Mexican president says he'll propose labor program to Biden

Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador, is planning on proposing a labor program similar to that of the old "bracero" program, which allowed immigrant workers to work in the US after WWII. His suggestion is to allow 600,000-800,000 workers the opportunity to work and help the US "produce and grow". However, nothing has been officially proposed yet, considering Biden has yet to propose the legislation to give legal status/a path to citizenship to the 11 million undocumented immigrants in the US.

Valeria Ramirez

CPAC: Trump rules out new political party in speech to conservatives

     Donald Trump told a conservative conference in Florida that he has no plans to launch a new political party, because it would split the Republican vote. This was his first speech since Joe Biden became president, and he also hinted that he might run again for office in 2024. Not only that but he also criticized Joe Biden, saying US policy has gone from "America first to America last." Just last week, one U.S poll suggested 46% of surveyed Trump voters would vote for him if he left the Republicans and started his own party. His continued influence within the party is secure, but that influence into another presidential nomination is not sure, which means he'll have to earn it. 

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-56230998

Biden bombs Syria, Lack of communication?

Earlier this week American and allied personnel stationed in Iraq were attacked by an air strike from Iraqi Shiite militias. In response to this attack the Biden administration had ordered an airstrike back two F15 fighter jets to bomb a building in Syria, neighboring Iraq that had been claimed to housing the militias responsible for the attack in the beginning. This is the first recorded back Biden has requested and is marking that he will not put up with out of place situations like that. As for Syria, the minister announced a day later how he disagrees with the actions the U.S chose to handle this situation calling it, “cowardly U.S aggression”. The actions Biden declared also went against international law and Syria’s minister stated there will be backlash from this that will escalate the tension of the U.S in Iraq. Also, here in the U.S the Democrats in Congress are worked up because the decision to bomb back was made so quickly that not many in Congress knew of the actions yet and it put the deal America was trying to settle with Russia in a rough position because Russia did not know the bombs were ordered until they were already on their way. Lots of tension was build from the quickly made decision of Biden’s and his credibility for communication decline with mean sources he utilizes.

 https://youtu.be/uUMr__9ud94

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.nbcnews.com/news/amp/ncna1258912

Covid-19: Police officers injured at Dublin anti-lockdown protest

 BBC News reported on rising tensions among groups in Dublin, Ireland about the  COVID-19 vaccine and restrictions. Three police officers were injured in the attacks and hundreds of protesters were moved to Gaftan Street to avoid gathering in St. Stephen’s Green. The police were attacked by bollards, cans, and fireworks and there have been twenty- three arrests. Currently, twenty have been charged and thirteen appeared before the Criminal Court of Justice before being put in custody. The Irish police commissioner, Drew Harris, stated that there will be an investigation into what happened at the protests and how long it has been in the workings. The prime minister was stated saying he was “horrified” by the violence and the behavior “by a selfish few undermines sacrifices that millions have made in the last 12 months.”

-Hannah Kohl (Weekly Blog #4)

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-56222942

Hundreds of Nigerian Schoolgirls Taken in Mass Abduction- Blog Post 2

 There has been ongoing issues with kidnappings of students in West Africa, and on Friday, gunmen abducted 317 girls from from a boarding school in Nigeria. It seems there is an issue with security and safety within Nigerian schools, as the article stated that despite there being strong police presence near the building, the crime still occurred, and numerous lives are at stake now. Additionally, other children and teachers have had to flee to other areas for protection are not able to get education while doing so. In a statement from Nigeria's president, Muhammadu Buhari, he commented, "We will not succumb to blackmail by bandits and criminals who target innocent school students in the expectation of huge ransom payments." It seems that from this statement the president is alluding to the fact that there are issues within their country with criminals who have stolen money, or done other crimes. They are using children and innocent people at their expense as a form of blackmail because they do not want to pay for their crimes. 

Michelle Boban, Blog Post #2 

https://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory/hundreds-nigerian-schoolgirls-mass-abduction-76131661

Vaccine ‘Passports’ Raise Logistical, Ethical Concerns, Logistical Hurdles

As the pandemic continues to disrupt the flow of everyday life, countries are slowly deciding to start looking into vaccination and testing certificates for individuals who are fully and partially vaccinated as well as individuals who have been tested for COVID-19. Many countries are able to recognize the positives that this will bring such as hopefully allowing individuals to be able to participate safely in a variety of activities ranging anywhere from international travel all the way to trips from the grocery store. Because of this, many questions come to mind considering the fact that this will require individuals to share their personal health information with whoever requires them to do so. Is this an obstruction of personal privacy in the way that many private corporations on a global scale will have to keep tabs on one's personal health status? Also, will this specifically discriminate against less fortunate areas that have very little access to testing as well as vaccinations? In theory, this would potentially cause countries to have to band together and establish a singular system in which the certificates are displayed. With this in mind, would other countries have access to the health status of American citizens? If so, is that a breach of our nation's health privacy as a whole? Because we are in fact living through a pandemic that spans internationally, will the yearning for further globalization cause us to sacrifice our personal health information?

Kaytlyn Tyler 2/28/21

https://www.wsj.com/articles/covid-19-vaccine-passports-raise-ethics-concerns-logistical-hurdles-11614335403 

Deadliest day of protests in Myanmar

 The deadliest day of anti-coup protests began on Saturday as police were firing live rounds and tear gas on civilian protestors. There were at least 18 protestors killed during this deadly outbreak, which is very shocking as through the month of February, anti-coup protests have been majorly peaceful. The coup leaders took this act of violence as they see that the protests are not coming to an end.  The United Nations Human Rights office condemns the violence against protestors because the people of Myanmar have a right to assemble peacefully and demand the restoration of democracy. Although there seems to be no help for the protestors, they remain defiant and refuse to let the military stop them from demanding democracy. So far there has been deaths reported in several cities including Myanmar, Yangon, Dawei and Mandalay. At the beginning of the coup, their leaders overthrew and detained Aung San Suu Kyi who is Myanmar's civilian leader that is trying to restore democracy. She has not been seen in public since the start of protests in the beginning of February. The military leaders who overthrew Aung justified it by alleging widespread fraud.  

Reese McMullen

DALTON WILLETT BLOG POST 5- Sweden has never locked down and with a vaccine on the horizon, has their approach worked?

