The World This Week: November 1st - 8th 2020

Image: Image: Gage Skidmore via Creative Commons

This week harsher lockdown restrictions are imposed across Europe as Covid-19 cases continue to rise, storm Eda devastates Central America, and the tense wait of the US election result is finally over as Joe Biden wins presidency. 

Europe

Austria: 
Four people have been killed and 23 others have been wounded in a gun attack in Vienna. The gunman, who was later identified as a 20-year old ‘islamist terrorist’, was shot dead by police. 
https://www.theguardian.com/world/live/2020/nov/03/vienna-austria-synagogue-terror-attack-police-live-updates

Denmark:
Denmark to cull millions of mink as cases of a mutated strain of Covid-19 have been detected that could undermine future vaccines. 
https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2020/11/6/denmark-found-214-people-infected-with-mink-related-covid-19


​













France:
A suspect has admitted to the shooting of a Greek Orthodox priest in Lyon over a personal dispute, rather than a terrorist attack as initially believed. 
https://www.thelocal.fr/20201108/greek-orthodox-priest-shot-in-lyon-victim-of-jealous-husband

There have been calls to reform the EU free movement scheme as the country remains on its highest security level. 
https://www.theweek.co.uk/108599/macron-calls-eu-rethink-free-movement-combat-terror-attacks

Kosovo:
Leader Thaci is in detention in the Hague over war crimes charges: the former president has quit over accusations of torture and enforced disappearances in the war with Serbia. 
https://www.npr.org/2020/11/05/931698727/kosovos-president-steps-down-to-face-war-crimes-charges?t=1604857326741

Spain:
A cheeky portrait of a stonemason is unexpectedly found in a cathedral in Spain; historians at a cathedral in Galicia discovered that a stonemason who helped build the church has secretly carved an etching of himself onto the wall, which has only been discovered 900 years later. 
https://twnews.co.uk/gb-news/a-selfie-set-in-stone-hidden-portrait-by-cheeky-mason-found-in-spain-900-years-on

The Netherlands:
A metro train that crashed through a barrier near Rotterdam is caught by a whale sculpture. 
https://www.euronews.com/2020/11/02/derailed-dutch-metro-train-saved-from-disaster-by-sculpted-whale-tail

UK:
UK bans visitors from Denmark over fears of a Covid mutation in mink. UK citizens returning from the country must isolate with all other household members for 14 days. 
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/nov/06/coronavirus-mutation-danish-mink-spreads-to-214-people

People can now view art exhibitions from home: the Saachi Gallery in London is hosting an exhibition called Lobersteropolis which can be viewed from home using remote control lobsters. 
https://www.euronews.com/2020/11/06/how-one-artist-is-using-robots-to-entertain-art-lovers-during-lockdown


Africa and Middle East 

Afghanistan:
At least 22 people were killed and 22 wounded after Islamic State-affiliated gunmen stormed Kabul University during a book fair, attended by Iran’s ambassador to Afghanistan, taking hostages and fighting security forces for more than five hours. 
https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2020/11/6/remember-th

Lebanon:
Trump targets Gibran Bassil for alleged corruption in an effort to limit Hezbollah’s influence in in Lebanese affairs. 
https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/middle-east/lebanon-us-sanctions-gebran-bassil-b1646295.html

Nigeria:
Nigeria’s Minister of Transport, Chibuike Amaechi, has dismissed allegations that the country offered its sovereignty as collateral when signing a $400m loan with China. 
https://sundiatapost.com/nigeria-has-not-traded-sovereignty-for-china-loan/

United Arab Emirates:
The country is to end lenient punishments for ‘honour’ killings, has lifted a ban on unmarried couples living together and decriminalised alcohol. Until now, lighter sentences have been given when a woman was attacked or killed by a relative because she has acted in a way he considers to have affected the family reputation, or ‘honour’. 
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/nov/07/united-arab-emirates-to-relax-islamic-laws-on-personal-freedoms


Asia and Oceania 

Australia:
Locally-transmitted cases have dropped to zero, and the state of Victoria is hopeful for a ‘normal Christmas’.
https://www.sbs.com.au/news/daniel-andrews-flags-hopes-for-a-covid-normal-christmas-as-victoria-records-just-one-new-case

