North America:
- Donald Trump won the presidency with an astounding 312 votes, sweeping all seven battleground states last Wednesday (Nov 6). The Republican had previously lost 6 out of 7 of these states in 2020 to President Joe Biden. His victory is largely fueled by support from Latino and Hispanic voters, which showed up for him in record numbers on November 5th.
- Republicans are set to regain control of the White House and Senate and are on track to retain the House majority thus prompting speculation of whether Supreme Court Justices Alito and Thomas should step down. Trump is on his way to having a conservative supermajority in all branches of the government. With the current justices comprising 6 conservatives, 3 of which are Trump nominated, if Alito and Thomas step down, 5 of the 6 conservative justices would be Trump nominated.
- Trump’s victory in the presidential election could mean that the rioters on Jan 6, 2021, could be granted pardons. During his campaign, he has mentioned granting clemency to some of those who were involved in the attack on the U.S. Capitol on Jan 6, 2021. It remains unclear how he would fulfil those promises, but should he issue presidential pardons, it would dismiss one of the largest criminal investigations of the Department of Justice.
- Robert F. Kennedy Jr. could be the next head of the Department of Health following Trump’s win in the presidential election. (Nov 6) Dr Jerome Adams, who served as a surgeon general during the president-elect’s first term, warned about R.F.K Jr. “If R.F.K has a significant influence on the next administration, that could further erode people’s willingness to get up to date with recommended vaccines,” Dr Adams said. A prominent anti-vaxxer, R.F.K. could be in a position to impact a broad range of health policies, which could put the health of the nation and the world at risk.
- Tech mogul Elon Musk briefly joined a call between President-elect Trump and Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky, amidst concerns for the future of Ukraine. Musk, who was not scheduled to be on the call between the two leaders, was at Mar-a-Lago with Trump when the Ukrainian leader congratulated him on his victory. Trump put the call on speaker and President Zelensky thanked Musk for his contributions in providing communications through Starlink in the ongoing war in Ukraine.
- Biden and environmental groups are trying to protect climate policies from Trump. As of Saturday (Nov 9), Biden is racing to award hundreds of millions of dollars in grants to finalise environmental regulations from the 2022 climate law before President-elect Trump enters the White House. John Podesta, Biden’s top climate diplomat, says that he will try to reassure America’s allies that the transition to clean energy is unstoppable and U.S. emissions are poised to drop, even with Trump as president.
South America:
- Mexican police find 11 bodies in a pick-up truck, including two children, in a Southern Mexican city, Chilpancigo on Thursday (Nov 7). This comes after its mayor was beheaded just last month, days after taking office. The identities of the victims are not yet known and the case is being treated as a homicide, the state’s attorney general says. The state of Guerrero, where the city of Chilpancigo lies, is one of Mexico’s most violent states, attributed to its location along the Pacific coast smuggling routes. It is prone to gang violence and the city of Chilpancigo, home to rival drug gangs Ardillos and Tlacos, has been the scene for long-standing turf battles.
- Bolivia’s constitutional court has barred former president Evo Morales from running for office in 2025. The ruling solidified a 2023 court order that a president cannot serve more than two terms. Morales led the country from 2006 to 2019 and was extremely popular, until he tried to bypass the constitution, seeking a fourth term. He won the vote in 2019 but was forced to resign and fled the country amid violent protests over alleged election fraud.
- Mexico maintains policies seeking to stop migrants from crossing the Northern Border it shares with the U.S., following Trump’s win in the presidential election. The president-elect has promised to crack down on immigration, and Mexico’s Foreign Minister Juan Ramon de la Fuente has said that their policies are working, pointing at the reduced numbers of migrants caught by U.S. authorities at the border since last December. “It is working well and we will continue on this path,” he stated in a press conference. In the same press conference, Mexico’s President Claudia Sheinbaum confirmed that she had spoken to Trump the day earlier about the border, reiterating the reduced numbers of migrants crossing the border.
- Cuba works to restore power after the country suffered a nationwide blackout following Hurricane Rafael. On Friday (Nov 8), Weather analysts foresaw a dangerous storm surge when tropical storms surged in Colombia, Panama, Costa Rica and Nicaragua. Heavy rains led to flooding and disturbances, and about 70,000 people were evacuated from their homes in Cuba in anticipation of Hurricane Rafael. Strong winds of up to 185km/h damaged the power grid so severely, causing a nationwide power outage. No fatalities have been reported so far, but millions are left with damaged homes.