For anyone with a pulse, the issue at the forefront of our minds has been COVID-19 and best practices for how to move forward with curing and overcoming the virus. There have been a lot of approaches taken by countries around the globe. Most countries shutdown their operations entirely and put restrictions in place to keep everyone locked down and in their homes to combat the virus and "flatten the curve". One interesting case study is how Sweden has handled COVID-19. Sweden has never shut down even at the height of the virus and at this point, will probably never shut down. Sweden has been under fire for this approach and has been the focus of much attention as vaccinations are getting rolled out. How will the country approach vaccinating their citizenry? Since the country never shut down, will Sweden even make getting vaccinated a priority? All of these are interesting questions to ask and I for one, am in favor of Sweden's approach to COVID-19. I do not think the world needed to be shut down on account of this virus and while I understand in the beginning we did not know what we were dealing with but after that first 2-3 week period when we had an idea of what was going on the world should have reopened and we should have moved on with our day to day existence. I support Sweden's approach to COVID-19 and it should be up the the individual what they do and do not engage in. We are all capable of making decisions that are best for us and do not need the government to baby sit us. Every human being understands the risk they are taking when going out in public and if they are willing to openly engage in social interactions and contract the virus then that is their choice and they should accept the consequences of their actions. I will be following Sweden closely and I think the rest of the world should take a look at what Sweden has done here and reevaluate if how they are handling this is best practice. 

Dalton Willett BLOG #5

Sweden has avoided a lockdown: Has its strategy worked? (msn.com)

Iran Rejects Offer of Direct U.S. Nuclear Talks, Senior Diplomats Say

Iran rejected a European Union offer to arrange direct nuclear talks with the United States. This occurred after Iran said it wanted a guarantee first that the United States would lift some sanctions after the meeting. While Iran's rejection didn't kill all hope of direct negotiations, it does signal more tension in the coming days. Currently, France, the U.K. and Germany are working on a resolution they plan to present to the board of the International Atomic Agency next week that would censure Iran for its recent steps to expand its nuclear activities and its failure to cooperate with agency's probe into its nuclear work. 

Iran's rejection demonstrates how International Relations is like a Chess Board. Each move is carefully made and one wrong move could lead to increased tensions and possible War in the International system. While, Iran's move does not signal overt hostility it does demonstrate that the United States and Iran will be "treading lightly" in the future concerning these talks about nuclear weapons. It will be interesting to watch how this relationship plays out.

Link: https://www.wsj.com/articles/iran-rejects-offer-of-direct-us-nuclear-talks-senior-diplomats-say-11614529319

-Katie Huey Blog Post #4

2/28/2021

Biden orders airstrikes in Syria, retaliating against Iran-backed militias

    The Biden Administration ordered an airstrike in Syria on Thursday, killing 22 people and injuring many others. It is expected for the death toll to rise due to the amount of serious injuries. The reason for the bombing according to President Biden was to, "[send] a signal to Iran and its proxies in the region that Washington would not tolerate attacks on its personnel in Iraq, even at a sensitive diplomatic moment". There were three attacks in Iraq, one targeting an American coalition base in the town of Irbil. The bombs targeted buildings where Iranian militias were known to be located. The airstrike resulted in the complete destruction of nine structures and partially destroying two. Other countries were not happy with this act however, the Syrian Government claims that this was an act of 'cowardly US aggression'. It is claimed that these attacks have broke international law and the United States will have to pay the consequence for their actions once again. Not only did the Biden Administration only notify Russia four to five minutes before the attack, the United States was also operating in Syria illegally. Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov is calling for better communication from the United States. Although the Pentagon claims these attacks were in legality, it is clear that the airstrike has raised tensions among the middle east and with Russia. 

Gall

https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/biden-airstrikes-syria-retaliating-against-iran-backed-militias-n1258912

Biden and Saudi Arabia

 This report presented by the Biden administration has said that the crown prince of Saudi Arabia approved of the killing or capture of a journalist in 2018. Khashoggi died while visiting a consulate, but the crown prince denies being involved and calls the report false. The reason why they believe that he might have been killed but the crown prince is because, before his death, he fell out of favor from the royal family and distanced himself where he criticized the prince on the Washington Post. The report also says that during the time that this happened, the prince was in control of decisions report presented by the Biden administration has said that the crown prince of Saudi Arabia approved of the killing or capture of a journalist in 2018. Khashoggi died while visiting a consulate, but the crown prince denies being involved and calls the report false. The reason why they believe that he might have been killed but the crown prince is because, before his death, he fell out of favor from the royal family and distanced himself where he criticized the prince on the Washington Post. The report also says that during the time that this happened, the prince was in control of decision-making and support of violence to silence people. However, the Saudi foreign ministry dismissed the report and insisted that the crime was investigated and closed. Biden is conflicting, knowing he has to keep a good relationship with that country, but also wants to make good on his promise to bring justice and hold them accountable. A key difference between this administration and the Trump one, is Biden having contact with the King instead of the Prince as Trump had done.

Tahbata Zuniga Diaz

“Jamal Khashoggi: US Says Saudi Prince Approved Khashoggi Killing.” BBC News, BBC, 26 Feb. 2021, www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-56213528. 

FDA Unanimously Votes to Adopt Third Covid Vaccine.

 A key FDA advisory panel Unanimously voted on Friday to back Johnson and Johnson's single shot Covid-19 vaccine. With the Biden administration working hard to ramp up vaccine production and increase the number of vaccinated Americans, this third vaccine makes this task all the more possible. While cases are on the decline in the US, a CDC official explained that vaccines can help protect us from variants. Many states are running low on Moderna and Pfizer vaccines, so it is expected that the J&J vaccine will be swiftly approved in order to aid states running low on doses of other vaccines. The J&J vaccine is more convenient compared to the other two vaccines on the market in the US. The J&J vaccine can be stored at refrigerator temps, rather than sub zero temps, and can also be given as a single shot, rather than 2 shots 14 days apart. The J&J shot demonstrates a 72% effectiveness in the US, but a 66% overall.

By: Tommy McClernon

Link: https://www.cnbc.com/2021/02/26/johnson-and-johnson-covid-vaccine-fda-panel-recommends-emergency-use.html

Myanmar's ambassador to UN fired after calling for aid against military coup.

 The Myanmar ambassador, Kyaw Moe Tun in a recent speech to the UN general assembly asked fellow nations not to interact with the current U.N military Junta that is running the country after the recent coup. The plea was met with applause by the UN ambassadors in attendance. The military junta proceeded to fire Kyaw Moe Tun after the speech. It is unknown how the UN will respond to this plea and if a new UN ambassador will replace Tun, but if the military Junta does pick one the new Myanmar ambassador will surely have their interests in mind. 

