Ryan Farrick is a freelance writer and small business advertising consultant based out of mid-Michigan. Passionate about international politics and world affairs, he’s an avid traveler with a keen interest in the connections between South Asia and the United States. Ryan studied neuroscience and has spent the last several years working as an operations manager in transportation logistics.


Murder Trial of Jose Ines Garcia Zarate Begins

The murder trial of Jose Ines Garcia Zarate began Monday. Garcia Zarate is accused of shooting a young girl dead on a San Francisco pier just over two years ago. The crime prompted a fierce debate on local and state immigration policies – not only due to its appalling nature, but because the killer is


N.C. Governor Roy Cooper Signs Executive Order Expanding LGBT Rights

North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper signed an executive order aimed at protecting the state’s LGBT residents from discrimination. In part a response to earlier controversy, the action restricts the state government and government-affiliated businesses from discriminating against a variety of groups. The order specifically makes it illegal to discriminate against persons on basis of their



Trump Comments Delay Sentencing of Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl

Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl, an Army deserter and five-year captive of the Taliban, could be facing life in an American prison. The circumstances of the soldier and his capture have been shrouded in controversy since they first emerged nearly eight years ago. On a June night in 2009, Bergdahl sent a series of e-mails to his


Family of Dead Inmate Says Brain-Eating Fungus Went Untreated and Ignored

A new lawsuit claims that a 27-year old Kansas inmate died from a brain-eating fungus after prison officials ignored his health concerns. Marques Davis purportedly suffered from prolonged bouts of confusion and pain. Pleading with employees of Corizon Health, which is tasked with overseeing the health needs of prisoners at the Hutchinson Correction Facility, Davis


Court Refuses to Revive Defamation Suit Against Bill Cosby

A federal appeals court rejected a plea to revive a defamation lawsuit against disgraced entertainer Bill Cosby. The claim dates back to an incident which purportedly took place in 1974. An actress says that Cosby raped her, and later went public with the accusation. After she published an account of her ordeal in a newspaper


Black Contractors Sue Tesla Over Racial Discrimination Claims

Three former contractors in the employ of Tesla filed a lawsuit against the company, alleging racial discrimination and harassment. The Los Angeles Times reports that the plaintiffs – Demetric Diaz, his father, Owen Diaz, and Lamar Peterson – say they were the target of “racially motivated abuse, including the frequent use of racial slurs” while



Trump Administration Appeals Reproductive Rights Decision for Undocumented Teen

An undocumented teenager’s fight for reproductive rights is seeing a new challenge in the form of the Trump administration. The contentious case came into the national spotlight on Monday, and has only escalated since. Late Wednesday evening, U.S. District Judge Tanya Chutkan ruled that the government had to permit a 17-year old illegal immigrant to


Chicago Aviation Officials Fire Officers Over Role in United Airlines Scandal

Months after the United Airlines scandal went viral, Chicago aviation officials have fired two officers and suspended another two over the forcible removal of a passenger from a supposedly overbooked flight. On April 9th, Kentucky-based doctor David Dao was dragged out of a purportedly overbooked flight at Chicago O’Hare International Airport. Dao refused to give