watch.
