By: Tara Lohani On 11th January 2021, Pope Francis amended the Catholic church law to welcome women into taking part in a variety of roles, officially allowing them to give readings from the bible during mass, as well as assisting priests during service. The decree, known as “Spiritus Domini” is a relatively modest step, as in a majority of countries, women have already been allowed to carry out these duties. Additionally, priesthood for women still remains stubbornly out of reach. Several women have been carrying out these roles for years, at the discretion of local priests, but Francis’s amendment formally grants women the official right to perform church duties. Although the decree in itself may not present any drastic reform, by updating the canon code of law, Francis has made it impossible for conservative bishops to exclude women by electing male-only altar services. This open contradiction will hopefully pave the way for further, radical steps. Though developed countries have recognized women carrying these roles out for several years, the decree impacts those communities that utilize the church as a means to carry out traditions that oppress women. The decree legally recognizes the roles that women have been doing, and as a result, recognizes that “women are equally human to males”, according to Phyllis Zagano, an expert on female deacons. Francis has continuously reiterated the importance of establishing a more inclusive church through letters to the Vatican, panels, and commissions, publicly advocating for the expansion of women’s positions beyond functional roles. However, priesthood will continue to be a male-only path, with Francis stating that “The church does not have the faculty in any way to confer priestly ordination on women”. Though seemingly minimal, the decree aims to consolidate further steps that will hopefully evolve the church, and allow women to take on more prominent roles in the future. Photo Credit: Creator: Andrew Medichini Credit: AP

By Yae Lynn Moon Paris, France: Samuel Paty, a French middle school teacher was found decapitated in the suburb of Paris. His perpetrator, 18-year-old Abdullakh Anzorov was shot dead by the French police minutes after the attack. With the motive of the murder being Islamic extremism and jihadism, the attack was described as “a typical Islamist terrorist attack” by French president Emmanual Macron which created public debates, protests, and rallies about the French secular society after the recent terrorist attacks in France. https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/oct/22/samuel-patys-killer-was-reportedly-in-contact-with-jihadist-in-syria What happened? During a class on freedom of expression, Paty showed his students caricatures depicting the Prophet Muhammad from a satirical magazine called Charlie Hebdo including a cartoon showing Muhammad naked. This triggered immense criticism from Muslims as any depiction of Muhammad is blasphemous. The killer, Abdullakh Anzorov who is a Muslim Russian-born refugee asked several students to identify Paty and proceeded to follow him as he left school. Using a knife, Anzorov murdered and decapitated Paty in a street near the school. After the murder, Anzorov under a pseudonym posted a photo of Paty’s decapitated head on Twitter along with a message: "In the name of Allah, the most gracious, the most merciful, ... to Macron, leader of the infidels, I executed one of your hellhounds who dared to belittle Muhammad, calm his fellow human beings before a harsh punishment is inflicted on you”. The Twitter account was soon identified by French authorities and Anzorov was shot nine times by the police as they tried to arrest him. After Anzorov was shot dead, a text claiming responsibility and a photo of Paty’s body was found on his phone. The aftermath and public reactions Immediately after the first reports of the murder broke out in the news, Paty was hailed as a martyr to freedom of expression. President Emmanuel Macron emphasized the motive of the attack by saying that Paty is a “victim of a terrorist, Islamist attack because he taught the liberty of expression, the liberty to believe and not believe”. Furthermore, President Macron awarded the Legion of Honor, the highest French order of merit for military and civil merits to Paty’s family while describing Paty as a “quiet hero”. The murder of Paty triggered public debates about the integration of foreigners into French secular society. Many foreigners including Muslim refugees living in France faced many problems integrating into French non-religious society due to discrimination due to their religious beliefs.

By Niru Kalyanaraman Hathras district Uttar Pradesh, India: a 19- year-old Dalit woman is found dead in the northern state of Uttar Pradesh, moments after she reported being gang-raped and assaulted. The evidence is clear and apparent, but the officials insist that this is a forged narrative. The teenager, accompanied by her parents and brother was brought to the Chandpa police station at Hathras district. Video evidence showcases her lying on a cement platform whilst being questioned by a police officer off-camera. She is covered in bruises. Blue-black splotches run from her face and neck until her hands, accompanied by a deep gash on her tongue, justifying the pain ingrained in her speech. She tells the policeman the cause for the attack, "because I wasn't letting him do zabardasti (force/ coercion)" she states. The same sentence is repeated in a second video, only this time it's coupled with the perpetrator's identity, her upper-caste neighbours. So why does caste matter? Many who are unfamiliar with the caste system ingrained in Indian society may wonder why it is pivotal for this case. The importance of this case is not restricted to the rape of one woman but also those who have not garnered media attention. According to the BBC, on average, 10 Dalit women are said to be raped daily of which a select few have their stories told. Additionally, the accused belong to the upper caste Thakur community, which is "incompatible" with the low lying Valmiki community of which the victim belonged to. Hence, it is not a surprise that the families of the accused would deny the existence of any assault as they are aware that they have the backing of corrupted state governments which have political motivations to tag along with the casteist sentiments. Even the chief minister of Uttar Pradesh (Yogi Adityantath), one of India's most controversial right-wing politicians, is putatively facing criticism for his government's mishandling of this atrocity. Speculation is rife amongst media outlets that his background as Thakur has created an implicit bias with the way the case is handled and the aftermath on the Hathras district. It’s more than a political issue: Lost amid all the political jargon is the desperation of a family in Hathras. As new contradictory evidence is released, many fail to realise that this is not just a case of a failed judicial system, parenting or even governance but the failure of the Indian society as a whole. This tragedy doesn't only serve as an eyecatching sob story for the media but rather one of the numerous wakeup calls to Indians specifically upper-caste men who deem that the rape of Dalit women is justified. This case along with many others such as the recent rape case in Hoshiapur, reaffirms that change is needed and it cannot be surface level, that is… once it is no longer a political issue.

