Cybersecurity Conference About Recent Trends
On Thursday, October 29, the School of Diplomacy and International Relations held an event entitled, Cybersecurity: Highest U.S. and International Threats and the Election.
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October 2020
Sinking Venezuelan Oil Tanker Threatens Caribbean
A Venezuelan oil tanker carrying over one million barrels of oil, Nabarima, is in danger of sinking in the waters between Venezuela, Trinidad, and Tobago. If the damaged ship sinks, the resulting oil spill will be worse than the 1989 Exxon oil spill and the 2010 BP oil spill.
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U.S. and Russia Near Extension on New START Treaty
On Tuesday, October 20, the United States and Russia edged closer to renewing the last major nuclear arms control treaty between the two nations. According to POLITICO, the New Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (New START) is set to expire on February 5, 2021 and has been the subject of unpromising negotiations between the Trump administration and Putin government since the beginning of this year. This newfound cooperation and apparent will to renew New START is owed to a Russian verbal commitment to a one-year nuclear warhead freeze and a one-year extension of New START.
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Protests Erupt Across Poland and Abroad Following Strict Abortion Law
Thousands of people in Poland are taking to the streets in protest over a new court ruling on abortion, reports the New York Times. The nation’s top court’s decision completely bans the practice except in cases of rape, incest, or health necessity.
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Spain Declares State of Emergency Over COVID Spike
In response to a resurgence of COVID-19 cases, the Spanish government has declared a national state of emergency. As of October 30, the total number of cases in Spain reached 1,264,517 with 35,878 deaths reported. Among the new measures instituted to prevent another near-collapse of the country’s hospital capacity is an overnight curfew that will be in place for the next six months, reports the Associated Press.
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Palestinian Negotiator Saeb Erekat Receiving COVID Treatment in Jerusalem
On October 8, Saeb Erekat, a high-profile Palestinian diplomatic negotiator and Secretary General of the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) Executive Committee, announced that he tested positive for COVID-19. When his health worsened, Erekat was rushed to Hadassah Ein Kerem Medical Center, an Israeli hospital located in Jerusalem, reports Reuters.
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UN Brokers Ceasefire Between Rival Forces in Libya
According to BBC News, the rival authorities in Libya’s ongoing civil war have announced an immediate ceasefire resulting from an agreement brokered by the United Nations (UN). The deal officially halts the violence that has engulfed the North African country since the NATO-led toppling of its dictator, Muammar al-Qaddafi, in 2011.
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Sudan and Israel to Normalize Relations
In a deal brokered by U.S. President Donald Trump between Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and the leader of Sudan’s transitional government, Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok, Sudan has agreed to normalize ties with Israel after decades of belligerence between the two states, according to The Guardian.
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France Cracks Down on Muslims Following Beheading
French officials unleashed a strict crackdown on many Muslim organizations on October 16 following the brutal murder of school teacher Samuel Paty for showing offensive caricatures of the Prophet Muhammad.
Read moreCenter for Peace and Conflict Studies Hosts Annual “All Conflict is Local” Conference
On October 20 and 21, the Center for Peace and Conflict Studies hosted its fifth annual “All Conflict is Local: Personal Experience, Reflection, and Conflict Resolution” conference.
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