Violent Criminal Groups Claiming More Territory in Mexico

Increasingly, criminal groups in Mexico have been taking more and more control as they become part of communities, police forces, and even the government itself. Mexico's former defense minister was arrested in the United States this month, charged with helping drug cartels. However, this is not an isolated incident, but rather part of a trend of the Mexican government losing control. According to a 2018 CIA study, over 20% of Mexican territory is effectively controlled by criminal groups. Additionally, the Mexican homicide rate is more than 4 times that of the US, and over 77,000 people have disappeared this year alone. This has grown out of the US-Mexican strategy to combat crime. By removing the kingpins and heads of the major crime groups, we have caused them to splinter into potentially 231 different cartels, gangs, and regional bands all within Mexico. Since these smaller groups do not have the same kind of organization as the bigger groups, they are not able to export drugs as easily, so they have now turned to terrorizing the Mexican population itself. Unfortunately, police forces all across Mexico are outgunned and have no real way to fight back against the crime groups, so the problem is only getting worse.

By Claire Mikulcik

https://www.washingtonpost.com/graphics/2020/world/mexico-losing-control/mexico-violence-drug-cartels-zacatecas/

Hong Kong Activist Arrested Near U.S. Consulate

 Activist Tony Chung was Tuesday in Hong Kong in a cafe across the street from the American Embassy while attempting to seek asylum. He was the former leader of the organization Studentlocalism which had called for outright the succession of HongKong from mainland China. Chung had disbanded his group hours before a new Chinese security law aimed  aimed at quashing dissent took effect. This could further increase tensions between the US and China because of recent clashes over their handling of protests in HongKong, the new security law and Trump's statements that HongKong protester would he given political asylum.

https://www.wsj.com/articles/hong-kong-activist-arrested-near-u-s-consulate-11603825538?mod=world_major_1_pos1

Taiwan Doesn't Know Who To Side With Anymore

 Jake Mersch

The "One China" policy has been a hotly contested issue in the past few decades. Is Taiwan part of China rightfully its own country? The United States does not recognize Taiwan as its own sovereign country, however, they do recognize Taiwan's membership in various international groups. The American military has protected Taiwan from attacks by China and Taiwan has responded in kind by siding with the US over Chine on international affairs. Recent;y, Taiwanese officials have become conflicted on the status of their own alliance to the US. They remain partial to American protection but aren't sure if they should attempt a brokered deal with China. As of now, Taiwan will accept protections from and side with the United States on policy issues related to China, but are now considering the advantages siding with China would have in the long run. Overall, many, including Taiwanese leadership, believes that America will continue to win over the island's international relations heart.

https://www.nbcnews.com/news/china/tiny-taiwan-caught-middle-u-s-china-battle-supremacy-n1244521 

United Kingdom Labour Party has Anti-Semitism in Ranks According to Watchdog

The United Kingdoms Labour Party has anti-Semitism in its ranks according to the U.K. equalities watchdog. The party is known to have committed "unlawful acts of harassment and discrimination" toward Jewish people. The Equality and Human Rights Commission sound significant evidence of lack of leadership in how the party handled members who expressed anti-Semitism. The Labour party is currently Britain's opposition party and had been led by Jeremy Corbyn, who has been a part of the party since 1983, but Corbyn stepped down after the worst general election showing since 1935 by the party. Corbyn was the one who allowed this behaviour within the party and has since been suspended by the party. Keir Starmer, the new the Labour leader, said the findings are "a day of shame" for the party and he promised "a culture change" in the party. Corbyn has been the centre of attention of these findings and his suspension has been praised by Jewish and anti-racism groups. Starmer has taken a hard stance on this issue stating that anyone who doesn't see a problem with anti-Semitism or doesn't believe in the findings "should be nowhere near the Labour Party." 

Lucas Burris

https://apnews.com/article/race-and-ethnicity-discrimination-jeremy-corbyn-anti-semitism-europe-6afeed8298a6f2b4e831e53382e632f4

France on highest security alert after terror attack

Three people are dead after a series of stabbing in a by now confirmed terror attack that occurred at the Basilica of Notre-Dame in Nice, France. The suspect, who yelled "allahu akbar" several times during the attack, is in custody. The French president, Emmanuel Macron, said the country had been attacked "by Islamic terrorists". 

France's anti-terror prosecutor's office is now taking on the case and opening an investigation on counts of assassination in relation to a terrorist enterprise, attempted assassination in relation to a terrorist enterprise and terrorist association of criminals. 

The attack comes while France is still reeling from the beheading earlier this month of French middle school teacher Samuel Paty. The attacker who killed Paty had said he wanted to punish him for showing pupils cartoons of the Prophet Mohammad in a civics lesson. It also comes amid mass protests in many Islamic countries against Macron after he spoke up in defense of the cartoons. Additionally, there have been other notable terror attacks in Nice over the past several years. 

President Trump and former Vice-President Biden tweeted that their "hearts are with the people of France". Vladimir Putin, in the meantime, confirmed the readiness of the Russian party to the closest cooperation with French and other international partners in all directions of counter-terrorist activities. 

Article: https://abcnews.go.com/International/people-dead-stabbings-suspected-terror-attack-nice/story?id=73897179

Jan Mueller

Missile Strike Kills Civilians

In Barda, Azerbaijan 21 civilisants were killed by a missile strike. Many more citizens were reported as wounded in this attack. Azerbaijan has claimed that the Armenian military is responsible for this attack and that it is linked to the fighting over Nagorno-Karabakh. Armenia flipped blame onto Azerbaijan by denying any involvement in the attack and claiming that Azerbaijan attacked a maternity ward in Karabakh. One witness said there were three explosions when the bombs were dropped. Two days ago on 10/26/2020 the US got officials on both sides to agree to a ceasefire, but this was not adhered to as of today, 10/28/2020. Azerbaijani officials believe Mr. Harutyunyan is responsive for the attack, as he is accused of several war crimes already. 

Caitlin Hamilton

 https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-54722120

French doctor warns his country has ‘lost control’ of virus

 As we are entering the later months of this year, Covid rates in Europe have been steadily increasing. Italy, France, Germany, and Spain are on their way or are already at the point where they have instituted another nationwide lockdown and curfew. With 20,000 cases a day or more, these nations are scrambling to do what they can to slow down the rate of Covid transmission to take the strain off their rapidly filling hospitals. 

https://apnews.com/article/virus-outbreak-epidemics-health-paris-europe-07081c1203628dad5eb514cdd0819d16

Senate confirms Trump's Supreme Court nominee a week ahead of Election Day

 Amy Coney Barrett was approved by the Supreme Court on Monday, with a vote of 52-48. This has a huge impact on the Supreme Court for generations to come, as now it is 6 Republican and 3 Democrat sitting in for life. Two Republicans agreed this was too close to the election so they voted the other way, although agreeing after election they would vote yes. Democrats are worried that with her being on now, there are health care acts that are in jeopardy with the Supreme Court being set up the way it is right now. Barrett has been answering questions during confirmation hearings but also avoiding many, saying she will be her own Justice while following somewhat like old Justice Scalia. 

By: Tanya Czosek

Link: https://www.cnn.com/2020/10/26/politics/senate-confirmation-vote-supreme-court-amy-coney-barrett/index.html

Spain's State of Emergency Faces Backlash

Today, October 26, the Spanish government is facing fierce backlash for its plan to impose a state of emergency for six months. Both the conservative People's Party (PP) and the center-right Ciudadanos agree that a state of emergency is necessary but not for six months. Pablo Casado, the leader of the PP, said that they would agree to the emergency order but only for eight weeks. Not only is there opposition based on party lines, but also opposition from epidemiologists who suggest that this measure is too little too late. Opposition among citizens is strong because of a fear that the Spanish government will take advantage of their power and abuse the order. With that said, the total number of cases in Spain increased by 50,000 over the weekend bringing the total to 1,098,320 with 35,031 deaths. 

 https://www.usnews.com/news/world/articles/2020-10-26/spain-enters-covid-state-of-emergency-to-much-dismay

Luke Joiner 

Spain Orders Nationwide Curfew Due To COVID

    Spain's Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez announced the curfew will go into effect Sunday night. The curfew will restrict free movement in the country from 11PM to 6AM but will exempt medical needs, work, and care. The curfew will likely remain in place for the next six months as the country will try to get through the winter months with COVID. Spain does not want a repeat of the collapse of the country's hospitals that happened during the first wave of COVID. The curfew can be changed by the leaders of Spain's regions but has to stay within the time from of 10PM to 12AM and 5AM to 7AM. Spain is following the lead of neighbor France, who implemented a 9PM to 6AM curfew early this week. Health officials believe nightlife and parties are to blame for the newest infections in the country. Spain became the first European country to surpass 1 million official COVID-19 cases this week. 

https://apnews.com/article/spain-coronavirus-emergency-europe-2a851229071576fa4fff11162798e3de

Lucas Burris

US election 2020: How Trump has changed the world

This is an interesting BBC article that looks at global opinions of President Trump. Throughout the article, the author lays out all of the major issues that Trump has not had popular policy on, whether it be climate change, immigration, or the media. People around the world see this as incompetence in a leader when there are constant attacks on things that most Americans care about or believe in. There are many subsections through the piece that lay out the ways people see President Trump as an enemy or, at the very least, someone that people should not have confidence in. This piece is very comprehensive and I think it helps people understand how the rest of the world views America, as well as giving perspective on the different issues that Americans have strong opinions about and want to have a say in.