Following the indefinite curfew imposed on Tuesday and the anti-riot police deployed by authorities, tensions were high in Lagos, Nigeria—Babajide Sanwo-Olu, the governor of Lagos, referred to the protests in his announcement as "anarchy", echoing sentiments held by other officials. However, protestors maintained their presence on the streets, seeing these measures as means of suppressing the nationwide movement against police brutality. It was then that the police opened fire on peaceful protestors at the Lekki toll plaza. Amnesty International Nigeria said it had "received credible but disturbing evidence of excessive use of force occasioning deaths of protesters at Lekki toll gate in Lagos". The number of casualties has yet to be confirmed (various sources say the number is between 1-12). Nigeria's military has denied responsibility. More information at: https://www.amnesty.org/en/latest/news/2020/10/killing-of-endsars-protesters-by-the-military-must-be-investigated/ https://ghana.ournaijanews.com/endsars-un-condemns-police-brutality-in-nigeria/ Annika Singh and Reet Lath

By Sadie Moore One staple of American democracy is the balance of powers between the three branches of government: the executive, legislative, and judicial branches. As seen during the Obama administration, it can be very difficult for the president to fully implement his/her agenda if the majority in Congress is of the other party and vice versa. Currently, the US has a Republican president and a split Congress; the Senate Republicans hold a 53-47 majority and the House Democrats hold a 235-200 majority. In the 2020 presidential election, the Democrats are hoping to elect Joe Biden and enact his more progressive policies. However, in order to do so, it is essential that they have a majority in both houses of Congress. In order to regain control of the Senate, the Democrats must take back 4 seats (in case there is a Republican presidency, the vice president, who is the president of the Senate, will break the tie). The UWCSEA Political Newsletter Review predicts these results in the upcoming 2020 US Senate races (predictions from the Cook Political Report): There are 35 seats up for reelection in total, 12 of which are held by Democrats and 23 of which are held by Republicans. 15 of those seats are potentially competitive, and FiveThirtyEight.com predicts that the Democrats have a 74% chance of regaining control of the Senate. Our predictions for the most competitive seats are as follows: Democratic-held Seats Doug Jones- Alabama: Lean Republican In the 2017 special election following Jeff Sessions’ resignation to become US Attorney General, Doug Jones, a moderate Democrat who had previously served as US Attorney for the Northern District of Alabama, narrowly beat Alabama Supreme Court Chief Justice Roy Moore by a margin of only 1.63% (21,924 votes). This is despite nine women accusing him of inappropriate sexual conduct, including sexual assault, with multiple claiming they were underaged at the time. In 2016, Republican President Donald Trump won the state by 14 points. Jones’ Republican challenger, retired college football coach Tommy Tuberville, is currently leading in the polls by 15 points (55%-40%). We predict that it would be very difficult for Doug Jones to win reelection in such a deeply red state, and therefore Alabama will lean Republican. Gary Peters- Michigan: Lean Democratic Gary Peters, Democratic Senator from Michigan since 2015 and former Representative of Michigan’s 14th congressional district, is facing off against Republican John James, a young African-American veteran and business owner who previously ran and lost against incumbent Democrat Debbie Stabenow in 2018 and is considered a rising star in the GOP. Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden is leading by 7 points in the state, but incumbent Senator Peters is only leading by 4. Michigan certainly has the capacity to go red (the usually blue state went for Trump in 2016), but we predict that Sen. Peters will pull through. Republican-held Seats Martha McSally- Arizona: Lean Democratic Republican Martha McSally, who narrowly lost in the 2018 Senate race to Democrat Kyrsten Sinema, was appointed by Governor Doug Ducey following the death of Sen. John McCain and the resignation of his appointed successor Jon Kyl. Her challenger, Mark Kelly, former astronaut, engineer, and Navy captain, and husband to former Congresswoman Gabby Giffords, has been consistently leading her in the polls, right now by 8 points. This signifies a shift in Arizona’s demographics; the state went for Trump in 2016, but Biden is currently leading there by 8 points. Kelly’s campaign has significantly outraised McSally’s; Kelly has raised $82 million in total, while McSally raised $49 million. We predict a victory for challenger Mark Kelly in this election. Cory Gardner- Colorado: Lean Democratic Colorado, a swing state which has consistently gone blue in the recent presidential elections, including 2016’s, is one of two states (the other being Maine) to have gone blue in 2016 and have a Republican senator up for reelection in 2020 (Cory Gardner, senator since 2015). Gardner, who has served since 2015, did not support Trump in the 2016 elections, but flip-flopped after Trump was elected. Trump, who has a 57% disapproval rating in Colorado, seems to be dragging Gardner down with him, and despite Gardner’s attempts to emphasize his environmental record with the Great American Outdoors Act, popular former governor John Hickenlooper is leading him 51%-42% in the polls. We predict a narrow victory for Hickenlooper in this race. Kelly Loeffler- Georgia: Tossup In a special election, all candidates are placed on the ballot, no matter party affiliation, and if no candidate reaches 50%, a runoff election occurs in the following January. Incumbent Sen. Kelly Loeffler, who was appointed in 2020 by Gov. Brian Kemp after the resignation of Sen. Johnny Isakson is running against Republican Doug Collins and Democrats Raphael Warnock, Matt Lieberman, and Ed Tarver. Currently, the plurality of voters support Atlanta pastor Raphael Warnock, at 32%, while 23% support Loeffler, 17% support Collins, 7% support Lieberman, and 2% for Tarver. The pollster Siena College put Warnock 4 points ahead of both Loeffler and Collins, but seeing as the field still hasn’t narrowed down yet, it is impossible to predict who will ultimately win this race. David Perdue- Georgia: Tossup In another election in Georgia, Republican incumbent David Perdue (senator since 2015) is locked in a tough race with Democratic media executive Jon Ossoff, who previously ran for Georgia’s 6th congressional district in 2018. Perdue’s campaign has been recently marred with controversy due to a