Pentagon Chief Wants to End War in the Middle East

Pentagon chief Chris Miller said that it was time to end the U.S’s conflicts in the Middle East, in his first letter to U.S military forces. Chief Miller recently took the position of Secretary of Defense after the former was fired by Donald Trump. Miller stated that he believed it was time to transition from leading the conflicts in the Middle East to taking a supporting role. He continues to say that it’s time for all wars to end and that we did all we could, and it’s time for troops to come home. The war in Afghanistan has been the United States’ longest lasting war and has cost U.S citizens 193 billion dollars in taxes.

Julia Babinec

RCEP: Asia-Pacific countries form world's largest trading bloc

Fifteen countries in Asia and the Pacific have formed the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP). It is now the world's largest trading bloc and covers nearly a third of the global economy, making it a larger bloc than even the European Union or the United States-Mexico-Canada agreement. The pact includes countries like China, South Korea, Australia, Japan, and New Zealand and it is seen as China expanding its influence in the region. The deal took 8 years of negotiating, but found new momentum after President Trump pulled the United States out of a rival deal, the Trans Pacific Partnership. Within 20 years, the agreement is expected to eliminate tariffs on a variety of imports.

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-54949260

Anthony Grammich

Northern India Chokes on Toxic Smog Day After Diwali Festival

Today, millions of Indians in north India awoke to toxic air following the celebration of Diwali, the Hindu festival of lights.  India's capital, New Delhi, was covered in a thick haze, with a pollution level of over 9 times the "safe" amount of pollution put forth by the World Health Organization.  It's been suggested that the use of firecrackers for Diwali is a part of the cause, only being accented by the time of year, where farmers burn agricultural waste, coal-fired power plants are in full swing, traffic is heightened, and there's not much wind.

Stuart Elliot

https://www.cnn.com/2020/11/15/india/toxic-smog-diwali-intl/index.html

Iran Denies having any terrorists in their country

 The United States claims that Israeli officers shot and killed al-Qaeda's second highest in command, Abdullah Ahmed Abdullah. Abdullah is believed to be responsible for attacks on US Embassies in Africa that killed over 200 people, and he was also involved in the terrorists organization when they carried out the September 11th attacks. They claim that Abdullah was killed in Tehran, the capital city of Iran. However, Iran officials claim that they never had any al-Qaeda terrorist in their country. Abdullah and his daughter were both gunned down by the Israeli assassins. The foreign ministry of Iran, denies any type of truth in the story saying that the United States and Israel like to make up stories and leak false news to tie Iran to these types of groups (terrorists) in attempt to shine negativity on Iran. This shows an interesting relationship between Ira, Israel, and the United States. We will see if anything more comes from the situation. 

BY: Cooper Hoffmann

ARTICLE LINK: https://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-54942839

Moscow Wants to Work With The Next U.S. President to Improve Relations

 The head of Russia's sovereign wealth fund has made a statement saying that U.S. - Russia relations are at a low point, but they are willing to work with the next U.S. president to improve the relationship between the two nations.

While Russia has not officially recognized Joe Biden as president yet, the head of the Russian Direct Investment fund has said they are waiting until the votes are finally counted, and the presidency is official. 

Despite the current tensions between the U.S. and Russia, there may be hope for a successful future between the two states. Russia has made it clear that they are looking for improvements, and that they will work with whoever is interested in achieving that goal. 

https://www.cnbc.com/2020/11/12/us-election-and-russia-moscow-will-work-with-winner-of-us-elections.html

Mason Semmler

Mexico Prohibits Holdings Migrant Children in Detention Centers

    Mexico will no longer hold migrant children in immigration detention centers. Mexico reformed its immigration policy to allow this change and will also allow children to have their legal status recognized to stop immediate deportation before opportunities for protection are explored. Mexico's family development agency will now be responsible for housing child migrants. Mexico has been pressured for years by international and domestic groups to stop holding these children in detention centers with their parents, and the United Nations is praising Mexico for these changes. These changes come a year after Mexico detained more child migrants than ever before, due to the United States increased pressure for Mexico to be more aggressive to stop the flow of migrants north. The new law went into effect on Wednesday in Mexico. 