By: Rachel Maida

Article Link: https://www.bbc.com/news/election-us-2020-54541907

Police Cheif in Nigeria Deploys All Police Resources

 The protests in Nigeriato end police violence have become more and more violent on both sides leading to riots and looting. The most recent riot led to a warehouse with food/supplies meant to be distributed to helpduring the COVID lockdowns. President Buhari has recognized that there has been too many deaths on both sides and stated that "enough is enough". The police have been ordered to use all legitimate means and resources be to put an end to any unlawful activities.

BBC- Nigeria protests: Police chief deploys 'all resources' amid street violence

Posted by Cristian Madrigal

Constitutional Referendum in Chile sees Record Voter Turnout

A record amount of Chilean voters came out to the polls to vote on whether or not the country’s current constitution should be rewritten by citizens. The constitution is from the era of Augusto Pinochet, who was the dictator of Chile from 1973 to 1990 and has been the center of protests dating back to last year. Government officials and analysts say that, despite the pandemic, 49% of eligible voters came to the polls which is the highest mark since voting was made voluntary in 2012. Protests over the constitution began over a year ago with societal inequity and poor public services at the forefront of protestors’ grievances. However, the constitution has been changed since Pinochet’s rule to reduce military and executive power. The constitutional referendum has divided much of the population, with one side in favor of keeping the current constitution for its economic growth policies while those in favor of drafting a new constitution feel that the new generation’s voices should be heard and Pinochet’s legacy should be left in the past. The vote is expected to be close, with some opinion polls giving the vote for a new constitution an edge over the existing one. Over 5,000 Chilean votes have already been casted and counted from citizens overseas with 87% of those voters in favor of a new constitution. The winning side needs just a simple majority in order to keep their constitution intact or to write a new chapter in their country’s history. 

Trevor Mohrmann

Belarus protests: Nationwide strike to go ahead, says opposition leader

 In response to police firing stun grenades at protestors, Belarusian opposition leader Svetlana Tikhanovskaya called for a nationwide strike. Tikhanovskaya threatened the strike if Alexander Lukashenko does not resign. Protests havebeen taking place in Belarus in response to the election of Lukashenko that many believe was rigged. Protests in Minsk marched towards Lukashenko's residence at the Independence Palace and were broken up by Belarusian police using stun grenades, rubber bullets, and water cannons. Opposition leader Tikhanovskaya delivered her three demands from a location in Lithuania, where she has been in exile since August.

Michael Sorensen

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-54684753

Covid: Spain imposes national night-time curfew to curb infections

Europe has recently seen a spike in their covid infection numbers starting in late September. Many of these countries have seen record number of cases over this weekend in October. This has caused many countries to start implementing restrictions once again. Countries like Italy and Spain that were hit hard at the start of the pandemic are bringing back restrictions although they are not as tough. Gyms, bars, restaurants, and theaters are being shut down and some have to close sooner. It seems to be that leaders are wary of bringing back tougher lock downs because of the economic impact and not mention that they are very unpopular. Some countries like Czech Republic and the Netherlands imposed restrictions at the start of the month yet they had record numbers of cases this weekend, another reason for the wariness. The new lock downs hope to prevent a tougher "second wave" this fall and winter.    

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-54682222

Jimmy Oropeza

What Biden Means for Russia

Analysts are saying that if former VP Joe Biden wins the upcoming election it could mean increased tensions and raised sanctions in Russia. U.S and European relations would likely improve but due to mutual distrust and issues with Russia there would only be downsides should trump lose the election. Some of this distrust goes back to when Joe Biden was vp and pushed for sanctions against Russia in response to the 2014 Ukrainian crisis. A statement from both sides did however, say that there could possibly be progress in relations because of a new Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty.

Julia Babinec

Nigeria Protests: What’s Happening and Why Are People Demonstrating Against SARS?

Large-scale protests have broken out against SARS (Special Anti-Robbery Squad) Taskforce in Nigeria and Nigerian diaspora communities globally. The Taskforce has long been accused of violent harassment, police brutality, extortion and other forms of corruption all while acting with impunity. These protests were met with police crackdowns and ant-riot tactics including Nigerian soldiers firing lives rounds at peaceful protesters in an Upscale Community named Lekki Toll Gate last Tuesday, resulting in the death of several protesters. These actions of Nigeria's government are very problematic for The United States, as the country is our largest ally in Sub-Saharan Africa and an avid customer of our arms industry. The United States has condemned the actions of the actions of the Regime, as did the African Union and most of the World's prominent democratic nations.

Brock Montford

https://www.wsj.com/articles/nigeria-protests-whats-happening-and-why-are-people-demonstrating-11603277989

Bangkok Is Engulfed by Protests. What’s Driving Them?

 Thailand is still seeing record numbers of protests throughout the country and specifically in Bangkok. The revolt was started by students who disagreed with the military's influence in the classroom and soon became a nation wide rebellion. There have been more and more protesters in the Country's capital and they have 3 demands that they chant, "Resign, Rewrite, Reform". The country experiences great economic and social disparities, and the citizens have finally taken a stand and demanded change. This is important for the citizens, Democracy is a great step in the way of equal rights. The prime minister has yet to listen to the protesters, and have been trying to break up the protests in a multitude away. However, they government has not had much luck, as the protests have only been growing. 

-Joey Droll

https://www.nytimes.com/2020/10/24/world/asia/thailand-protests-explainer.html

Europe Imposes New Covid-19 Restrictions as Second Wave Accelerates

 With cases rising in the thousands in European countries such as France, Italy, and Spain, new restrictions are being put in place. Italy has put the toughest restrictions since the end of lockdown, which includes a forceful closure of bars a restaurants at 6pm. Spain has declared a state of emergency, just as they did in March. This state of emergency gives the Spanish government. more power to enforce social-distancing rules and health-care policies. However, on the bright side is the fact that the death toll in this second wave is not nearly as bad as it was in the first wave from March to April. 

Logan Schaefer

https://www.wsj.com/articles/european-countries-announce-new-covid-19-restrictions-record-infections-11603638712

Fighting Over Nagorno-Karabakh Continues,

Armenia and Azerbaijan continue to fight over the long-disputed region of land, Nagorno-Karabakh. This region has been at the center for conflict for decades. Recently, the United States hosted diplomats from both nations to try to workout the issues. Just a few hours after the diplomatic meetings, missiles and artillery continued to strike residential zones of the region, causing a lot of commotion. Azerbaijan continues to use their Soviet-designed weapons to attack. Many residential areas are now rushing to put out fires that are ravaging the area. It will be interesting to see if any other nations intervene.

BY: Cooper Hoffmann

ARTICLE LINK: https://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory/fighting-nagorno-karabakh-us-mediation-73801875

Two Muslim women stabbed and attacked by the Eiffel Tour

Kenza and Amel were in the park with seven of their relatives, including four children, and were frightened by unleashed pitbulls nearby. They asked the two women to control their dogs and to keep them away from the children. Kenza and Amel were called "dirty Arabs" and told to "go back to your country". They were attacked and one woman had her hijab ripped off her head and both women were stabbed. Kenza was stabbed six times and ended up in a local hospital with a punctured lung and Amel needed surgery for the stab wounds on her hands. 

The Muslim community in France has noticed a dramatic rise in Islamophobia and credit it to the the French governments clampdown on Mosques and Muslim organization. 

Serena Merhebi

https://nypost.com/2020/10/21/muslim-women-stabbed-called-dirty-arabs-in-eiffel-tower-attack/

How Bolivia Overcame a Crisis and Held a Clean Election

Earlier this week, Bolivia held its presidential election. As the vote neared, many voiced concerns about how the election would be run and how people would respond to the result. Candidates worried over the possibility of fraud in the vote and citizens were anxious that there may be violence in response. Yet, the election ran very smoothly. Luis Arce, ally of former leftist president Evo Morales, won a landslide victory that was widely accepted. Concern came after Morales ran for a controversial fourth term last year and was promptly ousted following accusations of vote rigging. Yet the Organization of American States, which heavily criticized the 2019 election, reported on this race as fair and without fraud. The smooth response may also have to do with who won. Arce had argued, and his supporters agreed, that the result could not be trusted if he did not emerge the winner.

https://www.nytimes.com/2020/10/23/world/americas/boliva-election-result.html

Anthony Grammich

“Nigeria Protests: Police Chief Deploys ‘all resources’ amid street violence.”

Looting is happening amidst the protesting of end-SARS in Nigeria. Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) is police force developed to quell civil unrest but has been found violating the law through tactics such as violence and harassment. Protesting began in early October and has not only extended to the end of SARS but also reform within the Nigerian system of government in general. During some of the protests several people were shot and around 12 died in Lagos and 69 in “street violence”. Looter have hijacked the movement and have begun to raid supplies for Covid relief. Many different activist groups are encouraging members and people to follow the procedures set forth by the Nigerian government. It is always interesting to see what is happening around the world in a time of crisis, such as a pandemic. As people are unable to get their needs met, I believe they are becoming more aware of the corrupt system that they live in. It is kind of like the McDonalidaztion theory, instead of war we can go get McDonalds or go to the Gap, but now that we can no longer do those things and be distracted by them are discontentment for the system if growing. I am guessing that in the near future and far after the pandemic is over, we will see major social shifts in the world. https://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-54678345 Jena Livesay

 In 2014, the Colombian government signed a peace agreement with the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Columbia, the largest rebel group in the country. The government agreed to provide education, health care, and safety for the areas that had been beaten down by the longstanding civil war. However, instead of the government showing up to these areas, criminal groups moved in. 