mishap in which he seemingly mocked Sen. and vice presidential nominee Kamala Harris’ name. According to a Garin-Hart-Yang Research Group poll, Ossoff currently has 48% compared to Perdue’s 43%, and therefore a small lead. However, due to the margin of error, this is still considered a tossup race. Joni Ernst- Iowa: Tossup Joni Ernst, a Republican and Army veteran serving since 2015, is facing tough competition with Theresa Greenfield, who previously ran for Iowa’s 3rd congressional district in 2018. Iowa, which Trump won in 2016 by 3 points, is a moderately conservative state, but has seen a progressive shift recently. Ernst’s recent stumble over the price of soybeans in a debate has given Greenfield’s campaign a boost, and according to FiveThirtyEight.com, she currently has a 56% chance of winning the election. However, this is still within the poll’s margin of error, and therefore this election is deemed a tossup. Susan Collins- Maine: Tossup Along with Cory Gardner, Collins is one of only two Republican senators seeking reelection this year in a state that went blue in 2016. Susan Collins (senator since 1997), who is considered a moderate Republican, has the lowest approval ratings of any Senator right now following her vote to confirm Brett Kavanaugh to the Supreme Court in 2018 as well as her vote to acquit President Trump earlier this year. Her challenger is Democrat Sara Gideon, the Speaker of the Maine House of Representatives. Both have enjoyed endorsements from famous politicians, including former presidents; Collins was endorsed by George W. Bush and Gideon by Barack Obama. FiveThirtyEight.com gives Gideon a 63% chance of winning this November, but we still rank this race a tossup. Steve Daines- Montana: Tossup Incumbent Republican Steve Daines (senator since 2015) was thought to be surely reelected in 2020 with no serious opposition until popular Democratic governor Steve Bullock announced his candidacy for the Senate seat on the last day to file for the primaries; this race is now considered quite competitive. FiveThirtyEight.com predicts that Sen. Daines has a 67% chance of winning reelection, however, many pollsters still rank this race a tossup, such as the Cook Political Report, CNN, and Politico. Despite Montana being an extremely rural and conservative state in which Donald Trump won by 11 points in 2016, Montana is surely capable of flipping; the state already has a Democratic governor and a Democratic senator, Jon Tester. We classify this race as a tossup. Thom Tillis- North Carolina: Tossup North Carolina, as a battleground state, was won by Donald Trump in 2016 by a small margin, but has historically gone both ways (for example, Barack Obama won North Carolina in 2008). Incumbent Republican Senator Thom Tillis (serving since 2015) is very unpopular in the state, only holding a 26% approval rating, perhaps due to Tillis’ vote for President Trump’s emergency declaration even after penning an op-ed stating that he wouldn’t do so. His challenger, Cal Cunningham, is an Army veteran and former state senator who previously ran for a Senate seat in 2010. Cunningham enjoyed (and still holds) a small lead over Tillis despite a recent sexting scandal. FiveThirtyEight.com puts Cunningham 6 points ahead of Sen. Tillis, so this race is also considered a tossup. Lindsey Graham- South Carolina: Tossup South Carolina is a moderately conservative state in which Donald Trump won by 8 points; however, the Senate race is a surprisingly tough one for incumbent Sen. Lindsey Graham (first elected in 2002). Sen. Graham has garnered notable media attention since March 2017 when despite being an ardent critic of President Trump, he made an unpredicted reversal to become one of the president’s staunchest supporters. The significant dislike of Sen. Graham nationwide as well as the rising popularity of Democratic challenger and former chair of the South Carolina Democratic Party Jaime Harrison have contributed to Harrison receiving $57 million in campaign donations (Graham raised only $28 million). FiveThirtyEight.com shows mixed polling in this race; Siena College placed Graham 6 points ahead of Harrison while Morning Consult put Harrison 2 points ahead of Graham. At this point, it is impossible to make a prediction; we rank this a tossup. Dan Sullivan- Alaska: Lean Republican Alaska has consistently been a very conservative state; Donald Trump won the state by 9 points in 2016. However, orthopedic surgeon Al Gross, an Independent who caucuses with the Democrats, has generated more support than expected; the pollster Public Policy Polling put Gross only 3 points behind incumbent Republican Senator Dan Sullivan (serving since 2015). This will presumably be a close race, however we expect that Alaska will lean Republican. Open Seat- Kansas: Lean Republican After Republican Senator Pat Roberts announced he would not run for another term, the major candidates running to fill the open seat are Republican Representative Roger Marshall of Kansas’ 1st congressional district and Democratic state senator Barbara Bollier. Bollier is formerly a Republican, but changed her party affiliation in 2018. In 2016, Donald Trump won Kansas by 13 points, and the state is generally considered to be a solid Republican stronghold. However, in this election, most predictors consider this upcoming race to tilt or lean Republican, as do we. John Cornyn- Texas: Lean Republican As Texas becomes bluer and bluer, there is significant promise for Democratic candidates running for statewide office; just two years ago, Beto O’Rourke set the record for most votes cast for a Democrat in Texas history. Incumbent John Cornyn, senator since 2002, is being challenged by Air Force veteran and former candidate for Texas’ 31st congressional district MJ Hegar. The majority of pollsters rate this election as leaning or likely to go Republican; we rate this election as lean Republican. Mitch McConnell- Kentucky: Likely Republican Mitch McConnell, who has been a senator from Kentucky since 1985 and Senate Majority Leader since 2015, was the most unpopular senator until he was surpassed by Maine Sen. Susan Collins in 2018, currently holding a 50% disapproval rating in Kentucky. His opponent, former US Marine fighter pilot and candidate for Kentucky’s 6th congressional district in 2018 Amy McGrath, has raised about $6 million more than Sen. McConnell. However, Kentucky is an R+15 state; further, McGrath lost her House race in a historically much more Democratic district than the state of Kentucky. Many pollsters rank McConnell’s seat as likely or safely Republican; we rank this election to go likely Republican. According to our predictions, we will almost surely see a victory for the Democrats on election day this year.