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-56222987

Chris Rauch 

GOP continues to follow Trump's lead with anti-China rhetoric at CPAC

Though the proceedings at the Conservative Political Action Conference are always largely symbolic, this year's event is notable for two key takeaways; Trump seems to still be dominating the Republican Party (this year's conference included the showcasing of a golden statue of Trump), and he continues to lead the party to adopt a "tough on China" message. This year, the conference included 6 panels that were focused on criticizing China on a host of topics, ranging from human rights to big tech. This is a clear sign that being "tough on China" will remain a key part of the Republican Party's platform, and that is perhaps the most visible way that Trump is continuing to influence the party when it comes to its policy agenda.

link: https://www.politico.com/news/2021/02/27/cpac-china-trump-471825

Matt Jett 2

Biden's Covid Bill Passed The House, But Can It Pass The Senate

 The United States has been dealing with the Covid-19 Pandemic for almost a year now. Efforts had been made in the past to decrease the chances of the virus spreading such as in-state mask mandate and closing of buildings. Although these adjustments have made a difference for the nation, Covid-19 is still ravaging strong. Then a vaccine was made to finally end the pandemic the only issue is the spread of getting the vaccine out was very limited in the United States. Biden's new bill though plans to eliminate that along with one other topic. The bill as stated in the article would ensue 1.9tn dollars for Covid vaccines as well as raise the minimum wage to 15 dollars to promote economic prosperity. That concept of raising wage was just recently rejected by the senate. Other than the next couple of days it will be very important to see how this bill plays out in the senate. Funds for the vaccine would allow for an easier spread and means of production so a sense of normality could be closer to us than meets the eye. Of course, the one key issue concerning this topic is the aspect of anti-vaccine people. Personally, I feel they need to throw that belief away for a bit in order to ensure a greater future for America. It'll only be a matter of time before we see how this Bill we are voted. Will it be that pivotal moment everyone is looking for?

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-56221371

Matthew Rabick

U.S. Boycotting 2022 Olympics?

 Many Republican senators have called upon the Biden Administration to boycott the 2022 Beijing Olympics in China. They are arguing that this is an issue of human rights, based on the issue of how Uighur Muslims are being treated in China. The Trump Administration declared this as a genocide, and many Republicans are still backing that. Although earlier this month the Biden Administration stated they had no intentions to pull out of the Olympics this year, they now have stated that they have yet to make a decision on the issue. Republicans are also arguing how the coronavirus pandemic originated in China, and saying the United States should not cross borders to participate in the games. Boycotting, however, seems relatively ineffective in this scenario, and it seems that Biden Administration recognizes that, saying that a boycott would have relatively no negative effect on the athletes. Democrats are suggesting that instead of boycotting the Olympics, the United States communicates with China about human rights. 

Kaitlyn Colvin

https://www.cnbc.com/2021/02/25/white-house-leaves-door-open-to-boycotting-2022-beijing-olympics-as-pressure-grows.html

Facebook Australia Clash Comes to an End

 https://news.yahoo.com/facebook-restore-australia-news-pages-041017328.html

Over the past few months, Australia has worked to pass legislation that requires tech companies such as Google and Facebook to pay media companies for the number of links that used to redirect users to the media company articles. 

Google and Facebook both opposed the legislation, and both threatened to leave the Australian market, eventually, Google struck a deal with Newsmax for payment of articles, and Facebook followed through with its threat and blocked all news media from being shared by Australian users, unfortunately, it led to backlash and user loss for Facebook so they finally conceded with Australia and agreed to pay local news media for content, but have not formally struck any deals/contracts.

- Mason Meiring

India and Pakistan announce cease-fire for first time in nearly 20 years

Liberalism! The world is slowly becoming a better place! In this article, Slater reports that, as the title provides, India and Pakistan announced a cease-fire for the first time in nearly 20 years! The significance of this revelation is that these two countries are both equipped with nuclear arms. Realism brought these two countries to arm their selves with nuclear weapons but Liberalism motivated these two countries to agree to a cease-fire. Slater writes that citizens of Pakistan and India are mutually relieved by the cease-fire. People who live on the border of both these countries have witnessed dogfights first hand, and have lost friends and loved ones as a consequence of armed conflict. Everyone wins when countries mutually agree to lay down their arms and this cease-fire further reinforces the Liberalist argument that the world is slowly moving towards international cohesion and a newfound era of peace.

https://ovoliger.files.wordpress.com/2013/02/flower-power-down-gun-barrels-group-1.jpg

https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/asia_pacific/india-pakistan-ceasefire-kashmir/2021/02/25/02335b38-773c-11eb-9489-8f7dacd51e75_story.html

- Jake Domingo: Blog post #4

Russian "bomb IS positions in desert region" in Syria

 A new development states that there are bombs positioned in the desert region of Syria. There is a long history of European forces in Syria to try and keep the peace. There have been many "hit and run" ambushes in Syria by the Russian government that have left many Syrian people dead or injured. An airstrike on this past Tuesday left 10 IS militant people dead, and many more injured. Since 2017, over 10,000 militants have been stationed and have been active here, and have been crossing boarders sneakily. Since Wednesday, Turkish police have arrested two senior members of IS and freed a young girl who had been held captive. One of the people they have arrested was an Iraqi ex officer. 

Carly Nasman

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-56185976 

Germany: Nazi Guard Deported From US Agrees to Be Questioned

A 95 year old man was just recently deported from Tennessee as he has agreed to be questioned by German prosecutors as they re-examine evidence from WWII to see if there is enough evidence to bring him to charges. Former Nazi, Friedrich Karl Berger, arrived in Frankfurt on a special flight from the United States just last Saturday. Berger is more than willing to be questioned by investigators with his lawyer present however, the interview will be set at the earliest in a month from now. A United State's immigration judged ordered Berger to be deported last year after finding that his, "willing service as an armed guard of prisoners at a concentration camp where persecution took place", fit with the criteria by investigated by Nazi-sponsored persecutions. Berger has been living in the United States since 1959 and served at a camp in Meppen, Germany. This was a subcamp of Neuengamme concentration camp near Hamburg. During his time in Meppen, it was found that prisoners were, "held in “atrocious” conditions and were exploited for outdoor forced labor, working “to the point of exhaustion and death.”". Berger himself has admitted to American investigators that he did in fact serve in Meppen as a guard for a few weeks near the end of the war but did not witness any abuse or killings. The Memphis, Tennessee court however found that Berger had helped guard prisoners during a forced evacuation that took nearly two weeks and claimed the lives of 70 people. Even though WWII was nearly 75 years ago, older former Nazi soldiers are still being charged as accessories to murder. Berger may find himself in the same situation at 95 years old. 

