Tennessee Enacts a New Anti-Abortion Law, Which is Similar to Texas’s

 Texas created the “Heartbeat Bill” which was enacted on May 19, 2021. The “Heartbeat Bill” states how one cannot receive an abortion once the embryonic or fetus’s heartbeat has been detected. According to science, a heartbeat can be detected after 5-6 weeks, and a woman is able to tell she is pregnant after 2-3. Within this time period, if a woman chooses to have an abortion, it is not an easy process to receive one as quickly as possible. It requires constant doctor visits, counseling appointments, and dealing with private coverage restrictions. There are many more steps to go through this process. 

Recently, Tennessee Republicans have created an extremely similar copy to Texas’s “Heartbeat Bill”. This new legislation they are creating is not only going to prohibit a doctor from performing the surgery, but private persons can even launch civil actions against anyone who assists someone else in getting the treatment after six weeks of pregnancy. Instead of offering a patient a six-week window, the Tennessee version announced Tuesday would prohibit all abortions.

What these laws all have in common is the fact that they are not considering the potential environment the baby can live in, if the mother were to be unfit to provide a healthy and safe life for the baby. Furthermore,  after all of the diverse organizations in favor of abortion such as “Whole Woman’s Alliance” or “NARAL”, protesting against their district courts to change the law within their state, their voice is never heard. What can be changed is the representation within the district courts, because women’s bodies seem to be dictated by elderly, white, conservative men who have no sense of what a woman must undergo in this process, and the harm the baby can potentially live in due to these unethical laws being created.

https://www.usnews.com/news/politics/articles/2022-03-15/tennessee-lawmakers-introduce-texas-styled-abortion-bill

https://www.healthline.com/health/pregnancy/when-can-you-hear-babys-heartbeat#Babys-heartbeat

https://carnegieendowment.org/2018/02/20/tackling-women-s-underrepresentation-in-u.s.-politics-comparative-perspectives-from-europe-pub-75315

https://www.prochoiceamerica.org/

What do you think should be done for the nation to protect the right to an abortion? 
Do you think the Supreme Court can intervene and enforce Roe V. Wade? 
What is your opinion on all of the new laws being passed to prevent abortions? 

New Covid Subvariant Leads to an Increase in Cases

The new BA.2 subvariant of Covid has emerged in some European countries and experts are blaming the removal of pandemic restrictions. 18 European countries, including the UK, France, Italy, and Germany are facing rises in Covid cases. World health Organization (WHO) regional director Hans Kluge announced the news yesterday and is blaming the sudden policy changes regarding pandemic restrictions. He says the lifted measures are “brutal, from too much to too few.” Many European countries have lifted much of their restrictions early this year but it is unclear if they should be reinstated.

The BA.2 subvariant has popped up across the globe and has halted the cline of infections in the United States. According to the CDC, up to 35% of new cases are due to this subvariant. New infections in the US are down 96% from pandemic records but with the prevalence of BA.2, the decrease is beginning to plateau. However, even though the new variant spreads 80% faster than Omicron (CNBC), it still does not pose a serious threat to those who are vaccinated. Because of this, restrictions are continually being lifted and all 50 states have removed overall mask mandates. Chief Medical Advisor Anthony Fauci has spoken out saying that there's no need to reimplement Covid restrictions and that there most likely won’t be a surge. Still, it is better to be safe than sorry. Those who have gotten both doses and their booster shot are more than 90% protected against hospitalization and death and those with only two doses have up to 70% protection.

Cases may continue to rise, but the US has now shifted their focus from regulations to hospitalizations when assessing the threat the virus poses. Additionally, when asked about the variants implications concerning travel, Dr. Leana Wen, a professor of health policy and management at George Washington University, explained that while there may be some uncertainty, there is little risk for those that are vaccinated. She recommends wearing a mask in crowded indoor settings and to know the rules of places you are traveling to. Severe illness has been limited and, for the average person, BA.2 will only lead to mild illness. While this may be true, allowing the virus to spread without taking any precautions may lead to another outbreak. The more the virus spreads, the more chances for mutation and while the chances that it becomes more deadly are slim, it is always a possibility. Governments must balance possible outbreaks with returning to “normal” and there is no easy solution. 

Questions:

Do you think we should continue to have pandemic restrictions? To what extent should we have them?

How do you feel about the new variant? What about future variants?

How does education influence the way people see Covid?

Sources:

https://www.cnn.com/2022/03/23/world/coronavirus-newsletter-intl-23-03-22/index.html

https://www.cnbc.com/2022/03/23/covid-omicron-bapoint2-subvariant-will-soon-dominate-in-us-but-fauci-doesnt-expect-another-surge.html

https://www.cnn.com/2022/03/22/health/omicron-covid-variant-wellness/index.html

https://www.wsj.com/articles/omicron-ba-2-variant-represents-rising-share-of-u-s-covid-19-cases-11647979879

Chinese Plane Crash is Yet Another Loss for Boeing

On Monday, 3/21, the Boeing 737-800 NG model crashed in China. This model is often referred to as the safest aircraft ever made but it sadly led to the death of 132 passengers. Meant to replace the 737 Max, which was grounded globally due to multiple deadly crashes, the 737 NG, or Next Generation, had just 11 fatal accidents out of more than 7,000 planes delivered in the past 25 years. According to radar data, which is based on the transmissions from the plane, the aircraft began to descend well outside the normal flight parameters. After just less than a minute, the plane began to climb back up to flight level just before it nosedived at speeds of up to 31,000 feet per minute into the ground. Rescue teams have been unable to find any survivors and have found one of two black boxes: a device that stores all important details during flights.