- Extreme weather in Latin America is contributing to increased migration and return between the U.S. and Mexico, according to a new study found on Saturday (Nov 9). More migrants could risk their lives to cross the border, looking to avoid hardships brought by climate change, such as droughts and storms. Climate change, attributed to the burning of fossil fuels and natural gas, is escalating extreme weather to new heights. Droughts are longer and drier, heat is deadlier and storms are more intense. In Mexico, droughts have drained reservoirs dry, leading to water shortages and threatening livelihoods with reduced agricultural production.
Europe:
- To especially address the impact of attacks on Israeli football supporters, Dutch Prime Minister, Dick Schoof cancels his attendance at COP29 happening from 11 to 22 November 2024 in Baku, Azerbaijan After the riots that happened on Thursday (Nov 7), Amsterdam’s police have launched a large-scale investigation. Schoof believes that the attacks are inspired by social media movements to target Jewish people. Five people were being treated at local hospitals and more than 60 suspects were arrested after the attacks.
- Germany was overwhelmed by a political crisis as the Scholz coalition fell apart on Wednesday evening (Nov 6), Chancellor Olaf Scholz dismissed Christian Lindner. Lindner was the head of one of the three coalition parties and the Finance Minister. Lindner’s coalition government was essentially shattered when two of his three cabinet colleagues immediately resigned. Donald Trump’s victory is expected to result in less funding for Ukraine, and Germany comes second in supporting Kyiv financially. Thus, the onus may fall on Berlin to increase its help. Many now believe that Germany needs a unified and efficient government more than ever before.
- Seven families in France are suing Tiktok, who have accused the platform of exposing harmful content to their children, which has led two of their children to take their own lives. According to Laure Boutron-Marmion, a lawyer representing the affected families, the action claims that the video platform’s algorithm exposed them to information that encouraged eating disorders, suicide, and self-harm. She added that the lawsuit is unique in Europe. Meanwhile, Tiktok stated that they have yet to receive any updates regarding legal proceedings related to the claims made.
- Barcelona faced flooding on Monday (Nov 4), while search and rescue efforts continued as a catastrophic flood occurred in Valencia last week. The second-largest airport in Spain, El Prat in Barcelona, has several areas that are flooded. Rail services have been interrupted, and over 80 flights have been cancelled or delayed. Rescuers have garnered more efforts into searching for missing people in areas such as underground parks.
- Italian navy ship goes back to Albania carrying eight migrants on Wednesday (Nov 6), as Rome seeks a new plan to process asylum seekers abroad after their first attempts were unsuccessful due to a court ruling. The Italian government aims to direct boat migrants to guarded camps in Albania to deter others who are considering the dangerous journey of crossing to Europe. The migrants came from Egypt and Bangladesh, two countries that Italy had considered as safe. However, Rome judges believe that based on a recent ruling by the European Court of Justice, any country outside of the EU cannot be considered safe unless its entire country is deemed free of danger.
Asia Pacific:
- Min Aung Hlaing, the military leader of Myanmar, travelled to China on Tuesday (Nov 5), marking his first visit since the coup in 2021 that resulted in the removal of Aung San Suu Kyi. This trip, though not a state visit, came at a time when Hlaing’s regime was facing significant challenges amid an ongoing civil war. With relations worsening at regional summits, his journey to Kunming is aimed at displaying China’s continued support as Myanmar’s key trading partner. During the visit, he met with Chinese Premier Li Qiang, showing Beijing’s interest in stabilising Myanmar to facilitate cross-border trade and safeguard investments.
- At least ten people were killed by the eruption of Mt Lewotobi Laki-laki in eastern Indonesia on Monday (Nov 4).The volcano, on Flores Island, had burst into flames, causing massive damage and fires. According to local officials, seven villages were affected. The government has declared a state of emergency for 58 days to provide aid for around 10,000 residents.
- A fishing boat sank off South Korea’s Jeju Island, resulting in at least two deaths and 12 individuals missing on Friday (Nov 8). The 129-ton vessel, carrying 27 crew members, 16 South Koreans and 11 Indonesians, capsized early Friday morning while on a mackerel fishing trip. Boats nearby rescued 15 crew members, though two South Koreans later died. South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol urged officials to use all resources to search for the missing, including families of the Indonesian crew members.
- South Korea’s military reported that North Korea disrupted GPS signals along the border for the second consecutive day on Friday (Nov 8), affecting numerous flights and vessels. Tensions escalated when North Korea intensified these hostile actions, including missile tests and balloon campaigns targeting the South, amid growing military collaboration with Russia.
