Impeachment Inquiry Testimonies Begin

This month saw the first public testimonies from officials involved in the controversy over President Trump’s phone call with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky earlier this year, with House Democrats hoping to implicate President Trump in an alleged attempt to pressure the Ukrainian government to investigate Hunter Biden, Joe Biden’s son, in exchange for foreign aid. The alleged request by Trump was to look into Biden’s involvement in a Ukrainian oil company during his father’s vice presidency and the dismissal of a prosecutor supposedly investigating the company. While Hunter Biden had no previous experience in oil and gas, no wrongdoing by Biden has yet been uncovered, and the dismissal of the prosecutor has been linked to the prosecutor’s own previous corruption.

Trump has denied any wrongdoing in making the call, dismissing claims of a quid pro quo in which American aid would only be released if the investigation into Biden’s conduct began. While the foreign aid did go through, it may have only gone through after a complaint was filed by a whistleblower documenting concerns with Trump’s request. It does not prove, however, that the aid would not have been delivered otherwise.

Most witnesses, including former acting Ukrainian Ambassador Bill Taylor, have said that they received the impression that a quid pro quo existed, though they based that on information from second-hand sources, not from the president himself. US Ambassador to the EU, Gordon Sondland, said that members of the Trump cabinet knew about the request, including Vice President Mike Pence and acting Chief of Staff Mick Mulvaney.

Nationals Defeats Astros in World Series

The Washington Nationals defeated the Houston Astros in Game 7 of the World Series Wednesday night, clinching their first championship in the franchise’s history. The Astros led 2-0 until the 7th inning, after which the Nationals managed to score 4 runs in the course of the latter part of the game. The Astros never managed to score any further runs, giving the Nationals the game.

Nationals pitcher Stephen Strasburg was named the MVP of this year’s World Series.

Fires Continue to Burn Thousands of Acres in California

Strong winds and abundance vegetation has continued to fuel wildfires throughout California. One fire threatened the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library, which was saved by a change in wind direction and the efforts of some goats, which ate the vegetation around the property and created a fire perimeter.

Other fires have broken out in San Bernardino County and across Southern California, promoting massive evacuations and burning dozens of homes. Other fires in Northern California, including one believed to have been started by an arsonist (put out soon after it began), have threatened homes and property there as well. The largest of those fires, the Kincade Fire, has burned nearly 80,000 acres.

Massive power-shutoffs by California’s main electrical utility, PG&E, were started earlier this month to prevent wildfires. Old, damaged lines can spark wildfires when they fail, sometimes with destructive consequences such as in the 2018 Camp Fire, which led to at least 85 deaths and $16.5 billion in damage. The shutdowns have not been without controversy,  however, as the shutdowns have lefts millions without power periodically and caused massive disruption to those affected.

PG&E, still facing billions in liability claims from the Camp Fire and other outbreaks, is planning on replacing many of those lines going forward.

Center-right Party Wins Most Seats in Austrian Elections

The conservative OVP (Austrian People’s Party), led by  former Chancellor Sebastian Kurz, won the most seats in this past Sunday’s legislative election. While falling short of a majority, the task falls to Kurz to form a government with one or more of the smaller parties.

One of those parties, the FPO (Freedom Party), was the OVP’s coalition partners in his previous government. A scandal involving the party’s leadership in which some of them were recorded discussing deceptive practices and malintents led to its dissolution. The FPO, a right wing populist to far-right party, could conceivably become a partner again, with the center- left SPO (Social Democratic Party) and Greens and the centrist NEOS parties also possible participants.

Britain Continues Its Messy Separation from the EU

UK Prime Minster Boris Johnson’s attempts to remove Britain from the European Union over four years after the country voted to leave the political bloc has continued to hit obstacles. The British Supreme Court, a relatively new institutional body, ruled against Johnson’s suspension of Parliament, itself an attempt to negotiate a deal with the EU without immediate domestic political opposition.

Johnson, a staunch supporter of Brexit who took over from Theresa May a few months ago, is tasked with delivering a Brexit process that has the support of Parliament and preferably that of the European Union. The EU’s support of a Brexit deal will ensure the country has access to the trade bloc following its separation. A “no-deal” Brexit would lead to higher tariffs and obstacles, which will negatively affect the economy. This would leave the UK in need of seeking free trade agreements elsewhere, with one with the US the most cited example.

Some of Johnson’s political opponents have called for his resignation, while Johnson seems inclined to push for a new general election. Polls currently have his Conservative Party in the lead.