People from these areas are now protesting after numerous mass killings. One of the protesters has said that if this doesn't stop, "we will be exterminated." These indigenous groups have now called for a meeting with the Columbian president Ivan Duque to discuss the violence and call for action from the government. 

https://www.nytimes.com/2020/10/24/world/americas/colombia-violence-indigenous-protest.html

Mason Semmler

Putin: Russia-China military alliance can’t be ruled out

        Vladimir Putin, the Russian President, said that a military alliance between China and Russia was unnecessary at the time but in the future may occur. Putin revealed to international foreign policy experts that Russia has also been sharing military technology with China to boost China's military potential. As tensions between the United States and China increase the neighbors seem to cooperate on a greater scale than previously. Despite this, there still is a cooperation between the US and Russia in regards to New START, a pact that limits each countries nuclear warheads and deployed missiles and bombers with inspections to ensure compliance. Washingtons insistence on China joining was a point of contention however both sides seem to have moved on from this demand in favor of limiting new weapons.

 Link: https://apnews.com/article/beijing-moscow-foreign-policy-russia-vladimir-putin-1d4b112d2fe8cb66192c5225f4d614c4

Matthew J. Nealon

Poland Abortion Ban

Poland has ruled that the only permissible abortions are I cases of rape, incest, or when the mother's health is at risk. This now excludes fetal defects as acceptable premises for abortions, which accounts for 98% of abortions in Poland yearly. The top court decided that these types of abortions are unconstitutional. Of the judges serving on the court currently, a majority was nominated by the same party. This new ban will almost effectively ban all terminations because only 2% of terminations were not due to fetal defects. Although Poland is strongly Catholic, the opinion polls showed that a majority of citizens did not agree with more restrictive laws. Last year there were only about 1,000 legal termination performed last year but 80,000 and 120,000 Polish women travel to seek termination. 

Caitlin Hamilton

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-54642108

Pope Francis calls for Civil Unions for same-sex couples

 In a documentary about him released on Wednesday, Pope Francis advocated for civil union laws for same-sex couples. He wants homosexuals to be protected by the law and to be welcomed into the Church family. He proposed that "they're children of God and have a right to a family. Nobody should be thrown out, or be made miserable because of it." The Pope has already proven to be progressive in his care for all people, but this is an especially major step for Catholicism. While the Pope's statements do not change any official doctrine, it opens the door to acceptance and welcome of LGBTQ+ people around the world. It is a significant step towards unity in this otherwise chaotic and divisive time.

By, Claire Mikulcik

https://www.nbcnews.com/feature/nbc-out/pope-calls-civil-unions-same-sex-couples-major-departure-vatican-n1244137

Emiratis Land in Israel, Firming New Ties and Angering Palestinians

The U.A.E. have agreed with Israel to ease travel between the two nations and upgrade West Bank checkpoints during the first official U.A.E. visit to Israel since the countries normalized relations.

https://www.nytimes.com/2020/10/20/world/middleeast/israel-uae-travel-checkpoints.html

Stuart Elliot

Khashoggi's Fiancé Files Suit Against Saudi Crown Prince

 Jake Mersch

The fiance of the late Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi filed a lawsuit against the Saudi Arabian Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman in a US courtroom on Tuesday. It has been more than two years since the Washington Post journalist entered the Saudi embassy in Turkey and never came back out. His fiance,  Hatice Cengiz, with Democracy for the Arab World Now (DAWN) has filed a suit against MBS and twenty-four other "co-defendants" alleging they "tortured, murdered, and dismembered" at the direction of the Crown Prince. Current foreign officials are exempt from civil suits in the US, however, the Torture Victim Protection Act allows plaintiffs to sue for violations of basic human rights by foreign officials while they are in office.

https://www.foxnews.com/world/jamal-khashoggis-fiance-sue-saudi-crown-prince-mbs 

The EU and the UK still haven’t reached a post-Brexit agreement. What’s next?

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said the UK needs to prepare for no deal - but talks are probably not done yet.

Johnson had set October 15 as the date for the United Kingdom to reach a trade agreement with the European Union, but both sides are still at an impasse over their future relationship. Members of both parties acknowledged they should step up preparations for the possibility that no agreement will be reached ahead of the actual deadline, which is the end of the year. 

Even though Brexit talks are not totally dead, they're definitely entering a much more precarious phase. There has been progress in some areas, but both sides remain mired on the major sticking points (state aid and the level playing field, governance, fisheries, sharing data on security and crime fighting, trade in goods and services, and financial services).

Time is really running short: any agreement needs to be reached by the end of October, so that the European Parliament has time to review and approve this brand new relationship. While the probability of a last-minute fudge can't entirely be ruled out, that only seems likely if there's real movement on the major issues in this future relationship. 

One firm estimated a no-deal Brexit plus Covid-19 could cost the UK economy $174 billion per year over the course of the next decade, and Johnson is trying to file all economic disruption under the category of Covid-19 rather than Brexit and his hoping that nobody notices. Both the UK and the EU want to avoid this no-deal scenario, but as more and more self-imposed deadlines pass, the real one is getting closer - without any clear sign of compromise. 

Article: https://www.vox.com/2020/10/16/21519127/brexit-boris-johnson-no-deal-eu-negotiations

Jan Mueller 

Trump to Remove Sudan From List of Countries That Sponsor Terrorism

 In effort to work on normalizing relations between Israel and other nations, Trump has agreed to take Sudan off the State Sponsors of Terrorism list, as soon as they pay $335 million to U.S. terror victims and families of these victims. This took a little bit as some congress saw issues with how this could affect the September 11 attacks. The White House has been pushing for Sudan to normalize with Israel, but that part plays separately with the agreement, even though it will be engaged in the second part of this compromise. When these ties are normalized, it can help Sudan’s economy with less trouble from the U.S. This plan can help further Sudan’s relations with multiple places, while clearing their name from the list.

BY: Tanya Czosek

Link:  https://www.wsj.com/articles/trump-to-remove-sudan-from-list-of-countries-that-sponsor-terrorism-11603133461

Sudan pledges $335M for Victims of 2 US Embassy Bombings

 The United States plans to remove Sudan from the terrorism blacklist in exchange for $335M for victims of two US embassy bombings in Tanzania and Kenya in 1998. The former president of Sudan, Omar al-Bashir, is alleged to have had involvement with the group responsible for the attacks: al-Qaida. Sudan has been designated as a state-sponsor of terrorism since 1993 which has caused tremendous pain on the Sudanese leadership and the Sudanese people. The pledge to pay $335M is a sign from Sudan that they want to shift away from their previous regime under al-Bashir to a democratic government. The US government hopes that this will lead to Sudan normalizing relations with Israel as they follow the example of the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain. However, there has been pushback to both of these as the Sudanese people argue that it is unfair for Sudan to have to pay for the actions of al-Bashir. Moreover, Sudan's willingness to normalize relations with Israel will take a lot more time and deep discussion within society. 

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/oct/19/us-removes-sudan-from-terrorism-blacklist-in-return-for-335m

By Luke Joiner 

More than 27 million ballots have already been cast. Here's where early voting opens this week

 We are 16 days away from election day. Of the ballots cast so far, there are 20% more votes than the election in 2016. In Georgia, the number of ballots casted is up by 1,450,000 or 152% from 2016. There are many other states where the numbers are going up as well. This shows that a lot more people are registering to vote. 

https://www.cnn.com/2020/10/18/politics/what-matters-october-18/index.html

Israel stops issuing visas to UN human rights agency

Israel stopped issuing visas to United Nations human rights worker in Palestine, which forced 9 out of 12 of them to leave, and the visas of the remaining three are set to expire in the next few months. Omar Shakir, the Israel and Palestine director for Human Rights Watch, said "forcing out human right monitoring groups is part of a clear strategy that aims to muzzle documentations of Israel's systematic repression of Palestinians." Israel claims he supported calls to a boycott and Shakir says this move is apart of a wider trend where Israel is denying entry to human rights worker who have criticized Israel. 

The government also banned Mohammed Assaf, a Palestinian pop singer from returning home. Politicians say it was because Assaf released a video that called for resistance against the occupation of Palestine. Assaf posted on Instagram saying "nothing but a continuation of the policies of oppression and curbing the freedoms suffered by my people to whom I belong in heart, form, entity and spirit and it will not stop me loving and singing about my country in every state." 

https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2020/10/16/israel-stops-issuing-visas-to-un-human-rights-workers

Serena Merhebi

Top White House Official Went to Syria for Hostage Talks

 Two Americans, freelance journalist and former Marine Austria Tice and a therapist Majid Kamalmaz, have been missing in Syria for years now. The former since 2012 and the ladder since 2017. There are also believed to be four more Americans held by the Syrian government but little is known about them. A deputy assistant to President Trump and top White House counterterrorism official went to Damascus earlier this year to try and secure their release. This is significant because this is the first direct contact the U.S. government has had with the Syrian regime since 2012. 