Gall

https://www.usnews.com/news/world/articles/2021-02-22/germany-nazi-guard-deported-from-us-agrees-to-be-questioned

U.S. Agents Seize 10 Million Counterfeit N95 Face Masks

 N95 masks are advertised as a way to protect individuals from outside particles. The masks that we now all have to wear are meant to protect us from the airborne stands of COVID-19. But last Wednesday in a Long Island City warehouse was seized by authorities and uncovered a major supply of counterfeit masks and disinfecting supplies. Originally, on my last post, the public was notified that there was 1.7 million counterfeit N95 masks but now United States Agents have seized up to 10 million counterfeit masks in the warehouse. Consumers have been supplied with millions of masks and some of these consumers could be using these counterfeit masks that cannot secure their health. The agents that uncovered this warehouse have announced to thousands of medical facilities to not use these masks. The Department of Homeland Security has notified the public that these fake masks were put together in china and sold throughout the United States and have so far been seized in five different states. This counterfeit scheme has now opened up a criminal investigation conducted by the DHS. Last week, the warehouse manager, Zhi Zeng, was charged with felony trademark counterfeiting and could be arrested as the investigation bring in more information. The issue with this scheme occurring is the concerns that it brings to consumers that are worried about their health. The use of masks is a way for people to protect themselves from COVID-19 and these fake masks could cause some serious health problems as they do not completely work like real N95s. The sellers and producers are responsible for falsely selling “real N95” masks to consumer and neglecting their health

Jesse Solis

The Wall Street Journal - Article by Yuka Hayashi

https://www.wsj.com/articles/u-s-agents-seize-10-million-counterfeit-n95-face-masks-11613603061?page=1

EU commission condemns Slovenia PM for insulting journalists

 In the article, the European Union condemned Slovenia's right-wing prime minister Janez Janša for a series of aggressive comments towards journalists as he seeks to tighten control over public media. Many activists and members of opposing political parties are accusing Janša of eroding democratic norms. This is not too surprising as these attacks are similar to Trump's attacks on the U.S. media, which Janša openly backed Trump in the 2020 election and congratulated him on his win before the votes were fully counted.

Link: https://apnews.com/article/europe-journalists-viktor-orban-media-slovenia-b248c9a94871db3377a3c41061b13e80 

Sam Selakovich

U.S. Citizenship Act of 2021 (immigration laws)

     The Biden Administration is seeking to modernize the United State's immigration policies and the path it takes for immigrants to become US citizens. The act that may be implemented is called the U.S. Citizenship Act of 2021. The act details an 8-year path for the 11 million undocumented immigrants in the U.S. to become citizens. They will be required to pass background checks and pay taxes, which will allow them to live in the United States for 5 years. After this 5 year period, these immigrants will be allowed to apply for a green card which allows them permanent status here. This will be followed by another 3 years od residency to be eligible for citizenship. This act also loosens the reigns on family deportations and increases the availability of work visas. 10 republican votes (alongside 50 democratic votes) are needed from the Senate in order for this Act to pass the filibuster. 

https://www.nytimes.com/live/2021/02/18/us/joe-biden-news?auth=login-google

Sydney Chmielewski

Iran tries to move forward, US still pursuing Nuclear Accords-Dalton Willett

     As Biden still continues to navigate the beginning of his presidency, one issue that he seems to feel is one of the more important issues is Iran Nuclear deal. Secretary of State Antony Blinken made a statement stating that the US would be ready to rejoin the Iran Nuclear deal if they showed "Strict Compliance" with the deal and its stipulations. I personally feel that we should stay out of the Iran Nuclear deal and that the words of the Iranian government have no weight and should not be taken seriously. We were in this deal for enough time to know that Iran is going to do what they want and find ways to sneak around the sanctions on their program so on top of that we are also going to provide them with huge a huge influx of cash and resources on top of that? To me this is a silly deal to re-up and we should stay as far away from it as possible. I also think that saying "strict compliance" means nothing. That is a subjective term and does not detail at all what the American government is asking of the Iranians and also, how would we be ensuring these things really happened? Last time, our plan was the let Iranian officials monitor this deal and that obviously is not in our best interest. To me, this deal is unattainable and we are just funding a major enemy and we should use that money to create a better life for the citizens of the United States. -DALTON WILLETT BLOG #4

As Iran backs away, US still ready to revive nuclear accord (msn.com) 

Biden Administration on Immigration

The Biden administration has reformed on what language can be used when talking about an undocumented person in federal documents. They are wanting to create a more inclusive practice of welcoming immigrants that are contrasted to that of the previous administration. Terminology that has been changed includes the use of “illegal alien,” to “undocumented noncitizen” and “integration” to “assimilation.” The term “alien” and “illegal” when referring to someone is an offensive term that they want to eradicate because of its dehumanizing characteristic. Other people on the right say that the term is not offensive and that it is by definition an accurate representation of what immigrants are. There are also comparisons between the Biden administration and the Trump administration of how they handled immigration with their travel ban on Muslim countries, whereas the Biden administration wants to take on a more positive outlook on immigration. 

Tahbata Zuniga Diaz M. 

Citation: Durkee, Alison. 'Aliens' No More: Biden Administration Directs Immigration Officials to Use 'Inclusive Language'. 17 Feb. 2021, www.forbes.com/sites/alisondurkee/2021/02/16/aliens-no-more-biden-administration-reportedly-directs-immigration-officials-to-use-inclusive-language/?sh=365c6ff41c33. 

Teachers, Not Nurses, Get Covid-19 Vaccine Priority in Some Corners of Mexico

 With the recent arguments of whom should be vaccinated first once the first doses roll out, Mexico's president Andres Lopez has selected teachers over nurses to be vaccinated first. At surface level observations this decision does not really make any factual sense but upon closer analysis, it seems that this is all due to political motivation and interest. Because teaching is one of the major sources of jobs in Mexico and the fact that 1 million unionized teachers assist Mr. Lopez in re-election, it is much more clear why this audience is now being targeted over healthcare workers. In addition, since teachers are often regarded and influential in smaller rural communities, local teachers hold enormous sway in the election. Because of these recent accusations/scenarios, state officials have now reported that tensions have surfaced between the servants and health workers over who most critically need leftover doses. Overall, I just found this article to be a really interesting read and insight into how other countries are handling the COvid-19 pandemic. It also shows the significance of political power in matters regarding the health of a nation as a whole, and just how serious and interwoven politics and welfare truly are.  

https://www.wsj.com/articles/teachers-not-nurses-get-covid-19-vaccine-priority-in-somecorners-of-mexico-11613829602?mod=world_minor_pos1

Alec Kretovic, Blog Post #3           

NASA’s Perseverance rover beams back first images from its wild landing - Kyle Remington

Kyle Remington

On February 18th, 2020, NASA has successfully landed their Perseverance rover on the surface of Mars. The landing marks the end of a nearly 6 month journey of the rovers trip through space. NASA highlighted many important aspects of the journey including their new usage of cameras for this specific rover. Perseverance is the first rover that NASA has surfaced on Mars that will carry multiple high definition cameras and video recording apparatuses. On Friday, NASA released a handful of breathtaking photos from these cameras after the rover successfully landed. The rover is continuously taking photos of the red planet and scientists are currently poring through hundreds of images and are expecting to release many of them soon. The team at NASA plans to keep the public up to date with this mission by providing these high definition images and plan on including videos and audio within the next couple days. 