House Launches Impeachment Inquiry

fter months of resistance to pleas from vocal members of her caucus, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) announced last week that she would open an impeachment inquiry into President Donald Trump’s conduct. While many Democrats have called for impeachment proceedings in the past (soon after his inauguration), the event that sparked the latest round of calls relates to Trump’s call with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and his plea for him to investigate former Vice President Joe Biden’s son Hunter Biden’s business and political actions in the country, a request that is politically salient given Joe Biden’s candidacy for president, in which he hopes to face Trump in November 2020.

The story broke earlier this month when a whistleblower released information about the contents of Trump’s call, which led to sharp criticism, mostly form Democrats but with a few Republicans joining in condemning the president’s action. After Pelosi initiated the impeachment inquiry on September 24th, the White House released a transcript of the call (which was not a verbatim copy, but rather a series of notes and recollections from other listeners) with Zelensky, which confirmed Trump cited Biden as an example of corruption in Ukraine.

In addition, Trump withheld $400 million in military aid to Ukraine prior to the call. Democrats have said the aide was withheld to be used as a bargaining chip to force Zelensky’s hand to investigate Biden; the White House says interagency disagreements led to its delay in disbursement.

Going forward, House Democrats will hold hearings on Trump over his conduct, with many Democrats hoping that it will lead to an impeachment vote. If successful, the Senate will decide whether to remove the president.

Democratic Field Narrows, Republican’s Grows by One

The 2020 Presidential field continues to change as several Democrats drop out of the race, while one Republican joins in an attempt to deny President Donald Trump the GOP nomination.

This month, four major candidates have dropped out of the Democratic race: former Colorado Governor John Hickenlooper, Washington Governor Jay Inslee, Massachusetts Congressman Seth Moulton, and New York Senator Kirsten Gillibrand. None of the candidates managed to gain major support during any of the campaign, with Moulton never making the debate stage and Gillibrand (the highest-polling one of the group) only scoring 3% in one poll and usually averaging only 1%.

This still leaves well over a dozen candidates in the mix, though only three, former Vice President Joe Biden, Massachusetts Senator Elizabeth Warrant, and Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders, poll in the double digits. The rest, including relatively high polling candidates California Senator Kamala Harris and South Bend, Indiana, Mayor Pete Buttigieg, are in the single digits.

However, recent polls have indicated that any of those candidates has a polling advantage over Trump in the general, though the election is still over a year away, and the political environment can easily shift more in favor (or even less in favor) of Trump’s reelection prospects.

Meanwhile, former Congressman Joe Walsh of Illinois announced a longshot bid to challenge Trump for the GOP primary this week. Walsh, once a strong Trump supporter and a conservative firebrand, has come under fire for controversial and racially tinged statements made in his past.

Democrats Debate Again, 10 Yesterday and 10 Today

The race for the Democratic nomination for president in 2020 continues after ten Democratic candidates met in Detroit last night for the second primary debate, with ten more to go tonight.

Last night’s debate featured the two highest-polling progressive candidates, Sen. Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts and Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont. Other relatively high-polling candidates (though still in the single digits) were South Bend, Indiana, Mayor Pete Buttigieg and former Texas Rep. Beto O’Rourke.

The debate demonstrated sharp differences between the progressive wing, led by Sanders and Warren, and the relatively more moderate wing, including Ohio Rep. Tim Ryan, former Maryland Rep. John Delaney, Montana Gov. Steve Bullock, and former Colorado Gov. John Hickenlooper. Some of these differences included whether to abolish private health insurance in favor of government-run insurance, providing free health care to those residing in the US illegally, and decriminalizing illegal border crossings. Places of agreement between both camps included providing a government-run insurance program (regardless of whether private insurance would still be allowed), instituting more gun control, and placing higher taxes on wealthy Americans.

Ten more candidates will debate tonight, including two other high-polling candidates, the frontrunner former Vice President Joe Biden and California Sen. Kamala Harris. Biden is considered relatively more moderate than many of the other candidates (though still liberal by national standards), and will likely face progressive criticisms from Harris and other candidates.

Another Heat Wave Strikes Europe

Another heat wave has stricken the European continent, the second major one this year. At least six deaths, five in France and one in Belgium, have been blamed on the phenomenon, which is caused by a meteorological air pressure block that has maintained the hot temperatures for over a week.

Temperatures in France have reached as high as 108.7 °F. (42.6 °C) and 107.2 °F. (41.8 °C) in Belgium. These temperatures have led to the deaths of hundreds of farm animals, whose ventilation systems failed in the heat’s wake. The heat wave has also raised river temperatures, which has led to a decline in their use for cooling systems, wishing to maintain conditions to protect aquatic life.

In the UK, trains have been ordered to maintain slower speeds to protect against buckling railways, and concerns have been raised over the stability of the Notre Dame Cathedral in France. The cathedral, damaged by a major fire earlier this year, has vulnerable structures which could break further because of the heat’s effect on water-logged materials.

