The Goings-On: Winter in the News

Amid a constantly evolving global landscape, this winter, from 2023 going into 2024, has had its share of successes and losses. Many nations around the world have made headlines, each worth sharing.

The two major ongoing global events are the Israel-Hamas Conflict and the U.S. and U.K.’s strikes on Houthi rebels in Yemen.

In terms of the current Israel-Hamas conflict, over 1,200 Israelis have been killed in strikes by Hamas, a Palestinian militant group, which launched an attack on October 7. In retaliation, Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu led the Israeli Defense Force (IDF) to begin an ongoing counter-attack on Hamas-infiltrated areas in Palestine. So far, over 25,000 Palestinians have died, including over 10,000 children.

In connection with the recent conflict between Israel and Hamas, South Africa has brought a case accusing the Israeli government of inflicting harm on Gazan civilians to the International Court of Justice (ICJ), the principal judicial organ of the United Nations. The case accused Israel of genocide against the Palestinian people. The reactions to this have been incredibly mixed; Bangladesh recently backed them in their case to the ICJ, and Germany offered to intervene on Israel’s behalf in an effort to reject the case. This move was criticized by Namibia’s president, Hage Geingob, accusing Germany of a hypocritical argument as they had not atoned for the genocide committed in Namibia against the Herero and Namaqua peoples between 1904 and 1908, resulting in the deaths of over 70,000 people.

In more recent news, the U.S. and U.K. have launched air strikes on Iran-backed Houthi rebels after recent attacks on foreign cargo ships in the Red Sea (which occurred in early January). The Houthi Movement, named after its founder, Hussein al-Houthi, is a Shia-Islamist political and military organization based in Yemen. They emerged in the 1990s, and now control large parts of Yemen, including its capital city, Sanaa. The Houthis declared their operation to be one that targeted ships connected to Israel, but many of the ones attacked do not have any links. The Houthis, for a long time, have stated disapproval and hatred against Western nations.

Now onto other regions of the world: In the United States, former President Donald Trump has won the Iowa Caucus, leading another candidate, Vivek Ramaswamy to drop out of the race and continue his political journey by endorsing Trump. Political analysts have stated that this is likely because of Ramaswamy’s desire to end up being the former president’s running mate. (Check out E. Guertin's Overview of the Election Candidates for more election info!)

In Europe, France recently made way for a new prime minister, Gabriel Attal, 34, the youngest prime minister in modern French history. Protests have sprung up across Germany against the nation’s Alternative for Germany (AfD) party, with many citizens supporting the idea of a ban after senior members attended a meeting where mass deportations of asylum seekers in Germany were allegedly discussed.

Meanwhile, in Brazil, President Lula has vowed support for Beijing’s “One China Policy,” losing approval from many activists and politicians. After its Smart Lander for Investigating the Moon (SLIM) made a proper landing, Japan became the 5th country to make it to the moon (after the United States, the Soviet Union, China, and India).

Now finally, we have come to the end of the second edition of The Goings-On. I hope you enjoyed this informational piece, and please make sure to continue your knowledge of current affairs through verifiable sources.

Works Cited

“Who Are the Houthi Rebels and Why Are They Attacking Red Sea Ships?” Www.bbc.com, 22 Dec. 2023, www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-67614911. Accessed 20 Jan. 2024.

Cheetham, Joshua, et al. “Tracking Houthi Attacks in the Red Sea.” Www.bbc.com, 19 Jan. 2024, www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-68031732. Accessed 20 Jan. 2024.

Peoples, Steve, et al. “Donald Trump’s Grip on Republican Politics Is Put to the Test in Ice-Cold Iowa’s Caucuses.” AP News, 16 Jan. 2024, apnews.com/article/trump-iowa-caucus-haley-desantis-cold-voting-begins-0af10f1ba21d488af54776b2c8d4028c. Accessed 20 Jan. 2024.

Schofield, Hugh. “Gabriel Attal: Macron’s Pick for PM Is France’s Youngest at 34.” Www.bbc.com, 9 Jan. 2024, www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-67922062. Accessed 20 Jan. 2024.

Parker, Jessica. “AfD: Germans Float Ban on Elected Far-Right Party after Scandal.” Www.bbc.com, 20 Jan. 2024, www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-68029232. Accessed 20 Jan. 2024.

Adams, Paul. “South Africa’s Genocide Case against Israel: Both Sides Play Heavy on Emotion in ICJ Hearing.” Www.bbc.com, 12 Jan. 2024, www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-67962302. Accessed 20 Jan. 2024.

Nesta Kupemba, Danai. “Namibia Criticises German Support for Israel over ICJ Genocide Case.” Www.bbc.com, 14 Jan. 2024, www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-67974067. Accessed 20 Jan. 2024.

Boadle, Anthony. “Brazil Backs Beijing’s “One China Policy,” Foreign Minister Wang Yi Says.” Reuters, 19 Jan. 2024, www.reuters.com/world/brazil-backs-beijings-one-china-policy-foreign-minister-wang-yi-says-2024-01-19/. Accessed 20 Jan. 2024.

Yamaguchi, Mari. “Japan Space Agency Says Its Lunar Spacecraft Is on the Moon but Is Still “Checking Its Status.”” AP News, 19 Jan. 2024, apnews.com/article/japan-moon-landing-jaxa-probe-slim-845d4868636df5ced2e1818c588f29a4. Accessed 20 Jan. 2024.