Monday’s crash comes at an extremely pivotal time for Boeing as they were aiming to restart 737 Max deliveries to China after a three-year halt. Last year, Boeing Chief Executive David Calhoun said the company desperately needed new orders from Chinese airlines to compete with the recovery of the market. China was also the first to officially ground the 737 Max, which raises increased concerns for the future of Boeing’s relationship with China. COVID and the grounding of the aircrafts caused the company travel demands of China to increase and significantly lowered the demand for planes. Boeing’s stock has dropped over 50% since the end of 2019, slicing over $100 billion off their total value. Because of this, Boeing is in dire need of another jetliner order from China. Boeing has caught major momentum since the beginning of 2020 but resurrecting deliveries and taking new orders is essential for the success of the company. The last few years were not kind to Boeing but the future is still uncertain.

Boeing’s losses have also negatively impacted China as well. Before COVID, China relied heavily on Boeing’s production for their growing travel sector. This importance was highlighted by China’s response to President Trump’s tariffs. Rather than taxing Boeing jets in retaliation, China decided to only put a 5% levy on small U.S.-built aircrafts. Furthermore, China is unable to only rely on Airbus, Boeing’s European competitor, as there is a massive backlog of their jets. Chinese company Comar, however, has been developing a replacement for the 737 and is planning to enter it into service sometime in 2022. China’s command economy also allows it to require that airlines purchase from Comar over Boeing, potentially hitting Boeing with yet another blow.

Questions:

Do you think Boeing will bounce back as travel increases?

How does China's command economy impact the relationship with Boeing?

Sources:

https://www.cnbc.com/2022/03/23/black-box-found-from-boeing-passenger-jet-that-crashed-in-china-state-media.html

https://www.wsj.com/articles/china-eastern-plane-crash-complicates-boeings-china-relationship-11647968883

https://www.wsj.com/articles/boeing-swings-to-profit-on-defense-and-jet-sales-11627474051?mod=article_inline

https://www.barrons.com/articles/boeing-stock-had-a-terrible-2020-forget-2021-its-all-about-2024-51608888600

Western Unity is Crippling the Russian Economy

In a time when Russian President Vladimir Putin expected division, western unity has emerged. Rather than remaining neutral, the US and other western countries have been active in condemning the Russian invasion. The US and other countries have banned Russian oil imports, certain Russian banks, and Visa and Mastercard have suspended operations. These sanctions have taken a toll on the Russian economy as we have seen a more than 30% drop in the Russian Ruble. Russia has been unable to wean itself off imported goods and the Russian economy is taking a hit because of it. According to Janis Kluige, a specialist in the Russian economy at the German Institute for International and Security affairs, “The Russian ambitions were unrealistic to start with because a small economy like Russia’s isn’t able to produce complex and high-tech goods by itself. It’s just simply not possible” (WSJ).While Russia has looked to reduce reliance on imports, it has actually worsened in recent years. In some industries, nonfood consumer goods, imports accounted for nearly 75% and in other sectors, the percentage is even higher.

Sanctions on imports to Russia affect the entire supply chain as a lack of production causes the idling of Russian employees. In Russia’s automaker industry, over 15,000 employees could be idled because of lack of production. Russian companies simply cannot produce the advanced computer chips imported from China and the US and these companies lack alternatives. In addition, as the Ruble decreases in value, the price of goods that can be imported increases dramatically. According to experts, it may take years for Russian companies to produce advanced goods needed for these fields and for now, they rely heavily on Western technology.


As Russia continues to suffer unsustainable losses in Ukraine, President Joe Biden and other western leaders are planning emergency in-person summits to plan for the future of the war. It is expected that the NATO leaders will roll out another set of sanctions on Russia that could add additional measures on Russian oligarchs, finances, and energy imports. Increasing support to Ukraine has also been discussed but no decisions have been made. The war has brought forth unity throughout western countries with Britain in the process of buying a 500 million dollar defense system from the US. Biden also plans to offer military support for NATO countries in eastern Europe, but not directly in conflict. The US has not used any military action when it comes to the war. In a study conducted by Pew Research Center on March 15, 2022, 85% of Americans believe that the US should keep strict economic sanctions on Russia. In addition, 35% of Americans favored U.S. military action even if it risks nuclear conflict with Russia. Even with a large percentage of people interested in military action, Biden has stated that “our forces are not — and will not — be engaged in the conflict with Russia in Ukraine.” There is no certain outcome in this war but it is clear that western countries have taken a strong stand against Russia.

Personally, I think it is important that Western countries are taking a hard stand against the Russian oil exports. Having Western Europe rely on Russian oil gives Russia a significant amount of power over other countries and could potentially allow for Putin to go unpunished. In addition, because countries have been unable to rely on Russian oil, they are finding other sources of oil. While gas prices have risen significantly, not relying on Russia while they are on the other side of the war is a fair tradeoff in my opinion.

Questions:

How do you think this war will influence the world economy in 10 years?

Do you support US intervention in the Russia Ukraine War? Why/Why not?

How should Russian businesses adapt to the changing economic situation?