Lucas Burris

https://apnews.com/article/mexico-immigration-central-america-united-nations-united-states-c5030b0e08b2120ee70a5ba22fe55a5a

Hong Kong Opposition Resigns From Legislature Over Latest Beijing Crackdown

 The majority of the pro-democracy opposition block of the Hong Kong legislature has resigned after four of their members were ousted using a new law passed by the Mainland Chinese legislature allowing local politicians to unseat dissenters without going through the courts. This means that the now almost entirely pro-Beijing Hong Kong legislature will act as rubber stamp for any policies proposed by the mainland. The opposition members resigned together to make a political statement louder than slowly losing their seats one by one. This means the very popular pro-democracy movement in Hong Kong will be without any sort of government representation and will lose out on the legitimacy of being able to associate with actual members of government, who had in the past spoke on behalf of protesters in the legislature, marched beside them to act as a shield from the police and were even arrested alongside them. This means that Beijing will now be able to paint the movement as nothing but "radicals disturbing the peace." It seems that no matter who they are or what they stand for, from the Uijger Muslims to Tibetan Buddhists to  the practitioners of Falun Gong to democracy seekers in Hong Kong, no one can withstand the full weight of the CCP.

Article URL: https://www.wsj.com/articles/beijing-ousts-four-opposition-lawmakers-in-hong-kong-11605080352?mod=hp_lead_pos6

Amazon Charged With Antitrust Violations by European Regulators

European Union regulators filed against Amazon for unfairly using their size of their company to gain information and data which would be used to harm smaller companies. This has become a bigger, more looked at issue throughout companies like Apple and Google as well, and people are anticipating to see how Biden responds to these issues versus Trump. Their worry is that these companies will only get stronger without better laws on antitrust enforcement among other things. This has become a large battle and Amazon claims to be in the clear, but many skeptics are excited by Europe’s decision against Amazon.

By: Tanya Czosek

Link: https://www.nytimes.com/2020/11/10/business/amazon-eu-antitrust.html

U.S. Quits Paris Climate Agreement: Questions and Answers

 The United States is now officially out of the Paris climate agreement, this agreement focuses on eliminating and balancing greenhouse gas emissions to help prevent climate change. Trump has been talking about leaving this agreement since 2017 but the process is lengthy. In 2019 United Nations ruled that the US could begin the withdrawal process and his administration was given that a year later. Trump has voiced his opinions on this treaty naming it "job-killing" and "punish the American people while enriching foreign polluter". Almost every country has signed this agreement but Angola, Eritrea, Iran, Iraq, South Sudan, Turkey, and Yemen have not formally adopted the agreement. Now, the European parliament vowed to cut emissions by 60% and become carbon neutrality by 2050. Other countries like China, South Korea, and Japan vowed to cut net emissions by 2050. Leaving the Paris Climate agreement does not necessarily mean emissions will spike. Joe Biden has prosped to rejoin this agreement his first day into office if he is elected. 

https://www.nytimes.com/2020/11/04/climate/paris-climate-agreement-trump.html

Kimberly Nunez

High-Level U.S. Mission to Syria Sought Release of American Prisoners

 As many know Syria and the United States do now have the best relations and have not spoken in recent years. However, this weekend Syrian intelligence chief and American officials have met to discuss two American citizens currently held in Syria. Majid Kamalmaz and Austin Tice are currently still being prisoned but the Syrian government denies holding these hostages. In August, the U.S had a special mission to try finding these individuals but the attempt was too early and they did not have enough information. Tice went in missing in 2012 and is diabetic; US officials do not know if he is still alive because there has not been any recent proof and his illness requires medical attention. The tensions between both of these countries have gotten in the way since the Syrian government bombed rebel areas and the US hit them with missile strikes. The family has voiced their opinions on this ongoing issue but they just want their sons back.

Kimberly Nunez

 https://www.nytimes.com/2020/10/19/world/middleeast/syria-prisoners-austin-tice.html

An end to the Armenia-Azerbaijan war creates a new geopolitical landscape

The most recent Armenia-Azerbaijan war over the Nagorno-Karabakh region has ended--leaving Russia and Turkey more powerful in the region than ever before. Turkey's interest in the war has been clear from the start--they contracted rebel fighters in Azerbaijan and sold them extremely advantageous drone technology. Additionally, Azerbaijan's capture of Shusha (otherwise known as Shushi) and other territory has given Turkey a direct land route to mainland Azerbaijan, which is good for Turkish trade among other things. 

