US preparing to counter China

 As tensions keep rising between China and several nations, the US has started taking actions by building bases closer to China. The department of defense and the pentagon have released statements saying that the info pacific region is a main focus so that we can keep pace with china. The base locations are Guam and Australia in an effort protect territories/allies and et up strongholds in the are of China. This shows how serious the tensions have actually gotten and how much concern there is surrounding the modernization of chinas military. The growing activity in the info pacific, particularly between china and Taiwan, is a reason to establish a strong military presence in the area in case Chinese military activities escalate.

https://www.cnn.com/2021/11/29/politics/global-posture-review-china/index.html 

Sam Barton

New Travel Ban in Japan

    As the new Covid-19 variant spreads across the globe, Japan has announced the suspension of entry for foreign visitors. Prime Minister Fumio Kishida has explained this decision by saying, "We are taking the step as an emergency precaution to prevent a worst-case scenario in Japan". This new measure will be in effect by Tuesday of this week. Other countries are also planning to tighten their borders after learning about the new variant, which has been named the omicron variant. However, it has yet to be confirmed by scientists on whether or not the omicron variant is more concerning than other past variants, such as the delta variant. Nevertheless, the fears and anxieties that come from learning about another Covid-19 variant has led to stronger border control and travel bans around the world in order to slow down its spread.

Written by: Maxine O.

Article: https://apnews.com/article/coronavirus-pandemic-health-japan-fumio-kishida-82e53a7a17d1a4c30031065d389bda37

Sweden Prime Minister Alexandra Caballero

https://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory/swedens-parliament-approves-female-prime-minister-81367367

After only 7 hours in office, Sweden's first female prime minister resigns from her position. Magdalena Andersson resigned after he budget plan was defeated in parliament and 2 of her party members also left. As the first ever female prime minister of Sweden, Andersson stated that respect was important to her but she also did not want to be a part of a government that who's legitimacy is questioned frequently. Although she wasn't in office for much time, she has still marked a special event in history and it showed that women can have a say and place in the government. 

United States will bar travelers from 8 countries in southern Africa.

 As the new variant of coronavirus surges, The Biden administration has decided to restrict travelers from South Africa and six other African countries(Botswana, Zimbabwe, Namibia, Lesotho, Eswatini, Mozambique, and Malawi). This travel ban, however, will not apply to us citizens. The World Health Organization has recently detected the new variant labeled as Omicron to be dangerous and easily spreadable. United States officials know that the travel ban will not stop the variant from coming, but it will most likely slow it down. 

Link

Elie Imani

Russian coal mine fire kills at least 52 people

Three days ago, Nov. 25, Russia's news agency reported a coal mine fire in Belovo, Siberia. There were 285 people in the mine when the fire started from a gas leak. Most of the people were able to be evacuated but some were stuck in a small section of the mine. Six rescue workers were killed in an attempt to get the remaining people out of the mine. 

Following this horrible incident, two senior managers of the mine have been arrested due to suspicions that safety laws were violated and caused the gas leak. The governor of Kemerovo made a three day period of mourning for the victims which cancelled all local entertainment shows and broadcasts. 

https://www.nbcnews.com/news/world/russian-coal-mine-fire-kills-least-52-people-rcna6756

Katelyn DeBlecourt

China has created a dystopian hellscape in Xinjiang, Amnesty report says

 An international human rights organization has released a report stating that the Chinese government is committing crimes against humanity in the Xinjiang area where the Uyghurs and other ethnic minorities live. It is alleged that physical and psychological torture is being carried out in prisons and detention centers. Millions of people reportedly live in fear of powerful surveillance agencies and are treated in ways that destroy their character. Methods of torture include beatings, electric shocks, and sleep disturbance. China, however, denied these allegations. It claims that the residents voluntarily undergo vocational training and undo radicalization as a counter-terrorism measure. In response, human rights groups countered that these counter-terrorism measures are not grounds for mass detention. They said that the Chinese government's actions show a clear intention to use severe violence and threats to eradicate Islamic beliefs and cultural practices. However, since China is not a signatory to the ICC, it is unlikely that international organizations will investigate China due to its lack of authority.

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-china-57386625

Matsuri Miyauchi

Climate Change Effects the Worlds Ocean's

 Although it may be hard to believe ⅓ or the world's CO2 in our atmosphere is dissolved in the ocean. But this is under threat if the global temperature continues to go up then researchers worry that the ocean will not be able to properly store carbon. Most of the carbon that the ocean absorbs actually goes into the mud of the ocean floor where it can be stored for very large periods. Studies have even shown that since the earth is warming the mud on the ocean's floor can’t absorb as much carbon as it otherwise would. This is alarming because this leads to a cycle where since the mud can’t store as much carbon the global temperature of the earth rises thus causing the mud to imply store carbon again. Overall we need more research on the complex effects of massive amounts of carbon on the world's oceans to be able to address the problem better. As climate summits like COP26 go on it gives the world hope for a brighter future. 

Anthony Kindness

Source:https://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-59214866

Japan adds $6.75 billion to military budget in rush to bolster air and sea defenses by CNN

 https://www.cnn.com/2021/11/28/asia/japan-defense-budget-intl-hnk/index.html 

By Alexia Patino

Japan is planning on adding $6.75 billion in order to get more air and maritime defenses, since the country is concerned with threats posed by China and North Korea. The prime Minister Fumio Kishida approved the outlay as a supplementary budget. The Japanese nation was only spending 1% of its GDP on military forces, but the newest Prime Minister raised it to a 2%. The additional spending plan approved by Kishida's government on Friday also includes pre-payments to defense contractors for equipment to help them deal with coronavirus pandemic disruptions that have hurt their finances. 

Underground Economy

 This article explains Underground Economy. Underground Economy means that economic transactions are deemed illegal, and these economic activities slip past government surveillance. This article shows the nations with the three largest shadow economies were Zimbabwe (60.6%), Bolivia (62.3%), and Georgia (64.9%). On the other hand, according to the article, the three smallest shadow economies are Austria (8.9%), the United States (8.3%), and Switzerland (7.2%). When I think underground economy, illegal trafficking of weapons and drugs came to mind, but self-employment such as babysitting could be underground economic activity. It implies the difficulty of policing the underground economy. The underground economy supports the economy and it is a part of essential economic activity in the countries such as Zimbabwe and Bolivia. I cannot imagine how many households does Underground Economy support. The underground Economy connects directly to the dark web regarding weapons and drugs, and it could lead to the crisis of international security. However, using countermeasures in the dark would deprive many people’s jobs. That’s why I thought this needed to be dealt with carefully on a global scale.

https://www.investopedia.com/terms/u/underground-economy.asp

Nanami Kanda

Israel pushes for better Iran deal amid military buildup Lars Viise

 Israel pushes for better Iran deal amid military buildup - ABC News (go.com)

Israel's defense minister, Benny Gantz, went to Morrocco on a 2-day visit to speak on various topic, one of the main ones being Iran. Gantz said he wants a new nuclear deal with Iran, which comes after President Biden proclaimed his desire to return to the deal after former President Donald Trump withdrew from the last Iran nuclear deal in 2018 and resumed sanctions. 