Strong Heat Waves Hit Around the World

This summer has come with massive heat waves around the world. One in India and Pakistan has killed at least 184 in one east Indian state, with dozens more likely killed across the region. This heat wave, which is still ongoing since its start in May, has led to record-breaking heat, with the highest temperature recorded as just over 123 °F. in Churu, India.

Problems in India have been exasperated by water shortages, much caused by delays and irregularities in its monsoon season, which begins in June.

Another heat wave has stricken Europe, with at least thirteen people across the region dying as result of drownings in attempts to keep cool and heat strokes. France recorded its all-time record high of 114.6 °F, and many other countries experienced abnormal heat often in excess of 90 °F.

The European heat wave is caused by a high pressure system and winds coming from the Sahara Desert, one of the hottest regions on earth.

The frequency and severity of future heat waves is likely to intensify as earth’s global temperatures continue to rise.

Democrats Open Up Primary Season with First Debate

NBC hosted the first Democratic debate on June 26 and June 27, with twenty of the twenty-four declared major candidates participating. Ten candidates debated each day, and though NBC said the order was randomly allocated, four of the five top-polling candidates went on the second day, including frontrunner former Vice President Joe Biden.

The first debate, in which Massachusetts Senator Elizabeth Warren (currently second place in polls) participated, mostly focused on the candidates introducing themselves to the American people and what their main interests are. For example, Ohio Rep. Tim Ryan focused on winning back working class voters while Washington Gov. Jay Inslee focused on climate change, which he has made a central issue to his campaign. Former Texas congressman Beto O’Rourke was the subject of repeated attacks, most notably from Texas Rep. Julian Castro, who criticized his immigration plan, most notably in that it would not change unauthorized border crossings from a criminal to a civil offense (similar to parking tickets).

The second debate featured even sharper criticisms against each other, with Biden the most frequent target. California Rep. Eric Swalwell criticized Biden’s longevity in politics and argued its was time for someone new to be the party’s standard bearer. California Senator Kamala Harris criticized Biden’s earlier statements that spoke favorably of former segregationist politicians (though not their positions; his comments were on their “civility”) and his opposition to mandatory busing, a program aimed at integrating schools. Biden refused to apologize for his position on busing and also did not walk back his earlier comments on working with the segregationist senators.

Opposition Candidate Wins Istanbul Mayoral Redo

In a sharp rebuke to Turkey’s ruling AKP party and its autocratic leader, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, the residents of Istanbul voted for opposition party candidate Ekrem Imamoglu over AKP candidate Binali Yildirim. Imamoglu, of the CHP party, had won the original election held in March by a narrow margin; however, Turkey’s electoral commission, under pressure from Erdogan, voided the election. The gamble failed to pay for Erdogan, however, when voters voted for Imamoglu by a 9% margin on June 23, versus the .16% margin on March 31. Combined with defeats in other large Turkish cities, including the capital Ankara, it marks the one of the largest rebukes to Erdogan’s rule since he took power in 2003.

Robert Mueller Speaks Publicly for the First Time Since Investigation Started

Former Justice Department Special Counsel Robert Mueller spoke publicly Wednesday to speak on the findings in his report on Russian intervention in the 2016 presidential election, alleged Trump campaign collusions with those efforts, and possible obstruction efforts by President Trump of the investigation.

Mueller offered no new information on his findings. He reiterated that the report did not find criminal activity between the Trump campaign and Russia, but could not says the Trump campaign did not commit any obstruction. Mueller said once again that his investigation was constrained by Department of Justice guidelines that prohibit the indictment of a sitting president.

Mueller refused to take questions and said he would not engage in hypotheticals. Chief among them is whether Mueller would indict Trump if he were not the president. The report said that, in addition to the DOJ guidelines, such charges may be difficult to prove given the president’s wide latitude to appoint and dismiss officials. Most evidence of obstruction given in Mueller’s report was related to Trump’s failed attempts to fire officials overseeing the investigation.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi Wins Second Term

Incumbent Prime Minister Narendra Modi won a second term after his BJP party captured a resounding victory in the Indian general elections. The second largest party, the Indian National Congress (INC), failed to win 55 seats (it won 52 out of 543 elected seats), leaving the Lok Sabha without an official opposition for the second time in a row.

While Modi’s party suffered defeats in state assembly elections earlier this year, the BJP managed to increase the number of seats it holds from the 2014 elections, where Modi won his first term, succeeding INC Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.

European Politics Shaken Up with Elections, Brexit Drama

Establishment center-right and center-left parties lost support in the European Parliament elections last week. While the two blocs still make up 48.2% of the seats, they lost their majority in the body for the first time since its inception. Liberal parties and non-establishment Greens and populist Eurosceptic parties also saw gains.

