Covid-19 Adds $2.5 Billion to Tokyo Olympics Bill

 The summer Olympics in Tokyo is said to cost, at a minimum, $2.5 billion extra because of the Covid-19 pandemic. The costs include fees to rebook facilities, pay additional wages for staff, testing and other measures that are being taken to prevent the spread of Covid-19. However, the International Olympic Committee event organizers in Japan say that they are confident the Games will happen in July. The Japanese Prime Minister said Friday that leaders around the world have commended him and supported him in his determination to have the Olympics. 

Logan Schaefer

https://www.wsj.com/articles/covid-19-adds-2-5-billion-to-tokyo-olympic-bill-11607079974

China's Digital Responce to Covid-19 Hits a Glitch-Seniors Don't Understand It

 The pandemic has deepened the digital divide in largely cashless, smartphone-driven societies. This is especially the case in China where they have taken a large digital approach. This has forced Beijing to order public services to make exceptions for elderly because they simply do not have the knowledge to keep up. China's Cabinet, called the State Council, released a statement last week that asks business and local authorities to take measures in order to assist seniors during this pandemic. 

Logan Schaefer

https://www.wsj.com/articles/chinas-digital-response-to-covid-19-hits-a-glitchseniors-dont-understand-it-11607086927

Afghan Government And Taliban Reach Breakthrough To Proceed With Peace Talks

Peace talks between the Afghan government and Taliban have been reignited hoping to end the decades old conflict between the two.  It was unclear when a ceasefire would go into effect but re-engaging with sought out the recognition from the UN, country representatives in Kabul and Afghanistan's neighbor Pakistan.  

https://www.npr.org/2020/12/02/941377066/afghan-government-and-taliban-reach-breakthrough-to-restart-peace-talks

Daniel Hickok

Trump's Conspiracy Theories Raise Concerns About Turnout In Georgia Senate Runoffs

Losing the presidential re-election, Donald Trump and his supporters spread conspiracy theories that suggest the presidential election was "manipulated".  The center of the conspiracy revolves around an fraudulent election with polls suggesting that many republican voters have been swayed by Trump's "baseless talk" and a rigged election.   

https://www.npr.org/2020/12/03/941628573/trumps-conspiracy-theories-raise-turnout-challenges-in-georgia-senate-runoffs

Daniel Hickok

Severe Travel Restrictions on Chinese Communist Party Members.

 'deep-rooted Cold War mentality' is what Chinese Communist Party members and their families describe the actions on behalf of the Trump administration.  The administration's "tough on china approach" aims to hold China accountable for actions such as 'influencing Americans through propaganda, economic coercion and other nefarious activities'.

https://www.npr.org/2020/12/03/942214270/u-s-imposes-severe-travel-restrictions-on-chinese-communist-party-members

Daniel Hickok

Trump’s virus czar resigned, drawing cheers from health officials who say his ideas are dangerous.

 Dr. Atlas, a radiologist, was heavily criticized by tmany health experts sa his guidance on key issues--such as wear masks--conflicted and undermined the CDC and other federal, official guidelines.  This comes as Trump's transition out of office happens with nearly 470,000 people dead since March 1st, 2020. 

https://www.nytimes.com/2020/12/01/us/politics/trumps-virus-czar-resigned-drawing-cheers-from-health-officials-who-say-his-ideas-are-dangerous.html

Daniel Hickok

Meet Biden’s Energy and Climate Cabinet Contenders

A slew of issues face president elect Biden if he aims to address climate control.  It does no justice having a "hostile republican leadership".  Hoping to navigate around congress, Biden has announced John Kerry to be the signature diplomatic 'climate envoy'.  Other key figures to help accomplish are Mary Nichols, Heather Toney, Brenda Mallory, Michael Connor.  

https://www.nytimes.com/2020/12/03/climate/biden-climate-change.html?action=click&module=Top%20Stories&pgtype=Homepage

Daniel Hickok

Removing COVID-19 misinformation on Facebook

In effort to curb misinformation, Facebook is removing posts that contain claims about COVID-19 that are not factually true.  It plans to take downi Covid-19 vaccine falsehoods that discredit or contradict health groups like the world health organization, Food and Drug Administration and Centers for Disease Control and prevention.  

https://www.nytimes.com/2020/12/03/technology/facebook-coronavirus-vaccine-misinformation.html?action=click&module=Top%20Stories&pgtype=Homepage

Daniel Hickok

Donald Trump goes to court.

'We want all the voting to stop' said Trump in effort to halt the election as his re-election odds faltered on November 4th.  Claiming that the voting system was a fraud, the "scattershot legal strategy" to regain his position as president comes with the victory of Georgia on behalf of the Democratic party. 

https://www.economist.com/united-states/2020/11/05/donald-trump-goes-to-court

Daniel Hickok

COVID-19 has ravaged economies all over the world--but not Taiwan's.

Taiwan's economy has "turned back the clock" in effort to move it's economy in the right direction with it's GDP expanding 2% for 2020.  Despite the effects of COVID-19 on the world economy, Taiwan's effort to change it's foretold economic depression remains to be seen.  Three years ago, "a prominent scholar declared that Taiwan's economy was 'on the brink of death'":. 

Daniel Hickok

 https://www.economist.com/asia/2020/12/02/covid-19-has-ravaged-economies-all-over-the-world-but-not-taiwans

U.S. more careful than U.K. on vaccine approval.

 Director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases Anthony Fauci analyzes Britain's vaccine-approval process in retrospect to the FDA "gold standard".  Britain aims to be the first to grant emergency authorization for the Fizer and the German company BioNTech's coronavirus vaccine.  The UK has questioned the FDA for it's longevity in processing the vaccine and thus, as a result, becomes the first to do so.  

https://www.washingtonpost.com/nation/2020/12/03/coronavirus-covid-live-updates-us/

Daniel Hickok

The Search for The Disappeared Points to Mexico's Darkest Secrets.

 For nearly a decade now, Mexico has been in a war with the Zeta cartel that has resulted in nearly 79,000 people disappearing from Mexico since 2006 and since the Cold War, the crisis has only gotten worse in Latin America where "leftists opponents" have gone missing.  45,000 for Guatemala, 30,000 for Argentina and as many as 3,400 for Chile.  As of 2020, 6,048 people have gone missing in Mexico.  

https://www.washingtonpost.com/graphics/2020/world/mexico-losing-control/mexico-disappeared-drug-war/?itid=hp-top-table-main

Daniel Hickok

U.K.'s Covid-19 Vaccine Program to Test Its National Health Service

 With a vaccine coming out in the United Kingdom, the country hopes to inoculate everyone in the country over 50 years old in only a few months. As such a lofty goal is in place, the state-run health service has appealed for thousands of volunteers to train as vaccinators and support staff. They have been working on this plan for sometime and have even changed the law to allow student doctors, physiotherapists, and dental workers to administer the vaccine. They have even appealed to retired doctors and nurses to join their effort in getting people vaccinated. The United Kingdom will be the first test run for vaccination in the world. 

Logan Schaefer

https://www.wsj.com/articles/u-k-s-covid-19-vaccine-program-to-test-its-state-run-medical-system-11607000400