Sources:

https://www.cnn.com/2022/03/20/politics/joe-biden-europe-trip-vladimir-putin/index.html

https://www.pewresearch.org/politics/2022/03/15/public-expresses-mixed-views-of-u-s-response-to-russias-invasion-of-ukraine/

https://www.vox.com/policy-and-politics/2022/2/25/22949351/ukraine-russia-us-troops-no-fly-zone-nuclear-weapons

https://www.nato.int/cps/en/natohq/official_texts_192489.htm

Newsom Relieves Stress of Thousands of Waiting Seniors

 

UC Berkeley and local group Save Berkeley’s Neighborhood (SBN) have continued to fight a legal battle regarding the local housing crisis. Over the years, SBN has filed multiple lawsuits against UCB, concerned that the University’s housing plans violate the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA). Under CEQA, developers must consider the environmental implications of new infrastructure before gaining approval. Housing plans do not only threaten the environment but also the housing crisis. SBN’s litigations were closely analyzed when the California Supreme Court upheld the lower court decision, ruling that UC Berkeley had to limit their enrollment to the 2020-21 enrollment size. 

Many high school seniors would have reaped the consequences of the court’s verdict. In effect, this court decision would force UCB to reduce the number of admitted students by 5,100. On March 14, 2022, however, Gov. Gavin Newsom signed legislation that halted the court ruling, ensuring that the University’s intended 2022 enrollment could ensue.

In regard to the development of new housing, the environment is an example of a trade-off and negative externality. Construction would emit more greenhouse gasses into our atmosphere, thereby affecting everyone. In terms of trade-offs, the fight for more housing forces one to consider a clean environment versus housing security--goals fighting against one another. Similarly, this relates to a trade-off between housing for students vs. housing for residents. Like a production possibilities curve, there is a finite amount of land and housing. Therefore, the more space there is for new student housing developments, the less space there is for residents. 

Personally, I think that Berkeley shouldn’t have disregarded SBN’s concerns for so long. Clearly, their recent lawsuit was provoked by previous efforts to help the local housing crisis and environment. At the same time, however, I support Newsom’s new legislation. The court decision would have affected so many anxious students. For the class of 2022, the college admissions have already held so much uncertainty, with Covid-19 moving classrooms online or test centers being canceled, that a drastic reduction in admissions seems unfair. Moving forward, I think that UC Berkeley could gradually adapt its student body to meet its housing availability. This way, there would be fewer abrupt reductions which could hurt many students, especially those from disadvantaged backgrounds. Moreover, the demand for off-campus housing could reduce, giving residents more housing options or security. After all, retaining housing for residents is just as important. 

Questions:

What are your thoughts on Newsom’s decision?

How should universities ensure that there is sufficient housing, while also maintaining environmental policy?

How will these concerns affect admissions in the future?

https://www.nytimes.com/2022/02/16/education/uc-berkeley-admissions-court-ruling.html

https://www.wsj.com/articles/uc-berkeley-enrollment-case-fuels-wider-battle-for-student-housing-11647259200#

https://www.sfchronicle.com/bayarea/article/UC-Berkeley-s-Catch-22-Legal-actions-from-16993465.php

https://www.nytimes.com/2022/03/10/us/uc-berkeley-student-housing.html

https://www.gov.ca.gov/2022/03/14/governor-newsom-signs-legislation-to-ensure-access-for-incoming-uc-berkeley-students/

Pakistan's Aurat March Faces Opposition

March 8th, 2022 marked the fifth year of Pakistanian’s Aurat March (Women’s March). Known as International Women’s Day, Pakistani women have continued to face criticism from conservatives. The World Economic Forum even ranks “Pakistan 151 out of 153 countries in its 2020 Global Gender Gap Index Report,” highlighting the opposition women face (DW). A common argument from anti-feminists states that the Aurat March defies Islamic values, instead of promoting Western values. In fact, Pakistan minister for religious affairs, Noor-ul-Haq Qadri demanded that Imran Khan, Pakistan’s Prime Minister, counter the Aurat March by declaring March 8th Hijab Day instead. And while march organizers recognize that there’s no reason to choose between the two events, they argue it’s still one’s personal choice what they choose to celebrate. Thus, “more than 1,000 veiled women” created and attended their marches to counter pro-gender equality rallies (The Guardian). Utilizing a more violent approach, the president of Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl, which is a majority political party led by clerics, threatened protestors with batons. Threats of murder, rape, and other forms of online abuse have even caused Aurat March leaders to deactivate their social media. Regardless, Pakistani women have continued to take charge and hold their Aurat March to promote this year's theme of #BreakTheBias, conveying the idea that there is a lack of acknowledgment in society’s inequality. Specifically, Pakistani women aim for more reproductive rights, economic and environmental justice, and better access to public spaces. One of the march leaders, Sheema Kermani, mentions that they “are scared, but [they] know that without putting [themselves] in such a dangerous situation [they] cannot bring change” (NYT). They plan to use various forms of art to express their discontent with the current patriarchal mindset, thus promoting a pace for “women, transgenders and nonbinary folks” (NBC). 