Focusing on one country, in the United Kingdom, these elections were not even expected to happen just a few months ago. The country, which voted to leave the EU in June 2016, has stalled in its progress to accomplish that goal, with disagreements arising over the terms of the trade deal with the EU after it leaves the bloc as well over its border with Ireland.

The party with the greatest vote share in the UK was the newly-formed Brexit Party, created by Brexit campaigner Nigel Farage, formerly of the United Kingdom Independence Party (UKIP). While the Brexit Party just under 31% the vote, two parties that favor staying in the EU and even having a second referendum on the question, the Liberal Democrats and the Greens, saw a combined 31.4% of the vote. These results point to a strongly polarized electorate. The two longtime establishment parties, the Conservatives and Labor, gathered 13.6% and 8.8% respectively.

British Prime Minister Theresa May announced she will resign following the poor result of her Conservative Party which will only walk away with four seats. May will formally leave office once her successor is determined by Conservative voters.

Biden Enters Democratic Presidential Race on Top

Former Vice President Joe Biden announced last Thursday his entry into the crowded field for the Democratic nomination for president in 2020. Biden currently faces at least 20 other major candidates, as well as some others who may join the race, such as Montana Gov. Steve Bullock and Colorado Sen. Michael Bennet.

Biden currently tops the field in polling, leading second place finisher Sen. Bernie Sanders by 13.4 points in the RealClearPolitics polling average. No other candidates currently break double digits, though some, like South Bend, Indiana Mayor Pete Buttigieg have seen the poll numbers rise over the past month, with Buttigieg starting near zero when he announced to now around 8.4%. Some, such as Texas Sen. Beto O’Rourke, have seen declines, with O’Rourke now polling around 5.6%, behind Biden, Sanders, Warren, Buttigieg, and California Sen. Kamala Harris.

With the nearest electoral contest not until the start of 2020, polls are bound to change. However, the large polling lead that Biden currently has likely indicates a strong early advantage over other contestants, and is higher than Jeb Bush’s polling lead in the early Republican primary polls in 2016 (Bush eventually only won less than 1% of the vote after withdrawing in February 2016).

Sanders’s high poll numbers may also be an indication of winning potential, as he has kept a large share of his support from 2016, even with other candidates this cycle echoing his policies. If he manages to maintain this support and add to it when other progressive challengers inevitably drop out, his path to the nomination may become clearer.

Mueller Report Released

Attorney General William Barr released the Mueller Report on April 18. The report, which had portions of it redacted to protect information related to ongoing investigations and grand jury testimony, detailed Russia’s involvement in the 2016 election, the investigation into whether the Trump campaign conspired with them and whether President Trump attempted to obstruct justice. 

The report says Mueller’s team did not find that the Trump campaign criminally conspired with the Russian government. It did not make a judgment whether the Trump campaign obstructed justice, however. It listed actions by Trump that Mueller viewed as evidence that obstruction may have occurred, such as firing FBI Director James Comey and telling then-White House Counsel Don McGahn to fire Mueller, but also wrote that such actions do fall under executive constitutional authority and thus can be hard to prove conclusively as obstruction. In addition, Mueller cited existing Department of Justice guidelines that do not allow indictments of sitting presidents.

Democratic Race Heats Up as Biden Faces First Allegation

The Democratic race for president has become more competitive than before with well over a dozen major entrants into the race, with former and current US senators governors, representatives, mayors, and executive officials in the race, with even more expected to enter in the coming weeks. Former Vice President Joe Biden, who has not formally announced his entry into the race but is widely expected to do so, leads nationwide polling, usually getting around 30% of the vote.

Biden’s fortune may have turned over the weekend, however, as a former Nevada state legislator accused him of unwanted kissing and fondling when she was running for lieutenant governor in 2014. Biden has denied the allegation, saying he considers himself to have never behaved inappropriately with women in the past. His past interactions with women, however, may return to haunt him, with many observers pointing out his proclivity for touching women’s and shoulders and moving his head close to theirs, many of these instances captured on videos and in photographs.

The first primaries and caucuses are still almost a year away. The Republicans are not expected to have a competitive primary, with incumbent Donald Trump a prohibitive favorite against any primary challenger.

Mueller Report Complete, AG Says He Will Release It

A dramatic chapter in US political history has come to an end as Special Counsel Robert Mueller turned in his final report to US Attorney General William Barr, detailing his findings on Russian meddling in the 2016 election, alleged collusion between the Trump campaign and Russia, and whether the president obstructed justice. The full report has not been released, but a four-page summary released by Barr says the 300-page report concluded there was no evidence of collusion between the Trump campaign and Russia and there was  insufficient evidence that Trump obstructed justice, leaving the choice to prosecute the president to the Department of Justice (DOJ). Barr and Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein both agreed that there was insufficient evidence to prosecute Trump and will not do so, with both not considering whether prosecuting a sitting president is appropriate. Their decision effectively ends the president’s legal worries on that front.