However, Russia has also become a major power player in the region. Before, France, the US, and Russia were all in a group called OSCE Minsk Group that negotiated the first ceasefire in 1994. However, since this war has not been a priority for the US government lately, Russia was the only major power to broker peace. As a result, Russia has gained immense power in the region, as they are deploying 2,000 peacekeeping forces in the area for the next five years. Now, Armenia and Azerbaijan are part of a larger political contest between Turkey and Russia, affecting the region as a whole.

By, Claire Mikulcik

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/nov/10/nagorno-karabakh-peace-deal-turkey-russia-reshapes-regional-geopolitics

Pfizer Vaccine’s Funding Came From Berlin, Not Washington

The German company BioNtech and the U.S. firm Pfizer said their jointly-produced vaccine was 90% effective at preventing COVID-19. The Pfizer-BioNtech vaccine will need to be administered in two injections, meaning that large numbers of doses will need to be produced. 

Vice President Mike Pence was among Trump administration officials saying support from the government's Operation Warp Speed program helped accelerate the development of the vaccine, which was found to be more than 90% effective in preventing symptomatic Covid-19 infections in an interim analysis. The truth is that Pfizer didn't receive any funding from Operation Warp Speed for the development, clinical trial and manufacturing of the vaccine. Rather, its partner, BioNtech SE, has received money - from the German government. BioNtech is credited for contributing the messenger RNA technology, which prompts the body to make a key protein from the virus, creating an immune response. The biotechnology company already had a history of working with Pfizer on influenza vaccines. Berlin gave the company $445 million in an agreement in September to help accelerate the vaccine by building out manufacturing and development capacity in its home market. What the U.S. did, meanwhile, was commit to buying hundreds of millions of vaccines in advance to secure Americans were among the first in line if it clinches an emergency-use authorization or approval from the FDA. The European Union also reached an agreement with the two companies that secured it 200 million doses of the coronavirus vaccine that is set to be approved soon. German Health Minister Jens Spahn said the vaccine is likely to be ready in the first quarter of 2021 and hopes to secure 100 million doses for Germany. Spahn, who contracted COVID-19 himself in late October, said it's important that Germany and the rest of the EU don't fall behind in the vaccine rollout. 

Articles: 

• https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2020-11-09/pfizer-vaccine-s-funding-came-from-berlin-not-washington
• https://www.dw.com/en/coronavirus-vaccine-eu-reaches-deal-with-pfizer-biontech/a-55551329

Jan Mueller

 

UAE Imposes Penalties for "Honor Killings"

 The United Arab Emirates have began to get rid of some Islamic laws within their state, one of which allowed family members to kill women that belong to that family. These killings were committed when a woman brought dishonor upon her family. The main reasoning was sex outside of marriage, but it did not have to be proven, just accused. Now there are stricter sentences for those who commit these murders as a way for the UAE to show that they care to protect women's rights and human rights in general. This new law is being put into place after a deal between the UAE and Israel was brokered by the US. 

Caitlin Hamilton

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-54854978

Peru President Impeached

 On November 9, Peru President Martin Vizcarra was impeached by a vote of 105-19 due to allegations of corruption. He is alleged to have taken 2.3 million soles (equivalent to $642,000) from companies in the Moquegua region where he served as governor from 2011-2014. This vote leaves the Head of Congress, Manuel Merino, as interim president until the next Peruvian election five months from now. Merino takes the position as Peru is in a period of tremendous political and economic turmoil. Of all major nations, Peru has suffered the biggest economic decline of 30.2% and has been especially hard hit by Covid-19 fatalities. 

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2020-11-10/peru-president-ousted-after-losing-impeachment-vote-in-congress

Luke Joiner 

Guatemala Rescuers Search for Scores of People Buried in Mudslide Caused by Eta

There are projected to be more than 100 lives lost to Hurricane ETA that caused a massive mudslide in Antigua, Guatemala. Rescue teams have been searching non-stop for bodies since Saturday morning. Three bodies have been found in the village of Queja; there are 125 estimated dead lives. Luckily, around 3,000 survivors were able to travel to a nearby village and take shelter. However, there are hundreds of homes destroyed and completely gone. This hurricane is labeled as a category four; Honduras and Nicaragua have been experiencing high winds and are expected to take shelter these next few days. 

https://www.nytimes.com/2020/11/07/world/americas/guatemala-mudslide-storm-eta.html

Kimberly Nunez

Chinese State Media Reacts to Biden Victory With Cautious Optimism

 The Chinese state news media expressed some optimism when announcing Joe Biden had won the Presidency, stating they believed that a Biden white house could help ease the tensions between the two countries. However, these news sites still suggest that American democracy was in decline and there could still be future tensions between the two superpowers. While the US-China relations, specifically trust and cooperation, were at the lowest levels in recent history under President Trump, but the reaction that came from China was a look to a better future where the relations could be better. This bump in cooperation could lead to the two countries working together to combat world wide issues like the corona virus pandemic and climate change, two of the greatest threats to the entire world at this moment in time. 