Considering the more conservative values Pakistan is known for, I’m, unfortunately, not too surprised about the current opposition Pakistan women face. Relating it to backlash related to cases like Roe v. Wade, the divisive stances on abortion is exemplified through protests such as the Aurat March. Thus, events taking place during Women’s History Month may continue to heighten these tensions. Critics of the legal reasoning behind reproductive rights argue that abortion is morally wrong to take away a “life” and that it oversteps a boundary of judicial activism. As a result, Noor-ul-Haq Qadri may use a similar line of reasoning to strengthen Pakistan’s Islamic values, in order to declare March 8th Hijab Day. As of right now, I predict that the declaration will not take place, although it is highly possible. Even if it were to take place, then feminists will of course cause an uproar and spur enough attention for some reconsideration. More likely, it would occur later on when tensions escalate and there’s an evident need to gain more conservative followers or to maintain order.

1. What do you predict will happen if March 8th is Declared Hijab Day?

2. How would you react to the various comments Pakistani feminists face?

3. What course of action do you think the government and/or feminists should pursue from here on out? 

https://www.dw.com/en/womens-day-pakistani-women-demand-bodily-rights-gender-equality/a-52685628

https://www.theguardian.com/global-development/2022/mar/09/hijab-marches-compete-with-pakistans-international-womens-day-rallies

https://www.nytimes.com/2022/03/06/world/asia/pakistan-aurat-march-women.html

https://www.nbcnews.com/news/world/pakistani-international-womens-day-marchers-face-threats-rcna18938

https://www.scmp.com/comment/opinion/article/3169198/when-women-march-justice-pakistan-it-out-necessity

https://dailytimes.com.pk/885193/qadri-proposes-to-mark-intl-hijab-day-on-march-8/

https://www.geo.tv/latest/403429-pakistans-aurat-march-2022-to-be-or-not-to-be

 

Iranian launches missiles near US consulate in Iraq

 

    A barrage of missiles hit in northern Iraq with Iran claiming responsibility for its actions. The US consulate sat nearby and caused alarm to many in the area with missiles hitting some residential areas. The attack was in retaliation from an Israeli strike that occurred in Syria that had killed members of Iran's Revolutionary Guard. "Iran's powerful Revolution Guard said on its website that it attacked what it described as an Israeli spy center in Erbil" (AP News). There were no injuries reported luckily but this marks an escalation of conflict between Iran and the US. Iraq is a sovereign country but being both allies of Iran and the US puts pressure on Iraq as a place of tension between the two countries. White House national security advisor Jake Sullivan stated, " We will support the Government of Iraq in holding Iran accountable, and ...The United States of America stands behind the full sovereignty, independence, and territorial integrity of Iraq"(AP News). The last time Iran has directly fired missiles into Iraq was after U.S. forces used drone strikes to kill General Qassem Soleimani. The resulting missile strikes hit a U.S. base which resulted in multiple U.S. troops suffering with brain damage. America has been recently trying to create a new nuclear containment deal with Iran to limit research and use of dangerous missiles. In 2018, President Trump had pulled the U.S. out of the Iranian nuclear accord which caused many surrounding countries to grow worried. The deal to create a new treaty between the two countries seems to have taken a turn with Russia's invasion of Ukraine and the U.S.'s supply of military equipment to the Ukraine military. 

    This event seems to have gone unnoticed by most of the world with more obvious events like Russia's invasion of Ukraine with has dominated the new for now multiple weeks. I feel that keeping peace in the Middle East is really important to the world similar to peacefully stopping Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Iran getting nuclear weapons would become an extremely dangerous situation that would lead to all sorts of horrible outcomes in the Middle East. A deal set up by Obama in 2015 and later taken away by Trump had created a nuclear deal that limited Iran's nuclear program from continuing the creation of nuclear weapons. Iran's history with nuclear missiles has been long and complicated with all large countries and the UN putting pressure to stop the creation of these missiles. One of the most interesting stories was one about a computer virus called Stuxnet that was created by the US and Israel which would mess with Iran's nuclear plants by damaging computer systems. Its use on a uranium enrichment facility in Natanz resulted in the destruction of 1,000 of Iran's 6,000 centrifuges (Washington Post). Overall, this attack shows an increase in tensions around the Middle East on top of the horrible situation in Ukraine.

What could be the impacts of such attacks on the US and Iraq?

Do you think that war with Iran could be possible and what should be done to avoid it?

Should nuclear deals with Iran be one of the U.S.'s priorities?

Sources:

https://www.wsj.com/articles/irans-revolutionary-guard-claims-missile-attack-raising-tensions-11647173230

https://apnews.com/article/iran-missile-attack-erbil-iraq-us-consulate-7a4ea6281fe6191a4e4b640c58c7fd49

https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2022/03/12/irbil-attack-iraq/

https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/national-security/stuxnet-was-work-of-us-and-israeli-experts-officials-say/2012/06/01/gJQAlnEy6U_story.html

https://www.armscontrol.org/factsheets/Timeline-of-Nuclear-Diplomacy-With-Iran

Yoon Suk-yeol of the People Power Party Wins South Korea's Presidential Elections

 On March 9th, 2022, Yoon Suk-yeol of the People Power Party was elected President for South Korea’s next five-year term. With more than three-quarters of South Koreans casting their votes, Yoon was able to narrowly pull ahead in the polls with 48.6% of the votes, while his longtime opponent, Lee Jae-myung of the Democratic Party, won 47.8% of the votes. Considering the various scandals both candidates faced (ie. corruption, sexism, nepotism), political scientist Ahn Byong-jin of Jyung Hee University says that it was “a contest between the unlikeable, a choice of who is the lesser evil” (NYT).