By Annika Singh With the backdrop of international resistance to police brutality, Nigeria has experienced a resurgence of its protest movement against the abuses of law enforcement: End SARS. The protests began in 2017, but recent footage depicting yet another instance of brutality by the Federal Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) on October 6th triggered nationwide demonstrations. https://qz.com/africa/1918230/photos-of-how-young-nigerians-organized-endsars-protests/ SARS, a unit of the police created in the 1990s to target the armed robberies and violence by criminal groups in Nigeria, has come to represent the brutality of the Nigerian police force. Extrajudicial killings, torture, robberies and corruption by the anti-robbery squad—Amnesty International recorded 82 cases from January 2017 to May 2020—have led to a protest movement calling for its dissolution. Over the last two weeks, the fight has been relentless. Peaceful demonstrations by Nigerian protestors have been met with harsh tactics by the police—tear gas, water cannons, and live ammunition were employed by the Nigerian police against End SARS protestors, leading to at least 15 deaths recorded by Amnesty International. Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari announced on Sunday (October 11) that SARS would be dissolved—however, protests continued. This is not the first time that Nigerian authorities have promised reform. After an investigation was launched in August 2018 into the activities of SARS, the report has yet to be publicly released. Likewise, the Anti-Torture Act of 2017 has not led to the prosecution of any SARS officers, despite evidence of their abuses of power. Promises of reform have been made countless times over the last few years, but systemic change has yet to be enacted. Protestors grew increasingly skeptical after an announcement last Tuesday by the police force revealed that a Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) team would be created to replace the disbanded unit. In a later statement on Sunday, the inspector general of police, Mohammed Adamu, declared that training would be overseen by the International Committee of the Red Cross, after demands by protestors called for an independent body to facilitate training. While ex-SARS officers are unable to join the SWAT team, they will be redeployed to different units after undergoing physical and psychological examinations. A Lagos protestor, Okoye Paul, commented, "Redeploying is not reform." As the protests morph into a larger anti-police brutality cause, it is clear that Nigerians are unwilling to back down without long-overdue changes to their police force.

By Nandini Krishnan October 1st: Hope Hicks, counsellor to the president, shows a positive test result for COVID-19. The president and first lady announce they will go into quarantine awaiting test results. October 2nd: Donald and Melania Trump via Twitter reveal that they have both tested positive for COVID-19. No details regarding their previous tests or contact tracing are revealed. That night he is transferred to the Water Reed military hospital in Maryland and receives an experimental treatment of different antibodies. He also completes the first dose of a five day course of remdesivir (experimental corona treatment). Trump is said to have had a fever between the 1st and 2nd according to the white house physician. Meanwhile, several other close contacts reveal positive test results. Most notably, Kellyanne Conway, former white house advisor, and Senator of Utah, Mike Lee. October 3rd: The White House Physician, Dr Sean Conley, says he is happy with the progress being made. Off camera, Chief of Staff, Mark Meadows, reveals that Trump’s symptoms are “very concerning”. The contradictions create a media frenzy. Trump also reveals a video stating that he is doing well. October 4th: Trump leaves the medical centre in an SUV with the to wave to the supporters who were outside. He caught a lot of flak because the move put the secret security agents with him under great risk. Dr. Conley says that Trump had low blood oxygen during two instances. He was being treated for this with dexamethasone, a drug normally used for those in the later stages of the infection. October 5th: Trump is discharged from the medical centre and Dr Conley says that he will continue to receive care while in the White House, and can return home, but also advises that he is not entirely “out of the woods” yet. He also leaves this controversial tweet, one of his several attempts to minimize the impact of the virus. He also took off his mask while saluting the Marine One and posing for pictures. October 7th: Dr Conley reveals that Trump has been symptom free for more than a day and has developed antibodies against the virus. Trump also works in the Oval Office for the first time since leaving the medical centre. He also proclaims that Remdesivir is a cure for the virus and will be made free for all Americans. October 8th: Trump completes his treatment for COVID-19 and is said to be fit to return to public engagements 10 days from his diagnosis on Saturday, October 10th. October 10th: Trump returns, maskless, with his first public event after being diagnosed with COVID-19. Giving a speech from the White House balcony, he thanked his supporters for their “prayers” and said he was feeling great. A White House memo also stated that he was no longer able to transmit the disease given the current guidelines. October 12th: Dr Conley states that Trump has tested negative for the virus for multiple days. October 15th: In a talk revealing her experience with the virus, Melania Trump says that son Barron, also tested positive for the virus, but there is no indication as to when this happened (although she did reveal it was after she and her husband had tested positive).

