Speculation is growing that President Donald Trump may try to persuade North Korean leader Kim Jong Un to commit to denuclearization. In return, Trump will announce peace and an end to the Korean war.

With their second summit approaching, Trump has said he would welcome a North Korea that is more focused on trade and economic growth. Although Trump hasn’t stressed human rights, eased tensions could create the space needed for the north to loosen its controls over political and individual freedoms. An announcement like this has the potential to make history.

Everyday millions of gallons of water loaded with toxic metals such as arsenic and lead flow from the most contaminated mining sites in the United States into surrounding lakes and streams without treatment. To date, the Environmental Protection Agency has spent an estimated $4 billion on mining cleanups.

Under Trump, the agency has identified a small number of superfund sites for heightened attention after cleanup efforts stalled. This could continue to drag on for years, with mine clean up funds being cut from $35 million to $13 million in 2019.

TommieMedia columnist Maddie Peters argues foreign language education should be required in elementary schools.

Peters writes, “offering foreign language classes in schools is a way to open students’ minds to different cultures and prepare them for a future in an international and hyper-connected world.” Check tommiemedia.com for the full story.

Carly Noble can be reached at nobl1781@stthomas.edu.