Logan Schaefer

https://www.wsj.com/articles/top-white-house-official-flew-to-syria-for-talks-to-free-u-s-hostages-11603058616?mod=politics_lead_pos1

China Warns U.S. It May Detain Americans Over Prosecutions: WSJ

The article describes how China is warning the U.S government that if they don't stop prosecuting Chinese scholars then they will detain Americans in China. Chinese internationals that are being prosecuted are scholars who have ties to the Chinese military. The Trump administration continues to accuse the Chinese government of espionage and they of course deny it. This is why the U.S is also warning Americans to not travel to China because of the threats they are making. Essentially the U.S government is saying that China is willing to bend their laws in order to detain innocent Americans and use them as leverage. China makes the same claim, that the U.S is illegitimacy detaining Chinese citizens who only travel to the U.S for research. This shows the growing tensions between both countries that both seemingly show no sign of backing down. 

https://www.usnews.com/news/world/articles/2020-10-17/china-warns-us-it-may-detain-americans-over-prosecutions-wsj

Jimmy Oropeza

Nigerian migrant worker burned alive in Libya

According to the Libyan interior ministry, a Nigerian migrant worker was doused in petrol and set on fire by three men in a factory in Tripoli. Tripoli's interior ministry said on Wednesday that the three suspects are Libyan nationals and have been detained. Libya has been accused of being a hostile environment for migrants, many of whom pass through Libya to reach Europe but are returned to Libya by European authorities. Amnesty International released a report last month detailing the human rights abuses that Migrants face in Libya. Thousands of these migrants are believed to be held in detention centers in Libya that are controlled by the internationally-recognized government in Tripoli. In 2017, CNN reporters witnessed men being sold into slavery in Libya.

Michael Sorensen

https://www.cnn.com/2020/10/08/middleeast/nigerian-worker-libya-burned-intl/index.html

New Zealand's Ardern wins 2nd term in election landslide

        Jacinda Arden, New Zealand's prime minister, won a second term in a landslide election. Arden's Labour party, which is left-leaning, won 49% of the vote compared to just 27% for the next highest party, the right-leaning National Party. The New Zealand parliamentary system generally meant coalitions had to be built, however this time, the Labour party has full autonomy to govern. A primary reason for this has been Arden's ability to prevent COVID spread throughout the nation of 5 million people. Currently, there are no social distancing or masks requirements in place. This year's ballot included questions on marijuana legalization and euthanasia; both results have yet to be announced.

Article: https://www.foxnews.com/world/new-zealands-ardern-wins-2nd-term-in-election-landslide

Matthew J. Nealon

‘We Have to Speak Out’: Thai Students Defy Protest Ban

 Thailand has seen many anti-government protests over the past few weeks, and over the weekend the Thai authorities tried to shut down parts of Bangkok's commercial center as well as public transportation to try and limit the protests. However, this did not work, as tens of thousands of members of the pro-democracy movement flooded the streets. Many of these members are students, many of whom are on social media and can see what other democratic countries look like. Many people of all ages in Thailand have been upset with the current political climate and the growing wage gap, and they are happy that the younger generation has had the courage to stand up to the government. The Thai authorities have gone to great lengths to try and silence the movement, but it doesn't seem to be working as the protests and the movement continue to grow. 

Joey Droll

https://www.nytimes.com/2020/10/18/world/asia/thai-students-protest-democracy.html

Taliban accuse the U.S. Military of violating the U.S.-Islamic Emirate accord

 The Afghan Taliban has recently accused the United States military of violating their February accord by carrying out "excessive attacks" involving aerial and bombing tactics. The taliban has made these claims even after carrying out a 10 day attack in Hemland. People are curious and angry about why the government of Afghanistan is still having peaceful talks with the Taliban especially due to the fact that the Taliban has has been harder on negotiating after President Trump said he wanted to withdraw U.S. troops by the end of the year. Qari Yousef Ahmadi release a statement and one of the claims he made was that all th consequences and responsibility of the accord violations fell solely on the United States. The United States has claimed that it's actions have not violated the accord and that the Taliban's recent attacks injuring Afghan civilians do not help their attempt in accusing the U.S. military.

Cristian Madrigal

Washington Post- Despite its 10-day assault in Helmand, Afghan Taliban accuse U.S. military of violating February accord

UK Festival Curator Accuses UAE Minister of Sex Assault

 The chair of Britain's Hay Literary Festival said Sunday that the event will not return to Abu Dhabi after one of the festival's curators alleged that she was sexually assaulted by the tolerance minister of the United Arab Emirates while working with him.

https://apnews.com/article/entertainment-nahyan-bin-mubarak-al-nahyan-abu-dhabi-united-arab-emirates-41706f5f1b22822169e77b3d9a6637c1

Stuart Elliot

Nigeria: Crackdown on Police Brutality Protests

    In the wake of increased occurrences of Black Lives Matter protests in America spanning the past few months, numerous other large scale human rights movements have broken out across the globe. In recent weeks, Nigeria has been one of these hotspots. Young people across the nation are making their voices heard, speaking out against the nation's Special Anti-Robbery Squad, otherwise known as SARS. Since its formation in 1992, tasked with the mission of combating serious crimes in Nigeria, the unit has instead committed human rights abuses agains the people it has sworn to protect. Examples include, but are not limited to "extrajudicial killings, torture, arbitrary arrests, unlawful detention, and extortion." Often times, it is young people who appear well off or who have dreadlocks and tattoos who are targeted. In response to the protests, the Nigerian government has declared that SARS will be dissolved and has promised to curb police brutality. Despite this step, Nigerians are still largely dissatisfied, seeing the move as superficial. So far, at least 4 demonstrators have been killed, and many others have been brutally beaten. Protests have continued, accompanied by louder calls for more sweeping reforms in the country as a whole. 

By Rola Goke-Pariola

https://www.hrw.org/news/2020/10/16/nigeria-crackdown-police-brutality-protests#

Tropical Storm Nangka and Deadly Landslides in Vietnam

To give some background before getting into the story from today; tropical storm Nangka has been wreaking havoc in Southeast Asia. Prolonged rainfall since early October has created perfect circumstances for the flash floods and landslides that have recently been occurring. In a report from Oct. 13, 40 people between Cambodia and Vietnam had been killed and over 130,000 houses in Vietnam had been impacted. Then today there was a report that there is a search to find 11 soldiers whose barracks were buried by a massive landslide. Vietnam's 4th military region was the one hit by the landslide, just days after a rescue team (13) was killed while trying to rescue workers from a hydropower plant. The updated death toll is now 70 and there is fearful suspicion that flood waters will continue to rise in the next few days.

Julia Babinec

Kim Jong-un Military Parade Speech

 

    During the military parade that was held in North Korea on the 12th of October, leader Kim Jong-un addressed the people in a very bizarre way. He apologized to his people for his poor leadership going as far as to say, "Our people have placed trust, as high as the sky and as deep as the sea, in me, but I have failed to always live up to it satisfactorily. I am really sorry for that". This came as a shock to many because Kim Jong-un normally is not this forward when it comes to addressing his people and he even shed a tear while giving this speech. The Korea Times believes that this speech was due to the immense pressure that Kim Jong-un is under from his administration regarding the COVID-19 pandemic. Mr. Hong from the Korea Times believes that Kim Jong-un is worried about the instability of his regime. 

-Faith Brouwer 

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/im-really-sorry-kim-jong-un-sheds-tears-over-his-failings-in-rare-apology-to-north-korean-people/ar-BB19W8Er?ocid=uxbndlbing

Israel and Bahrain Establish Diplomatic Relations

 The dispute between Israel and Palestinians has caused most Arab states in the Middle East to boycott the establishment of official relations with Israel. However, today, the U.S. brokered a deal between Israel and Bahrain--which will be the fourth country to now recognize Israel behind the UAE, Egypt, and Jordan. 

The two countries have now established full diplomatic relations and are expected to open embassies. The foreign minister of Bahrain said that he hopes for "fruitful bilateral co-operation in every field," and called for peace in the region.

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-54589235

- Mason Semmler

France Teach Attack: Rallies held to Support Beheaded Samuel Paty

A teacher in France was beheaded because he showed his students a picture of the Prophet Muhammad in class. 11 people in total have been arrested in relationship to the crime. Many people protesting have started using the saying “We Are France,” and “Je suis enseignant”. The President of France has remarked that it looks like a terrorist attack. In 2015 a cartoonist Charlie Hebdo was killed after publishing a picture of the Prophet. Many of the protests have been taking place in the Place de la République and in 2015 around 1.5 million people showed up in support of Hebdo. Mr. Paty will also be given a national tribute on Wednesday. The apparent person who killed the Mr. Paty, snuck up on him with a knife and cut off his head, the suspect also had no connection with the teacher or with the school he worked for. The suspect was then killed by police. The teacher himself had used the picture of the Prophet as a way to show free speech and asked Muslim students to not look if in case the image might upset them. Mr. Paty has also received criticism in the past from parents and others in the community. Jena Livesay https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-54589241

United Nations Arms Embargo Against Iran Ends Sunday

The United States has objected to the ending of the embargo, but the decade-long U.N. arms embargo of Iran will end as a part of the nuclear deal the U.N. has with Iran. The ban barred Iran from buying and selling weapons internationally, specifically banning them from buying weapons like tanks and fighter jets. The U.S. worries that Iran will enter a "buying spree", but Iran has stated directly that they will not. However, the U.S. believes Iran will begin to buy weapons from Russia and China including fighter jets, aircrafts, tanks, and anti-aircraft missile systems. In response, the U.S. will continue to enforce sanctions on Iran as the U.S. is not a part of the nuclear deal. The Trump administration has warned the rest of the world that if they buy or sell from Iran they will face consequences.  