By Bobby Jung We all know Boris Johnson. He’s the Prime Minister of the UK, a bumbling humorous figure with perennially disheveled hair. Some compare him to Donald Trump. Yet, beyond the viral clips of him tackling a Japanese schoolboy in Rugby or offering tea instead of answers to reporters at his constituency home, it is arguable that people generally know far less about Johnson’s actual politics. Often, it seems that the bumbling, wisecracking front the PM displays shields him from valid criticism and allows him to pivot away from being held accountable - near certainly a strategic move on Johnson’s part. He has been observed to purposefully ruffle up his hair and on occasion his tirades seem forced such as his “Ping Pong speech” where he seems to play a comedic role. When asked by the BBC whether his days as an actor at Eton taught him about making people laugh by deliberately forgetting lines, the PM in a rare candid moment replied “Well I certainly think that as a general tactic in life if that’s what you’re driving at it is often useful to give the slight impression that you are deliberately pretending not to know what is going on…” Combined with his ambition for power which dates back to his dreams of becoming “world king” as a child, Johnson crafted a highly effective method towards his professional life. The fruit of this butt-of-the-joke persona is that Johnson is held under less scrutiny for his controversial, unsavoury opinions as he is seen as a friendly, clumsy and charming Englishman rather than the cunning political animal he is. As a writer at The Daily Telegraph in the 1990s, Johnson referred to Africans as having “watermelon smiles” and expressed support for colonialism in Uganda. As Foreign Secretary under Theresa May, he could not help himself from reciting the colonialist poem The Road to Mandalay during a visit to Myanmar. He is known to have had a myriad of extramarital affairs and was fired from The Times for inventing a quote about King Edward II and his rumoured gay lover. Yet, when we think of Boris, these details hardly come to the mind at all. We think of him as the charismatic fool being stuck in a zipline and ridiculously waving a vacuum-sealed cod while lamenting the costs of the EU. As David Cameorn once joked, “If any other politician anywhere in the world got stuck in a zipline, it would be disastrous. For Boris it would be an absolute triumph. He defies all laws of gravity.” It wouldn’t be far-fetched to say that most see him more as a TV personality than a Tory that supports Brexit. More consequentially, Johnson’s concocted personality is no doubt dangerous for the issue of Brexit. During the referendum to leave the EU, Johnson promoted the dangerous false claim that 350 million pounds were paid weekly to Brussels and under his government, a no deal Brexit looks likely which most economists believe will plunge the UK into a deep recession. Though he has come under fire for all the aforementioned controversies and continues to face criticism for his handling of COVID-19, there is no doubt that Johnson’s public persona has shielded him from justified criticism. Alarmingly, the effectiveness of his calculated persona has seemingly inspired other politicians. Jacob Rees-Mogg, the current leader of the House of Commons has created for himself an “upper class” and aristocratic persona known for “posh insults” despite his non-aristocratic albeit elite background. Like Johnson, clips of Rees-Mogg’s antics have gone viral on YouTube and judging by the comments, it is evident that hardly anyone sees him as being a phony or an elitist - rather, most seem amused and charmed. While his public persona may be endearing, it seems that his peers in parliament can clearly see through the charade. He was fired from the frontbenches for concealing an affair from the Tory leadership in 2004 and John Major, a former Tory PM, famously detested Johnson’s character. In the end, though his persona has not shielded him completely from criticism, it is remarkable how far Johnson has come just from learning that being the butt from the joke could endear himself to people. Incredibly, for many, the idea of a charming, bumbling Englishman overshadows any scandal or any deed. For many aspiring politicians, the experiment that is Johnson’s political career may be a testament to the effectiveness of eccentric, humorous personas and in the future, we may see a new generation of politicians with carefully calculated, larger than life personalities.

By Annika Singh On September 29th, Biden and Trump met for the first presidential debate of the race, and while controversy arises as to who ‘won’ the debate, there is little disagreement that the chaos which ensued was disastrous for both campaigns. What was meant to convey policy positions to undecided voters and instill confidence in each campaign’s supporters turned into a name-calling contest. But what topics did Chris Wallace, the debate moderator, actually prepare for that night—and what came of them? (https://www.bbc.com/news/election-us-2020-54465139) The Supreme Court (https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/supreme-court/who-amy-coney-barrett-trump-s-supreme-court-nominee-n1241192) Throughout this segment, Trump continued to defend his right to appoint Amy Coney Barrett to the Supreme Court. Biden voiced his concerns over the reversal of Roe v. Wade (a Supreme Court case which decriminalised abortion on the federal level), but it was immediately dismissed by his opponent. “You don’t know what’s on the ballot… why is it on the ballot? Why is it- it’s not on the ballot? I don’t think so. There’s nothing happening there,” Trump said. “And you don’t know her view on Roe v Wade.” He was adamant in his stance: “I’m not elected for three years. I’m elected for four years.” In other words, Trump made it clear that he firmly believed in his right to nominate Barrett to the Supreme Court. What was not clear, however, was the direction that the debate headed in. Both candidates delved into the other’s healthcare plans, with the first accusatory ‘socialist’ comment made less than ten minutes into the spectacle. Biden said on the conflicting healthcare plans within his party: “The party is me. Right now, I am the Democratic Party.” Notable in this segment is also Biden’s comment to his opponent—one that has been highlighted and even made into merchandise to be sold on the official Biden campaign store—“Will you shut up, man?” Coronavirus (https://www.bloomberg.com/opinion/articles/2020-04-26/america-just-isn-t-doing-that-badly-against-coronavirus) Chris Wallace introduced the topic of COVID-19 with a sentence that seemed to encapsulate the debate as a whole: “It’s an awfully serious subject, so let’s try to be serious about it.” It seemed, however, that the candidates struggled with this. Between bickering over Trump’s time at the golf course and in his bunker, and his refusal to wear a mask (the line “I put a mask on when I think I’ll need it” is ironic, given recent developments), little policy discussion arose from this segment. Biden did make reference to Trump’s suggestion of using disinfectant to treat the coronavirus, saying "And by the way, maybe you could inject some bleach in your arm, and that would take care of it. This is the same man." The Economy An attempt to create productive discussion between the two candidates in uninterrupted, two minute speeches about their view of the economy soon deteriorated into criticism of Trump’s federal income tax payments. After asking about how much the President had paid in federal income taxes in 2016 and 2017, Wallace was met by the characteristically vague “Millions of dollars.” In this segment, Trump also highlighted Hunter Biden’s business dealings in Ukraine, which came under scrutiny last year as part of the president’s impeachment. However, this discussion came to a stop after Wallace’s repeated attempts to end the segment ended in, “Gentlemen, I hate to raise my voice, but I- Why should I be any different from you?”