Joey Droll

https://www.nytimes.com/2020/11/07/world/asia/china-biden-media-reaction.html

Biden plans executive actions that would undo Trump's policies

    President-elect Joe Biden has begun his transition from campaign mode to policy enacting mode. As the results of America’s election week become clear, Biden has made known some of his concrete plans to make good on his campaign promises. A tweet from the Biden-Harris Twitter account listed “protecting and preserving our nation’s health, renewing our opportunity to succeed, advancing racial equity, and fighting the climate crisis” as top priorities once they assume office. More specifically, Biden is supposed to unveil his COVID-19 taskforce comprised of 12 people to address the current pandemic. Additionally, Biden has announced that he will rejoin the Paris climate accord, one step of many in returning U.S. foreign policy to a method reminiscent of the Obama administration. Biden will also reinstate the DACA program, as well as restore rights for transgender students, both of which had been threatened under the Trump administration. 

Rola Goke-Pariola

https://www.cnn.com/2020/11/08/politics/biden-first-day-executive-actions/index.html

1,600 Migrants Arrive in the Canary Islands

 Their have been a large increase in migrants fleeing from West Africa to Spain's Canary Islands this weekend. This migration crisis has cause somewhat of an issue. Many migrants traveled on boats that were barely sea worthy and more than 11,000 have arrived only this and roughly 500 have died along the route which includes the 140 who have died in a shipwreck this weekend. This is more than double of the ones recorded in 2019. This migration issue have yet to be solved and the numbers are only rising.

Written by Cristian Madrigal

Source: BBC NEWS- www.bbc.com

New leftist leader takes office in Bolivia

 A new leader is stepping up in a deeply polarized Bolivia. The country is currently dealing with a struggling economy and the Coronavirus pandemic. The conservative leader that was previously in power was characterized as "brutal" and the population was not thriving under his rule. President Luis Arce ran with the Movement Towards Socialism Party and won with 55% of the vote, showing a shift to a more left and progressive government. There are anti-Arce groups and conservative groups protesting the election and calling for a recount to ensure the votes were counted properly and the election was legitimate.

By: Rachel Maida

Article Link: https://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory/leftist-leader-takes-office-boliva-74095108

Immune Cells are Responding to Covid Virus Six Months After Infection

A new study finds that immunity against the covid-19 virus is most likely to start appearing in individuals six months after the original infection. Research done by the U.K Coronavirus Immunology Consortium found that T-Cells begin responding to the virus after this half year period. The study looked at the immune responses in 100 patients who had tested positive for the virus. Samples were collected from each patient monthly to test antibody levels, and it was discovered that every patient had T-cell responses after six months. The study did discover that the sizes of these cells did vary depending on the individual and whether or not they had symptoms of the virus. These findings are important as they will help us understand the pathway for immunity and the search for a vaccine.

Julia Babinec

Bolivia's Luis Arce sworn in as president as socialists return to power

 Luis Arce was inaugurated as Bolivia's president on Sunday, returning the socialist back into power. This comes after the previous long-term leader Evo Morales was ousted from power last year. Arce was sworn in by David Choquehuanca, the president of Bolivia's Legislative Assembly. The ceremony was attended by several leaders of the region including the King of Spain and the presidents of Paraguay, Argentina, and Colombia. Morales did not attend the ceremony but is expected to return to Bolivia Monday. Tensions have remained high over changes made by the Bolivian Congress to lower the majority needed to pass new laws. As economy minister, Arce promoted nationalizing strategic sectors such as hydrocarbons and energy, and pushed domestic production with public investments and subsidies.