China:
China sends ‘world’s first 6G’ test satellite into orbit. The satellite is meant to trial a new technology which is expected to be much faster than 5G.
https://asiatimes.com/2020/11/china-leapfrogs-world-with-first-6g-experimental-satellite/

Hong Kong:
A hotline has been set up that allows people to report breaches of the national security law anonymously, encouraging citizens to snitch on their neighbours. 
https://www.express.co.uk/news/world/1356806/china-news-hong-kong-national-security-law-china-crackdown-boris-johnson-home-office-ont

Indonesia:
South East Asia’s biggest economy has fallen into its first recession in 22 years as a result of the decline in the tourism industry. 
https://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2020/11/05/breaking-indonesia-enters-first-recession-since-1998-on-3-49-q3-contraction.html

Japan:
Prince Fumihito has been officially declared heir to the throne during a ceremony in Tokyo. 
https://english.kyodonews.net/news/2020/11/620836334ca3-update1-japan-crown-prince-formally-declared-1st-in-line-to-throne.html
New Zealand:
The funding for New Zealand’s famous national rugby team All Blacks has been hit during the pandemic, resulting in the team being put up for sale. 
https://www.rugbypass.com/news/groundbreaking-deal-all-blacks-for-sale-if-you-have-300m/

Nanaia Mahuta has become the first female foreign minister of Maori origin, in a recent cabinet reshuffle. 
https://www.newshub.co.nz/home/politics/2020/11/cabinet-reshuffle-nanaia-mahuta-says-new-role-as-foreign-affairs-minister-follows-legacy-of-firsts-for-women.html

Philipines: 
Typhoon Goni has caused destruction and flooding after striking parts of the Philippines. 
https://www.nytimes.com/2020/10/31/world/asia/typhoon-goni-rolly-philippines.html

Sri Lanka:
More than 100 whales saved from beach, as the navy, environmentalists and locals pushed them back into the sea. 
https://inhabitat.com/100-pilot-whales-rescued-after-mass-stranding-in-sri-lanka/

Thailand:
Police deploy water cannon in Bangkok as protests continue; demonstrators have been demanding the resignation of Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-Ocha, a former general who seized power in a 2014 coup, as well as changes to the constitution and en end to the harassment of state critics. 
https://news.sky.com/story/thailand-police-use-water-cannon-against-protesters-in-bangkok-as-pm-refuses-to-quit-12105673


Americas

Cuba:
The US National Hurricane Centre informs of ‘significant, life-threatening’ flooding in Cuba as deadly tropical storm Eta batters Central America. 
https://edition.cnn.com/2020/11/08/weather/tropical-storm-eta-forecast-sunday/index.html

Guatemala:
Around 150 feared dead in Guatemala after Storm Eta’s rains, as many houses have been buried by mudslides.
https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2020/11/6/worst-storm-in-decades-over-100-deaths-in-central-america

USA:
After 4 years, the Donald Trump presidency took 4 days to be brought to an end: 4 for days of painstaking vote counting, waiting and uncertainty, but finally Joe Biden has been announced as the President-elect of the United States. The 77 year old will take office in January. The new Vice President, Kamala Harris, will be for the first time a woman and a person of colour. It was the vote count in the key state of Pennsylvania that clinched Biden’s win, taking him to the minimum of 273 electoral college votes.

During the week, President Trump has attempted to pour cascades of distrust on the voting process, as his lead dwindled and was eventually surpassed. His lawyer Rudy Giuliani accuses the election authorities in the US of not checking any of the postal votes. Trump says that he will go to the courts on Monday, and shows no sign of conceding. As Trump is currently contesting the vote, it is unclear if he will make a concession speech. It is believed that if he does concede, it won’t be in the traditional sense. 
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/live/election-us-2020-54786937

New Jersey, Arizona, Montana and South Dakota have legalised recreational cannabis. 
https://edition.cnn.com/2020/11/04/politics/marijuana-legalization-2020-states/index.html