The photos already have scientist asking all sorts of new questions about Mars geology and given the new tools and abilities of NASA's newest rover answers could come sooner than usual. It will be interesting to say the least what the near future of space exploration looks like and how this new multibillion dollar rover can answer some of humanities most compelling questions.

https://apple.news/Ajxcv3qy8SleiHw_FtaCO9w

India and China both agree to pull back troops along disputed border

Chris Rauch

 In June 2020 Chinese and Indian troops engaged in a small fight along their disputed Himalayan border which both sides claim is theirs. The borders of the two most populist countries have been an issue ever since the UK drew borders between the two countries and in 1962, Maoist Chinese fought and defeated India for control of a strip of land in the region both sides engaged back in June 2020. The territory holds a finical temptation as profitable mines are in the area and both sides wish to have a strategic edge over the other in case of war and a launching point into the other's country is always a military benefit. While the Chinese usually have a military edge over India and tend to win the border skirmishes both sides wish to deescalate the conflict while holding grudges against the other. The pulling back of troops eases conflict between the two most populist states and while the border will always be disputed it is a reassurance both sides will be peaceful for now. 

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-56147309

Malcolm X family demands reopening of murder investigation

     The daughters of Malcom X, a US black civil rights leader that was assassinated, have asked for the investigation to be reopened. Reason being is because there's been new evidence that has come out. The new evidence was found in a letter from Raymond Wood, who was a policeman at the time of the assassination. He wrote that it was his responsibility to ensure his security team was arrested days before he was assassinated. The letter basically says that NYPD and the FBI covered up details of the assassination. It was Wood's job to make sure that Malcolm X wouldn't have any door security in the building, where was going to speak in public. The NYPD has made a public comment about the issue while the FBI hasn't. 

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-56147505

Indian Activist Arrested for Sharing Document That Supports Farmer Protests

 In this article, Roy discusses a situation happening in India where a woman has been arrested for allegedly sharing an online tool kit. The government recently created new agricultural laws that has led to a great deal of protests from farmers, especially the poor ones. As a result, people, like environmental activist Disha Ravi, are being locked up for their participation in the protests. The online tool kit that Ravi supposedly worked on is simply a way for people to learn about the situation and how to help the farmers who are trying to repel the new laws. From my understanding of Roy’s description, the tool kit is completely harmless and just provides people with information. However, the authorities are not in favor of it, and if Ravi is proven to be a part of it, she could be facing time in prison. I personally do not understand why this is a big deal. Reading about this case makes me stop and think about how blessed I am to be living where I am. I am confident that the legal system in the United States would not allow a situation such as the one Ravi is in to get to the point where prison time is necessary. I believe the online tool kit would easily qualify as free speech and that there would be no issue. Sadly, this is not the case around the world, and Ravi is under prosecution for her opinions.

https://www.wsj.com/articles/indian-activist-arrested-for-sharing-document-that-supports-farmer-protests-11613322016

Jeremy Cardenas Blog Post #3

Deep Freeze Wallops Texas, Leaving Millions in Cold, Dark

Over the past couple of days, Texans have been experiencing the brunt of the cold weather as they have had no power to produce warmth and electricity in their homes. Power plants from gas all the way to nuclear power have not been in use as the record low temperatures have been heavily affecting their operation. In the countries second-most populous state, deaths are accumulating and public health is in a grave emergency due to the weather’s effects which cause many to be extremely frustrated with the state’s response and their failure to prepare for these weather conditions despite their rarity. With this in mind, I feel as though this will cause quite a bit of legal issues for the power plants as well as for the state of Texas given their response. Will families have the leverage to sue these powerplants for their lack of functionality in keeping their homes habitable? Will the state sue the powerplants for not being prepared to react and function even in whether emergencies and will there be a new standard as to how they will operate in the future? This also leads me to wonder whether Texans will sue the state for the lack of aid that they have been provided with. Despite the fact that Texas is a heavily republican ran state (in which they desire less government involvement), I am interested to see how the public responds to the lack of response from their officials. Will this be enough to sway the civilian’s minds in the future?

https://www.wsj.com/public/resources/documents/DU5XQrf7TSJs59LXRQGJ-WSJNewsPaper-2-17-2021.pdf

Kaytlyn Tyler

America is back?

This article goes over the recent presidential switch snd what Biden plans to focus on in his presidency. It had been no surprise these past couple of years have been rough for America. With multiple pandemics and issues, the United States had basically come to a halt on all levels. Vaccines are traveling around the world, and the writer notices that it needs to keep spreading as the virus is mutating and could come back for a fight when we think it is over. He also goes over how China's lack of information is hurting the world. Personally, I agree with him strongly. We are all in on this issue together and all information is vital for taking this virus down. The united states have also had a change in heart on deals we had previously left as well. Topics such as nuclear arms with Iran and the relation with other foreign nations are shifting as well. It'll only is a matter of time before we see the implications of this and how the United States is seen. The united states currently are in major need of a reboot, with all the dangers and issues we face as a nation. The shift to a new president does bring about interesting situations if it truly is what America needed. I for one hope to see major change on all levels. We need to come together as one nation and really band against the troubles of this world. Is America on the verge of coming back, or are we just blinded by all the change that has recently been instilled in our country? 

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-56131781

Matthew Rabick

Promising New Data On The Pfizer Vaccine Emerges In Israel

The data on the efficacy of the Pfizer coronavirus vaccine coming out of Israel, which has vaccinated the most people per capita in the world, is very promising. Not only have Israeli officials said that the vaccine is 99% effective at preventing death, but new data shows that the vaccine is also 89.4% effective at preventing laboratory-confirmed infections. This is promising because 80% of the virus cases in Israel during the time period in which the study was conducted were of the more transmissible UK strain of the virus, meaning that this data shows that the Pfizer vaccine is effective against the newer strains. This data is adding to optimism that, with widespread vaccination, countries will be able to lift restrictions and reopen their economies safely.

link: https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2021-02-21/pfizer-biontech-shot-stops-covid-s-spread-israeli-study-shows

Matt Jett #1

Facebook Acts on Australia, and Reconsiders

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-australia-media-facebook-idUSKBN2AK01S 

Last week Facebook followed through on a threat to Australia, after pressing forward with a bill to require tech companies to compensate news companies for linking their content on websites. While Google settled on a payment amount with several news sources, Facebook chose to block Australian users from viewing/sharing any news on the platform (global sources or local alike). 