Lucas Burris

https://apnews.com/article/tehran-middle-east-iran-united-nations-united-states-6b6600decc0436b0aa52578fc7bfa374

Guineans set to vote in tense presidential election

 Following months of unrest, Guinea is set to vote among 12 candidates for the presidency. Notably, incumbent Alpha Conde is running for a third term, after pushing through a new constitution earlier this year that allowed him to skirt by the two-term presidency. In 2010, Conde became Guinea's first democratically elected president after years of military rule. He had even been jailed for his opposition to Guinea's military government. But, he now seems to be trying to sidestep the democracy he helped set up by running for a third term and coming down hard on protests that came up after the new constitution was passed. The vote will be held on Sunday and results will be known a few days later. A candidate will need at least 50% to win outright, or a runoff will be held in November.

https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2020/10/17/guinea-polls

Anthony Grammich

New Zealand Prime Minister Wins Re-election in a Landslide

Jacinda Ardern, the Prime Minister of New Zealand, won her re-election campaign in a landslide on Saturday. Ardern’s party, the center-left positioned Labour Party, also won big, taking 64 of the 120 seats within the country’s parliament. It is the first time since the introduction of New Zealand’s Mixed Member Proportional (MMP) representation in 1996 that a party has won the majority of seats in Parliament. Under the MMP, voters are asked to vote twice; once for their preferred party and once for their preferred candidate (the representative of that certain part of the electorate). Prime Minister Ardern’s Labour Party received 49.1% of the preferred party vote, channeling to 64 members of the party being elected to parliamentary seats. Ardern’s victory does not come as a total surprise. In fact, she has been praised by other world leaders for her kindness and compassion, guiding New Zealand through a terrorist attack as well as the global COVID-19 pandemic. As far as the pandemic goes, New Zealand was quick to prevent its spread. They began preparing their hospitals in early February and began instituting border-control policies the very same month. However, it was the compassion of Ardern that shined. She often portrayed the country’s response to the pandemic as unified and “a team of 5 million,” promising that if everyone worked together, the effects of the virus would not be as devastating. Ardern and her party also enjoyed high approval ratings since the beginning of the pandemic due to their response, so it was no secret that she was on a comfortable pace to win reelection. However, it is quite significant that her party won the first majority under this almost 25-year-old representation model. After a successful campaign, Arden and her party need to continue harnessing this confidence, and it seems they are ready based on their campaign slogan “let’s keep moving.”

Trevor Mohrmann

Links: 

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-54519628

https://www.npr.org/2020/10/17/924934728/new-zealand-pm-ardern-wins-re-election-in-best-showing-for-labour-party-in-decad

Russia, China Rush to Fill Covid-19 Vaccine Void

 The UAE is currently rolling out an experimental Chinese COVID-19 vaccine to medical workers, teachers, airport staff and government employees. Indonesia plans to begin a similar emergency rollout of the vaccine in as soon as a month. While the USA and other western democracies are entering phase three trials with many of their vaccines, they are being cautious and waiting to ensure their vaccines are both safe and effective. China and Russia on the other hand appear to be rolling out vaccines rapidly in spite of potential dangers and inefficacy. They are potentially being motivated by "vaccine diplomacy" and are using their new discoveries in an attempt project power internationally. Also, while democratic states would require public faith in the efficacy and safety of a vaccine for the population to take it, authoritarian states can simply compel its use. Thus, they can are able to cut corners for a faster rollout and still have their citizens take the vaccines.

US per capita COVID-19 death rate significantly higher than that of other high-income countries

 A new study done by the American Medical Association (AMA) found that the United State's per capita Coronavirus death rate is significantly higher than that of 18 other high-income countries. When adjusted for population size, the US death rate is 85% higher than that of Germany, Israel, Denmark. The inefficiency of our programs and disregard for safety has led to us having a death rate 29% higher than that of Sweden, whose government implemented practically no procedures at all.

Additionally, since June 7th, our rate is 27.2 deaths per 100,000 people, compared to Italy's 3.1 per 100,000 people. This is striking, especially considering how Italy was one of the first countries to be ravaged by the disease, while we had more time to prepare. The study found that if we had been able to keep our death rate to that of Italy's, we would have saved the lives of 79,120 people. 

This evidence shows that not only is COVID-19 still a major problem in the US, but we are handling it much, much worse than other countries with similar resources.

By, Claire Mikulcik

https://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2020/10/13/923253681/americans-are-dying-in-the-pandemic-at-rates-far-higher-than-in-other-countries

Thai Protests in Bangkok

 King Maha Vajiralongkorn has returned to Thailand after spending time in Germany and was met in Bangkok by protesters. These are pro-democracy protests that are calling for the King's powers to be limited and for a new Prim Minister to be placed into power. This movement seems to be influenced by the Hunger Games because the protesters have implemented the famous three finger salute as seen in the film. This salute is known to represent unity of the people and defiance of the government, which is the goal of this pro-democracy movement. The protesters did not block the King's passage to the event he was attending, they simply stood along the route he had to take to Government House. There were counter protests occurring at this time as well. Those who support the monarchy were seen in yellow shirts to represent their loyalty to the King and at points were violent with the pro-democracy protesters. The goal of this is not to overthrow the monarchs but to reform the government.

Caitlin Hamilton

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-54538508

Greek Man Convicted of Killing American Scientist

Jake Mersch

On Tuesday, a Greek man, Ioanis Paraskakis, was convicted of raping and murdering an American scientist, Suzanne Eaton. The 28 year old Greek citizen was sentenced to life in prison by a judge in the town of Rethymno. It was reported by authorities that the American was on a hike last July when Paraskakis attacked her. Several days later, Eaton's body was found in a World War II-era storage site underground in Chania. The scientist, originally from New York, was working in Germany at Max Planck Institute of Molecular Cell Biology and Genetics. She was conducting research on a variety of gene therapy measures that could have saved lives. On the news, I heard that fellow scientists at the facility said she was an intelligent member of their team and will be dearly missed.

https://apnews.com/article/international-news-science-us-news-biology-greece-4db27570830164065bb4c82768c941d6 

Trump's refusal to join virtual debate shows his fear of not being able to impose his personality on the showdown

 For the second presidential debate, it was decided that it would be held online due to the recent spike of cases in the White House. Trump refused to do the debate virtually, because he thinks that is not how debates are to be done. This article claims this is because trump cannot be interrupting and showing his personality virtually, which is what he is used to doing to “win” debates. The article then dives into the vice presidential debate, which seemed much more civil. This debate had both sides speaking on issues and some interruptions but overall went much smoother. Most debates, however, do not affect the way people feel about the candidates. Overall, the presidential debate is looked at as a mess by both sides, but the vice presidential debate is looked at with more hope for each side feeling at least somewhat satisfied with the way each candidate handled themselves.

Tanya Czosek

Article Link: https://www.cnn.com/2020/10/08/politics/kamala-harris-mike-pence-trump-debate/index.html

Europe Can Impose Tariffs on U.S. in Long-Running Aircraft Battle

The World Trade Organization gave the European Union permission to impose tariffs on $4 billion worth of American products annually in retaliation for illegal subsidies given to the U.S. plane maker Boeing, a move that could result in levies on American airplanes, agricultural products and other goods. The decision comes after the Trump administration, last year, imposed tariffs on European planes, wine, cheese and other products after the the W.T.O. gave the United States permission to retaliate on up to $7.5 billion of exports annually. 

It remains to be seen whether the new tariffs will ultimately persuade the United States and Europe to come to a negotiated settlement that would lift the levies, or merely inflame relations and result in higher costs on businesses and consumers on both sides of the Atlantic. The European Commissioner for Trade hopes that the U.S. will now drop the tariffs imposed on E.U. exports last year - "if this does not happen, we will be forced to exercise our rights and impose similar tariffs". For now experts suggest, that both sides are waiting until the election is settled to re-engage, and depending on the outcome we could see a ratcheting up on tensions before any potential deepening of trade ties. 

Article: https://www.nytimes.com/2020/10/13/business/economy/boeing-europe-tariffs-trade.html

Jan Mueller

British WW2 Tallboy bomb detonates in Poland

 An old bomb that was dropped during World War II was found in Poland and was in the process of being defused when it detonated underwater. It was the largest unexploded bomb found from the war in Poland. The bomb was underwater from when it was dropped in a raid, but it was becoming a threat in the shipping canal because of the uncertainty of its nature. The researchers thought that there was a 50/50 chance that the bomb detonated during the process. No one was injured when the bomb exploded, but people were evacuated from the city and there were tremors felt on land. There is also a video that shows the water that shoots up from the blast. 

I thought this was very interesting in the context of class this week because of our focus on WMD. Technology has advanced so far since WWII and the "earthquake bomb" is a great example of that. The bomb was 19 feet long and it would not have leveled a city, but now bombs are able to destroy the world.

By: Rachel Maida

Article Link: https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-54522203?xtor=AL-72-%5Bpartner%5D-%5Bbbc.news.twitter%5D-%5Bheadline%5D-%5Bnews%5D-%5Bbizdev%5D-%5Bisapi%5D&at_custom1=%5Bpost+type%5D&at_custom2=twitter&at_custom4=B5F6FDD8-0D64-11EB-9D9F-9BDB4744363C&at_custom3=%40BBCWorld&at_medium=custom7&at_campaign=64

Should we be locked down?