Michael Sorensen

https://www.cnn.com/2020/11/08/americas/bolivia-luis-arce-inauguration-intl/index.html

Myanmar Election: Aung San Suu Kyi in position for re-election

The State Counselor of Myanmar, Ms. Aung San Suu Kyi, looks set to win another term based on the results of Sunday’s general election. The 75-year-old came into power in 2015, where she won a landslide victory in the country’s first general election since ending military rule in 2011. She was seen as widely popular upon her first election and was even the recipient of the Nobel Prize. However, her response to the Rohingya crisis was a dramatic fall from grace for the head of state, as hundreds of thousands of Muslim Rohingyas fled Myanmar in 2017 during an army crackdown. The UN described this crackdown as ethnic cleansing even while Suu Kyi described the event as targeting militants. Suu Kyi is part of the National League for Democracy (NLD) party and faced tense opposition from the Union Solidarity and Development party, one backed by the military rule that Myanmar broke away from in 2011. Along with 23 other opposition parties, the USD called for a postponement of the election for fear of coronavirus concerns, but Suu Kyi brushed this aside in October saying the election was “more important than Covid.” The UN also weighed in on the election, citing that it would not be free and fair due to the disenfranchisement of the minority Muslin Rohingyas. The UN’s claims come on the heels of 6 Rohingya candidates being denied the ability to run in the general election. A total of 1,171 seats are being voted on in the upper and lower houses of the national, state and regional governments, but several regions of the country have been barred from voting due to conflict and their inability to hold what the government deems a free and fair election. In total, over 2 million out of the 37 million registered voters will not be able to cast a ballot in the country’s 2nd ever general election.  

Trevor Mohrmann

Link: https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-54820946

'God Bless America': how the world's newspapers reported Biden's win

The world's media reacted to President-elect Biden's victory in last Tuesday's election. Observers took an optimistic tone, seeing Biden's victory as a welcome change to the state of American politics. Words like "liberation" and "relief" were used to describe the outcome. Specifically in Brazil, newspapers painted the defeat of Trump as a warning for their right-wing populist President Bolsonaro. In Sweden, a conservative paper voiced concern over Trump's attacks on the integrity of the election. Throughout the world, people and news organizations recognize the challenges that face America at this time, but they voice a sense of relief and happiness over the election of Biden and, perhaps more importantly, the defeat of Trump.

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2020/nov/08/god-bless-america-how-the-worlds-newspapers-reported-bidens-win

Anthony Grammich

Club Wielding Police Arrest 500 in Belarus

        Following 90 days of protests in Belarus, police there are beginning to crackdown on protesters. Thousands of demonstrators descended on Minsk, the capital, but were met with opposition from riot officers and armored vehicles. According to the Belarusian Association of Journalists at least 9 journalists were arrested while the human rights organizations VIasna said over 500 people were detained. Lukashenko the current president is serving his 6th term after allegations of election tampering which led to the protests. The president's main opposition, Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, was forced to flee to Lithuania where she expressed hope that a Biden administration would put pressure on Lukashenko.

Link: https://apnews.com/article/alexander-lukashenko-belarus-arrests-minsk-europe-3a4e7386b68cda3890cf208ba4d23d69

Matthew J. Nealon

China Extends Reach in the Caribbean, Unsettling the U.S.

 China has been offering loans to Caribbean countries in order to build new infrastructure. This is something that the United States isn't pleased with. As China appears to be challenging our status as the sole hegemon, having a Chinese ally so close could be dangerous. The countries that have recieved the aid from China has welcomed it with open arms, which the United States views a deliberate attempt to establish allies so close to it's land, and possibly a military presence. It makes sense that the United States would view it this way, given the Cuban Missile Crisis. I believe I speak for everyone when I say another scenario similar to that would be horrifying. 

Jack Redmond

https://www.nytimes.com/2020/11/08/world/americas/china-caribbean.html

Israel razes most of Palestinian Bedouin village in West Bank on U.S. election day

 Israel demolished most of a Bedouin villages in the occupied West Bank, and displaced 73 Palestinians - including 41 children - in the largest such demolition in years. The Israeli military claimed these were "illegal structures" and often uses that as an excuse to demolish Palestinian properties in the West Bank. Yvonne Helle, a humanitarian coordinator for the United Nations in Palestine said relief agencies visited the area and recorded 76 demolished structures which is more than any other single demolition in the past decade. B'Tselem, an Israeli human rights group, said the structures included 18 tents and sheds. 

The Prime Minister of Palestine, Mohammad Shtayyeh, accused Israel of timing the demolition on the US election day, when the world was distracted. He wrote on twitter “As the attention is focused on #USElection2020, Israel chose this evening to commit another crime/ cover it up: to demolish 70 Palestinian structures, incl. homes" 

So far this year, 689 Palestinian structures have been demolished by the Israeli military in the West Bank and East Jerusalem leaving over 860 Palestinians homeless. 