Democrats criticized Barr for not releasing the report, calling for the full publication of the report, a position that has bipartisan support according to polls and a recent House vote on the matter. Barr has said he will release the report in April once the DOJ properly redacts it to prevent the release of classified information.

Trump has claimed complete exoneration on the matter, with Democrats responding the report did not do so, especially on the matter of obstruction. However, given Trump’s repeated claims that his campaign did not collude with the Russians and the report not discovering any evidence of it doing so, the Trump team’s celebration does not appear to be without cause.

India, Pakistan Escalate Tensions

India and Pakistan, both nuclear-armed states and historic adversaries, engaged in military confrontation this past week. The escalation in violence can be traced back to a February 14 attack by Islamist insurgents on Indian paramilitary troops in the disputed Kashmir region which killed 40 Indian soldiers. India launched strikes on the group inside Pakistani territory after it accused Pakistan of supporting the militants. Pakistan responded by shooting at an Indian fighter jet. The Indian pilot ejected and was captured by Pakistani forces.

Pakistan has said that it will free the pilot, following a request from India. Pakistan, however, did use the pilot’s capture extensively for propaganda purposes, with showings of the pilot’s comments of how well Pakistan was treating him widely circulating on Pakistani media.

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo spoke to officials from both countries in an attempt to stave off tensions. Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan also called for  the de-escalation of tensions, saying “De-escalation should not be understood as a sign of weakness...These tensions do not benefit Pakistan or India.”

Trump-Kim Summit Ends Without Agreement

The summit between US President Donald Trump and North Korean dictator Kim Jong Un in Hanoi, Vietnam ended without a signed agreement Thursday. Neither side could come to agreement, with Kim reportedly wanting the removal of all sanctions and Trump wishing to implement more accountability on North Korea’s denuclearization efforts.

Trump claimed that while Kim had agreed to close the major nuclear site Yongbyon, he was unwilling to destroy others, including secret sites. North Korean officials pushed back on his claims, saying Kim had agreed to close other sites and had only requested partial, not full, lifting of sanctions.

The lack of a signed agreement at the end of the meeting was a disappointment for the White House, which had hoped to build on the momentum from last year’s summit in Singapore, in which Kim said he was open to denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula. Many, however, accused the North of being disingenuous, especially after the country was revealed to have been building more nuclear weapons and missile sites even after the Singapore summit.

Trump has made peace on the Korean Peninsula a central foreign policy goal for his administration, which has largely been preoccupied with domestic issues such as immigration and investigations into alleged Russian collusion during the 2016 election. The failure of this week’s summit to achieve a further step in the denuclearization process, while a blow to Trump, is unlikely to be the end of peace talks and diplomatic efforts for rapprochement between the two countries, but will likely shift focus from the issue for now.

Jussie Smollett Alleged Attack Investigated as Hoax, Actor Arrested

Actor Jussie Smollett, best known for his role on Fox television series Empire, has been arrested in Chicago, Illinois, after officials believe he filed a false police report relating to an alleged assault back in January. Smollett had claimed that two men had attacked him during a late-night run to Subway after identifying him. They reportedly used racial slurs, said “This is MAGA (Make America Great Again) country, put a rope around his neck, and poured an unknown substance on him.

While Smollett initially received sympathetic coverage from many media outlets and support from celebrities, others began casting doubt on his claim. Eventually, two brothers, who had been identified as persons of interest, told investigators Smollett paid them to stage an attack on the actor. Smollett denies the allegations.

Mining Dam Collapse in Brazil Leaves Dozens Dead

At least 84 have died in a Brazil dam collapse at a mining site, with many more missing. The resulting mudflow crashed into a surrounding area and destroyed numerous homes.

The company responsible, Vale, was involved in another dam collapse in 2015, which killed 19.

Newly inaugurated Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro dispatched ministers to aid with the relief effort, and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu sent over 100 personnel to help in the search for survivors.

The union of mining workers has claimed that the dam was clearly unsafe before the incident; Vale has denied the accusation.

Deep Chill Hits Northeast, Midwest

A polar vortex has brought chilling air to the parts of the US this week. State of emergencies have been declared in several Midwestern states as record low temperatures are threatened to be broken.

In Chicago, workers have set fire to some of the rail lines to keep the trains running. Across the region, officials have closed schools until the cold air passes.