Personally, I find it a bit hypocritical for Israel to be so against Iran enriching uranium considering they are the only power in the Middle East to have nuclear weapons. They have even gone so far to have their special forces group Mossad assassinate top Iranian nuclear scientists in order to sabotage the program. Like I get that geopolitically Israel wants to be the only power with that deterrent, but still, the nuclear deal isn't making that go faster. Actually, the Iran Nuclear deal not being in place just means that Iran has more of a chance to get said weapons from another illicit mean, especially now due to their close relations with Iran. I think through this plan though both sides can win Israel can get rid of another threat to them considering they are also starting to normalize relations with other Middle Eastern nations such as the UAE or Morrocco. Likewise, Iran can benefit from being able to enrich Uranium for power uses as well as the trade opportunities from the US. Hopefully a new plan is developed and thus cause the region to stabilize some more.

China’s Xi calls for ‘peaceful’ reunification with Taiwan Lars Viise

China's Xi calls for 'peaceful' reunification with Taiwan (apnews.com)

(Note originally written in October but I forgot to save it, so the story is old)

Xi has stated that the status of Taiwan is a Chinese internal matter (basically saying it is part of China) and says he hopes peaceful reunification with Taiwan with both of their interests in mind will be possible. It doesn't surprise me that Xi refuses to accept Taiwan's independence. I mean this has been true since the 50s, as the PRC sees Taiwan as a rebel province, which makes sense since the island was the refugee for Sun-Yat Sen and his Chinese Nationalists after they were forced to flee the mainland at the end of the Chinese Civil War. Not only that but Taiwan is an American ally, so is seen by China as just another way to block Chinese expansion in the region and further threaten them. But the problem is the PRC can't just invade Taiwan, since it is seen as an independent state and is backed up by the US. This means an invasion will definitely lead to war, and said war will most likely go nuclear and completely destroy both regions, Thus Xi wants to pressure Taiwan into accepting annexation through pressure or maybe even bribing them with autonomy like Hong Kong. They will most likely never accept, and as such the South Pacific will continue to be a battleground. 

SUV plows through Christmas parade killing 5 people

 A Red SUV was seen by many fleeing through a Christmas parade that accompanied children and adults. The SUV struck 45 people killing 5 and injuring 40 others in Wisconsin. It is not determined yet if this is terrorist related or if it was just built on hate or another circumstance 

https://www.nytimes.com/2021/11/21/us/wisconsin-parade-crash.html

The Belarus border crisis shows it’s getting easier to ‘weaponize’ refugees Lars Viise

 The Belarus border crisis shows it’s getting easier to ‘weaponize’ refugees (msn.com)

(Note this was meant for November 21 date)

Throughout history, demographics have been used as a weapon various time. For the most part this was due to wanting a loyal population in a place in order to reduce separatism. For example, look at how the Russians settled Germans in the Crimea after they captured them from the Ottomans in order to combat the Crimean Tatars. Now however this is mostly due to wanting to destabilize the EU by allowing thousands of illegal migrants. This will as always lead to a further breakdown of social order, more strain on the EU economy and an increase of terrorism. We saw this in 2015 during the migrant crisis where "refugees" from the MENA region brought ISIS affiliated bombings and shootings due to the failures of assimilation and the horrible vetting process. Belarus understands this, which is why they are inviting them over as a way to retaliate against the EU calling their election controversial. And now even Poland is getting flack for protecting their borders against violent migrants who are attacking the border control through non-lethal methods (such as water cannons) and "allowing" people to freeze and starve in the woods. This is despite the fact that Belarus invited them or that most of them are economic migrants from the safe region of Iraqi Kurdistan. I mean if they were refugees, they would ask for asylum in the closest safe country such as Iran, Saudi Arabia or Israel. 

The EU needs to decide whether they want to be a home for the European people who built the various states and defended them for millennia, or random migrants who are culturally, ethnically and religiously alien and will hurt more than help the member states.

2 missionaries that were kidnapped in Haiti have been released

Last month there were 17 missionaries who were kidnapped in Haiti, five of them being children. They were kidnapped by a Haitian gang in October. It is suspected that a gang named 400 Mawozo are the abductors, and the FBI has made negotiations with them to release the captives. 16 of the captives were American, and one was Canadian. They were on a trip to an orphanage when this happened. Haiti is currently experiencing an increase in gang related kidnappings, and many of them are doing it to make ransom money. 

Mateah Roehl

https://abcnews.go.com/International/missionaries-kidnapped-haiti-released-ministry/story?id=81316278 

War against drugs Alexandra Caballero

 https://apple.news/APQBTrmPFSuumSMyjWxTAtw

The United States offered a $5million reward to anyone that has information of 4 of the most wanted drug kingpins in Mexico that violated US laws. It has always been cleat how much power cartels and drug kingpins have over the Mexican government and the people of Mexico, so I wonder how they would react when the United States is on their tail and getting more involved in capturing and arresting them. It’s also interesting that the United States has always also been involved in the war of drugs in Mexico since the 90’s but the cartels have been 2 steps ahead of both the Mexican and US government. 

Lockdown in Austria

    As a recent surge of Covid-19 cases hit Austria, the country decides to enter a full nationwide lockdown last Monday in order to combat these rising cases. The surge of cases follow a busy weekend that occurred at Christmas markets across the country as people get into the holiday spirit. This lockdown is currently expected to last for 20 days at most, but the situation will be reevaluated 10 days into the lockdown. While the country plans to lift measures by December 13th, they may choose to extend these measures past the 13th for those who are unvaccinated. On the topic of vaccinations, the Chancellor of Austria, Alexander Schallenberg, has made a statement last Friday that there will be a nationwide Covid vaccine mandate established on February 1st. Just like with other countries, such as the U.S., strong opinions on the Covid vaccine have created rifts in Austria between those who choose to get it and those who refuse to get it. With the vaccine mandate announcement, those in the country who strongly against the Covid vaccine have responded to this news with protest.

Written by: Maxine O.

Article: https://apnews.com/article/coronavirus-pandemic-business-lifestyle-health-vienna-c398e21c413d35dc9513ae138a24d82e

Coronavirus still got hold of us.

Although it’s been about two years since the Coronavirus disease outbreak started, Covid19’s still affecting some countries like never before. After creating the Covid19 vaccine, many people were very excited to get out of the lockdown and return to their everyday lives(economic lives), only to be disappointed by continuous coronavirus complications. Currently, Europe is experiencing its fourth wave of the pandemic. Many leaders in Europe view the current vaccines as a failure in terms of ending the pandemic. Austria has 66% of its population vaccinated but now suffering from numerous new covid cases. New mandates have been put on, and the citizens are politicizing Covid19 and enraged with the mandates. Overall, people never wished for such a pandemic; it’s clearly out of our control.

Link

Afghanistan: Taliban unveil new rules banning women in TV dramas

      Adding onto the long list of oppressive rules the Taliban have set in place while being at the head of Afghanistan, women can now no longer be in drama television shows. Female journalists have already been forced to wear headscarves, now this new rule has put fear into the women of Afghanistan of future oppressive rules. These are not the only guidelines the Taliban have put in place regarding television, however. Films that are determined to be against Sharia law are banned, as well as foreign films that promote different values. All these oppressive guidelines can only make one wonder how much longer this can go on before someone steps in and puts an end to this North Korean-like way of living.