 In an interview, the World Health Organization's (WHO) special envoy on Covid-19, Dr. David Nabarro, stated that, "We in the World Health Organization do not advocate lockdowns as the primary means of control of this virus." This is particularly significant when we consider that many people in the United States are still under some level of lockdown. Nabarro goes on to suggest that a lockdown is justified only to "buy you time to reorganize, regroup, rebalance, your resources... but by and large, we'd rather not do it." The reason is because lockdowns have many indirect consequences such as "making poor people an awful lot poorer," devastating tourism industries, and devastating farmers all over the world.  The fact is that lockdowns affect millions of people disproportionately. Individuals with financial means can more easily deal with lockdowns than those who lack financial means. Perhaps it is time that we take a serious look at the tremendous harm that lockdowns generate and emphasize other ways of controlling the virus. 

https://www.foxnews.com/world/who-coronavirus-lockdowns-economic-damage

By Luke Joiner 

Lesson not learned: Europe unprepared as 2nd virus wave hits

 Europe's second wave of coronavirus has hit Europe right before the flu season, intensive care wards are filling up. There have been record-high infections, making it clear Europe never hit the COVID-19 curve. Spain has declared a state emergency due to tensions between national and local authorities. Soldiers in Germany are contact tracing and Italy mandated masks for the first time outdoors. France hit a new record last Friday with 20,300 new infection cases. Officials are alarmed with the recording alarming of cases and predict of shutting down again due to the virus 

https://apnews.com/article/virus-outbreak-pandemics-italy-madrid-eastern-europe-159a68a460337948d25281c153994c70

Kimberly Nunez

Palestinian in critical condition after 70 day hunger strike

 A Palestinian man, Maher al-Akhras, is being held without charge by the Israeli government. His family says he is in critical condition in a hospital in Israel following a 70 day hunger strike. Israeli detention policy allows the government to detain suspects without filing charges and can be done for months at a time with multiple extensions. An Israeli security agency claimed Mr. al-Akhras was involved in activities that endanger public safety but he wife has repeatedly said that Mr. al-Akhras has only campaigned for the rights of Palestinian prisoners held by Israel and is not apart of any group. Palestinian and human rights groups say administrative detention violates the right to due process, since evidence is withheld from prisoners while they are held for lengthy periods without being charged, tried or convicted. 

aljazeera.com/news/2020/10/7/palestinian-in-critical-condition-after-70-day-hunger-strike

Serena Merhebi

Singapore Man Sentenced to Prison for Spying for China in US

As relations with China grow continuously more tense, we find situations like this becoming increasingly more critical for reputation sake. As elaborate of a plan it is to create a fake consulting company to gain the upper hand via American information, it's also kind of underwhelming. I think the most eerie thing about this operation is how they hide in plain site. Something as simple as a job application from a foreign affiliate can lead to contribution to espionage on a international political scale.

By Christopher Martinez

https://www.usnews.com/news/politics/articles/2020-10-09/singapore-man-sentenced-to-prison-for-spying-for-china-in-us

     Multiple people being held in Guantanamo have been cleared to leave since 2016, but since Trump got elected, their transfers have been halted. When Trump was elected president, he said he would fill Guantanamo up, but it has one less person now that it did when Trump was elected. Joe Biden says if he is elected president, he will release all people who was cleared to leave. Biden also says he wants to close the prison down. The process of their transfers was started under the Obama administration. 

https://www.nytimes.com/2020/10/09/us/politics/guantanamo-prisoners-trump.html

North Korea Unveils What Appears to Be New ICBM During Military Parade

 North Korea held a nighttime military parade in Pyongyang on Saturday night where they showed off what could have been the largest intercontinental ballistic missile ever created. Whether or not the missile is fully functional and what the power of it could be is unknown, however this does create some cause for concern. As we know, North Korea shows its power through the military, and showing off an incredibly large missile is one way to prove what they are capable of. The article also states that an unnamed source said that the Trump administration is still pursuing diplomacy with Mr. Kim, but called North Korea and the continuing to prioritize its prohibited nuclear and ballistic missile program disappointing. Furthermore, analysts believe that this move was very political for Mr. Kim, since it is coming just months before the U.S. election and suggesting that North Korea's military is a threat to whoever wins. 

Joey Droll

https://www.nytimes.com/2020/10/10/world/asia/north-korea-icbm.html

2 scientists win Nobel chemistry prize for gene-editing tool

 The gene-editing tool CRISPR has been used by scientists to edit human and animal genes to create resistance to diseases like sickle cell and HIV, increase the yield of crops, and to even increase the amount of carbon plants can store. Charpentier and Doudna, the two scientists that developed the gene-editing tool, were given the Noble prize. This is significant as they are the third group of women in the prize's 112-year history to have received it. 

https://apnews.com/article/nobel-prizes-chemistry-archive-stockholm-14ba023fa7a90b34df2d7a6d0314c796

Pennsylvania, Texas and Ohio See Court Rulings Over Mail Ballots

 There have been several different federal court rulings on mail in ballots and drop boxes. Pennsylvania and Texas both had rulings that lifted some restrictions. Ohio's court ruling on the other hand, allowed for some limits to be placed. All of these rulings are expected to be followed up on with other rulings. This is important because there are already several votes in that need to be counted.

Logan Schaefer 

https://www.wsj.com/articles/pennsylvania-texas-and-ohio-see-court-rulings-over-mail-ballots-11602456726?mod=politics_lead_pos7

Covid virus survives 28 days in lab conditions

According to Australia’s national science agency, the Covid virus is able to survive longer than originally expected. There is still doubt around whether the virus can be transmitted through infected surfaces, but there is now evidence that it can be spread through particles in the air. The study by the Australian national science agency conducted their test in complete darkness, yet there has been studies that said the virus can’t survive with UV light. The experiment showed that the virus, with complete darkness and room temperature around 68 degrees, can survive for 28 days on smooth surfaces and glass such as phone screens. For comparison, the flu virus, under the same conditions and on the same surfaces, can survive for 17 days.

Julia Babinec

UK, France and Germany plan Russia sanctions over Navalny poisoning

 The U.K, France, and Germany plan to impose sanctions on Russia after it was confirmed that the Russian opposition leader Alexey Navalny was poisoned by a nerve agent. Navalny fell ill on a flight from Tomsk to Moscow on August 20th and was discharged from the hospital in September. The Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons confirmed that Navalny's blood and urine had the presence of Novichok, a soviet era nerve agent. The French and German foreign ministers released a statement announcing a proposal to European partners that targets individuals deemed responsible for the poisoning, including Russian officials. The U.K foreign secretary stated that the U.K would work to take these sanctions forward. The Kremlin denied any involvement in the poisoning and offered to aid Germany in investigating. 

Michael Sorensen

https://www.cnn.com/2020/10/07/europe/russia-sanctions-navalny-uk-france-germany-gbr-intl/index.html

QAnon Is Thriving in Germany. The Extreme Right Is Delighted.

 The U.S "QAnon" conspiracy theory has found a new home in Germany's far-right fringes. Germany hosts the largest non-Engish speaking following, with an estimated 200,000 people believing the conspiracy. Bizarrely, it seems as though a vegan celebrity cook, Attila Hildmann, is the one pushing QAnon into the mainstream in Germany. Counterterrorist officials in Germany worry about a potential rise in right wing terrorism as a result. 

“Armenia Azerbaijan: Reports of Fresh Shelling Dent Ceasefire Hopes”

The continued fighting between Armenia and Azerbaijan escalates. Armenia was accused of sending a missile strike against one of Azerbaijan’s cities. Each side blames the other for the ensuing conflict. The truce is very precarious and around 300 people have perished since the last of September. Russia intervened to create the agreement between the two groups. Armenia violated the truce and attacked just after the truth had been secured. The conflict has continued throughout last week as both sides accuse the other of damaging important places. In the 80s Armenia and Azerbaijan went to war over disputed territory. Lives of the Nagorno-Karabakh's have been interrupted because of the conflict, the area which was the disputed territory. The purpose of the ceasefire that was facilitated by Russia was so it each country could collect their dead and swap prisoners of war. Additionally, in the dispute, Turkey stands with Azerbaijan, which is not surprising because they do not recognize the Armenian Genocide. I have been following the story in several of my blogposts and it seems like the conflict is rising and based upon the readings and how long it has been around, it does not seem like it will go away soon. I also think because of the other players in the dispute, it makes it harder for the situation to be diffused. https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-54488386 Jena Livesay

Belarus Police Detain Protesters

 

In the Belarus capital of Minsk there were major protests going on this week. At the protest, masked police arrested countless protesters and the others were dispersed with water cannons and stun grenades. There have been protests going on in Belarus since August 9th, when President Alexander Lukashenko was declared the winner in a highly disputed election. Protesters have been demanding that he step down and for there to be a new election. At the protest in Minsk today (October 11th 2020) at least 140 people were detained and more were detained at protests occurring on the same day. Countries like the U.S. and the United Kingdom have already accused Belarus' election of fraud and human rights violations by opposing sanctions. As of right now, the story is still developing. 

By. Faith Brouwer

https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2020/10/11/belarus-police-crack-down-on-protesters-detain-dozens

Iran sanctions: US moves to isolate 'major' banks

The Trump administration has made a big move to cut off 18 major banks in Iran from the international financial system. The U.S. says that Iran has been participating in "aggressive activities," so they are imposing sanctions to block Iran's access to funds. 

The U.S. has declared a "snap-back" of UN sanctions on Iran that were lifted in 2015, although members of the UN are in disagreement with the U.S., saying that the U.S. does not have that power because they abandoned the nuclear deal in 2018. 

The U.S. gave foreign companies 45 days to cease activities related to the targeted banks. Humanitarian transactions will be allowed, however some are saying that they would be skeptical to do business with Iran due to the risk of punishment.

The U.S. has since been accused of economic terrorism by the Iranian UN ambassador Majid Takht-Ravanchi. He said that this is a form of "state terrorism and economic and medical terrorism... carried out through unilateral coercive measures."

