February 2022

February 20222022International NewsEurope

80-Year-Old Italian President Elected to Second Term

Leading up to Italy’s presidential election, President Sergio Mattarella had plans that did not involve serving a second term. The 80-year-old president made this known, posting images of a packed-up presidential palace and making sure to be spotted on house hunting excursions. But after a week of struggles in Parliament to elect his replacement, Mattarella was asked to stay and accepted.

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February 2022FocusSports Geopolitics2022

FOCUS on Sports Geopolitics: The Qatar World Cup

The 2022 World Cup will be held in Qatar, an oil-rich Persian Gulf country eager to showcase its stadiums and landmarks as the first Arab nation to hold the tournament. Despite its wealthy aesthetic, human rights organizations and journalists have discovered via whistleblowers that Qatari authorities have overlooked human rights abuses of migrant workers brought to construct facilities for the event. 

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February 20222022International NewsAsia

Myanmar Marks One Year Since Military Takeover

February 1marked one year since Myanmar’s  military staged a coup to oust democratically elected leader Aung Sann Suu Kyi, less than a decade after its transition into a democratic nation. The U.N. Security Council released a statement regarding the one-year anniversary, calling for those still detained to abe released, including the country’s former president Win Myint, reports U.S. News. Aung San Suu Kyi, a Nobel Peace Prize winner and long-time supporter of democracy, remains detained as well. 

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February 20222022International NewsAmericas

Four Mexican Journalists Killed in First Four Weeks of 2022

A recent uptick of violence against journalists in Mexico has helped solidify its status as one of the most dangerous countries in the world for journalists, reports The Guardian. The January 31 murder of Roberto Toledo, a videographer for the news website Monitor Michoacan, was the final straw that sparked protests across the country from journalists, advocating for more protection, adds The New York Times.

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February 2022Eastern Europe2022International News

Tensions Escalate Between Ukraine and Russia: The Latest Updates

In its most recent move to counter Russian military buildup near the Ukrainian borders, the United States has pledged to end support for Nord Stream 2, a German-controlled gas pipeline project connecting Russia and Germany, stressing U.S.-German unity if Russia invades Ukraine, Reuters reports. The declaration came during a joint U.S.-German press conference on Monday, February 7.  

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February 2022FocusSports Geopolitics2022

FOCUS on Sports Geopolitics: The Disappearance of Peng Shuai

In a recent interview with L’Equipe, Chinese tennis star Peng Shuai announced her retirement and retracted her sexual assault allegation against a high ranking member of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). The interview marked Peng’s first contact with a foreign publication since posting her initial accusation against Zhang Gaoli on Weibo, a Chinese social media platform.

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February 20222022International NewsAsiaConflict and Security

North Korea Tests Its Longest-Range Missile Since 2017

On January 30, North Korea launched what is thought to be the country’s longest-range missile tested since 2017, according to BBC News.  states that the missile launched at a high trajectory with the apparent goal to avoid their neighbor’s territorial space, reaching a maximum altitude of 2,000 kilometers and traveling 800 kilometers.

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February 20222022International NewsMiddle East

Afghan Drug Trade Threatens U.S. War on Drugs

Concerns regarding the impact on Afghanistan’s opium trade have been largely elusive from global conversations since the Taliban reclaimed control of Afghanistan last August, despite its prominence as a multi-billion dollar industry. Reuters reports the United States government has spent more than $8 billion in an unsuccessful effort to eradicate it. 

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