—but not before Biden had the chance to call Trump a ‘clown’. Race and Violence in our Cities (https://abcnews.go.com/International/black-lives-matter-protests-global-ireland-south-africa/story?id=40546549) Wallace prefaced the discussion of recent Black Lives Matter protests with, “I’m going to ask a question about race, but if you want to answer about something else, go ahead.” This introduction to discussing race in America has come under widespread criticism, given the heightened tensions following the increased publicity and international attention to the Black Lives Matter movement over the summer. Trump took the opportunity to highlight Biden’s 1994 crime bill, which has been blamed for accelerating mass incarceration in the US, disproportionately targeting Black Americans. “You did a crime bill, 1994, where you call them ‘superpredators’. African Americans are ‘superpredators’ and they’ve never forgotten it. They’ve never forgotten it,” he asserted. The framing of the debate topic, “Race and Violence in our Cities”, also invited a discussion on the recent protests against police brutality. The discussion of law enforcement also led to Biden’s comment on police brutality: “There’s systemic injustice in this country, in education and work and in law enforcement and the way in which it’s enforced. But look, the vast majority of police officers are good, decent, honorable men and women… but there are some bad apples.” This sentiment, surprisingly enough, is similar to the one expressed in Trump’s statement during his visit to Kenosha, where Jacob Blake was killed—that a few ‘bad apples’ are responsible for racism by the police force. Amidst calls to defund and demilitarise the police, both candidates seem more willing to blame a few ‘bad apples’ rather than the systemic racism that plagues law enforcement. Worse so, Trump claimed to have achieved more progress when it comes to Black Americans than any other president, ‘with the possible exception of Abraham Lincoln.’ This claim became even more absurd when, later on in the debate, Trump failed to condemn white supremacy when requested by the debate moderator and instead urged the Proud Boys, a far-right extremist group, to “stand back and stand by”. This moment did not go unnoticed by viewers, with key figures like Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez voicing their opinion on Twitter, saying “Donald Trump is a white supremacist… This is facism at our door.” She was not alone in her opinion, and this segment of the debate ended with the understanding that Donald Trump was willing to condemn Antifa, in more certain terms, than he was white supremacy. Trump and Biden records This segment allowed both candidates the opportunity to appeal to voters on their strengths against their opponent, making their case as a presidential candidate. In Trump’s initial two-minute speech, he made the bold claim that “there has never been an administration or president who has done more than I’ve done in a period of three and a half years.” Later, in Biden’s speech, he made an opposite claim—“Under this president, we become weaker, sicker, poorer, more divided and more violent,”—and even resorted to calling Trump ‘Putin’s puppy’. After a brief, tangential argument about Biden’s sons—including repeated accusations by Trump of Hunter Biden’s supposed ‘corrupt’ business in Ukraine—Wallace interjected to end the segment, saying that “We’ve already been through this, I think the American people would rather hear about more substantial subjects.” * Climate Change (https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/climate-change-make-wildfires-spread-factor/story?id=56937704 ) While climate change wasn’t on Wallace’s initial list of debate topics—a controversial decision—it did make its way into the night’s discussion. Unsurprisingly, the candidates offered opposing views on the Paris Agreement, with Biden declaring that ‘the first thing [he] will do, [he] will rejoin the Paris Accord’, whereas Trump maintained that 'if you look at the Paris Accord, it was a disaster from our standpoint.' Given Trump’s decision to formally withdraw the United States from the Agreement in 2019, this stance does not come as a shock to viewers. However, what did come as a shock was Biden’s stance against the Green New Deal. When asked by Wallace if he supported the climate proposal, he replied “No, I don’t support the Green New Deal.” (Trump immediately remarked, “Oh, you don’t? Well, that’s a big statement. You just lost the radical left.”) Biden, instead, advocated for the Biden plan, which was inspired by the Green New Deal—this stance has been likened to walking a 'political tightrope' (Washington Post). The Integrity of the Election The final topic of the night was on the legitimacy of the election, given the increase in mail-in ballots due to COVID-19 restrictions. Biden referenced both the Homeland Security and FBI directors, who have both confirmed that mail-in ballots are not vulnerable to manipulation, and also pointed out that in the past, his opponent has voted by mail-in ballot. Trump countered with the ominous “This is going to be a fraud like you’ve never seen,” and voiced his intent to rely on the Supreme Court, with a possible Justice Barrett, to settle this dispute. The debate, in all its chaos, did not leave undecided voters with a candidate to support. Instead, it left voters with a lack of clarity and little confidence in either candidate—both equally undesirable as election day nears.

Written by Handa (Bobby) Jung, edited by Kimaya Ghoge (https://www.270towin.com/maps/consensus-2020-electoral-map-forecast, retrieved October 17th 2020) With the 2020 US election less than a month away, the UWCSEA Political Review has come up with its own predictions. Currently, we project Biden to win with 353 electoral votes compared to the incumbent Trump’s 185. This prediction is based on polling and numerous other factors such as COVID-19 developments, economic news and the Black Lives Matter movement. This article will analyse some important factors in this election and determine whether they favor the incumbent or the challenger. The Economy: With the advent of COVID-19, the US economy has seen its harshest contraction since the Great Depression. The economy is typically viewed as the single greatest factor influencing a reelection. The last three incumbents to lose reelection – Jimmy Carter, George H.W. Bush, and Gerald Ford – all lost partially due to a weak economy. Carter and Ford lost due to their inability to fight off stagflation and Bush lost due to the early 90s recession. While the economy has been Trump’s greatest appeal to voters, the current recession has eroded this image. Despite it being one of the key issues voters consistently find Trump to be better suited for, a recent CNN poll has shown Biden leading 50% to 48%. If Trump manages to turn around the narrative of the bad economy in the final leg of the campaign and hammer in the supposed economic accomplishments of his administration, his fortunes might improve. Being a candidate whose appeal is largely dependent on his supposed economic prowess, bad economic figures are undoubtedly a bad reflection of Trump, and we believe that they hurt his election prospects across the board in every state. Handling of COVID-19 There are few matters in this campaign that harms Donald Trump’s image as clearly as the COVID-19 pandemic, so much so that soundbites about it have become a clear part of Biden’s campaign. “4% of the world’s population, 25% of COVID deaths” is a staple of Biden’s speeches and Trump’s wide catalogue of mistaken gaffes and decisions have given Democrats easy points to pick on – from Trump’s statement that the virus would simply disappear to his claims regarding hydroxychloroquine. Though Trump has begun wearing a mask and has somewhat toned down his rhetoric, he still appears to lack empathy for ordinary Americans (an area Biden is viewed as strong in). Further, his erratic, bizarre actions suggest he does not understand the severity of the COVID-19 situation. Notably, after contracting the virus, Trump went on a ride outside of Walter Reed, removed