Zimbabwe Strongman Robert Mugabe Ousted

Longtime president of Zimbabwe Robert Mugabe resigned his position on November 21, ending his 37 year long hold on power on the African country. Mugabe had ruled the country since its transition from the white supremacist Rhodesia, which had declared its independence from Britain during the African decolonization period, and Mugabe was active in the struggle against the Rhodesian government.

Mugabe, who at 93 was the oldest head of state at his resignation, was at one time hailed as a leader of African nationalist politics for his role in establishing Zimbabwe. However, his management of the nation’s politics and economy led to massive corruption, economic decline, and hyperinflation. His land reform efforts, which took away land holdings from all white citizens and gave it to black citizens, many of whom had little farming experience, caused the nation to experience food shortages. However, his fatal error was his attempt to establish his wife, Grace, as his successor. Her unpopularity gave the military the needed support to stage a coup and lead to his former right hand man, Emmerson Mnangagwa, to succeed him.

Five Hundred Years Since Martin Luther's 95 Theses

Tuesday marks the 500th year anniversary of Martin Luther writing his Ninety Five Theses, which often cited as the starting point for the Protestant Reformation. Luther is believed to have posted his piece to the door of the All Saints' Church in Wittenberg, Germany, where public displays were usually posted.

Copy of Luther's original 95 Theses

The Protestant Reformation threw the Western Christian world into tumult for centuries afterwards, as the Roman Catholic Church worked to respond to the movement and rise of new denominations, and the Protestant churches found both opposition and support among various monarchs in Europe (one of the most notable cases, King Henry VIII of England transitioned from Catholicism to Anglicanism after the pope would not approve a divorce from his first wife).

Terrorist Attack Kills at Least 8 in New York City

Likely terrorist attack in New York City
leaves at least 8 dead, 11 more injured
Credit: NYPD

An attack Tuesday in New York City has left at least eight dead after a man used a rented Home Deport truck to run into cyclists. The man suspect ran from the scene and was eventually apprehended after being shot by police.

Another 11 people have been injured.

According to several witnesses, the suspect shouted “Allahu Akbar” during the attack, and social media accounts supporting the Islamic State (IS) terrorist group have praised the attack.

The attack likely marks the latest in a string of global attacks by IS since 2015, following large scale attacks in Paris and Brussels and similar truck attacks in London, Berlin, and Nice.