One factor citizens considered would be his occupation as a successful former prosecutor, suggesting that Yoon has less experience in politics and foreign relations. Regardless of his background, he claims that he wants to “remove the incompetent and corrupt democratic party from power” after outgoing President Moon Jae-in's government was exposed to ethical dilemmas and policy failures regarding the housing crisis, income inequality, and lack of social mobility (NYT). Domestically, Yoon aims to enact a “real estate policy of supplying 2.5 million housing units…” and “reforming the comprehensive property tax system” (Council On Foreign Relations). Regarding gender inequality, the two candidates have divisive stances. As an anti-feminist, Yoon was able to appeal to young voters, particularly young men who consider women as a “threat” toward work opportunity and thus amplifying the current unemployment crisis. Yoon also mentioned in his campaign that he hopes to abolish the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family, while also raising the penalty for falsely reported sex crimes (CNN).

Considering Yoon’s stance on international relations, he mentioned in his campaign toward solidifying his ties with the USA and Japan, effectively, pulling away from China and mitigating China’s growing influence. Under the Biden administration, he aims for South Korea to join the USA, Australia, and Japan to form the “Quad,” advocating for a “free, open and inclusive order in the Indo-Pacific” (Politico). Yoon also refuses to ease sanctions until North Korea “makes active efforts in complete and verifiable denuclearization” (CNN), taking a more confrontational stance. 

The South Korean Election demonstrates the influence of public opinion. We can consider the effect of voting based on policy rather than party as shown through how young men voted for a candidate that aligns with their values and benefits them. Furthermore, we are able to also recognize the international economic effects and how that influences opinion. Because China is South Korea’s main export destination, Yoon will have to consider how South Korea’s economy will be impacted after leaning toward China’s rival global superpower, the USA. Personally, I believe that the USA will benefit in the short-term and gain an ally, but the increasing tensions with China and North Korea may spiral into a bigger problem in the long run.

1. Why do you think voters saw Yoon as the “better option” despite him not having as much experience in politics?

2. How do you think Yoon’s presidency will impact the USA both positively and negatively?

3. What do you think Yoon will do (or at least, what he should do) to appeal to citizens who voted against him?

https://www.nytimes.com/live/2022/03/08/world/korean-election

https://www.cfr.org/blog/south-koreas-real-estate-policy-and-presidential-election

https://www.cnn.com/2022/03/10/asia/yoon-suk-yeol-new-south-korean-president-stance-intl-hnk/index.html

https://www.politico.com/news/2022/03/09/south-koreas-yoon-suk-yeol-new-president-china-00015960

https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2022/03/08/south-korea-presidential-elections-yoon-feminist/

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2022-03-09/south-korea-s-yoon-projected-to-win-presidential-vote-kbs-says

Uber Introduces Fuel Surcharge

 

Higher gas prices have affected everyone, and drivers have responded in a variety of ways. This week, users will pay up to $0.55 extra per Uber ride and up to $0.45 extra for Uber Eats, and this money will go solely to drivers. This will be in place for about two months, and although Uber acknowledges that it won't completely cover the cost of fuel, it will "cushion the blow". Since prices have been increasing all across the economy (shipping anything anywhere requires fuel, which is more expensive now, so all products will be more expensive as a byproduct). However, New York City is a notable exception, since drivers there won't benefit from the surcharge because they're already receiving a 5.3% pay raise due to a 2019 law. 

Uber is also doubling down on electric vehicle investment, incentivizing up to a $4,000 annual bonus, and a recent Hertz partnership makes 50,000 teslas available for drivers to rent by 2023.

This is all coming at a pivotal time for electric vehicles in general. Since drivers stand to profit far more off ridesharing with electric vehicles than gas vehicles, the choice for a new driver looking to enter the market is clear. Even then, for the average consumer, filling up a gas tank can cost easily cost over $60 dollars. Supercharging an electric vehicle ranges from $15 to $20. Gas cars require transmission maintenance, oil changes, engine repairs etc etc, an electric vehicles needs only tires, alignments, and (maybe) brakes. Electric vehicles have a significantly lower cost of operation than. gas vehicles, and the market reflects that characteristic. Passenger electric vehicle sales are projected to exceed 10.5 million this year, 4 million above last year. Anyone looking to purchase a Tesla Model Y (the hottest electric vehicle right now) has an estimated wait time of over 5 months. Although the bulk of these purchases are Chinese, the American government has incentivized EV purchases. does 

While increasing the prices of Ubers $0.55 likely won't make a huge difference in user numbers, since the average Uber user probably isn't the most price sensitive, however increasing them further to accommodate for higher gas prices in the future possibly could shift riders to public transport. While somewhat distant, the market could eventually push more users away from using cars and into other forms of transportation. For a certain demographic, where buying/leasing a car (specifically an electric vehicle) is either too expensive or inconvenient (like a resident of New York City or many urban metro areas), they may be left with public transport as the only option. For certain cities with well-developed systems, this won't be an issue. However, in other cities, this may become a problem for some. Lack of urban infrastructure and efficient transit systems (think cities like Houston or LA, car-dependent) is going to become a serious threat to productivity in the coming decades, and raising Uber prices may be an early (possibly very early) sign that it's time to think about improving them. 