Matthew Falzone

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-59368488

As Hopes for Nuclear Deal Fade, Iran Rebuilds and Risks Grow

 As Hopes for Nuclear Deal Fade, Iran Rebuilds and Risks Grow (msn.com)

This piece is interesting in the sense that we talked about Iran and their history of nuclear abilities earlier in the semester.  This is potentially something to watch as Iran might want to consider upping their nuclear capabilities after Iraeli attacks on their nuclear facilities and the assassination of their top nuclear scientist. Seeing this conflict in the region is something for the United States to monitor. Considering the actions taken against Iran by Israel, Iran may feel the necessity to develop nuclear weapons.

Afghan Farmers Are Turning to Opium for Security

 Growing pomegranates was the pride of most farmers in Arghandab, Afghanistan. Many generations of farmers profited off of hundreds of acres of this fruit until two problems arose: drought and the Taliban's military campaign. Farmer's found it impossible to irrigate their trees year round which caused lower yields. The affects of the Taliban left border closures and fragments of shrapnel and debris in the fields. As a result, farmers have cleared out hundred of acres of pomegranate trees to grow opium poppy instead. The crop requires less irrigation and stores for longer than pomegranates would. Despite previously being illegal, the war almost encouraged the income from the illicit drug. Closed borders were not an issue for opium poppy either, because smugglers inside the country made it easy. 

In Hard Times, Afghan Farmers Are Turning to Opium for Security - The New York Times (nytimes.com)

Katelyn

Kyle Rittenhouse Acquitted On All Counts

https://www.cnn.com/2021/11/19/us/kyle-rittenhouse-trial-friday/index.html

   Illinois teen, Kyle Rittenhouse, shot 3 people in the summer of 2020 at a Black Lives Matter protest in Kenosha, WI, killing 2 and injuring 1. His case has sparked international interest and an abundance of media attention. After a grueling trial and after much public debate, Rittenhouse was found not guilty on all charges. This verdict has sparked worldwide outrage, with many pointing out how the justice system is designed to benefit white people, no matter if they're guilty or not. Rittenhouse's verdict is white privilege exemplified,  as even after committing murder, he is allowed to live free and attend college, whereas people of color have been shot and killed merely for existing.

Ahmaud Arbery

 Being from Georgia, the Ahmaud Arbery trial hits close to home. Brunswick, GA is about to play host to one of the most important trials in todays civil rights movement since the George Floyd verdict. Arbery's murder has been said to resemble a modern day lynching and his trial could start an uprising or show the world that our legal system has evolved for the better. Georgia has a nasty history of unfair trials when race is involved and this trial is feared to show the same thing but many high profile civil rights activists are present in the courtroom to show their support for the victim as well as see how the legal system unfolds in a case that is so sensitive. Americans are looking at this trial to see if our system will work fairly for all.

Sam Barton

https://www.cnn.com/2021/11/21/us/brunswick-ga-ahmaud-arbery-killing-trial/index.html 

Poland border crisis: Migrants tear-gassed trying to cross from Belarus

Troops responded with tear gas and water trucks at the Polish border of Belarus, which has been experiencing problems due to the influx of migrants. Thousands of migrants are pouring into the Polish side of the Belarusian border. There are from the Middle East and hoping to enter European Union member countries. EU has criticized Belarus for enticing migrants to head to Poland and other EU member states, causing a humanitarian crisis in the region. In response, Russia, an ally of Belarus, accused Poland of responding to the migrants with tear gas and water trucks. Alexander Lukashenko, President of Belarus, analyzed that he wanted to impress upon the world that the Western countries do not care for migrants and are inhumane in their behavior. As Iraq begins to repatriate its citizens, 200 people will be repatriated by passenger plane on March 18. However, many migrants have expressed a strong will to stay there at all costs to enter the EU.

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-59302919

Matsuri Miyauchi

The dark web, the sale of illegal weapons and the impact on international security

 In this article, I could understand what the dark web is. Many weapons have been sold and purchased on the black web, and these products have been trafficked beyond the national borders. One thing I was surprised by is “Almost 60% of the firearms listings are associated with products that originate from the US.” It doesn’t mean the US is the largest market for arms trade on the dark web, but it is a fact that the US provides the weapons to the black market. When I read this article, I wondered why developed countries such as the US take part in the black market and gain some benefit from it. This system makes people and the countries easy to happen the conflicts and terrorism, but it would not disappear even though some countries carried out law enforcement to avoid the international crisis because the internet and technology have been developing day by day, and there are many ways to get past the surveillance. The development of the internet and technology has changed the way we live. Now, we can communicate with anyone wherever we are. The connection and community made from the development of technology are amazing, but at the same time, it could be able to be the cause of the international crisis.

https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2018/12/the-sale-of-illegal-weapons-on-the-dark-web-and-the-impact-on-international-security/

Nanami Kanda

Fauci says ‘fully vaccinated’ doesn’t have to include booster shots - Jack Moran

 https://nypost.com/2021/11/21/fauci-fully-vaccinated-doesnt-have-to-include-boosters/ 

Fauci says ‘fully vaccinated’ doesn’t have to include booster shots

By Jack Moran

Early Sunday morning Dr. Fauci said that "being fully vaccinated does not have to include the booster", after previously saying that it would be crucial. Like everything with covid people are going to be upset with Fauci for changing his opionon or advice. But what I don't understand is why some people get so angry that this guy "doesnt know everything about covid" even though we are constantly learning more each day so of course things will change. 

Fauci goes onto to say they are going to continue to follow the data, those who have already received a booster are being monitored to collect data on the durability of the booster. 

China downgrades its own diplomatic ties with Lithuania

 Last week I wrote an article about the tense relationship between Lithuania and China, and there has been some movement on Chinese side. On Sunday, China downgraded its diplomatic ties with Lithuania, expressing strong dissatisfaction with Vilnius for allowing Taiwan to open a de facto embassy in the Baltic state. The Taiwanese Representative Office in Lithuania opened on Thursday. Other Taiwan offices in Europe and the United States use the name of city Taipei, avoiding a reference to the island itself, something that has further angered Beijing. Chinese Foreign Ministry said that Lithuania ignored China’s “solemn stance” and it cannot change the fact that Taiwan is part of China no matter what it does. The move undermined China's sovereignty and territorial integrity, and grossly interfered in China's internal affairs, creating a bad precedent internationally, it said, adding relations would be downgraded to the level of charge d'affaires, a rung below ambassador. 

https://www.cnn.com/2021/11/21/china/china-lithuania-taiwan-relations-intl-hnk/index.html

Chihiro Yoshihara

Putin Dispatches Russian Vessels to Shadow U.S. Warships During Flare-Up

LINK: https://www.wsj.com/articles/putin-dispatches-russian-vessels-to-shadow-u-s-warships-during-flare-up-11637404202

MLA: 

"Putin Dispatches Russian Vessels To Shadow U.S. Warships During Flare-Up ". WSJ, 2021, https://www.wsj.com/articles/putin-dispatches-russian-vessels-to-shadow-u-s-warships-during-flare-up-11637404202. Accessed 20 Nov 2021.

In the Black Sea, the USS Porter entered its final hours of transit -accompanied by allied ships and USS Mount Whitney- carrying tomahawk cruise missiles. The Russian military had been shadowing the ship for days and now sent a helicopter as they were in Putin's "nation's crosshairs". This however is not the beginning of escalating tensions as Russia had recently deployed ground forces along Ukraine's borders, raising fears of an invasion being closely watched by Washington and the Biden administration. Besides invading forces, Russia conducted a missile test spewing debris into space which poses a danger for space travelers at the International Space Station. 