his mask, and had to be brought back by the Secret Service. The current pandemic is one issue where it is nearly impossible to see Trump’s actions in a positive light. While he claims to have saved countless lives by closing down the country and blames the virus on China, these efforts are mitigatory as the figures are irrefutable – Democrats have used them to hammer home the message that Trump is incapable of leading the country over and over again, disadvantaging Trump’s reelection chances. Racial Inequality and Police Brutality In the midst of an eventful chapter in Trump’s presidency, an African American Minnesotan named George Floyd was brutally murdered by a police officer with a knee to the neck. The recording of the barbarous incident spread quickly through the news and social media, and protests against police brutality manifested in thousands of cities in the United States and abroad. This 2020 renewal of the Black Lives Matter (BLM) movement appears to be more popular than previous ones, with Pew Research Center recently finding that a majority of Americans approve of the movement. This finding seemed to go unnoticed by Trump, who took to defending the police and label BLM a “symbol of hate”. This seems bizarre, but is rather unsurprising. After all, Trump's base is averse to BLM. Though Trump has relented from his harsh rhetoric before upon discovering its political repercussions – notably adopting a mask – racial inequality and police brutality is not an area where he has reversed his position. In fact, a recent National Public Radio poll found that Biden leads Trump 56-38% on handling race relations. Though the movement has not been as prominent in recent months, Trump’s harsh rhetoric on the issue has not helped his campaign, and has instead presented Biden as a viable alternative. Thus, we believe this factor hurts Trump’s chances and helps Biden’s. Projections for Swing States In the United States’ Electoral College system, each state is assigned electoral votes’. All of the electoral votes are procured by the candidate who gains the majority of the vote. This means that a candidate may lose a state by 1 vote and not receive any electoral votes at all. Swing states are states in which the two major political parties have similar levels of support. This means that these states could reasonably be won by either Democrats or Republicans, giving them the capacity to ‘swing’ the election (change its outcome). In this election, the swing states are Michigan, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, Nevada, Minnesota, Nevada, New Hampshire, North Carolina, Ohio and Florida. However, given the rather large differences in New Hampshire, Minnesota and Nevada, they will be excluded. Though Michigan, Wisconsin and Pennsylvania all lean Biden this election, given how consequential they are, we will cover them. Iowa and Ohio Despite being carried by Obama in two elections, Iowa and Ohio swung heavily towards Trump in 2020. In fact, even Texas was more Democratic than Iowa in 2016. While Trump is an unpopular incumbent, Biden has struggled to gain support in this electorate that elected Trump overwhelmingly. Today, Trump holds a thin albeit consistent lead of 1.2% in Iowa which is down from 5% in June. Biden last led, but only by 0.1%, in June according to FiveThirtyEight. Due to Trump’s consistent lead, we believe Iowa will vote for Trump by a small margin. However, it is in such dead heat that either candidate can realistically win. The same goes for Ohio, where Biden leads by 0.7%. While we project a Biden victory in Ohio, Trump has by no means lost. North Carolina and Arizona North Carolina and Arizona have 15 and 11 electoral votes respectively and are states that both voted for Trump in 2016 by small margins, but where Biden is leading currently. Traditionally Republican states, Trump must absolutely win both to get to the 270 votes he needs to win. According to FiveThirtyEight, Biden has a lead of 2% in North Carolina and 4.4% in Arizona. While both margins are small, Biden has never lost his leads so far and we project a Biden victory in both. He is aided by two down-ballot races which lean Democratic at the moment. In Arizona, astronaut Mark Kelly is running for the Senate and has seen large leads over incumbent Martha McSally. In North Carolina, governor Roy Cooper is popular and leads challenger Dan Forest by two digit leads, which is a rare feat in the state. As these two candidates are likely to win, voters are likely to write a preference for Biden as well when they write in their ballot. Florida The third most populated state and probably the most evenly tied state between Democrats and Republicans, Florida has been a swing state since 1992. Notably in the 2000 election, Bush’s victory hinged on the Sunshine state where he “officially” won by 537 votes after a manual recount was prevented by the Supreme Court. While it has not been as consequential in recent elections, the state is still extremely competitive. It voted for Trump in 2016 by a slim margin, was carried by Obama in 2012 and 2008, and voted for Bush in 2004. This year we believe Florida will vote for Biden based on polling and other factors. Though the state’s large retiree population leans Republican, due to Biden’s stronger favorability with older voters and Trump’s handling of the pandemic, a large number are expected to vote Democrat this election. Lastly, the Sunshine state is diverse and Trump’s disparaging remarks about Latinos is likely to hurt him. As of October 9th, Biden leads by 4.2 points and has since April. Texas and Georgia Texas and Georgia are two states with similar political characteristics. Both used to be part of the Confederacy and remained strongholds for Democrats until the late 20th century, when conservative Republicans were swept into office across the state. However, the two Republican bastions have seen increased support for democrats driven largely by fast population growth especially in the Hispanic populations and a large influx of young professionals to cities like Atlanta and Austin. However, despite polling showing Biden leading by 1.4% in Georgia and trailing by 1.7% in Texas, we believe that Trump will still carry both states (albeit with far smaller margins than in past elections). Though Trump’s support may not be strong in either state, the Democrats’ recent good polling may not translate to votes as both states have only become competitive this cycle. Biden may still win these states however, and if Trump is to be reelected he cannot lose either historically Republican state. Pennsylvania, Wisconsin and Michigan Pennsylvania, Wisconsin and Michigan are the three ‘Blue Wall’ states that collapsed in 2016, sending Trump to the White House. Traditionally Democratic states, the three states are similar in many ways. All three are manufacturing hubs that have seen industrial decline in recent years and carry a large amount of electoral votes (46 in total). Reflective of Trump's special appeal to white working class voters who traditionally lean Democrat, all three flipped by small margins. In 2020 however, these states are under relentless focus by the Democrats. More than any other combination of states, these three were the ones that cost Clinton the victory and can ensure Biden an easy victory. The Democrats had their convention in Wisconsin recently and millions have been spent to wrench the states back from the Republicans. Of the so called Obama-Trump states (states which went for Obama before switching to Trump), Biden has had the most success as he not only has taken the lead, but has widened them as well. Biden has a lead since April in Wisconsin which sits at 7.2% currently, a lead in Pennsylvania since February that now stands at 7.3% and 8% in Michigan where he has led since February, all according to FiveThirtyEight. Given the decent leads, his association with Obama and the little time Trump has to narrow the lead, it seems highly unlikely that any of the three will remain in Trump’s column. Therefore, we give all three states and the election to Biden.