The cold air has led to extremely low wind chills being recorded. Wind chills in the Chicago area have reached below –50 degrees Fahrenheit, and wind chills well below –20 degrees have been recorded and forecasted across the Midwest.

Officials have warned that the low temperatures could be life threatening and urged people to take shelter.

Shutdown Ends, For Now

The longest federal government shutdown in history ended last Friday, with no permanent concluding agreement reached. Under the temporary agreement, funding for federal government agencies was restored until February 15, after which government funding will expire unless a new agreement occurs.

The shutdown began on December 22, after President Donald Trump and congressional Democrats, led by House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, failed to come to a agree on funding for a wall along the US-Mexican border. Trump wanted at least $5.7 billion in funding for building a barrier and increased border surveillance, while Democrats criticized such measures, with Pelosi going as far as to call a wall an “immorality.”

During the shutdown, Trump and Pelosi tussled over other areas of government, including Trump’s refusal to authorize a trip by Pelosi to the Middle East and Pelosi refusing to allow Trump to give the State of the Union speech in the House chamber.

Trump agreed to end the shutdown last week, without receiving any promise for funding, but also saying that he will attempt the same fight again next month. If Congress does not allocate funding for a border wall, Trump has threatened, he will declare a national emergency to divert funding to begin some of the construction. Trump cites the number of people crossing illegally and crime committed by those in the country illegally as justifying such a decision. Democrats have criticized Trump for this threat, as have some Republicans, saying that such as move creates a bad precedent for future administrations.

Indonesia Tsunami Kills at Least 437

The eruption of a volcano in Indonesia led to an underwater landslide that triggered a tsunami that affected several surrounding islands. The death toll currently stands at 437 and the number injured at 14,059.

Indonesia is no stranger to tsunamis. This past September, a tsunami triggered by an  earthquake left over 2,200 dead. In 2004, the tsunami which struck many countries after a massive earthquake killed well over 100,000 in Indonesia, the most of any country in the disaster area.

Microsoft Ends Year as Most Valuable Publicly Traded Company

Microsoft Corporation has ended the year as the most valuable publicly traded company for the first time since 2002. Its position at the top of the markets is a remarkable turnaround for the company which has spent the past years behind other major technology firms such as Apple (which it ironically helped to save in 1999 with a $150 million investment).

Microsoft’s resurgence is often attributed to the leadership of Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella, who took over from Steve Ballmer. Nadella moved the focus on Microsoft to its cloud computing offerings, which allow companies to launch software on online servers to be accessible anywhere. It was a major break from Microsoft’s previous focus on its operating system Windows. Nadella’s efforts paid off, however, as Azure, Microsoft’s main cloud computing offering, now ranks second to Amazon Web Services and continues to post strong growth numbers.

Microsoft continues to face strong competition from Apple, Amazon, and Alphabet (parent of Google), and with that the number one spot could change hands several times in the coming year.

No End in Sight for Federal Government Shutdown

The government shutdown resulting from disagreement over the funding of a border wall continues into 2019 with no end in sight.

The shutdown began on December 22 after President Trump and Democrats failed to find agreement on funding the president’s signature campaign promise, a border wall across much, if not all, the US-Mexican border. Trump had asked Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) and incoming House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) for $5 billion in funding for such a wall, which they have refused to support. With Trump in opposition to any spending bill that funds the government without wall funding, Republicans have been unwilling to support any spending bill without it. While Republicans hold the House until January 3, 2019, Senate Democrats have blocked measures that include wall funding as such bills need 60 votes to pass. Republicans hold a 51-49 majority in the Senate. While Republicans will gain net two seats in the coming Congress in the Senate, there will be still enough Democrats to block funding. In addition, the incoming Democratic majority in the House will also not be supportive of Trump’s requested funding.

Shutdowns lead to the suspension of numerous federal government services and the furloughing of government employees. The effects of this shutdown have been mitigated by two spending bills passed right before the main government funding resolutions expired. This money is expected to run out for many agencies, such as the Smithsonian, at the beginning of 2019.

Services deemed essential, such as those related to the military, continue to be funded.

Former US President George H.W. Dies at 94

Former US President George H.W. Bush died Friday night at 94. Born in 1924, he served as a Navy pilot during World War II, a US Congressman from Texas, Vice President under Ronald Reagan, and as President from 1989 to 1993.

Major Earthquake Strikes Anchorage, Alaska

A magnitude 7.0 earthquake shook Alaska’s largest city Anchorage on Friday, triggering a tsunami warning while residents recovered from the violent shaking. The tsunami warning has since been lifted. The earthquake was followed by a 5.7 aftershock.

The earthquake’s reported damage so far has included  broken windows, cracks in buildings, and damaged roadways, including a highway collapse. No deaths have yet been reported.

