Here’s a quick recap of what was going on this week and around the world and in the US:

Philippines won’t be the “little brown brother” of the United States forever
Recently, Philippines foreign secretary Perfecto Yasay made controversial comments on the future relationship between his country and the United States. Despite calling the relationship “cooperative and symbiotic,” Yasay then preceded to say that US leaders should respect the Philippines self determination, adding that they won’t be the “little brown brother” of the US forever. His comments come at a rocky time in relations between his country and it’s most recent colonial master, highlighted when Philippine president Rodrigo Duterte called President Obama a “son of a b*tch.”

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Marine Corps drill instructors under investigation after suicide of recruit, other incidents
At least 20 members of the staff of the United States Marine Corps’ training facility on Parris Island, SC, could face administrative or criminal charges following three investigations of verbal abuse allegations. According to several sources, homophobic and ethnic slurs were used often by drill instructors, as well as physical violence on at least one occasion during exercises. It is believed these tactics contributed to the suicide of Raheel Siddiqui, a Muslim-American recruit with familial ties to Pakistan.

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US-Russia negotiated Syria ceasefire holding (mostly)
Despite some scattered fighting breaking out in the outskirts of Aleppo, US and Russian diplomats agreed that the four-day-old ceasefire was holding. Aid packages are expected to arrive in Aleppo and other besieged cities in the next few weeks.

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Election headlines:
Hillary Clinton returned to the campaign trail on Thursday after spending the previous few days recovering from Pneumonia. (Click here)

Donald Trump says he now believes President Barack Obama was born in the United States, after previously claiming he wasn’t. Obama was born on August 4th, 1961 in Honolulu, Hawaii, according to his birth certificate. (Click here)

Former Secretary of State Colin Powell slams Trump and Clinton in leaked emails. (Click here)

Trump wonders what will happen if Clinton’s security guards stop carrying weapons at events. The comment comes after he said that “Second Amendment” people could influence the election, and that comment was perceived by some as a threat. (Click here)