Questions:

Is this Uber price increase going to affect your usage of the service?

Do you think EV sales will stall?

What do you think is next for transportation in America?

Sources:

https://www.cnn.com/2022/03/12/business/uber-gas-prices-surcharge/index.html

https://businessnewsanalysis.com/uber-is-rolling-out-a-fuel-surcharge/ 

https://www.axios.com/electric-vehicle-sales-expected-surge-2022-91bee1e9-6d82-4da8-b254-27a61eef17a4.html 

Wrongfully Imprisoned Man Finally Gains Freedom

 

84-year-old Isaiah Andrews has been wrongly jailed for 45 years after being found guilty of murdering his wife. Under the Ohio Innocence Project, which is meant to prevent innocent people from going to jail, Andrews was given a retrial in 2020 after the fact that evidence was hidden from his attorney during his initial trial. On October 27, 2021, he was unanimously found not guilty by the jury and he continued to file a civil rights lawsuit against the City of Cleveland. He said that “they stole decades of [his] life. It’s time for them to take responsibility” as he filed for wrongful imprisonment. As of now, he has moved on to receiving compensation due to his time in prison. 

The 45-year wrongful imprisonment brings light to the fact that many innocent people are wrongfully jailed for reasons that are out of their hands; for Andrews, it was because the evidence was withdrawn and “Cleveland detectives… manipulated witnesses to convict Isaiah Andrews,” according to his attorneys. There is a need for legal rights to prevent more innocent people from going to jail for crimes they didn’t commit. Personally, I believe that there is a need to be transparent with evidence to attorneys to allow for the defendant and plaintiff to be accurately defended and represented in court.

https://www.nytimes.com/2022/03/11/us/isaiah-andrews-released-ohio.html?auth=login-email&login=email 

https://www.news5cleveland.com/news/local-news/watch-live-man-who-spent-46-years-in-prison-for-murder-set-to-be-declared-wrongfully-imprisoned 

https://www.fox19.com/2022/02/15/cleveland-man-who-spent-decades-prison-crime-he-didnt-commit-files-federal-civil-rights-lawsuit/ 

https://law.uc.edu/real-world-learning/centers/ohio-innocence-project-at-cincinnati-law.html 

1. Can money compensate for time lost? If so, how should it be calculated?
2. The main reason Andrews was wrongfully imprisoned was that his attorney was never given key evidence; is there a way to prevent such a thing from happening?

Western Countries Target Russian Oligarchs

As the war between Russia and Ukraine intensifies, western countries look to choke Russia. The US banned Russian oil and natural gas, and the EU (which heavily relies on Russian energy) said that it will switch completely before 2030. The effects of this are obvious, as seen with the skyrocketing gas prices. Western countries have also gone after Russian oligarchs, a select group of super-wealthy individuals who are very close to Putin. For example, billionaire Alisher Usmanov's yacht (the largest in the planet by gross tonnage), which boasts a pool that turns into a helipad, was seized by German authorities. Perhaps the most high-profile of these sanctions is on Roman Abramovich. Abramovich is a special case. Of all the oligarchs, he is known for being the "nice guy". He even received support from leaders of various cultural and medical institutions, including a chief rabbi, who all implored the US not to push sanctions onto him. However, soon after those pleas, Britain prevented Abramovich from entering or doing business, which meant that his soccer team (Chelsea football club) could no longer sell tickets or sign players. Canada followed suit soon after, but the US is yet to sanction Abramovich. 

When Putin rose to power and was inaugurated in 2000, he imprisoned the richest oligarch, but kept Abramovich free. Abramovich has remained loyal to Putin, even governing a northeastern region for seven years. Knowing how Putin can quickly sweep an oligarch's rug out from under them, he began to look elsewhere for business ventures, and tried to gain western credibility. That's where he settled on purchasing a soccer team (for $180 million dollars) and brought Chelsea its most successful spell in the history of the club. When Russia won the rights to host the 2018 World Cup, Putin publicly praised Abramovich for bringing sports to Russia. After buying the highest quality property and art around the world, Abramovich used his status as a Jew to to buy homes in tel Aviv. He then donated tens of millions to Universities in the region, and hundreds of millions to Israeli charities. He became a voice for antisemitism, but then after the British imposed sanctions, the Israeli Holocaust memorial (that he flew to London to help inaugurate) announced it was cutting ties with him. The reputation of these oligarchs, not just Abramovich, have been tarnished because of Russia's invasion of Ukraine, and hopefully this will be an effective method to slow the war.

Questions:

How do you think that punishing those close to Putin will play out?

How should we view oligarchs?

Are these sanctions too light/extreme or not forceful enough? 

Sources:

https://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/2022/03/12/russian-oligarch-yachts/ 

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-60125659 

https://www.nytimes.com/2022/03/11/world/europe/roman-abramovich-russian-oligarch-sanctions.html

The Intensifying Literacy Crisis of America

It’s no secret that due to the pandemic, many students switched from in-person learning to online. While this didn't have much effect on those in middle and high school, many children spent their developmental years in front of a screen instead of having someone else to guide them face to face. While it’s fair to say that online learning had little actual learning, evidence shows that many children are missing benchmarks, specifically related to reading, because of it. While this doesn't affect us currently, it could affect the future of America since "poor readers are more likely to... become involved in the criminal justice system." This academic crisis isn't just due to the pandemic (although it's a big part of it now) since there is a lack of "educators trained in phonics and phonemic awareness [which are] the foundational skills" for literacy. Because of this, many students lack the skills to properly differentiate what different letters sound like, leaving many needing to review the kindergarten curriculum.