Alaska is no stranger to earthquakes. Alaska experiences more large earthquakes than all other US states combined and has on average more than 40000 each year. It experienced a magnitude 7.9 near Kodiak Island back in January.

Democratic Takeover of House will Cause Trump Problems, Senate Remains GOP

Democrats took forty seats in the House of Representatives this November, which will give them party a majority of seats in the chamber for the first times since 2011. Republicans, however, managed to increase their majority in the Senate by two seats, picking up four seats by defeating incumbent Democrats in states President Trump won in 2016 and losing two seats, one in Arizona and one in Nevada. Democrats will have 235 seats in the House to Republican's 200 when the new Congress begins January 3, while Republicans will have a 53-47 majority in the Senate.

This will cause some new issues for Trump and his party. With the Republicans now lacking full control of Congress, pushing through their favored legislation will become far more difficult. In addition, House Democrats have promised to launch a series of investigations into Trump, which could include searches into the extent of his contacts with Russian nationals, his handling of the firing of then-FBI Director James Comey in 2017, and allegations into whether Trump has personally enriched himself through his office.

Even with this, Republicans have maintained considerable power through expanding their Senate majority. Trump and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) have made confirming Trump’s judicial nominees to federal courts a priority. With two more members in the next Congress, pushing through Trump’s picks will likely become less laborious for the GOP, which successfully fought to confirm now Justice Brett Kavanaugh to the court this year. 

Senate leadership will remain in the next Congress, with the exception of Sen. John Thune (R-SD) taking over for Sen. John Cornyn (R-TX) as Senate majority whip. The Republican House leader will be Kevin McCarthy (R-CA), while Democrats have yet to choose the speaker, but it is believed former Speaker and current House Democratic leader Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) has the best chance.

Shooting at Synagogue Leaves 11 Dead

A gunman who opened fire at a Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania synagogue on Saturday, killing 11. The suspect was identified as Pittsburgh resident Robert Bowers, 46. Police have charged him with 29 offenses, including the 11 counts of murder. Federal investigators are also looking into adding hate crime charges against him.

Four officers were injured in the exchange, as well as two other attendees of the services.

Witnesses claim to have heard Bowers, “All Jews must die,” before opening fire. Social media accounts with his name are also reported to have had anti-Semitic content and espouse far-right views.

President Trump responded to the attack, saying, “It’s a terrible, terrible thing what’s going on with hate in our country, frankly, and all over the world. And something has to be done.”

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu also condemned the murders. He said in a statement, "I was heartbroken and appalled by the murderous attack on a Pittsburgh synagogue today...The whole of Israel grieves with the families of the dead...We stand together with the Jewish community of Pittsburgh, we stand together with the American people in the face of this horrifying anti-Semitic brutality. We all pray for their rapid recovery."

Brazil Elects First Right-Wing President in Two Decades

Jair Bolsonaro, a legislator from Rio De Janiero, defeated former mayor of Sau Paulo Fernando Haddad in Sunday’s presidential election in Brazil. His victory is the first for a right-wing candidate in over two decades. Bolsonaro appealed to anger at Haddad’s party, the Workers’ Party, under whose leadership Brazil had seen rising prosperity turn into a deep economic downturn. Two of its previous presidents have been investigated for corruption, with one, Dilma Rousseff, being impeached two years ago and her predecessor, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, currently serving a jail sentence.

Bolsonaro has promised to undertake free market reforms to make the economy more competitive. However, there are concerns over his previous controversial comments about women and minorities, as well as his previous economic positions not aligned with free market ideology.

Plane Crash off Indonesian Coast Believed to Have Killed 189

Lion Air Flight 610, a domestic Indonesian flight, crashed off the country’s coast on Monday, with 181 passengers and 8 crew on board. Officials do not believe any people on board survived the crash.

The crash is Indonesia’s deadliest aviation in two decades, with the country having a mixed record on aviation safety in the past. The cause of the crash is under investigation, with Boeing, the maker of the 737 jet involved in the crash, also involved to investigate whether a mechanical failure was to blame.

Tsunami Kills at Least 420 in Indonesia

A 7.4 magnitude earthquake struck off the coast of Indonesia Friday, causing a 5 foot tsunami to hit the island of Sulawesi. At least 420 were killed in the monster waves, with the death toll expected to rise over the next few days.

The tsunami, while not as powerful and destructive as the 2004 tsunami that ravaged coasts along the Indian Ocean, caused severe destruction across the island. Numerous buildings in cities such as Palu were destroyed, along with roads being made impassable. The tsunami also cut off power to many areas on the island.

