In The News

Lockdown on Coronavirus: South China Morning Post

January 23, 2020
China has taken the unprecedented step of quarantining Wuhan, a city of 11 million, to prevent the spread of a new coronavirus. The virus has infected more than 500, killed 17 people and spread to at least six nations since the start of the year. Public health officials connect foreign cases to travel and time spent in Wuhan. Wuhan's public transportation is closed. “Local residents rushed...

The West’s Stake in Hong Kong: Diplomat

Brian C.H. Fong January 23, 2020
Hong Kong protests continue after seven months, bringing scrutiny to the territory’s relationship with China and the promises for semi-autonomy through 2047. Disagreement between protesters and the Hong Kong government is not a local issue, but a “complicated geopolitical issue involving great power competition,” explains Brian C.H. Fong for the Diplomat and HongKong Brief. He describes the...

Taal Volcano Magma Still Rising: Rappler

January 19, 2020
Taal Volcano began exploding on January 12, the 12th time since the year 1900. “State volcanologists maintained Alert Level 4 for Taal Volcano in the province of Batangas on Saturday, January 18, which means a hazardous eruption could still occur ‘within hours to days,’” reports Rappler. “The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) said magma is still rising within Taal, as...

Hot Water Blob and Seabird Deaths: EcoWatch

Sam Nickerson January 18, 2020
As the planet warms, oceans absorb far more heat than the air. Researchers report patches of warm water in the Pacific, from New Zealand to Alaska. The University of Washington reported on one that killed more than 1 million seabirds. One patch stretched for 1000 miles, increasing temperatures by more than 10 degrees Fahrenheit and killing more than 1 million seabirds, report University of...

China’s New Coronavirus: Wall Street Journal

Natasha Khan January 15, 2020
Researchers identified a new strain of coronavirus in central China. However, it’s not clear that this new strain is the cause of 59 people sickened, with seven in critical condition. No deaths have been reported yet. Although the new strain is a coronavirus, which also includes deadly SARS and MERS, local health officials report no transmissions yet among humans. The assumption is that those...

President Tsai Reelected: Taiwan News

Keoni Everington January 14, 2020
Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen was reelected in a landslide victory with 57 percent of the vote. The economy and excessive Chinese control were top issues. China had cut off contact with the Tsai government; protests disrupting Kong since June also troubled Taiwanese voters. “The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) told the media Sunday (Jan. 12) that officials from more than 60 countries had...

Australia Must Prepare for Climate Change: CFR

Alice C. Hill January 11, 2020
Australia endures horrific fires and one of the worst fire seasons in history, with more than 25 people killed, thousands of homes destroyed, a billion animals killed by some estimates, and more than 12 million acres burned. Climate change, high temperatures and drought exacerbate and lengthen the fire seasons. Average temperatures have increased by more than 2 degrees since the 1950s. Alice Hill...