Since blocking content in Australia, there has been a decrease in Facebook traffic (roughly 13%) which has caused Facebook to come to the negotiating table with Australia, while still opposing the bill from passing the Senate (it has already passed in the lower house). 

- Mason Meiring

President Biden Stresses Cooperation in Major Foreign Policy Address.

 In his first major foreign policy address since taking office, President Biden stressed cooperation with western allies, and rejected the former policy of Donald Trump "America First". Some feel as if slight sources of tension may remain from the Trump Presidency, and that allies will have some work to do before relations can be mended. Many European countries applauded Biden's speech saying that the speech was aimed at "Giving you a pat on the back" rather than making demands or criticizing. Biden explained that he was determined to mend relations with Europe, and that he wanted to earn back their trust and re-new their faith in US Leadership. After Trump questioned the relevance of the NATO alliance, suggesting the US may not come to the aid of those who have not been meeting their pledge. Biden used his address to highlight the NATO agreement, saying that an attack on an ally country is still considered an attack on all.

link: https://www.usnews.com/news/world/articles/2021-02-20/europe-applauds-bidens-approach-stresses-cooperation

By: Tommy McClernon

Trudeau warns of a dangerous third wave as Canada copes with a vaccine 'drought'

 With the virus hitting globally, many wonder will their be enough vaccines to cover everyone and Canadians fear that the third wave will lost their luck with giving every Canadian a dose of the Coronavirus vaccine. Canadian health officials fear that with the third wave brewing that the vaccine will not cover by the time the wave increases. Canadian Prime Minister Trudeau shines hope into his people letting them know, "We need to make sure that, even as provinces look at loosening up certain restrictions, that other restriction are kept in, and there is an ability to ... respond quickly when variants appear," said Trudeau.". Canada will not be the only nation dealing with this drought, there will be more countries dealing with the same issue or even not have the opportunity to have doses of the vaccine. 

Trudeau warns of a dangerous third wave as Canada copes with a vaccine 'drought' - CNN

By:Alexis Ferreira 

Spain Hoped Catalonia’s Separatists Would Fade. They’re Gaining Ground.

For many years in Spain, the region of Catalonia has been fighting for independence from the Spanish government. In past years, the separatist movement has easily deflated, but now the movement is gaining more support and traction than before. In a recent regional election, parties seeking to make a breakaway state for Catalonia increased their majority in the regional parliament. This is a huge victory for pro-independence parties as they now have a leg up against those who are against independence. Back in 2017, when the independence movement was quite large, the region’s separatist government organized an independence referendum, which went ahead even after Spain’s courts declared it illegal and the police began cracking down on voters. The referendum was followed by a declaration of independence, which led to Spain’s central government to begin charging people with crimes including sedition. The tensions continue to rise as police arrest more people including a famous rapper for having lyrics that glorify terrorism and denigrated the monarchy. There have then been many protests supporting the rapper in Barcelona, Madrid and other big cities, but have turned violent. Overall, Spain’s government is trying to shut down the pro-independence movement and going against democracy. 

Reese McMullen

Australian Leader urges Facebook to lift its new blockage - Palahniuk #3

Last Wednesday, February 17th the House of Representatives passed a bill requiring “Facebook and Google to pay Australian media companies fair compensation” for the journalism they share within the media's sites. In response to this new bill and potentially new law, Facebook decided to block any kind of Australian news within their platform from being shared. Whereas Google quickly bargained out a deal with Australian companies for licensing content deals. This helps Google not have to stress about the large costing bill but still allows them to make efforts to please the Australian companies. The actions Google took were a very good choice because now that the Australian minister proposed the New Media coding policy other countries, such as Britain, Canada, and France are looking to make a move into requiring this bill as well. The way Facebook handled this situation purposed an undesired threat to the friendly country of Australia and clarified Facebook's priorities of money over its people.

https://apnews.com/article/asia-pacific-australia-publishing-scott-morrison-18e807cf804828752e9ed287ba3ec1d6

Malea Palahniuk

Colombian government committed atrocities to boost kill count

     In this article, it discusses the false positive scandal in Colombia where there have been recent discoveries. In Colombia over the past half century, the government has been fighting against left-wing guerrilla groups know as FARC and ELN, it was also found that the government colluded with right-wing guerrilla group AUC to attack FARC and ELN. In recent investigations, it was discovered that the Colombian military lured poor and mentally impaired civilians into remote parts of the country with promises of work, then proceeded to massacre them and count them as members of FARC or ELN to boost the body count of their "war". The article describes that in a recent tribunal, they exhumed the mass graves of the massacre sites to find the deaths of the civilians was 6,402, which is almost three times higher than what the attorney general previously admitted to. After soldiers slaughtered these civilians, they were given promotions and other perks like paid time off for giving the government an increase in the kill statistics. It is horrifying to see this happen in the 21st century, but not surprising as this resembles the work of another US ally in Central America, the Contras. Seeing as fighting just recently stopped in 2016 and this discovery was the work of the peace tribunal, this could set the negotiations back. It is important to remember the atrocities committed against left-wing groups by the Colombian government as this may also lead to higher tensions between Colombia and their left-wing neighbor Venezuela.

Luke Kwiatkowski

https://www.theguardian.com/global-development/2021/feb/19/colombia-farc-tribunal-false-positives

The State of Texas

 With exponentially cold temperatures across the country we have seen a crisis develop. Back-to-back winter storms combined with freezing temperatures in the state of Texas has caused power outages across the state leaving millions of homes and businesses without power. As of late Thursday afternoon that number has dropped to about 350,000 which is quite an improvement but also a major issue. While the power is slowly being restored the water supply is still stuck with issues, leaving 7 million people under a boil water advisory. This horrific event is showing not only our lack of preparedness across the country for climate events such as these, but our lack of preparedness of what might be yet to come with the impacts of global climate change showing its teeth more frequently. As catastrophic as this event has been this could be something to help open the eyes of the American people to the true threat that lurks with climate change.