Within the past couple of years, Russia has been accused several times of engaging in reckless operations such as the invasion of Crimea in 2014, and shadowing the U.S. ships in the black sea several times, however, has been doing so in compliance with international law. 

Could this be a case of intimidation, or is Russia planning something bigger? Russia seems to be treading carefully and so far has not used any physical force such as weapons or threats, but it still is concerning just how close they are monitoring the black sea and more specifically, the U.S. ships. 

Currently, U.S. officials are concerned with the construction of the Nord Stream 2 pipeline which will carry Russian natural gas across the Baltic Sea to Germany, which bypasses a transmission system through Ukraine which, for Russia, makes it easier to invade. 

Peng Shuai: How China censored a tennis star

Sergio Zambrano

 The article talks about how the People's Republic of China censored Peng Shuai after she published a post on Weibo saying that she was forced into a sexual relation with Zhang Gaoil. The government quickly deleted the post and any other traces that might lead to it. However, it is not the first time that the government censored an athlete for sharing his/her thoughts. Last year China's professional soccer player Hao Haidong was al censored after he openly called for the removal of China's ruling Communist Party. Peng Shuai has not been seen in public and neither social media for the last 2 weeks. The government has censored any comments on any social media referring to the missing tennis player. People are worried that she is not safe.

https://www.bbc.com/news/59338205

Delhi closes schools and colleges as pollution grows worse

As the pollution levels grow in Delhi, the Indian capital, schools and colleges are closed indefinitely. Six coal powered plants in the city have been shut down, leaving only 5 able to operate. This is because a haze has covered the city since the festival of Diwali. The fireworks from the festival made the air quality worse. The air is filled with tiny particles that can clog peoples lungs, and the concentration of it is concerning. The air quality is caused by weather, and vehicle and industrial emissions. The air is expected to get worse over the winter because of farmers burning crop remains. 

Mateah Roehl

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-india-59258910

Booster Shot Needed To Be Considered Fully Vaccinated

 Wealthier nations are considering changing the status of "fully vaccinated." Soon, you might need the third booster shot to be considered fully vaccinated, and no longer just two. In the UK, Boris Johnson highly encourages getting the third shot, and says that it will make ones life easier. In France, anyone over the age of 65 will need their booster shot to revalidate their vaccination pass. In Austria, the vaccination pass has an expiration date following the second dose, and in Israel you need the third shot within six months of your last to get into gyms and restaurants. Dr. David Nabarro of WHO suggests a combination protection approach... continuing to wear a mask and get your vaccine.

-Anna Jensen

https://www.cnn.com/2021/11/17/world/coronavirus-newsletter-intl-17-11-21/index.html

Biden says he's considering US diplomatic boycott of Beijing Olympics - Patrick Turner

Biden says he's considering US diplomatic boycott of Beijing Olympics

By: Maegan Vazquez,

 Link Article

    President Biden is saying that he might not allow the United States to go over towards China's Olympics that they are holding this year. This would be the first time in a long time that the United States would not go to the Olympics. The last time this happened was in the 1980s and multiple allies joined in with not participating in the Olympics. One of the main reasons as to why they are currently deciding right now as to why not to go is because of the problems that have been going on with the incidents of human rights and how china has been violating them. I think it is very interesting that republicans and democrats are both agreeing that they should not join in on the Olympics this year. I think it would be very interesting to see what happens with the relationship between the two after a decision is made. 

In Catholic Italy, ‘de-baptism’ is gaining popularity By Sara Badilini

By Alexia Patino 

Italy is a predominately Catholic country, but nowadays a lot of Italians that grew up following the church sacraments are deciding to get de-baptized. A lack of data makes it difficult to establish how common the phenomenon is, but some dioceses are keeping track. The Diocese of Brescia, east of Milan, said in its diocesan newspaper in August that 75 people asked to be de-baptized in 2021, as opposed 27 in 2020.The de-baptism is finalized once an applicant declares the intention to abandon the church and the decision is registered by the church authorities, normally the local bishop. It is said that people who get de-baptized are committing a crime. The article also establishes that for many people abandoning the church is a statement against their positions on LGBTQ rights, euthanasia and abortion.

Satellite photos raise concerns of Russian military build-up near Ukraine

 A current standoff on the front line hasn't gained any ground in 5 years. Ukraine has deployed military drones on the border to protect their soldiers from Russian forces. A satellite caught a Russian advance of military hardware including tanks and combat vehicles closer to the border of Ukraine which is raising some eyebrows in Washington. Ukraine's Defense Ministry says they have seen this tactic before, though 90,000 Russian troops occupy their side of the front line. The point Russia is trying to make is to stabilize the tension in the region and show their presence is still there.

A community on Lagos Island is being swallowed by the sea

 While leaders of the world join in a summit on who is responsible for climate change and who is to help prevent further events from occurring, one island is taking climate change face to face as half their island has been consumed by the sea. Many residents don't feel safe anymore as many have lost their ancestral homes to the rising sea. The Lagos Island being the business center has lost a major resort that helped facilitate tourists to the island and that has had a big impact on the islands business economy. 

https://www.cnn.com/2021/11/10/africa/lagos-city-nigeria-sea-level-rise-climate-intl/index.html

These States Have COVID-19 Mask Mandates - Jack Moran

 

These States Have COVID-19 Mask Mandates

https://www.usnews.com/news/best-states/articles/these-are-the-states-with-mask-mandates 

Jack Morans Reflection:

So the other day I was on the phone face-timing my mom as she was walking into the store and realized she wasn't wearing a mask. Quick preferences my parents are are very health conscious and usually don't care if they are required to or not they wear a mask, so this caught me by surprise. Back in my home state of Minnesota, there is no mask mandate. Whereas Illinois is one of the six states that still require mandates. 

"mask must be worn regardless of vaccination status"

District of Columbia | Guam | Hawaii | Illinois | Nevada | New Mexico | Oregon | Puerto Rico | U.S. Virgin Islands | Washington

Out of the ten territories listed above, six are states of the United States, the other four are territories. It is interesting to see what states still have mandates regardless of vaccine status. besides Illinois for the most part they are states with one centralized area where most of their population is concentrated.

US accuses Russia of ‘dangerous’ behavior after anti-satellite weapons test

https://www.theguardian.com/science/2021/nov/15/us-investigating-debris-event-space-reports-russia-anti-satellite-weapon-test

Raygn Jordan

Russia conducted an anti-satellite weapons test that threatened the lives of seven astronauts onboard the International Space Station. The US called out Russia and said the behavior was dangerous and irresponsible. Russia fired a missile at one of its own satellites and caused over 1,500 pieces of trackable orbital debris and hundreds of smaller pieces of debris to enter the airspace near the ISS. Astronauts had to enter "lifeboat" pods in case of a need to reenter earth suddenly as the debris cloud has put them at a risk four times greater than normal.

10, “Loss of Glaciers Will Hurt Tourism, Power Supplies and More” (Dryier)

 Indonesia has massive permafrost glaciers that served as tourist attractions that also provided energy and clean drinking water for locals through the natural melt/excess water from these glaciers in warmer months. In the early 20th century there were over 40 permafrost glaciers in the area. In 2005 less than half of them remained and in 2020 there are only five left and the remaining glaciers are continuing to shrink in size as climate change causes the melting of glaciers all around the world. 