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-israel-palestinians-bedouin-demolitio/israel-razes-most-of-palestinian-bedouin-village-in-west-bank-on-u-s-election-day-idUSKBN27L19Z

Serena Merhebi

Mexico, Brazil leaders silent as world congratulates Biden

 As Biden becomes the president elect, the two most notable exceptions to congratulating him are president of Brazil: Jair Bolsonaro and president of Mexico: Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador. Both leaders from the two biggest countries of Latin America are yet to recognize Biden as America's next president. One of America's closest allies and neighbor is unwilling to recognize Biden at this point in time. Obrador's administration wants to wait after the legal disputes over voting are resolved before congratulating Biden or Trump. Obrador and Trump held a pretty good relationship and cooperated well in matters of immigration and trade. Bolsonaro has been described as being being the Trump of Brazil. Both leaders have populist attributes that make them very similar. Obrador on the other hand is more left leaning but has had a strong relationship with Trump, often coming to his defense against criticism. Other world leaders have expressed their recognition from Macron to Trudeau. The countries that had the best relationships with Trump and his administration are hesitant to congratulate Biden or haven't done so at all. Saudi Arabian and Israeli leaders are also yet to recognize Biden. The divide between countries wanting to get get past the Trump era and those that benefited are clearly evident and will continue to be as long as legal disputes over voting are underway. 

https://apnews.com/article/election-2020-joe-biden-donald-trump-virus-outbreak-brazil-7a01d7338f850e5df861aac75d45af99

Jimmy Oropeza

World Leaders React to Biden's (likely) win.

 With the 2020 Presidential Election seemingly being the most crucial election of all time in the United States, this is also a big deal in other countries. The President Elect is Joe Biden, and with him replacing President Trump, things have a good chance of changing internationally. This article is essentially, a list of world leaders and their response to Joe Biden and Kamala Harris. Most leaders are excited for the chance to work with Joe and Kamala, or at least they said they are. A head of state in Russia, said that hopefully Russian election interference will no longer come up in world policy, and the two nations will be able to work more heavily on arms deals, saying "we are waiting". It will be interesting to see how IR changes under Biden's presidency. 

BY: Cooper Hoffmann

ARTICLE LINK: https://abcnews.go.com/International/back-america-world-leaders-react-bidens-apparent-win/story?id=73974095

“Israel rebuked for ‘biggest demolition of Palestinian homes in years’ "

The Israeli government allowed their military to destroy what they felt were “illegally built” structures by some Palestinians. Around 73 people total were displayed within the Jordan Valley. Palestine sites it as a breach of the Fourth Genva Conventions, as the Palestinians were allowed self-rule of the West bank in 1967. The Palestinian-Israeli conflict in very complex. It started after the world wars when European powers designated parts of Palestine to Jewish immigrants but neglected to protect the rights of the people already living there. I feel like a lot of people feel strongly about the conflict because of all the things that have happened in the past. I feel like it was not necessary for a creation of a Jewish homeland in a place where the indigenous people are displaced and disenfranchised. I think it speaks a lot to postcolonialism and postcolonialism within Judaism and Christianity itself. I feel that the conflict replicates what happened in the Bible when the Jews came up from Egypt and laid waste the Canaanites, I did a paper over colonialism in the Bible and how it also allows for colonialism in the present day and how it has allowed it in the past. Jena Livesay https://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-54823660

Azerbaijan Claims Capture of Key Town in Nagorno-Karabakh

 Azerbaijan claimed to capture a key town in Nagorno-Karabakh in their conflict with Armenia.  The town is considered an key location in holding military control over the region.  Armenian officials dispute the claims and insist that fighting is still happening.  The conflict between the two broke out September 27th, and has killed at least 1,000 people.  Turkey's president has congratulated Azerbaijan for capturing the city.

https://www.nytimes.com/2020/11/08/world/europe/nagorno-karabakh-azerbaijan-shusha.html

Stuart Elliot

President Joe Biden Addresses the Nation

 

Joe Biden was declared the winner of the 2020 presidential election. This came after Biden won Pennslyvania and was announced to have won Nevada and Arizona. In his first speech addressing the nation after his victory, he urged the nation to come together after they have been divided for so long. He promised to be a president for all even those who voted for Trump. One powerful quote from his speech was, “To make progress, we must stop treating our opponents as our enemy. We are not enemies. We are Americans. The Bible tells us that to everything there is a season — a time to build, a time to reap, a time to sow. And a time to heal. This is the time to heal in America". He also promised to get a better COVID plan going by January of 2021. It is unknown at this point how Donald Trump will react to his loss and if he will have a peaceful transition of power from his administration to Biden's. 