Mason Semmler

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-54476894

Fear sets in that Boris Johnson's Brexit government is ill equipped to handle a pandemic

 Recently, there has been growing concern that Boris Johnson and his government are not capable of handling the Covid-19 pandemic effectively. After his bout with the virus earlier in the year, Johnson has taken a more serious approach to containing the pandemic. But, he has recently taken to more mixed messaging, arguing that restrictions may need to continue into 2021 while also saying there is a need to start-up the economy. Some attribute this to Johnson's bombastic governing style, while others say his commitment to Brexit has caused a lack of cooperation with the EU as well as a lack of focus on the issue.

https://www.cnn.com/2020/10/10/uk/brexit-britain-pandemic-intl-gbr/index.html

Anthony Grammich

Nigeria Dissolves Controversial Police Unit Accused of Brutality

 Earlier today, Nigeria's Inspector General of Police announced in a statement that they were dissolving the Special Anti-Robbery Squad, known as SARS.  There have been ongoing protests against the unit and police brutality across Nigeria, where one man died and several others were injured, as Nigerian police fired live ammunition and tear gas on protesters.  Amnesty International describes SARS as using torture methods including hanging, mock execution, and sexual violence.

Stuart Elliot

https://www.cnn.com/2020/10/11/africa/nigeria-police-sars-intl/index.html

Mexican President Asks Pope for Apology Over Conquest

 The President of Mexico recently published a letter to Pope Francis. In the letter The President asks Pope Francis to issue an apology for the mistreatment of the Indigenous people during the Conquest of Mexico. Along with the Catholic Church apologizing, the President thinks that the Spanish and Mexican Governments should also apologize for the acts. The Conquests of Mexico happened 500 years ago, but the president thinks it would be a great act of humility for the groups to apologize for the murder of thee Indigenous people so long ago. In 2019, the Prime Minister of Spain had said they would not make an apology. 

BY: Cooper Hoffmann

ARTICLE LINK: https://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory/mexican-president-asks-pope-francis-conquest-apology-73543419

North Korea displays 'massive' ICBM at military parade

I stumbled upon this article this week and I thought it fit in perfectly with what we have been reading and discussing in class. North Korea recently had a military parade and this is significant because their last one was two years ago. In this parade though, they displayed ICBMs which they don't typically display. Also this ICBM is way larger than any other they had shown off. ICBMs are intercontinental ballistic missiles. These types of missiles are for long range targets to deliver a nuclear warhead. This of course is concerning because with a bigger missile there is the possibility of North Korea targeting a farther location. The parades are usually to show off new types of weapons and that's exactly what they did. Kim Jong-Un continues to say that North Korea's nuclear arsenal is for deterrence and self defense. Long range missiles don't exactly give off the image of self defense though. World leaders are then flung back into the cycle of being concerned about North Korean nuclear buildup and not really being able to do anything about it. This is after Kim has meet with Trump on several occasions and South Korea's president two years ago. North Korea's growing arsenal sees no end in sight despite the effort of world leaders. 

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-54491657

Jimmy Oropeza

China jons COVAX

     China has officially joined COVAX, which is a world coronavirus vaccine alliance. China joins the alliance after already having at least four vaccines in the final stage of testing. COVAX is an initiative to distribute COVID-19 vaccines worldwide, in the hopes of eradicating the virus at the worldwide level instead of state by state. The exact terms of the agreement between all of the countries, specifically China, in COVAX but countries can choose to buy vaccines that cover up to 50% of their population through COVAX. The agreement is looked to be more of an insurance policy for most countries. However, China joining the initiative is a huge step for COVAX which is also backed by the World Health Organization. The U.S. has refused to join COVAX and has instead negotiated deals directly with pharmaceutical companies. China joining COVAX gives them a world leader that they were lacking with the U.S.

Lucas Burris

https://apnews.com/article/virus-outbreak-xi-jinping-taiwan-china-archive-aae1708207d3510a434d35aec994d4d1

FBI busts militia 'plot' to abduct Michigan Gov Gretchen Whitmer

A militia group has been plotting to overthrow the Michigan government over disputes with the handling of the Coronavirus. Gov. Whitmer has had very strict regulations in place for Michigan and some have been overturned by a judge last week. The plan was to gather more supporters and storm the Capitol building, taking hostages including the governor. If that plan failed, their second attempt was going to take place at Whitmer's house. The group was infiltrated by an FBI agent who recorded secret meetings and gathered information on the 6 men leading the charge to overthrow the government. One of the group's main arguments was that the decisions Whitmer is making violate the Constitution and create a tyrannical system in Michigan. 

This is a very scary development because it is highlighting the partisan divisions and the fears that people are acting on during the pandemic. It is not often that you hear about kidnapping plots for government leaders in America and people are starting to escalate.

By: Rachel Maida 

Article Link: https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-54470427

Rwanda’s Aggressive Approach to Covid Wins Plaudits—and Warnings

Rwanda has implemented a COVID containment strategy that has proven to be both effective and draconian. Drones fitted with speakers fly around urban areas and broadcast social distancing guidelines. The drones have also been used to detect and track individuals who are meeting in groups of more than five without prior government authorization. Almost 70,000 people have been arrested for breaking COVID lockdown laws. People arrested for COVID infractions are been interned at event centers and sport stadiums. While most people are released after several days, reports of beating and rapes have been growing. Humans rights activist and oppositions leaders have also been arrested in the name of maintaining social order or have outright disappeared.

https://www.wsj.com/articles/rwandas-aggressive-approach-to-covid-wins-plauditsand-warnings-11601372482

Nicholas Bariyo

 

First two women share Nobel Prize in Chemistry

Scientists Emmanuelle Charpentier and Jennifer Doudna made history, as they are the first two women to share the Nobel Prize in Chemistry. This is an important achievement in its own right, especially because of the lack of representation of women in STEM careers. They hope that this will inspire other girls and women to be interested in science and pursue their dreams.

Additionally, their discovery is monumental, as it involves gene editing. Their "gene scissors," Crispr-Cas9, allow them to make very precise changes to DNA in living cells. They have used it to disarm viruses, and are currently researching if it can be used to treat genetic diseases, such as sickle cell anaemia. They are also doing clinical trials in cancer treatments using Crispr-Cas9, which would be a huge achievement if the trials are successful. 

By Claire Mikulcik

https://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-54432589

'I had to do it': Trump suggests he got virus as act of political courage

 In this article, it discusses the way that Trump has handled the virus since having it. As we talked about in class, he would either come out and say that it needs to be taken more seriously, or he would continue to play this dominant “there should be no fear” factor. Now that he has been released from the hospital, the article talks about the tweets and videos he released where he states not to let the virus dominate you and do not be afraid. The insensitivity in this seems to really stick out as over 200,000 people have died from it. He then goes on to say that we have the best medicine and treatments around, yet he fails to realize that may just be because he is the president of The United States, as the news article suggests. This article pulls the idea that Trump got this virus to really learn about it and did it as an act of courage for his fellow people. He did not come out of this saying we need to wear our masks or socially distance still, but instead disregarded a lot of the safety measures and basically told people “not to be afraid” because now he has had it. This article did not really surprise me, as I saw it all myself and had an idea that this was what Trump would act like after having it.

Tanya Czosek

Website Link: https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/trump-suggests-virus-act-political-courage/story?id=73452023

Dow closes more than 300 points lower after Trump calls off stimulus, causing sudden drop in stocks

Early this week, President Donald Trump announced that he would be calling off talks regarding the next stimulus check. The check, which is meant to help Americans in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, does not seem to be coming any time soon. This is bad news not only for the stocks, which plunged after Trump's announcement, but also for the millions of Americans who are out unemployed as a result of the pandemic. Shares of Boeing dropped significantly amid uncertainty about the future of airline travel and the future of the American economy as a whole. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi accused the president of putting "himself first at the expense of the country." This drop in stocks comes immediately after a significant upward trend on Monday following the news of Trump's improving health, demonstrating just how precarious the American economy is at this present moment in time. 

https://www.cnbc.com/2020/10/05/stock-market-futures-open-to-close-news.html

Rola Goke-Pariola

Covid Spreads Among White House Staff

At least 15 people in the United States government in President Trump's circle or family have tested positive for the coronavirus. Most recently Stephen Miller, the White House senior advisor and Coast Guard Admiral Charles Ray have tested positive. Currently the President is quarantining in the White House while many military personnel are also quarantining in their respective residences. Admiral Ray was at a meeting in the White House ten days ago but it is unknown if that is where he contracted Covid. Almost the entirety of the Joint Chief of Staff is in quarantine as of now. Contact tracing is currently being conducted by the Pentagon. Most of the infected were at a meeting in the White House Rose Garden at the end of September. 

Caitlin Hamilton

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-54441986

Flooding hits six million people in East Africa

        Flooding in Africa has affected almost 6 million people and forced 1.5 million from their homes, according to the United Nations. This is about a 30% increase from 2019 when large temperature differences between the east and west sides of the Indian ocean caused immense rainfall. The worst affected states are Somalia, Ethiopia, Kenya, Sudan, and South Sudan. The River Nile has caused much of the flooding as a majority of population centers are built along the world's longest river. Since 2016, the number of people affected by flooding has jumped from 1.1 million to almost 6 million. The UN's Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs worries that this trend can and will continue with increasing global temperatures, especially in Africa.

Article: https://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-54433904

Matthew J. Nealon

Kyrgyzstan Election: Opposition 'Seize' Power After Protests

Protesters are saying that the Kyrgyzstan parliamentary elections were rigged, and the Central Election Commission recently declared the election invalid. The president has been accused of vote-buying and voter intimidation. Opposition parties gathered to protest on Monday, which was mostly peaceful until late into the evening. 

