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.