-Faith Brouwer 

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2020/nov/07/joe-biden-speech-us-election-win-kamala-harris

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2020/nov/07/joe-biden-speech-us-election-win-kamala-harris

U.S. Hits Record Daily Case Rise

Throughout the election, COVID-19 was a topic of great discussion. However, as votes were being counted, tensions were high and many have been on the edge of their seats. 

It seems as though the pandemic has been forgotten throughout all of the election chaos: and with that comes a record daily case rise in the U.S. which is three days running. 

More than 127,000 cases and 1,149 deaths have been reported in the past 24 hours. In total, the United States has more than 9.7 million confirmed cases of COVID-19, and more than 230,000 deaths; making the United States the worst affected nation in the world.

OPINION:

Blatant irresponsibility, along with lackluster public health measures in the United States is the main reason as to why the nation is at the top of the list right now. Nations which followed rules and took precautions such as China and Croatia have now seen very low numbers in regard to daily cases of COVID-19. The United States government has continued to blame China for this virus, however it is clear that the only reason we are struggling is due to a lackluster public health response and disregard for science. 

Mason Semmler

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-54851759

Ethiopia on Verge of Civil War

    Ethiopia, one of Africa's most powerful and populous countries, is on the brink of civil war. The crisis has been building for months. Ethiopia's Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize last year for his work within the country, but that all seems to be coming to an end. On Wednesday morning communications were cut in the heavily armed northern Tigray region and Ahmed ordered troops to respond to an attack by Tigray's forces on a military base in the region. On Thursday Ethiopia's army deployed troops to Tigray and Tigray's leader announced "we are ready to be martyrs". Then on Friday, Ahmed carried out airstrikes against the Tigray People's Liberation Front (TPLF) and cut off the Tigray region from the rest of the nation. All of this comes after the TPLF withdrew from the countries ruling coalition that appointed Ahmed prime minister last year. 

Lucas Burris

https://apnews.com/article/why-ethiopia-on-brink-of-civil-war-ap-011a4fe56971e4871467d363e6c55551

China's 6G Satellite

 China sent the world's first 6G satellite to space on Saturday morning. The 6G satellite was sent into orbit with 12 more satellites. China says that this technology will be used to for monitoring crops and forest fires as well as the 6G service. The goal is for the technology in charge of monitoring the forests will help prevent wildfires from occurring. The 6G satellite is set to test how communication works with the help of a faster network; it is expected that the speed will be 100 times faster than 5G networks. The launch was successful, so China now waits to see if their new technology produces the effects they hope for. 

Caitlin Hamilton

https://www.bbc.com/news/av/world-asia-china-54852131

Parts Of Northern Denmark On Lockdown Over Coronavirus Variant Outbreak In Minks

 In Denmark there is an outbreak of a mutated coronavirus, which they have linked back to bred minks. This had led them to kill up to 17 million minks, because there have also been 200 coronavirus cases that have linked back to the mink exposure. Much of Denmark and effected areas have shut back down and limited outings due to this issue. Denmark leads in the supplier of mink fur, which makes sense to why this outbreak is occurring. Their greatest fear is that this could become a new pandemic, so they are taking all precautions possible as soon as possible. 

By: Tanya Czosek

Link: https://www.npr.org/sections/coronavirus-live-updates/2020/11/06/932113383/northern-denmark-in-lockdown-over-coronavirus-variant-outbreak-in-minks

Western Economies Embrace State Intervention, Emulating Asia

This article essentially states that many western economies are looking to renationalize some corporations and have more government control over some industries to mimic the success of China, both in its response to COVID and general economic performance in the past several years.They were calling for greater stimulus spending also. This article screams Chinese Soft Power. Either the CCP paid the WSJ to include this article or influenced them by other means. Either way, with the exception of strange circumstance like COVID, more government intervention in business via nationalization is not necessary unless it is required to maintain national interests. The article is pointing to Chinese economic growth as its reasoning, not realizing that the most populous country in the world overtaking a country less than a quarter its size. only recently doesn't imply great economic policy. Also, much of China's recent growth is due to its expanding private sector and rampant IP theft.

https://www.wsj.com/articles/western-economies-embrace-state-intervention-emulating-asia-11604574001

