News in a Kawaii Nutshell (Issue 3)
DATE: January 2021 (We sure this isn’t 2020 Deluxe?)
THE THEME OF THE MONTH: What fresh hell is this?
Covid Cases Tracker
We have officially reached 99 MILLION cases. Almost to 1 Billion Covid Cases (Probably one billion worldwide by the time this is published.)
Live tracker here: https://coronavirus.jhu.edu/map.html
GLOBAL NEWS
Nuclear Brinkmanship
After 50 years of relative peace on the nuclear war front, there is a reason for concern but no need to panic. The START or Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty signed by the US and Russia is about to end on February 5th, 2021. The treaty was intended for both nations to reduce the number of nuclear warheads they had. Since a refreshed treaty hasn’t been signed, relations could soon be tested. This can be troublesome in a time where cyberattacks, mounting tensions from the pandemic, and economic stress may cause some to overreact and make an attack they can’t take back. We have to put pressure on our governments to not get involved in Nuclear War. After all, it’s not a war that anyone can win.
Update: Biden has proposed a 5-year extension that Russia is currently considering.
America: Starting the year off with a bang in more ways than one. Biden is the official president of the U.S. despite former President Trump’s many attempts to contest the legal votes of actual Americans on the whole political spectrum. On Jan 6th, 2021, high treason was committed when a group of insurrectionists stormed the United States Capitol. A few Republican senators were involved in the insurrection including Jorge Riley, a California senator.
Brazil: Climate change continues to give rise to wildfires in the rainforests of Brazil also known as the “lungs of the earth”. Deforestation can be attributed to many factors in Brazil from gold mining to deforestation. Though gold mining is illegal, it was given a pass by President Bolsonaro.
His ratings are still high in the nation mainly due to the fact that he passed a stimulus bill that gave impoverished citizens 600 reais ($107) when the pandemic began. and 300 reais ($54.88) until the end of 2020. Even with his presidency being comparable to Trump’s, he’s managing to evade prosecution for now. He may even up for reelection in 2022, but a lot can change until then. (*cough* Expect protests over corruption.)
Congo: Tantalum a necessary component to making that device that’s in your hands right now. The chemical element is controversial due to the possible child/slave labor required to obtain it. Militant groups eager to take a share of it, even within the Congolese army, steal coltan—the metallic ore that tantalum is extracted from—for their own gain. The International Tin Association (ITSCI) is trying to mitigate the illegal activities by sending in inspectors to ensure that these types of activities aren’t allowed to fester, but visits can only go so far.
Ethiopia: Troubling times in Tigray have intensified and not just because of the pandemic. The Tigray People’s Liberation Front or TPLF is continuing to attack anyone who tries to enter the region. There is a civil war going on that hinders aid from being able to reach people in desperate straits. Even United Nations aid is unable to reach the region due to the ongoing conflict. Getting more detailed information is even hard for journalists in the region due to an information blackout. In other words, there aren’t many internet and communication hubs that are reliable.
India: Tensions are continuing to rise in India since farmers are not able to have much of a livelihood especially during the pandemic. An estimated 60-70% of the population relies on agriculture. This has made life difficult for many people within the nation trying to pay their debtors and obtain a stable life. Protestors are demanding reforms within the realm of farming. They want Prime Minister Narendra Modi to minimize the government’s role in farming and make it available for more private companies. The protestors believe they could benefit from farms having free-market capabilities despite the risks that may bring.
France: Election season is underway. This also means that the far-right leaning Marine LePen is still vying for the chance to be president. There are a lot of different issues the current president, Emmanuel Macron, has tried to save the economy from; for instance, the worst of Covid-19’s financial damage thus far. The major discourse regarding the nation’s Islamophobia continues to be a central target and political unrest is underway as always.
Russia: Alexei Navalny: the badass who returned to Russia after being drugged by Russian spies. Last year he survived an attempted poisoning which was brought to the public eye through a phone call held by a Russian agent, Kudryavtsed. The reason for all of this is because he is the opposition to Russia’s current president who is serving in his 4th term. Protests have now broken out since he was jailed on January 23rd, 2021 shortly after leaving the plane with his wife, Yulia Navalnaya. - Source
United Kingdom: Brexit took effect on January 1st, 2021. The full ramifications for the European Union (EU) and the UK have yet to be seen. Currently, new rules are being set in place for the United Kingdom to follow. UK nationals will now need to apply for a visa if they want to stay in other parts of Europe for more than 90 days. The same now applies in reverse: EU nationals wanting to be in the UK for long periods of time must also apply. This will alter how trade is conducted between the UK and EU now that they’re separated.