  Naturally this is an issue as nearby countries get electricity from the rushing water in the summer months and use the freshwater runoff to drink during this time as well. The loss of the glaciers has also led to a loss in revenue due to a massive drop in tourism as the situation in the area becomes more dire. 

  When I read the title for this article I actually got a little excited. I was hoping that if climate change started to affect industries like tourism that industry and world leaders might take notice of climate change and how detrimental it is if they saw it would also affect their profit margins. 

  That hope was quickly dashed however as soon as I saw the issue was happening in Indonesia. A country without the resources to save themselves from climate change. Therefore nothing will happen and no one will help. Indonesia will just lose all it’s glaciers and no one will help because no western capitalists are losing money.

https://apnews.com/article/climate-science-business-lifestyle-uganda-7a96f7cdf954a89e7023040c5fc7e298

Putin warns Belarus over gas threat to EU

 Belarus's President in the height of his temper told the EU he would cut off all gas supply lines with EU if this crisis at his border is not fixed. Thousands of refugees from Syria, Iraq and Yemen are trying to cross the border with Poland to enter the EU and this has been marked as a humanitarian crisis as both sides won't let the refugees in claiming its for their national sovereignty because they don't have the papers. Both sides are holding these refugees in the middle and they can't bare the cold coming from a more warm part of the world. Some refugees are dying to the harsh conditions waiting to get a glimpse of freedom on the other side. 

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-59274351

Europe Once Again Serving as a Warning to the United States

 COVID-19 cases are once again on the rise in Eastern Europe. Officials are serving the rise in Europe as a warning to the United States on what could happen in our states as the winter is beginning to set in. Multiple countries are beginning lockdowns; including Russia, Netherlands, and a handful of others.

Germany is also reporting record new numbers of cases daily, leading to the reintroduction of restrictions related to COVID-19. 

Source: https://apple.news/AN6SRvhDaTsiE4gsx0w6AjA

Preparations for Biden and Xi's Monday Meeting

    As tensions continue to rise between the U.S. and China, Biden and Xi plan to have a virtual meeting with each other tomorrow in hopes to diffuse some of tension. Despite this tension between states, the same can't really be said for Biden and Xi's personal relationship. In fact, they're on more friendly terms, with Xi even referring to Biden as an "old friend". However, with both of them being heads of state for their respective countries, the pre-existing friendship between them can only go so far when it comes to discussing the relationship between the countries they lead. Nevertheless, Biden still believes this meeting will have its value even when low expectations have been set for it.

Written by: Maxine O.

Article: https://apnews.com/article/coronavirus-pandemic-joe-biden-business-lifestyle-beijing-e6013378e03727b85a8f59f71fe61f4a

A Congressman’s Controversial Video

 https://www.cnn.com/2021/11/09/politics/gosar-anime-video-violence-ocasio-cortez-biden/index.html

Rep. Paul Gosar posted an animated video on his Twitter profile earlier this week. The video depicted Gosar killing fellow congress member Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and injuring President Biden. Rep. Ocasio-Cortez has spoken out about the video and how uncomfortable it made her. Fellow democrats defended her by saying that if this incident occurred at any other job, the individual would be fired and face consequences. Rep. Gosar has repeatedly claimed it’s not a big deal, but Nancy Pelosi disagrees, she called upon Leader Kevin McCarthy to address these behaviors, to which she received no response. This video points to the sense of great immaturity that has developed in politics recently. Petty actions like these can cause harm to leaders and the country as a whole. At the moment, Congress seems to be focused on thinking divisively and competitively, not logically. The political psychology present within our highest structures of government has greatly shifted in the twenty first century. What could this kind of behavior lead to on a domestic and international level? That’s the concern here.

Climate Crisis Alexandra Caballero

 https://www.nbcnews.com/science/environment/cop26-un-officials-warn-time-running-reach-deals-rcna5263

As of today, there is no set plan to fight against the ongoing climate crisis. The United Nations officials stated on November 11 of this year that if a plan is not set soon the effects of climate change will rapidly exceed and cause much more damage. Drastic changes will need to be made, like reducing global emissions by 45 percent by 2030 to keep the limit of global warming at 1.5 degrees Celsius. States have not really been making an effort to come up with solutions and it will soon start to show. 

Lithuania and Taiwan

 On July 20, 2021, the government of Lithuania announced the opening of a Taiwan Representative Office in its capital city of Vilnius. In addition, Taipei has also announced a plan to open a representative office in Vilnius which will bear the word "Taiwanese" in its name. Other Taiwan offices in Europe and the United States use the name of the city Taipei, avoiding a reference to the island itself, which China claims as its own country. On the other hand, China has warned Lithuania and blocked some exports from Lithuania from entering China and has recalled its ambassador from the country. This is because China is seeing such actions as a violation of its “one China principle” and encouraging Taipei to pursue formal independence. Based on these ongoing tensions with Beijing over Taipei, the US senators introduced a resolution to support Lithuania’s efforts to strengthen its ties with Taiwan. 

https://www.business-standard.com/article/international/us-senators-support-lithuania-and-taiwan-ties-potentially-riling-china-121110600458_1.html

Chihiro Yoshihara

Sierra Leone Explosion

 Last week, a fuel tank exploded in Sierra Leone killing 98 people. During the explosion,  a motor cyclist in the nearby street was severely burned. Unfortunately, the victim in this case was worried about the $27 they lost in the fire; the article states that was three days worth of wages. There is no burn unit in Sierra Leone, so doctors and nurses have been working tirelessly to help the victims who survived the fire. The biggest fear at this point, is lack of access to adequate medicine and the strain the absence will have on the victims families, being that many of them were breadwinners in their household.

-Anna Jensen

https://www.nytimes.com/2021/11/14/world/africa/sierra-leone-explosion-healthcare.html

Western countries mad at the recent coup in Sudan.

    After the recent coup that happened in Sudan, Sudan’s chief officer  Lt. Gen. Abdel Fattah al-Burhan has officially appointed himself as the new president. A lot of anti-coup protestors have been raising their voices and protesting in major cities. On top of this, the western countries, as well as the UN, have demanded in frustration for the actions to be reversed. Although General al-Burhan promised to return power once the insurrections are over, western countries are forcing him to give up as soon as possible by threatening to cause an economic crisis all over Sudan. 

Link

Elie Imani

White House sets virtual meeting for Joe Biden and China’s Xi Jinping

 Biden and China’s Xi will hold virtual meeting on Monday (msn.com)

This is definitely something to watch, as tensions have been rising between China and the United States. This will be Joe Biden's third meeting with Xi since taking office. Considering how these are two world super powers, calming the hostility is important in avoiding more serious conflict in the future. With the recent action taken by the Chinese government againt Taiwan, it will be important to try to avoid further conflict. Mentioned in the article, one primary point in the conversation will be getting along where Chinese and American interests co-exist. Getting along is important especially from an economic standpoint, as both countries rely upon each other for economic gain.

