World

Skipping Class

The world’s biggest 20 economies came together for a summit in the Indian capital on Sunday; overcoming divisions on topics like the war in Ukraine, fossil fuels, and the transport corridor, which would bolster commerce between the Middle East, East Asia, and eventually Europe. However, there were a few key members that were notably absent.

Who was missing?

China and Russia, or Xi Jinping and Vladimir Putin, opted out of this year’s summit. Sometimes not showing up is the best way to grab attention… and make a point. This marks the first time the Chinese President hasn’t attended the annual event, churning speculation about his relationship with Indian Prime Minister Modi.

Russia was gone for obvious reasons, regarding the invasion of Ukraine. It’s possible Putin just didn’t want to come, as he occasionally skips international gatherings. However, the International Criminal Court put a warrant out for his arrest in relation to the war, so that could be another reason not to come (not that Putin cares).

Why does it matter?

As China tries to tighten its situationship with India, its attempts appear to be waning as the U.S. gains leverage amid the summit. This could escalate global tensions regarding the recent economic meltdown in China, as world leaders likely wished to discuss the topic on Sunday.

The G20 is the self-titled “premier forum for international economic cooperation”, so China’s absence will probably have an effect on international economic policies and cooperation going forward.

Detention buddies

The two worst people you know are hanging out. While the rest of the world is at the G20 Summit, Kim Jong-un arrived in Russia on Tuesday, traveling on his armored train to a meeting with Vladimir Putin. United States officials said they are expected to discuss an arms deal, as Russia deals with a Ukrainian counter-offensive.

Apparently the “fully-fledged visit” would cover “bilateral relations and the situation in the region and in the global arena”. The two nations are reportedly meeting to extend their military cooperation as Russia is speculated to be asking Pyongyang for ammunition to bolster their fighting forces in Ukraine.

More than 5,000 feared dead after Libya floods ravage the nation

Libyan authorities are struggling to provide basic necessities to tens of thousands as Cyclone Daniel ripped through the nation, becoming its worst natural disaster in decades. The lethal storm caused two dams to burst, causing disastrous floods in the coastal city of Derna and nearby areas.

Libya’s response to the storm is being complicated by a political crisis and intervention of foreign powers such as Russia. The two separate governments in Eastern and Western Libya are muddling responses, with Eastern being controlled by a militia leader backed by the Kremlin, and Western by a detached government backed by the United Nations.

Tech

Google vs. Government

The United States takes on Google with an unprecedented lawsuit that marks the biggest monopoly trial since 1998, which targeted Bill Gates’s tech superpower, Microsoft. U.S. et al. v. Google (the trial) focuses on the agreement Google has with hardware companies like Apple to make Google the default browser.

The Department of Justice states that these deals - which are worth billions each year - violate monopoly laws and constitute an illegal abuse of power by Google to crush their competition.

Same s***, different year

Who’s ready for the latest upgrade they don't need?  The latest iPhone is on its way with three different versions to spend $1000 on: the iPhone 15, 15 Plus, and 15 Pro Max.

Has anything really changed?

The answer depends on what your definition of ‘change’ is, however, there are some notable contributions this time around.

• The new iPhones and updated AirPods will be juiced up using a USB-C port, which MacBooks and pretty much every other smartphone uses

• The phone will obviously have some upgrades to processing, meaning faster speeds all around, and larger memory options

• As usual, there are upgrades to the camera, with better zoom capabilities for the 15 Pro Max option, and a 3D video upgrade for the 15 Pro

If you want to spend an excess of money, you can also get the new Apple Watch, which boasts a feature that allows users to end calls and start timers by just tapping two fingers together.

Grab Bag

Push the brakes

Auto workers across several key manufacturers are preparing to walk out on Friday if their union can’t reach a deal with GM, Ford, and Stellantis before the end of Thursday night. The U.A.W. president, Shawn Fain, stated that the walkouts would be “limited and targeted”.

The union is ready to call for a full work stoppage, which could have a major impact on the economy if a deal isn’t reached. The Anderson Economic Group said if the strike lasted only 10 days, it could cost the U.S. economy $5.6 billion, and raise car prices for consumers.

Escaped murderer captured in Pennsylvania

The infamous crab crawl escapist has been found. The prison break story that captivated the nation comes to a conclusion as authorities found and captured the suspect on Wednesday. The wild story started as the inmate, sentenced to life in prison for killing his ex-girlfriend, escaped by crab-walking up a federal prison wall.

Once evading a baseball field-sized area outside the prison densely populated by federal police, the convict changed his appearance, stole a van, and proceeded to steal a rifle at one point; causing authorities to escalate their efforts to find him.

After two weeks, the manhunt finally ended with the help of a heat-sensing plane and a K-9 unit. The public, however, doesn’t seem to be too relieved as criticisms that the search and capture took much longer than needed increased, citing the incompetence of the authorities.

Political gambit or necessary means?

Speaker of the House Kevin McCarthy formally opened an impeachment inquiry into President Biden as he faces pressure from far-right lawmakers who threatened to remove him from his position if he failed to approve their proposed spending cuts.

What is the impeachment about?

The impeachment inquiry regards Biden’s role in his family’s reported foreign business dealings. McCarthy accused Biden of lying about his knowledge of his son Hunter Biden’s foreign business dealings, raising questions about the millions Hunter Biden and other family members made from Ukrainian and Chinese firms.

Why does it matter?

While Republicans have proposed no evidence of financial wrongdoing, they said they have received enough information to warrant an investigation. This sets a new precedent, as the impeachment inquiry was called without a House vote, and with no evidence yet provided.

As McCarthy tries to balance bipartisan interests, pressure from a few ultraconservatives could prove to be too much, as one vote from them could mean a short-lived tenure as Speaker of the House.

Snippets

Not So Great Wall? Chinese authorities arrested two people for smashing a hole in the Great Wall of China with an excavator.

Booster Seducer: The FDA approved another vaccine booster as new COVID-19 cases pop up.

Grab a Bull by the Horns: A man in Nebraska was stopped by the police for driving with a bull riding shotgun in his car. And get this, he named it Howdy Doody.

Alien Invasion? A self-proclaimed ufologist showed two extraterrestrial bodies to Mexico’s Congress on Tuesday.

That’s Ironic: A Chicago news crew was reporting a string of robberies when they were robbed at gunpoint.

If you enjoyed our newsletter even a little bit, please don’t hesitate to share, it would mean a lot! 😁