Poland Delays Abortion Ban

 Jake Mersch

Poland was set to officially implement its strictest ban on women having the right to have an abortion, however, nationwide protests intensified causing the government to temporarily halt the date on which the ban would take effect. Poland is a rather conservative country and has been moving farther to the political right in the past decade with the passage of this anti-abortion law as the pinnacle of their political beliefs. The passage was followed up by a high court ruling stating that fetuses with congenital defects would not be able to be aborted because this was in direct violation of the Polish constitution. The uproar has ensued and Poland is facing mounting pressure to allow women the right to choose to abort a pregnancy. Most demonstrators are demanding that the Polish government, at the least, decriminalize abortions in cases of rape without having to prove the rape case first. Overall, this reality shows that abortion is a worldwide debate and not only hotly contested in the United States.

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/poland-abortion-law-delay-amid-huge-protests/ 

As America Waits Out An Uncertain Election, Much Of The World Sees Chaos

While the United States is locked in limbo for the outcome of an election that President Trump has already labeled fraudulent and has threatened to challenge in court, the rest of the world is looking on with a mixture of uncertainty, concern and outright alarm. 

Germany's defense minister, Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer, called the uncertainty surrounding the outcome a very explosive situation: "This is a situation that can lead to a constitutional crisis in the US". 

Meanwhile, in neighboring France, the Le Monde daily led it website with a quote from French journalist Sylvie Kauffmann, who blamed the election impasse on "flaws in the electoral system". 

In the United Kingdom, an analysis in the Times of London was brutally succinct; "It is hard to look at our closest ally without concluding that it is a nation in trouble". 

The director of Italy's Institute of International Affairs said if a contested US election ends up in the courts and leads to violence, it would further damage America's standing and undermine democracy in Europe. 

In Israel, where Prime Minister Netanyahu has enjoyed close ties with Trump, the incoming ambassador to the US stressed that Israel will work with whoever occupies the White House. 

An editorial in Canada's Globe and Mail called the US election a referendum on America's soul and said that the stalled results left open two possibilities, neither of them ideal. 

In Russia, the leader of the nationalist opposition Liberal Democratic Party of Russia predicted that Trump will still emerge the winner because he's done more for Americans than any president before him. 

In China, officials are taking a wait-and-see approach, and news outlets are being told not to write about the impasse. 

In India, the world's largest democracy, election outcomes frequently take days or weeks to determine because of the huge number of ballots and the country's vast geography; they view Americans as impatient for results. 

An analysis in Australia's Sydney Morning Herald said that the US President's push to stop the vote count has sought to undermine the democracy he leads and disenfranchise millions of his fellow citizens. 

Article: https://www.npr.org/2020/11/04/931260425/as-america-waits-out-an-uncertain-election-much-of-the-world-sees-chaos

Jan Mueller

New Lockdown in Greece

On Thursday, November 5, Greece Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis announced a second nationwide lockdown citing concern for the spike in Covid-19 cases. Although a nationwide lockdown was seen as a last option, Mitsotakis ultimately decided that a nationwide lockdown was necessary out of fear the healthcare system would be overrun. The lockdown will take effect this Saturday and remain for three weeks. Supermarkets, pharmacies, and elementary schools will remain open, but retail stores and high schools will be closed. Greece is the latest European country to institute a nationwide lockdown following drastic increases in Covid-19 cases. 

 https://www.reuters.com/article/us-health-coronavirus-greece/greece-orders-nationwide-lockdown-to-curb-covid-surge-idUSKBN27L185 

Luke Joiner 

Ivory Coast’s election is already chaotic. Many fear it could spark another conflict.

 The Ivory Coast was in the midst of its election cycle, with the election occurring Saturday, however they are seeing protests and clashes in the streets over the process. The current President, Alassane Ouattara, was expected to commit to a peaceful transfer of power because it was clear that he would be voted out of office, a democratic success to the citizens of the Ivory Coast. However, during the past couple of weeks there have been multiple attempts to suppress votes as well as other disruptions that were not allowing people to cast their ballots. The opposition, who were poised for victory, have been telling people to not vote, but rather to boycott the election due to the fact that it is not a fair election. This has caused more conflict between the two sides, and some are worried that it could result in a similar event that happened in 2010 with an election dispute that led to 3,000 deaths. 

Joey Droll

https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/africa/ivory-coast-election-ouattara/2020/10/30/334f96fc-1a1f-11eb-8bda-814ca56e138b_story.html