- Taiwan’s Environment Minister Peng Chi-ming revealed the creation of a “war room” to closely follow the live broadcasts of the COP29 climate summit on Friday (Nov 8) . Taiwan was unable to participate in the summit because of political challenges stemming from China’s objections. Minister Peng voiced his disappointment, highlighting Taiwan’s role as a key semiconductor producer and the importance of addressing climate issues. Although Taiwan was not part of the discussions, the island has set a goal to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050.
Middle East:
- On Wednesday (Nov 7), Israel’s parliament passed a law permitting the deportation of family members of individuals convicted of terrorism, including Israeli citizens. Proposed by a member of Prime Minister Netanyahu’s Likud party, the law targeted first-degree relatives and applied to those who failed to report or supported terrorist acts. Human rights organisations expressed reservations, suggesting the law would disproportionately affect Israeli Arabs.
- Eastern Lebanon was targeted by Israeli airstrikes on Wednesday (Nov 6) which killed at least 40 people. Most of those who died were displaced persons, including women and children, when a four-story building in Barja collapsed. Even though the military actions supposedly targeted the Hezbollah members and their resources. Health officials said another 53 people were wounded in the attack. A historic Ottoman-era site near Baalbek, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, was also destroyed.
- The Israeli Air Force targeted Hezbollah intelligence infrastructure near Damascus, Syria, claiming to aim at military assets on Tuesday (Nov 5). However, the Syrian defence ministry condemned the strikes, stating that they impacted civilian sites, especially in the Sayeda Zeinab district known for its Shi’ite shrine and connections to Hezbollah. Syria labelled the airstrike as “criminal,” calling on the United Nations to address what it termed “Israeli aggression”.
- Qatar’s interior minister announced the results of a referendum on constitutional amendments on Tuesday (Nov 5), which received an approval rate of 90.6%. This change replaced Shura Council elections with appointed roles. Back in 2021, Qatar conducted its first elections for two-thirds of the Shura Council, which resulted in some tribal disagreements, since certain members of the Bedouin tribe were ineligible to vote. Although the Shura Council does have some legislative powers, it does not have a say on matters relating to defence, security, or economic policies.
- Two members of the Saudi-led coalition forces were killed in an attack by a Yemeni defence ministry employee in Seiyun, Yemen, On Saturday (Nov 9). Coalition spokesperson Turki al-Malki reported the incident, which also resulted in one officer being wounded, occurred at a training camp for Yemeni forces in Hadhramaut province. Following the attack, both the coalition and Yemeni authorities decided to investigate jointly to determine the attack’s motives and bring the offender to justice.
Africa
- Nearly 380,000 people have been displaced by the South Sudan floods. Additionally, with the floods, there has been an increased number of malaria cases. Aid and health agencies will be overwhelmed by the current humanitarian situation and the consequences of the Sudan conflict. According to the UN’s World Food Programme, more than seven million face food insecurity and 1.65 million children are malnourished. Following the president’s office’s announcement of postponing elections by two years until December 2026, the nation faces yet another period of political impasse.
- Botswana declared Duma Boko as their new president (Nov 8) after his dominant victory that pushed the Botswana Democratic Party (BDP), which has held power for close to 60 years. Many voters have stated that they wanted change after being under the BDP rule for six decades, raising concerns such as unemployment, and plummeting diamond sales which is the main revenue for Botswana.
- It has been reported that in weeks of post-violence, over 30 people have been killed in Mozambique. In the aftermath of a debated presidential election, 34 were killed across the country. This number does not include the violence that occurred on Thursday (Nov 7) when armed personnel dispersed the huge crowd of demonstrators in the capital, Maputo. Opposition groups argued that the election that happened on October 9 was unjust and manipulated. Hence, that led to thousands engaging in demonstrations that were answered by violent suppression by the authorities.
- 119 individuals, including juveniles, were released by a Nigerian court on Tuesday (Nov 5), after the authorities dropped charges against them related to August’s deadly rallies against economic hardship. President Bola Tinubu withdrew the charges against all juveniles who had been arrested during anti-government demonstrations in August and ordered their release. The cost-of-living dilemma has sparked several large-scale demonstrations in recent months.
- Health officials say MPOX cases in Congo have appeared to gain stability. In recent weeks, Congo has reported 200 to 300 cases every week, which is 400 cases less as compared to previous months. The decline is also apparent in Kamituga, the eastern part of Congo, where the new and infectious variant of MPOX first emerged. However, the UN health agency reported that there is a possibility that the virus may spread to other parts of the country and elsewhere. Health experts highlighted that there has been a low number of vaccine doses that the country has received.