Belarus and Poland Border Crisis- Patrick Turner

Children caught up in the Belarus-Poland border crisis face bitter nights without shelter

By: Matthew Chance, Zahra Ullah and Laura Smith-Spark

 Link to the Article

When looking at what is going on it seems like there is a big problem in Europe. The report says that at least 200 children are currently stuck at the border trying to get into Poland. So if you get into Poland you can reach safety from the problems by being able to consider as a citizen for asylum from the other country. I think it should be really important that Poland should be able to stand its ground with what is going on because Belarus right now is allowing for individuals to pay to get into Poland so that they could be able to get into the European Union. I think it is interesting that people are still trying to cross the border because of the fact that they do not have the right to come into the country. But also at the same time, I feel like if you want to come into the European Union you should be able to present a way to allow these individuals to seek asylum from other problems that they are facing. I think it is interesting that they are saying people in Belarus are telling individuals to pay a price to be allowed in Poland. This to me seems like Belarus is trying to make money off of people trying to seek asylum from other countries which should be like a violation of someone's right I would think because you are promising ideas that are not to be followed. 

Climate Promises in Glasgow

 The COP26 met to look into how the world is planning to handle climate change and other environmental issues facing us. The United Nations event in glad cow had many notables speakers from politicians to experts in the fields of science relating to pollution and emissions. Private businesses have it hard since they are not governed by singular governments but companies such as airbus are already developing hydrogen fuel technologies. Carmakers also refused to sign a deal barring gasoline car production which shows that private companies are not being strictly governed under this conference or the United Nations since there were no penalties on a carmaker who decided to decline it and no reward or funding for companies that chose to pledge all electric.

https://www.nytimes.com/2021/11/14/climate/glasgow-cop26-leadership.html 

Sam Barton

US defends air strikes that killed civilians in Syria

 On March 18, 2019, the US carried out a bombing on Islamic State fighters. A total of 3 bombs were dropped, killing 80 people. Of these 80 people, there were at least 4 civilians but it is very likely there were more. The three bombs were dropped on a group of people, despite drone footage showing a large population of civilians. Cpt Bil Urban defended the strikes, saying it was only after the strikes that they became aware of the civilian presence. However, the drone captured some of these civilians with weapons. Including women and children carrying weapons. After an investigation by US Central Command, the strikes were deemed as self-defense strikes, justifying the civilians being killed. 

Matthew Falzone

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-59279585

Blood Diamonds

 This article explains the industry of blood diamonds and the Kimberley Process. The Kimberley process made a regulation that Countries that could not prove that their diamonds were conflict-free could be suspended from the international diamond trade. However, there are many problems in the Kimberley Process. One of the problems is the definition of the conflicts. The definition of the conflicts was very narrow, so they could not regulate the countries which sell the diamond for the conflicts. When I researched about the blood diamond, my feeling was very complicated because this industry helped the children who cannot go to school and had to earn money for their family even though it was a part of the fund of conflict and illegal. In this way, the sometimes illegal industry helped the country and the children. It is not legal, so the other countries and international organizations cannot ignore this system, but actually, they helped someone. Blood diamond was an illegal industry and they had become a source of funds for conflicts, so I think it was good for people to regulate that industry. However, I’m sure there are much worse businesses in the world that I don’t know. If these businesses helped the countries and the children who lived in the country, should we be cracking down on those businesses based solely on whether it is illegal or not?

https://time.com/blood-diamonds/

Nanami Kanda

Global Food Prices Rising

 The price of food around the world has been rising in recent times but over the past year, it has increased by upwards of 30%. This statistic is according to the UN and more specifically the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization. Examples of this are the price of dairy rising by 16% or wheat rising by 40%. The main foods that increased were cereals, vegetable oils, and wheat. All of these increases are due to the pandemic and poor harvest. The pandemic, in particular, caused many problems with workers and quite simply most places didn't have enough people to either gather the crop or ship it. These labor shortages not only drive the cost of the food up but also drive the price of transportation of the food itself.  An example of this is in places like Australia where they had ships ready to take the product away but they didn’t have enough workers to come in and help. The overall driver of this is climate change which disproportionately affects poorer countries causing instability and political unrest. To add to this when food prices rise, poorer countries are also affected much more than richer countries. Overall this trend of rising food prices will continue for some time unless the challenges of climate change are addressed.

-Anthony Kindness

Source:https://www.bbc.com/news/business-59172665

Snatched from a beach to train North Korea's spies

 North Korea has a lot of problems not only developing missiles but also spying and kidnapping. This article is about the kidnapping issue, which is still an ongoing problem in Japan. At the time, North Korea was trying to send agents to South Korea to gather information in an effort to reunify the country. They were looking for Japanese to teach Japanese customs and language to North Korean agents because they plan to enter South Korea pretending to be Japanese. It is also believed that they were aiming to use the nationality of the kidnapped Japanese to carry out espionage activities in other countries. It has been quite a long time since the incident, but the families of the victims are still working to rescue the victims. However, the problem still remains unresolved. In addition, the families and victims are getting older, and I believe that the number of younger generations who know about this issue is decreasing. I thought it is important to raise interest in the kidnap issue and show a strong stance to the North Korean leaders.

Matsuri Miyauchi

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-55651578 

F.W. de Klerk, the last President of Apartheid South Africa, dies Lars Viise

FW de Klerk, South Africa's last apartheid president, has died at 85 - CBS News

Besides Mandela there weren't many South Africans more influential in ending Apartheid than Klerk. Originally a pro-Apartheid president when he entered office in 1989, he saw what ethnic unrest and strife happening across South Africa, and decided that in order to prevent a race war he had to end the system that had been in place since 1948. This led him to free Mandela after a 27 years in prison along with legalizing anti apartheid parties and demonstrations which were previously suppressed heavily. Klerk's negotiations with Mandela eventually led to the abolition of many segregationist policies and the first universal election in South African history, which eventually led to the complete destruction of Apartheid after Mandela was elected. While he received a lot of criticism for his support of White minority rule, he is still regarded as a major leading in ending Apartheid in the nation and made the Rainbow Nation live up to its name.

Thousands of Afghan children and teenage refugees will soon be enrolled in America’s public schools

Sergio Zambrano 

This fascinating article talks about Afghan refugees getting an education in the US. Communities and educators are gathering to prepare to help with language support, family support, and trauma counseling. Half of the almost 53,000 Afghan refugees that are spread between 8 military installations around the US are 18 or under. In states such as Virginia, Texas, California, and Nebraska Afghan Children refugees have already started their education in public school. The article also mentioned that more funding by the government is needed to help public schools. 

https://www.washingtonpost.com/education/afghan-refugees-students-school/2021/11/11/35d3f230-3db2-11ec-bfad-8283439871ec_story.html 

Danny Fenster: American journalist imprisoned in Myanmar

 Danny Fenster is an American journalist from Detroit Michigan, who has been in prison since his arrest on May 24. He is being held under three different charges of which are: "visa breaches, unlawful association with an illegal group, and incitement under section 505a of Myanmar's Penal Code." The code makes it illegal to spread comments that would cause fear and false news in Myanmar. His lawyer released two more charges he is up against which would result in a life in prison sentence. Unfortunately, Fenster is only one of roughly 126 journalists being held in Myanmar. Fenster worked for Frontier Myanmar, a news outlet in Myanmar, which released a statement relating their disappointment in the sentencing. Numerous others commented their disbelief in this unjust act. Many believe Fenster, and the other journalists, to be innocent. 

https://www.cnn.com/2021/11/12/media/danny-fenster-myanmar-sentence-intl-hnk/index.html

Katelyn DeBlecourt

North Korea's Expanding Missile Arsenal Unpacked

 Link: https://www.wsj.com/video/series/wsj-explains/north-koreas-expanding-missile-arsenal-unpacked/1A143373-3034-4A8C-BC6E-4D8C2EB204BF

MLA: "North Korea’S Expanding Missile Arsenal Unpacked". WSJ, 2021, https://www.wsj.com/video/series/wsj-explains/north-koreas-expanding-missile-arsenal-unpacked/1A143373-3034-4A8C-BC6E-4D8C2EB204BF. Accessed 13 Nov 2021.