Elon Musk to Step Down as Chairman of Tesla After SEC Probe

Tesla founder and CEO Elon Musk will step down as chairman of the publicly traded electric car maker after the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) launched an investigation into Musk’s handling of the company. The SEC had alleged that Musk had misled shareholders after he had said he would take Tesla private. Musk had also claimed he had already received such funding. No concrete evidence was ever provided of this, but Musk said Saudi investors had verbally agreed to do so.

While Musk has to give up his chairman of the board position, he still remains at the helm of the company as CEO.

Musk has faced several difficulties in the past year. Tesla has been plagued by production issues this year as well as volatility in its share price. Musk also faced controversy after his appearance on The Joe Rogan Experience podcast in which he appeared to take puff a marijuana joint. The US Air Force threatened an investigation into it as government contractors (as Musk is one given his leadership of SpaceX) cannot use drugs even in states where it is legal.

Kavanaugh Confirmation Hits Snag as FBI Launches Probe

The confirmation of Judge Brett Kavanaugh to the Supreme Court, while expected to be narrow, was not much in doubt until a little over a week ago, when an allegation of sexual assault surfaced. In the allegation, university professor Christine Blasey Ford alleged that Kavanaugh had groped her and attempted to rape her at a party back in high school. While Kavanaugh had “unequivocally” denied the charge and Ford’s recollection of some of the details of the event were vague, distrust of the nominee’s moral character grew steadily, especially after another allegation surfaced soon after. In that second charge, a woman alleged that Kavanaugh had displayed his private parts to her during a party at Yale, where both attended college. A third woman, a client of Michael Avenatti, the lawyer who represented pornographic actress Stormy Daniels in her case against Trump, alleged that Kavanaugh had helped orchestrate gang rapes of women during high school and drugged women to make them more susceptible. None of these allegations have been corroborated by other witnesses at this time, though new evidence can come to light any time to help prove either side.

Kavanaugh’s nomination was reported out of the Judiciary Committee of an 11-10 party line vote Friday, one day after both Kavanaugh and Ford gave their testimony to the committee. However, Sen. Jeff Flake (R-AZ), who voted for Kavanaugh in the committee vote, said he would not vote for Kavanaugh unless a new FBI probe was launched to investigate Ford’s claims. With the GOP majority in the Senate only 51-49, Flake’s vote is crucial for the nomination’s success. President Trump has since ordered the probe, which is expected to take around one week to complete.

Trump’s Lawyer’s Confession Causes Headaches for President

The past week has seen two of Trump’s former aides finding themselves convicted of crimes. In his former campaign chair Paul Manafort’s case, he was found guilty on a number of counts related to financial fraud. However, his former lawyer Michael Cohen’s plea deal confession may prove more damaging to Trump going forward.

In his confession, Cohen acknowledged wrongdoing in arranging hush money payments to two women who claimed to have had consensual affairs with Trump shortly after he married Melania Trump. While such payments are usually not illegal, because they occurred just prior to the election, they could be considered illegal campaign contributions meant to influence the election. Cohen claims he was reimbursed by the Trump Organization and worked at the direction of Trump himself. If true, it is the first concrete case that Trump knowingly broke the law during the 2016 election.

While legal experts say Trump is unlikely to face indictment by prosecutors given his status as president, it could add fuel to Democratic efforts to impeach him, especially if Democrats take back Congress in November.

John McCain: 1936-2018

Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) died August 25 after a year-long battle with brain cancer. McCain, who represented the state of Arizona in the Senate since 1987 and in Congress since 1983, left a unmistakable mark on American politics and the US’s role in international affairs.

McCain, born in 1936 in the Panama Canal Zone, was both the son and grandson of Navy admirals. He graduated from the US Naval Academy and served as a pilot in the Vietnam War. He was shot down during the conflict and kept as a prisoner by the North Vietnamese in their capital Hanoi. As a result of the torture he received, he never was able to raise his arms over his head again.

McCain ran for and won an Arizona House seat in 1983 and became a US senator four years later. In the Senate he was known for his “maverick” approach in which he generally adhered to the conservative principles of the Republican Party but was willing to buck his party on certain issues, such as campaign finance and immigration. He was also a forceful proponent of using American military power abroad, seen in his advocacy for the Iraq War, intervention in the 2011 Libyan Civil War, and intervention in the Syrian Civil War.

McCain ran for president in 2000 and 2008, and he became the GOP nominee in the latter. After his defeat by Senator Barack Obama, he took a more conservative stance, becoming a major opponent of Obama’s health care law. McCain’s maverick reputation did seem to return in his last years, however, sparring with President Donald Trump, especially after Trump’s critical comments of his military service, and opposed the president’s efforts to repeal the individual mandate in Obamacare, known as the “skinny repeal.”