Kolby Miller #3

https://weather.com/news/news/2021-02-18-winter-storm-water-outages-power-outages-ice-snow-south

Perseverance rover has successfully landed on Mars and sent back it first images

In this article, Strickland writes about the details of NASA’s most recent Mars landing with the rover ‘Perseverance’. Perseverance left Earth for a six-month journey to Mars and after a nail-biting and complicated landing, Perseverance safely landed on Mars. This is the ninth rover that NASA has sent to Mars but Perseverance is special in its own right because it is the heaviest and fastest rover ever. Perseverance weighs a metric ton and only moves at .1 mile/hour but is notably 3 times faster than the previous record holder. Perseverance’s main mission is to explore an ancient dried-up ocean on Mars for signs of life but it also brought two very important pieces of equipment. The first is a tiny helicopter, this helicopter is the first-ever helicopter on Mars. The second piece of equipment is a machine that converts carbon dioxide into oxygen.

 

This article is packed with a lot of stuff but it’s so cool to hear about all the groundbreaking technology that NASA sent to Mars! Mars has been a huge topic of interest in recent history and technology is making leaps and bounds in pursuit of exploring Mars. It’s crazy to think that the first time a person stepped foot on the moon was over 50 years ago! I wonder if I’ll be alive when the first person sets foot on Mars, that would be absolutely insane! Space is such a fascinating topic for me. I remember I used to be afraid of space because it used to make me feel so, so small in such an uncomfortable and eerie kind of way. I’ve since grown out of that feeling and I’m so excited to learn more about space and its many mysteries. Technology today has surpassed some of humanity's wildest dreams. People's imaginations that were once just thought of as science fiction are rapidly becoming reality and I can’t wait to learn about what things we find in space next.

 https://www.cnn.com/2021/02/18/world/mars-perseverance-rover-landing-scn-trnd/index.html

- Jake T. Domingo

Texas Boil Order

 As Texans adapt to the new climate in their home, the government strongly suggests that the citizens only used bottled water or boiled water for drinking, or even brushing their teeth. Since most power is down in Texas due to the cold weather, the water filtration system has been deeply effected. Even filtered water that comes out of a fridge or separate spout on the sink is not safe to consume without boiling first. Due to this, there is a shortage in bottled water in stores, and many people are struggling to find water to consume. This is a very dangerous and scary time for the people of Texas, and we can only hope that the government is doing all that they can to help them. 

Carly Nasman

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-56109720 

Covid vaccine rollout gives US hope amid variant concerns

    It is no secret that the United States has been the laughing stock of the world lately with how COVID procedures were handled. The United States was in the lead for the highest number of COVID cases for quite a while. According to the World Health Organization, the entirety of North America are the number one leaders in positive COVID tests as of today. With such a negative trend, good news is starting to emerge. The number of positive COVID cases has continued to fall daily as we start to near the end of the winter spike. There has been a decrease in hospitalizations and deaths as well. Although the numbers are steadily dropping, there is still a concern about the amount of deaths in the United States. The USA just recently underwent the most deadly month during this entire pandemic just last month in January, losing 95,000 Americans. In better news, the United States is projected to have 149 million vaccine doses administered by President Biden's first 100 days. Although there will be a long time until we return to 'normal', the future is looking bright as we (hopefully) near the end of this second spike of COVID cases. 

Gall

 https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-55952899

Texas Senator Ted Cruz flew to Mexico amid state energy crisis

Ted Cruz, the senator for Texas, flew to Cancun, Mexico with his family amid the crisis of winter weather that has been pummeling Texans for the last several days. For the last four days, Texas has been without power and running water due to extremely uncommon cold temperatures and a blizzard earlier in the week. He did not apologize for leaving and stated that he and his staff "are in constant communication with state and local leaders to get to the bottom of what happened in Texas." He claims that this trip has been planned for his daughters and he just wants to be a good dad. This raises the question if family or your work is more important in this situation. A total of at least 24 people have died because of the winter storms and officials have ordered Texans to boil water due to damaged pipes. Ted Cruz has lost power and heat just like his citizens and he will be returning to Texas on Thursday. I think that this article relates to our conversation in class about the different kinds of democracies and when deciding who to vote into positions of power.

-Hannah Kohl (Blog Post #3)

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-56117800

In Hunt for Covid-19 Origin, WHO Team Focuses on Two Animal Types in China

Investigators say that ferret badgers and rabbits sold at Wuhan market could have played a role in COVID-19 spreading to humans. The WHO team probing the pandemic's origins say further investigation is needed into the suppliers of these animals and other ones at the market. However, the WHO team is not sure if the virus jumped from animals to humans at the market or if it was circulating elsewhere first. The WHO team want China to conduct a widespread testing of its milk farms after the discovery that the virus spread back and forth between mink and humans in Europe. The cooperation of China has been precarious as WHO's access to local scientists and their data is all dependent on the cooperation from Beijing. 

The continuing uncertainty over how, when and where the virus first spread to humans is feeding international tensions between the U.S. and China. It will be fascinating to see how the relationship between the U.S. and China proceeds. Moreover, how the international system will change in order to respond better in the possibility that another pandemic occurs. 

-Katie Huey, Blog Post #3

Link: https://www.wsj.com/articles/in-hunt-for-covid-19-origin-who-team-focuses-on-two-animal-types-in-china-11613665015

Illegal Border Crossings Climbed in January, Raising Pandemic Worries

    After the Inauguration of former Vice President Joe Biden held on January 20, 2021, The United States Customs and Border Protection Agency has seen an increase of illegal border crossing with more than 75,000 arrests in January. According to the US CBP, the increase of illegal immigration went up 6% from December of last year. The increase in illegal border crossings may have to do with the new administration's immigration policy that it has campaigned on for the past few months. Joe Biden and the Democratic Party have been outspoken about reversing former President Donald Trump's Immigration Policies to more loose border restrictions. The article from the Wall Street Journal, Deputy Border Patrol Chief, Raul Ortiz, talks about the increase in illegal border crossings and how he worries about the increase by saying in an interview, "We are worried about the wide circulation of rumors that the U.S. border is open," which he then later mentions that is so far not the case. At this moment, anyone entering the United States illegally is in violation of 8 United States Code 1325; also known as the Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act (IRIRA). Joe Biden has promoted the idea of opening the Southern Border and citizenship for undocumented individuals but so far there have been no steps toward looser immigration policies; meaning that 8 USC 1325 is still in effect. More people arrested at the Southern Border have caused issues on the taxpayer but also to the health of US Border Patrol Agents and citizens. Due to the Coronavirus still a rapment issue, the influx of illegal immigrants puts stress on the safety of citizens from the Virus. Fluctuation of illegal border crossing mat see an increase of Covid-19 positive patients as more people come in contact with one another. Biden's plan to open up the borders has not yet occured and people can still be subjected to a civil penalty if caught crossing; but the increase may bring more issues with an increase of Coronavirus cases.