North Korea's leader, Kim Jong Un has vowed to create an "invincible" military. North Korea, which already has access to nuclear bombs, and intercontinental ballistic missiles, has been gaining attention from other countries across the world including the United States and its allies. 

Launching its first homegrown missile in 1984, North Korea has since then, through three generations of leadership has persevered and continued its expansion of military and weaponry, especially under Kim Jong Un's leadership. According to Melissa Hanham, who has been studying mass destructive weapons in East Asia for over 15 years, says that North Korea is looking to get creative with its weapons and is doing so in a way that is less predictable, more powerful, faster, and is a tool they are hoping can help them keep up with other neighboring and high power countries.

North Korea has become so creative that they have even begun sending missiles in railway cars. This does not give them any more power, but it allows them to be sneaky especially under the radar of other countries and the U.S. which will not be able to create a distinction between passenger trains and missile trains. The railway system in North Korea travels extensively through the mountains, flat terrain, and even borders South Korea, China, and Russia. More so, new tests show that these North Korean-made missiles can even be launched from submarines underwater thanks to gliding skip mobility technology. 

These tests have been becoming more common because leader, Kim Jong Un, believes that through years of sanctions and suppression, they cannot trust South Korea or the U.S. and until these countries meet with one another, North Korea will noticeably continue to do testing and expanding. This can ultimately create fear within other countries since North Korea has been known to be so unpredictable, and furthermore gives them a seat at the table and say in what the next moves could be for international relations and a potential alliance or agreement. 

F.W. de Klerk, Last President of Apartheid South Africa, Dies at 85

by Alexia Patino  

https://www.nytimes.com/2021/11/11/world/africa/fw-de-klerk-dead.html

Mr. de Klerk was an advocate for the separation of races, until he took place on office and started reconsidering the South Africa's racist ways, sharing Nobel Peace Prize with Nelson Mandela. De Klerk was also the subject that released Nelson Mandela from prison. A lot of South Africans expressed their anger about how their government is just a line of WHITE leaders making people of color feel oppressed. 

Things in South Africa were awful for dark skinned people. For example, meal sizes in prison were based on the skin color. When he release Nelson Mandela, the transformation started happening. Everything started to become multiracial instead of being white dominated. 

Despite everything, Nelson Mandela had said that it was a necessity and that in order to make peace with the enemy, one must work with the enemy, and the enemy must become one's partner.

De Klerk and Mandela were the reason why many African people have a voice today, and their living situation is not based on the color of their skin. 

India: Hyderabad ‘on the brink of becoming a total surveillance city’

 https://www.amnesty.org/en/latest/news/2021/11/india-hyderabad-on-the-brink-of-becoming-a-total-surveillance-city/

Raygn Jordan

The city of Hyderbad, a city in Telangana state in India is one of the most surveilled cities in the world. The town has started to begin the construction of a 'Command and Control Centre' that will connect the state's facial recognition capable CCTV infrastructure in real-time. Telangana state has been a test site for increased usage of dangerous facial recognition technologies (FRT) against citizens. India has been known for using facial recognition technology in contexts where human rights are at stake such as policing protests. Facial recognition technology poses a high risk to human rights and Inda is ignoring that risk.

9, COP26 Draft Text Calls For Tougher Emissions Pledges by 2022 (Dryier)

 https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2021/11/10/un-climate-agency-publishes-draft-of-final-glasgow-cop26-deal

  There’s currently a climate summit in Glasgow and the climate crisis is becoming more dire than ever before and it’s finally coming apparent among world powers that more needs to be done and quick if we want to prevent the world from warming more than 2 degrees celsius. What’s major about this current pledge draft is that it’s finally telling countries to limit and phase out their use of fossil fuels and get all major powers at net zero carbon emissions. 

   While this draft is leaps and bounds better than anything proposed prior, any climate activist will agree though that it all sounds like too little too late. The current draft seems to have many of the same flaws prior legislation had, as in nothing is particularly binding so it appears that very little will change and none of the countries will do anything near what they pledged to do in a small time frame. Climate legislation is almost all about small incremental changes and “planning” how to prevent further climate change but with so little time left this issue needs fast and drastic action to prevent an all out climate catastrophe. 

  There have already been oppositions complaining about the pledge being too weak as “It fails to include clear and unambiguous commitment to increase the ambition of 2030 emission reduction targets next year to keep 1.5 degrees alive. Emissions are rising, not falling and current commitments are way off track for keeping this goal within reach,” Tracy Carty said in a statement following the draft’s publication. Though the largest roadblock is from that of petroleum lobbyists and middle eastern countries rich in oil who naturally only see a downturn in profit margins as the world pledges to use more sustainable energy. 

  There have also been concerns raised on what will become of third world countries that are most susceptible to dangers from climate change and often lack the resources to convert to clean energy. The biggest fear is that first world countries will just move all manufacturing to a country that hasn’t pledged or can’t change their infrastructure to become more climate friendly and overall not lower emissions at all. 

  Simple fact that I agree with Jennifer Morgan on, who slammed the pledge saying “This is not a plan to solve the climate emergency”. The urgency still isn’t there and without it, no meaningful change will come, no matter how much we “pledge” or “discuss”.

Killings in Ecuador Prisons

In Quito, Ecuador there was a battle between two rival gangs inside of a prison. 68 Inmates were killed, and 25 were wounded. This was considered the worst prison bloodbath in Ecuador's history. The event took place at the Litoral Penitentiary, which is the country's largest prison. The prison had to use 900 police officers in order to get the situation under control. The main cause of this battle was considered to be drug trafficking.

 Mateah Roehl 

https://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory/police-ecuadorian-prison-clash-leaves-52-dead-81151412

The Blurry Hope of Lowering Global Coal Emissions

    During the U.N. climate summit held in Glasgow, Scotland, plans and promises regarding the use of coal were made by those in attendance. Some states have promised to completely quit coal usage in the future, while others have pledged to not fund the development of new coal plants. The U.S. is one of those states who do not currently plan for the elimination of coal as a source of energy for the country, but rather prefer to focus on funding clean energy projects abroad over the fossil fuel ones. This discussion of removing coal emissions from different nations in the near future emphasizes the importance of reacting against global warming as climate change worsens and affects millions, ensuring that most world leaders do plan on taking initiative to help aid this crisis. The question is, will the promises each nation made at the summit be fulfilled, and will they truly be enough to make a significant impact?

Written by: Maxine O.

