When it comes to what is going on in the news, there are a few topics that everyone should be familiar with. Here is a list of five current events and terms, so that the next time someone, mentions one of them, you can respond with confidence and sound knowledgeable about the topic.

 1.     ISIS

Sometimes referred to as Islamic State or ISIL, this terrorist group has been savagely fighting in Iraq and Syria with the goal of creating an Islamic country spanning the lands of Iraq and Syria. This violent faction is responsible for the beheadings of two American journalists, along with the killing of hundreds of other Iraqi and Syrian civilians.

2.     The Syrian Civil War

This bloody civil war started over two years ago, and is still going on. Rebel groups have been fighting against the Army of President Bashar al-Assad, causing widespread destruction and the displacement of millions of Syrian citizens.

3.     Ebola

This virus has been spreading at an alarming rate in West Africa and is already responsible for the deaths of over 3,000 people. President Obama is planning on sending personnel to Africa in an attempt to combat the deadly disease and aid the overwhelmed health workers there. Recently, United States has had its first Ebola case in Texas, causing many citizens to be alarmed and frightened.

4.       U.S. Airstrikes in Syria

The United States has recently begun airstrikes in Syria, targeting the previously mentioned terrorist group ISIS. The U.S. said it also intends for airstrikes to target oil facilities, as they are a large source of money for ISIS.

5.     Alibaba IPO

Alibaba is an enormous Chinese company worth about $200 billion that is essentially PayPal, eBay, Amazon, and many more technical companies combined into one. IPO stands for Initial Public Offering, which means that the company is selling its stock publicly. Having raised $25 billion for the company, the Alibaba IPO has become the biggest industry in world history.