Jesse Solis

The Wall Street Journal - Article written by Michelle Hackman

https://www.wsj.com/articles/illegal-border-crossings-climbed-in-january-raising-pandemic-worries-11613007374?page=1 

Thousands rally in Croatia as pandemic rules hurt businesses

A Croatian man was detained for opening his gym to resist the government's anti-virus measures. This caused many people to rally in support of the detained man, believing that the government's shutdown of gyms, bars, and restaurants is causing more harm than good. Many of the protesters are small business owners who want to work with proper social distancing and hygiene measures. Small business owners argue that the government is not doing enough to help businesses that are suffering during these shutdowns. Croatia's COVID-19 death toll is 5,088.

 Link: https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/thousands-rally-in-croatia-as-pandemic-rules-hurt-businesses/2021/02/03/eaf4e706-663e-11eb-bab8-707f8769d785_story.html

Sam Selakovich 

Climate Change Activist Dishi Ravi is Arrested in India

    22-year-old environmental activist Disha Ravi has been arrested in India. Ravi is best known for her work as a founder of a local wing of Fridays For Future, which is a global movement started by Greta Thunberg. Ravi is a big advocate for climate change and people of colour who are effected by environmental racism. Vogue magazine even held her in high esteem last year after conducting an interview with her. This past weekend Ravi was arrested in connection with attending a protest to help farmers push back on agricultural law reforms. She presented a document intended to help them push back against the reforms, and this was deemed a "tool kit" to cause economic, social, and cultural war against the state of India. Despite friends and peers stating that Ravi has always been a law abiding activist, the state of India is currently condemning for her supposed acts of crime against the state. 

Sydney Chmielewski

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-india-56068522

SpaceX to fly first civilian crew to space later this year, with public competitions for two seats - Palahniuk #1

Elon Musk is putting his privately funded rocket, Resilience up to space with four civilians aboard. The purpose behind this trip is to raise money from St. Jude’s Research Hospital. The first civilian and colander of the craft will be Jared Issacman, co-founder and CEO of Shift4 Payments. The other three civilian seats will be selected upon those who are directly involved with St. Judes, online competition, and a random selection of those who are already a member of Shift4Shop (another Issacman company). The launch is expected to take play within the first four months of 2021 and as time creeps closer to take off Issacman is expected to finalize decisions, as Musk has announced that the parameters are all up to Issacman. Despite seeking this as a charity launch, this may be the first all civilian mission but I believe Musk is marking the beginning of a new era for space traveling. By 2023 Musk aims to have three more civilian missions done. Anyone interested in participating in the online open competition to earn a seat in SpaceX Resilience can visit Insiration4 website from Feb 1st - Feb 28th, 2021.

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.cnbc.com/amp/2021/02/01/spacex-to-fly-first-mission-to-space-with-an-all-civilian-crew-later-this-year.html

A fight between the EU and UK reveals the ugly truth about vaccine nationalism - Palahniuk #2

 AstraZeneca recently released a version of the COVID19 vaccine in the European countries and in the United Kingdom. The EU has claimed that AstraZeneca promised them enough supply of the vaccine for all of their “high risked” citizens. Although it seems to show that AstraZeneca has been delivering more of the vaccine supply over to the UK, who has recently claimed a “Brexit divorce” to the EU. In order for the EU to keep track of vaccines, they put more tracking on where each vaccine was coming from and going to, making it clear that a dozen countries were excluded from exchanging the vaccine across borders. It is no secret that the EU and UK are making efforts to manage the location of the AstraZeneca vaccine because they want to make sure their country has it available for their people. But their actions of nationalism are not exactly ideal for helping the rest of the world who are in the same position they are. The EU has purchased enough vaccines to cover their population 3 times and the UK has purchased enough to cover their population 4 times. Many counties including these two have made some moves to contribute to the centralized effort to end this pandemic by donating money to other organizations working on developing a vaccine. But not offering to share their sources distributing the vaccine. This is a very contradicting move to play in times where the world needs unity effort to end a global health crisis. 

https://www.cnn.com/2021/01/30/europe/uk-eu-astrazeneca-vaccine-nationalism-gbr-intl/index.html

China’s Covid-19 Vaccine Diplomacy Boosts Its Influence in Europe

 It is no surprise that the fight against the coronavirus has had a great impact on all country's healthcare systems and economies. What is surprising though is how the European Union is turning towards China for delivering Covid-19 vaccines. Because of the current hiccups in the European Union and the United States, this present trend could increase China's influence as a reliable ally to small European countries in fighting the coronavirus. The significance of this is specifically Beijing may expect to earn clout in a region where the U.S. is normally competing for influence ultimately further strengthening China's power and thus further expanding its economical advantage over other superpowers such as Russia, India, and the United States. Although some countries are seeing this as a weakness, a far more majority of countries are hopping on the trend with China's help and everyone is currently benefiting thus far. It will be interesting to see how this plays out in the next year as China is promising to deliver millions of reliable vaccines to numerous countries. 

https://www.wsj.com/articles/chinas-covid-19-vaccine-diplomacy-boosts-its-influence-in-europe-11613221201?mod=world_major_1_pos4     

Alec Kretovic, Blog #2  

Trump's Acquittal- BLOG #3

Former President Trump was set for his second senate impeachment trial and to no ones surprise the result echoed the same as his first trial. This does not come to me as a surprise that Trump was not impeached, and it should not surprise anyone. There is zero legal precedent in which a private citizen can or should be impeached. If that is the case, go ahead and impeach me too while you are at it. The entire trial was silly, partisan, and a waste of time and effort by both parties. The country should be focusing on the incoming President and how he is going to attempt to create a better America for us all. Trump and his team joked after the trial that they were "going to Disney World!" and he seemed to be in good spirits and will no doubt be working on a way to regain some political momentum. The issue with Trump moving forward is that many people on his side have turned on him to protect their own political careers and also, Trump has used social media to reach his following and now that he is bared from using it, it may be hard for him to get his message out there. All in all, Trump is out of office and I hope that we can get together and more forward as a nation. I do not like Biden, I do not think he will be a good president but like I we can do what Democrats failed to do when Trump took office which is to support him and hope for the best because at the end of the day, we are all on the same ship and trying to derail the captain of a boat we are all on whether it be your party or not in office is silly and is no good for America moving forward. 

Trump looks to reassert himself after impeachment acquittal (sfgate.com)

DALTON WILLETT BLOG 3