Article: https://apnews.com/article/climate-science-business-poland-scotland-4e997ebd01e1748382da7b0afe562d81

Taliban appoint members as 44 governors, police chiefs around Afghanistan

 https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/taliban-appoint-members-44-governors-police-chiefs-around-afghanistan-2021-11-07/

The Taliban have appointed 44 people for various crucial roles in their government. This is the first large-scale government appointment the Taliban have had since taking over Kabul on August 15. Qari Baryal has been appointed as governor of Kabul and is now at the head of the uphill battle the Taliban have to face to restore the capital's security and plummeting economy. Other nations have suggested the Taliban include minorities and women in their government but there has been no progress made on that front. This could be an eye-opener for Kabul residents that the Taliban could be here to stay and their current oppressive laws could become their way of life.

Matthew Falzone

Mexico- US reopening

 https://www.cbs8.com/article/news/local/us-mexico-border-reopening-what-you-need-to-know-san-diego-nonessential-travel/509-ade5cb78-c9b9-4eef-b099-e6a8cbaef098

The Mexico and United States border is opening back up tomorrow after it was shut down due to COVID. The border is reopening for non-essential trips but proof of vaccination will be needed to gain entry. This is pretty big news because the vast majority of Mexico has not been vaccinated and there are still unvaccinated civilians living in the United States. 

Tragedy at Travis Scott's Astroworld Music Festival

 

https://www.cnn.com/2021/11/07/us/victims-astroworld-houston/index.html

Tragedy erupted on November 5th as rap star Travis Scott took the stage at his Astroworld Music Festival in Houston, Texas. A large crowd rushed the stage, leaving 8 people dead and around 300 injured. There is an investigation underway, but currently, authorities believe the incident was caused by lethal drug injections and by the violent rush that was occurring in the crowd. Travis Scott and Kylie Jenner offered condolences and say they are devastated by what took place. Leaders such as Governor Greg Abbott and the Mayor of Houston also made statements. The Houston PD and concert-goers still don't have any tangible idea as to what caused the rush that left 8 dead, all under the age of 30. This tragedy has made a local impact because amongst the victims are two Naperville college students who lived in my neighborhood and attended my high school. The passing of Jacob Jurinek, 20, and Franco Patino, 21 has our community mourning and hoping for answers. So far, one lawsuit has been filed against Travis Scott and rap star Drake (also onstage) for "inciting the crowd."

(Abby Granato)

‘No Way Out’: A Sudden Life-and-Death Struggle at a Houston Concert By Jack Moran

Friday night things got dark at a Tarvis Scott concert in Houston Texas had a crowd of over 50,000 people. 8 dead with ages ranging from 14-27 years old. many people were pressed so tightly compacted that they couldn't breathe, would pass out, and then be trampled by the crowd. Many fans were unsuccessfully pleaded to stop the show to help these incapacitated. The police are baffled there are reports of concertgoers that were injected with poison. One of my friends From NCC had a buddy who was one of the people who was drugged.

https://www.nytimes.com/2021/11/06/us/travis-scott-crowd-surge.html  

Fossil Fuel and COP26

In the COP26 503 participants had ties to the fossil industry. This is a scary thing to consider when the whole point of the COP26 is climate change. Some people are beginning to question should the fossil fuel industry be allowed to have that big of a representation if one at all? The Global witness has found some startling statistics about the delegates in COP26. They found that over 100 fossil fuel companies were represented at COP26 and 30 trade memberships. They also found out that the fossil fuel lobby has more delegates than the worst 8 countries affected by climate change which drastically changes the influence over who has a say at COP26. One of the biggest groups with a high number of fossil fuel ties is the International Emissions Trading Association. Which had 3 delegates from BP. Some people are saying that if oil and gas companies continue to have such a big influence on the agenda then it will be hard to change policies for the betterment of our environment. Pascoe Sabido even said, "If we're serious about raising ambition, then fossil fuel lobbyists should be shut out of the talks."

Source:https://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-59199484

By: Anthony Kindness

Koalas are dying from chlamydia, and climate change is making it worse by Ben Westcott

 BY ALEXIA PATINO 

Chlamydia is a sexually transmitted bacteria that infects around 100 million people worldwide. This disease is affecting now the koala population. Koalas with chlamydia tend to suffer blindness and cysts that lead to infertility and death. Chlamydia spreads very quickly among the Koala population. About 85% of the Koala population is infected with this disease. Chlamydia just became another cause that the Koalas must face in order to not become extinct, on top of wildfires and habitat loss due to deforestation. Nowadays, scientist are attempting to create vaccines against this disease for animas in order to protect the wild species. The exact size of Koala population is unknown, which makes it harder for experts to determine if the Koalas are endanger species or not. 

https://www.cnn.com/2021/11/06/australia/australia-koala-chlamydia-intl-dst-hnk/index.html 

Iraqi Prime Minister Survives Assassination Attempt - Patrick Turner

Iraqi Prime Minister survives exploding drone assassination attempt

Link to Article  

by Hamdi Alkhshali

Interpretation by Patrick Turner 

    When reading about this article it was very surprising to see the use of drones to attack the prime minister. Nobody has taken any claims of action towards the attack that happened. Some people were saying that the drones were coming out of Bangladesh. After the drone strike had happened multiple countries were quick to claim that they had no idea what had happened and that who saw this happen said that it was an act of terrorism against the head of state. This idea of attacking a prime minister was interesting to me because of the fact that a rouge part of the state would even attack that person who is in charge of the state.  Recently in Iraqi, there was a big election that just happened in which a group of individuals that were in charge was no longer holding seats in the countries political system. The group had recently started to protest the actions that happened towards the group since they had left power. They had recently right after the incident had multiple protests throughout the country. This group might be still mad about what had happened with them losing the power to control the state.  

Business Is the Game-Changer at COP26 in Glasgow

 Link: https://www.wsj.com/articles/business-is-the-game-changer-at-cop26-in-glasgow-11636196493?mod=hp_lead_pos6

MLA: 

Toplensky, Rochelle. "Business Is The Game-Changer At COP26 In Glasgow ". WSJ, 2021, https://www.wsj.com/articles/business-is-the-game-changer-at-cop26-in-glasgow-11636196493?mod=hp_lead_pos6. Accessed 6 Nov 2021.

Back in 2015 during the Paris climate conference, governments were pushing for businesses to cut emissions--this week in Glasgow, businesses have been the ones pushing the governments to take action and stop making promises. 

Friday, the International Energy Agency said that if all goes as planned, global warming could for the first time ever, decrease below 2 degrees celsius. 

The first pledge is $130 trillion in private capital promised for the energy transition by the Glasgow Financial Alliance for Net Zero, which includes 450 financial institutions from 45 various countries. It states that a warning to the government needs to portray "commitment, clarity, and coordination required to accelerate progress." (Wall Street Journal), and protect businesses from the unknowns and possibilities of uncertainty within markets and industries by creating rules and an ultimate plan. 

Investors are even pushing their governments to set standards for climate reporting and carbon-credit markets which will be mandatory for countries to implement by the end of next year. Furthermore, national negotiators are even working on a carbon accounting rulebook which, if executed correctly, will be a monomer towards scaling up the market for carbon credits. 

However, with all the pledges comes the potential that some might not deliver because they're not legally required. It is a dangerous game, especially for high-stakes investors and companies but this task will not be an easy one and it's important for humanity and our Earth that we work together and cooperate towards preserving our planet and reconstructing how we live life and make money. 

Overall, major goals include stopping deforestation, limiting methane emissions, retooling the world's financial plumbing to stoke investment in lower-emissions cuts, and assisting developing and poor countries in adapting to climate change and funding clean energy technologies.