While this doesn’t seem like a huge issue at the moment, it could be a larger problem since almost a third of the students are behind the curve. According to the National Center for Education, statistics show that while the United States is above the international average for literacy in adults age 16 to 65, it’s still significantly behind nations like Japan and Finland. Not only that, but states such as California, New York, Texas, and Florida have literacy rates from ~76-80%.

Personally, I think that this can be a bigger crisis as time goes by, causing the literacy crisis to grow since many children aren’t on par with where they should be; although kids are required to attend school by the government, is it really effective if the student is unable to read? 

https://www.nytimes.com/2022/03/08/us/pandemic-schools-reading-crisis.html 

https://nces.ed.gov/fastfacts/display.asp?id=69 

https://worldpopulationreview.com/state-rankings/us-literacy-rates-by-state 

1. Do you think these children should be held back a year/have to review kindergarten lessons in order to get on the curve? 
2. What effects do you think this could have on the literacy crisis and America's future?
3. Do you think this is something the government should intervene with or do you believe that this will only affect a few grades? 

Russian Gymnast is Criticized After Wearing ‘Z’ Symbol Next to Ukrainian Athlete

    At a gymnastics World Cup event in Doha, Qatar that happened this past week, the International Gymnastics Federation (FIG) criticized Russian athlete Ivan Kuliak for wearing a ‘Z’ symbol taped to his leotard while standing next to Ukrainian athlete Illia Kovtun on the podium.

    For those who don’t know, the ‘Z’ symbol has been displayed on tanks and vehicles used by the Russian military during its invasion of Ukraine. The symbol is a sign of support for the invasion, and according to Galina Starovoitova Fello Kamil Galeez, "Some interpret "Z" as "Za pobedy" (for victory). Others - as "Zapad" (West).” For the past weeks, propaganda videos on social media have shown supporters of President Vladimir Putin wearing clothing featuring the ‘Z’ symbol

    Head of the Artistic Gymnastics Federation of Russia (FSGR) Vasily Titov told Russian publications that Kuliak has the governing body’s full support. “I don’t think Ivan wanted to make a special demonstration, but we will support him in any case,” Titov said. More has not been released, but Titov ended by saying, "It was a violation of the uniform approved by the FIG. I think that they can punish, they can also remove us from participation. But we were already removed.

    In a statement on Friday, the FIG announced that starting March 7, Russian and Belarusian athletes and officials would not be allowed to take part in any FIG-sanctioned competitions, following advice from the International Olympic Committee.    

Personally, I view Ivan’s action as a sign of disrespect. There is always a time and place to do certain things, but with what is going on in the world right now, what did he expect?

https://www.cnn.com/2022/03/07/sport/ivan-kuliak-russian-gymnastics-ukraine-z-spt-intl/index.html 

https://www.ndtv.com/world-news/explained-what-does-the-z-symbol-on-russian-military-vehicles-mean-2808239 

https://sportgymrus.ru/news/8022-fsgr-podderzhala-obninskogo-gimnasta-vyshedshego-na-nagrazhdenie-kubka-mira-s-bukvoj-z.html

1. What is your stance on athlete Ivan Kuliak wearing the ‘Z’ symbol?

2. How would you take action if you had the opportunity to create the consequences for Russia?

3. How could the US continue to spread awareness and support Ukraine?

The Changing Political Geography of COVID-19 Over the Last Two Years

Speaking from a high schoolers perspective, March is a very important time in our lives where just two years ago it was announced that we were going to have two weeks off from school, until COVID-19 settled down. Well, two weeks turned into one and a half years, and since then, COVID-19 has been nothing but a nightmare for everyone. The pandemic has rolled across the U.S. in waves, and today the death toll of the pandemic looks very different from how it looked in early 2020. Over the past two years, the official deaths in the United States, caused by the coronavirus, is now approaching 1 million lives. Before I get into it, if you have come in contact or know someone who has been hospitalized or died of the coronavirus, my deepest condolences. 

A new Pew Research Center analysis of official reports of COVID-19 related deaths across the country, reveals how the dynamics of the pandemic has shifted over the last two years. The first wave was geographically concentrated in the Northeast, particularly in the New York Region. In the summer of 2020, the largest share of about 80,0000 deaths occurred during the second wave of the pandemic, in the southern parts of the country. The transition from fall to winter, to the beginning of spring from 2020 into 2021 were known to be the deadliest months of the pandemic with over 370,000 deaths in the United States. By the spring and summer of 2021, the nationwide death rate had slowed significantly, and vaccines were widely available to adults who wanted them. During the third wave, the death rate among the 20% of Americans living in counties that supported Trump was about 170% of the death rate among the one-in-five Americans living in counties that supported Biden. Starting at the end of the summer, the fourth and fifth waves came in quickly and took over 300,00 lives. During the fourth wave of the pandemic, death rates in the most pro-Trump counties were about four times what the were in the most pro-Biden counties. Since the pandemic began, counties representing the 20% of the population where Trump ran up his highest margins in 2020 have experienced nearly 70,000 more deaths from COVID-19 than have the counties representing the 20% of population where Biden performed best. Overall, the COVID-19 death rate in all counties Trump won in 2020 is substantially higher than it is in counties Biden won.

https://www.pewresearch.org/politics/2022/03/03/the-changing-political-geography-of-covid-19-over-the-last-two-years/  

1) How has COVID-19 impacted you and your loved ones over the past 2 years?