After violent protests erupted and government buildings and security forces were overran, president Sooronbai Jeenbekov said that he was ready to stand down and is "ready to give the responsibility to strong leaders." 

A Coordination Council has been set up by opposition leaders, however it has yet to be decided who will take on governmental powers. 

Mason Semmler

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-54432037

Three Scientists Awarded Nobel Physics Prize

Jake Mersch

 On Tuesday, the Nobel Prize in Physics was awarded to a group of three researchers who conducted work on black holes. British physicist Roger Penrose, German Reinhard Genzel, and American Andrea Ghez were all awarded the Nobel Prize for their extensive work on black holes. Their research will help further space exploration and create a better grasp of black holes in space. The key point of their research was the finding and defining the existence of black holes. For many years, some scientists denied the presence of black holes throughout space, however, this award-winning research proves them otherwise. There is much more research to be conducted in this area of study and space exploration in general. It is speculated these conclusions will be revolutionary in studying what lies beyond our Earth.

https://apnews.com/article/didier-queloz-nobel-prizes-james-peebles-stockholm-planets-23b9457068a91d40468bbdce34826c2f 

The reluctant hegemon: Thirty years after reunification, Germany is shouldering more responsibility

Margaret Thatcher feared and openly opposed the reunification of East and West Germany. Francois Mitterrand was said to have shared her worries, though he accepted it was inevitable. Yet despite the reservations of the British, French, and Italian leaders in 1990, a new country came into being 30 years ago on October 3rd, and questions arose how to deal with the reluctant hegemon at the heart of Europe and how Germany should lead without dominating. 

Thirty years on, German reunification has been the most successful geopolitical experiment in history. With just three chancellors in three decades, the new, liberated Germany has been steady and pragmatic; championed, for instance, the expansion of the European Union and the creation of the Euro. 

However, under its next chancellors, Germany needs more ambition. This need is most acute when it comes to security; but traditionally, this is a very touchy issue for almost all political parties. More importantly, Germany has been too cautious in its policy towards Russia and China, tending to put commercial interests ahead of geopolitical ones.

Still, there are signs of a shift: Merkel increasingly accepts Emmanuel Macron's argument that America is becoming an uncertain ally, and that Europe will have to do more to help itself. This does not yet add up to a more assertive Germany leading a more assertive Europe, but it establishes the beginning of such a development. 

More of this will be needed in the next 30 years if the European Union is to survive. But the Bundesrepublik is growing up. 

Article: https://www.economist.com/leaders/2020/10/03/thirty-years-after-reunification-germany-is-shouldering-more-responsibility

Jan Mueller

760,000,000 may have been infected with Sars-Cov-2

 ABC news ran an article suggesting that approximately 760,000,000 people may have been infected with Sars-Cov-2 which develops into Covid-19. Dr. Mike Ryan, the head of emergencies at the WHO, stated that their best estimate is that 10% of the world's population has been infected with the virus. The significance of this number is that the actual tally of confirmed cases is more than 20 times lower than this estimate at 35 million. How the agency came to the conclusion that the virus has infected approximately 10% of the world's population was by averaging antibody studies conducted in various countries. Dr. Margaret Harris, a spokeswoman of the WHO predicted that if the world does not take seriously contract-tracing, and tracking of cases, the approximately 90% of the world's population can continue to spread the virus. WHO director Tedros demanded that to fight this pandemic there must be "strong leadership, clear and comprehensive strategies, consistent communication, and engaged, empowered, and enabled population." 

https://abcnews.go.com/Health/wireStory/10-worlds-people-infected-virus-73427817

By Luke Joiner 

Rwandan Genocide Suspects Detained in Belgium

 There has been an increase in the manhunt to arrest some perpetrators of the 1994 Rwandan Genocide. In the latest of several high-profile arrests, three Rwandan nationals were arrested in Belgium. Rwanda helped to identify the three men and Belgium then made the arrests, with one man under surveillance house arrest. This is not the first time Belgium has arrested Rwandan genocide suspects and Belgium has also conducted several trials of the perpetrators. Belgium has also laid out sentences, such as 25 year sentence for a former Rwandan agricultural scientist for war crimes. 

-Logan Schaefer

https://www.wsj.com/articles/rwandan-genocide-suspects-detained-in-belgium-11601827072

Trump's photo op raises new questions about how seriously he takes the virus

 Last week Trump and the first lady were both diagnosed with COVID-19. People are claiming he actually knew he had the virus 24 hours before publishing it online; thus, he dangered the lives of hundreds of other people. His condition has gotten worse according to his physician, Navy Cmdr, Navy Cmdr. Dr. Sean Conley. His oxygen levels have dropped twice this week but that has not stopped the president from riding around in his car and waving to his supporters. According to the article; the President has not taken this virus seriously because he is not in self-quarantine like every other American when they are diagnosed with COVID-19. Trump could be released early this week from the Walter Reed hospital. 

https://www.cnn.com/2020/10/04/politics/donald-trump-coronavirus-alternate-reality/index.html

Kimberly Nunez

Armenia’s Leader Makes Plea to U.S. as Conflict Rages With Azerbaijan

 Nikol Pashinyan is the Prime Minister of Armenia, he called the United States and spoke with President Trump's national security adviser about the ongoing situation between Armenia and Azerbaijan. The Prime Minister was initially told he would be put in contact with the President regarding Turkey's role in the conflict; Turkey was using American-made F-16 jets against the Armenians. Trump then fell ill to COVID-19 and has not yet gotten back to Mr. Pashinyan. The feud between Armenia and Azerbaijan has been going on for awhile, and although the violence has escalated, both sides have refused to take the blame of starting it and have spun the story to blame the other. It doesn't seem like the tensions will die down any time soon.

-Joey Droll

https://www.nytimes.com/2020/10/04/world/europe/armenia-nagorno-karabakh-trump.html

Senate Democrats Present $350 Billion Strategy to Counter China

While Trump may be sending waves in terms of international relations, one specific tie has had many Americans wondering what will happen post elections. Both the parties have voiced their views on foreign countries and whether we should be involved in their civil issues, but here we see the Democrats on the Senate propose a legislation that would increase funding for China. This would ideally give way to changes in the economic economy, keep military deployed around certain region, and apply pressure to the growing social oppression happening to the Uighur population. Republicans plan to put out a strategy as well in the near future; one that highlights there concerns and goals for the East Asian country.

By Christopher Martinez

https://www.nytimes.com/2020/09/17/us/politics/democrats-china-strategy.html?searchResultPosition=5

Where does America sit in a Pandemic World

     Covid-19 has impacted our world in more ways than one. It has turned our world upside down, creating issues left and right. Tom Friedman from New York Times talks about the major changes that the pandemic has had on our global affairs. The first point he made was how President Trump has handled political norms. From the beginning, Trump has been an unusual president due to the way he carries himself and handles his political affairs. Trump has always been strong-headed and confident in what he says, which is not always the best. The way Trump has approached the global coalition with China has given them confidence that while Trump will be in office, he will never be able to galvanize the coalition. 

    The second potential change is in regards to the innovation that potentially will outbreak when the pandemic ends. The pandemic created a lot of loss and took a lot of things away from people. This pandemic made a lot of people and families struggle. Lots of jobs were lost and finances were challenged. When the pandemic ends, innovation and creativity will explode. 

    The final impact is globalization and technology. With the constant need for new and better technology, especially during the pandemic, technology will only continue to grow. Many found easier ways to connect with friends, family and work at home through technology. This will continue to grow as companies continue to develop their technology creating a more interdependent world. 

https://www.nytimes.com/2020/10/01/business/dealbook/america-pandemic-covid.html

Corona Virus: Australia opens 'travel zones' to New Zealanders

New Zealand citizens will be granted access to Australia starting October 16- this is the first opening of international border by both countries since they closed their borders in March due Covid. Specifically, citizens will be able to fly from New Zealand to New South Wales and the Northern Territory in Australia. However, only New Zealand citizens will be able to travel for now and the Prime Minister of Australia will have to decide later when Australian citizens will be able to travel to New Zealand. 

Australian officials said New Zealand visitors had a low risk of transmitting Covid-19 since they currently do not have any hotspots, which is defined as at least three local infections per day across a three day rolling average. 

The most recent Covid case in New Zealand was reported on August 21 and the Australian Northern Territory has not recored any cases in two months.

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-australia-54381811 

Serena Merhebi 

Trump greets supporters following new details of his illness

 As was found out earlier this week, President Trump has tested positive for Covid-19. In a recent show of "political theatre", the president participated in a drive-by motorcade and entered a closed vehicle with members of his staff. His personal physicians mentioned that his oxygen levels had dropped severely a few times, but gave no statement about the severity of this or when it occurred. Despite all this and the risk that President Trump put upon the members of his staff that drove with him in the motorcade, his personal physicians believe that the President could be released as soon as Monday. 

Nikolai Mitlyng

https://apnews.com/article/virus-outbreak-donald-trump-international-news-politics-ap-top-news-cac560ef169f9e5343d98a128573194a

Coronavirus: Paris to shut bars and raise alert to maximum

 Following a period of high infection rates, Paris will be raising it's coronavirus alert level to maximum and shut down all bars. The new restrictions will last for two weeks. Other restrictions include restaurants requiring new sanitary arrangements and university halls must be no more than half full. This comes after the city of Marseille was forced to close all bars, restaurants, and gyms for two weeks. France has been struggling with an increasing infection rate that started in August. The French government has stated that it does not want to order nationwide lockdowns but will enforce measures in cities where the virus is concentrated.

Michael Sorensen

Article link: https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-54413563