2) What would you recommend to others to keep a safe environment, and prevent the numbers of deaths from increasing?

3) What are your thoughts on the role of politics during COVID-19?

Gas Prices are Skyrocketing in the United States

    On Sunday, March 6, 2022 the average price for gas was raised $4 per gallon, the highest level since 2008. Prior to this increase, the average price per gallon a year ago was $2.76, as the market was still recovering from business shutdowns and the pandemic. Earlier this week, Head of petroleum analysis, Patrick De Haan tweeted, "To make it implicitly clear, this is the cost of bipartisan sanctions on Russia for their war on Ukraine…[$4/gallon] was unlikely to have happened without Russian action." Russia is one of the world’s major oil exporters, with most of its output going to Europe and Asia. Its oil has made up 2% of US imports, according to Energy Department Data. Due to Russia’s attack on Ukraine, the sanctions on Russia’s economy have so far exempted oil exports. Because of this, traders have been reluctant to purchase Russian oil due to uncertainty about closing transactions, given the limits on the country’s banking sector.

    In his State of the Union speech, President Biden warned the country that the invasion of Ukraine by the Russian military would have an effect on every American. In response to Russia’s actions, Biden announced that the U.S. and 30 other countries were working together to release 60 million barrels of oil, 30 of which will come from America's own Strategic Petroleum Reserve. Biden explains how this action "will help blunt gas prices here at home."

Global head of energy analysis for the Oil Price Information, Tom Kloza explains how calls have been made for the United States to ban the import of Russian oil, but this would have limited impact on global and domestic prices since so little is being shipped to US markets. Currently, there are 18 states where the price is $4 or greater. A majority from the West Coast, Northeast and Mid-Atlantic. The highest prices are seen in California, where the statewide average is $5.29 a gallon. However, there are still portions of the country where this new average is still rare, with states between North Dakota to Texas who’s averages are no higher than $3.71 a gallon. 

In short, this definitely is not the end of the increase in gasoline price. Personally, I don’t like having to pay 20 cents more than what I was usually paying for gas a month ago. From what I know so far, as a solution I believe the United States should should cut their relations with Russia, and build stronger relationships with the big time gas countries like Dubai and Canada. 

https://www.cnn.com/2022/03/06/energy/average-us-gas-price-hits-four-dollars/index.html 

https://www.caranddriver.com/news/a39338671/us-gas-prices-skyrocketing-future/ 

Questions:

1. What are your thoughts on the increase of gasoline cost?

2. How has the increase in cost affected you or someone you know?

Russia plans to block access to Facebook

 

    

    Recently, a statement by Russia's communications regulator plans to stop the access of Facebook to its millions of citizens. The statement was released stating, " In March 2022, a decision was made to block access to the Facebook network in the Russian Federation." According to Statista, there are around 66 million users in Russia. This ban comes from Russia claiming that the social media giant is "unfairly censoring media outlets within the country" (Forbes). This ban will cost Meta around 1.3 billion for the year while Meta's total revenue in 2021 was 117.9 billion. (Forbes) While this will certainly hurt Meta, the company likely has been following the trend of many other businesses to drop out of Russia like Apple, Disney, Ikea, Shell, Exxon, and many more. This comes with a world-wide outrage over Russia's invasion of Ukraine and companies are trying to distance themselves from Russia. While Facebook didn't exactly leave on their own, it comes from them shutting down Russian news platforms and trying to stop the misinformation about the war. Practically all of Russia's news platforms are all state-affiliated meaning they are working with the government and letting the government have almost total control over what is being said or published. By banning Facebook in Russia, the Russian government will practically have total control over its media with what people can see or hear. The ban seems rather ironic considering how such a huge problem Facebook has with monitoring misinformation and propaganda on its site especially in the US. The Washington Posts's Will Oremus had some interesting thoughts on the current situation, "Blocking Facebook, then, is less of a broadside against social media in Russia than it is a shot across the bow — a dramatic but largely symbolic act that serves as a warning and a threat. Because Facebook is so prominent in the West, the block stands to make big headlines outside Russia while provoking relatively little outcry from within. And now the censorship agency can point to its hard line against Facebook in its ongoing disputes with both Meta and other social media companies that have larger Russian user bases." Russia wants on taking more control over social media by scaring the big tech companies into listening to their demands and eventually be able to censor whatever the government what to get rid of or promote to their people.

Would it be better for big tech companies to simply leave Russia than to bend to Russia's likely new regulations?

With Russia already controlling most of its people's media will they be able to get reliable information?

Are sanctions across the world and companies leaving Russia enough pressure for them to stop the war? If not, what else should be done that does not escalate to war to involve NATO or the US.

https://www.cnn.com/2022/03/04/tech/russia-blocks-facebook/index.html

https://www.forbes.com/sites/abrambrown/2022/03/04/facebooks-russia-ban-will-cost-it-about-36-million-a-day/?sh=32c88e5a15d4

https://www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2022/03/05/russia-facebook-block-putin-ban-roskomnadzor/

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/russia-corporations-that-have-pulled-out/