Guide on voting from abroad: US 2020 Presidential Elections Put together by Claire Kim For absentee ballots, deadlines for voter registration, ballot requests, and submitting ballots all vary so it is recommended that you register as soon as possible (keeping your State deadline in mind) *You must have US citizenship and be 18 years or older on the election day. Voting rights vary by states but you can check for any further information with the link below for California’s eligibility requirements as an example: https://www.sos.ca.gov/elections/voting-resources/voting-california/who-can-vote-california/voting-rights-californians !!! Ballots are recommended to be mailed by the end of this week The whole process comes in two parts: Part 1. Register to vote/ Request a ballot Part 2. Receive and Complete Ballot Part 1. Register to vote/ Request a ballot Pick a state! ** Given you are currently outside of the states, you may never have resided in the US or even have any ties to a certain state. That is still okay! In that case, the following are the states which allow their citizens to vote absentees and each of their requirements. Pick one that is applicable to you. It is most likely that any state your parents or guardian last resided in would also be fine. (Please note that if you don’t meet the conditions for any of these listed, you may not be eligible to vote) Absentee Ballot Requirement by State: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1o1W2O3DZwel1Ji1H3dwww_LD4nmOJwpzNR7v81Ze6FA/edit IMPORTANT: Take note of your State’s deadlines for voter registration, ballot request, and ballot submission following the link below (a lot of the registration deadlines end NEXT WEEK for the international voters!!) https://www.fvap.gov/citizen-voter → This link will lead you to a site where you can see the map of all the states. Click on your state, scroll down and you will see a table of the ‘Federal Election Deadlines’ on the left of the site. Then take note of the deadlines. After you’ve picked your state, fill out the Federal Post Card Application (FPCA). This is a required form to officially register for voting. Below is the link to filling out the FPCA: https://www.fvap.gov/fpca-privacy-notice First, you need your state and your jurisdiction. (e.g. State= California Jurisdiction= Los Angeles) Most of the registration should be pretty straightforward. You may need your social security number if you don’t possess an in-state identification (such as a driver’s license from that particular state). However, the voting residence part may be a problem for you, especially if you have never lived in the States. In that case, the FPCA still allows you to submit the place where you or your legal guardian/parents last domiciled as your ‘voting residence’. This address would still be valid even if you no longer own the property, your intent to return to the state is uncertain, or your previous address is no longer a residential address. ** “Voting in an election for federal offices often may not be used as the sole basis of determining residency for the purpose of imposing state and local taxes. If you cannot remember the address where you last physically resided, check old tax records, passports, or family correspondence. Sometimes election offices can help identify your address if you were previously registered. To claim a new legal residence or domicile, consult legal counsel as there may be other factors to consider, such as tax implications.” After filling out all required fields (including your mailing address). You will also be able to indicate how you would like to receive your ballot in the “Ballot receipt section”. ( You can even choose to receive your ballot via email here!) Review all the information on your FPCA, proceed to download the pdf file and print the document. The printed form should be about 4 pages. Make sure to carefully read through all fields and fill out the third and fourth page by hand. When finished, sign the end of the form. While the FPCA may be sent to the county officials via mail, fax, or email, if you are not already registered as a voter you will NEED to FAX OR MAIL the FPCA form directly to county officials. Remember that only the third and fourth pages are to be sent. (Third sheet/transmission cover sheet needs to be included!) The details on where to mail/fax should be sent to should be on the second page of the print out. Print out one of the envelope formats and mail. Or you could fax to your election office. Part 2. Receive and Complete Ballot Your ballot may take a long time to be sent to you and in some cases, not sent on time. (Generally, the registration and request for a ballot should have been sent in by August 1 for overseas citizens but the official deadline is mid-October for most states. So prepare for this backup option.) In that case, remember that you still have the backup option of using the FWAB (The Federal Write-In Absentee Ballot). Link below: https://www.fvap.gov/uploads/FVAP/Forms/fwab.pdf Once you have received your ballot, fill it out as soon as possible and send it in to your election office. This can still be sent in if it is before the ballot submission deadline for your state, you can still send it in. If your ballot has not arrived by October 13 (which is the recommended date to submit your ballot by), submit your FWAB (the back up option from the above link). → just to be safe! You are allowed to submit both the FWAB and your official ballot if you receive your official ballot later. However, only one would be counted. Once done, you can check back in with your election office to see if they have received your submission. This is the link to the details of all election offices: https://www.fvap.gov/search-offices Some helpful links: https://www.fvap.gov/links

Niru Kalyanaraman In the thick haystack of the COVID 19 pandemic, the rush to the proverbial needle has significantly gained momentum. The competitors are many, and the challenge is no easy feat, with the continually changing nature of coronavirus and fear of potential mutations, trepidation amongst scientists is rife to deliver a vaccine promptly. WASHINGTON: The head of a top government health agency contradicts President Trump's optimistic analysis of the pandemic commenting that "we're nowhere near the end." Robert Redfield, the director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (i.e., CDC), states that Trump has contradicted his statements about the value of masks and vaccine accessibility. He has also shared a concern that the latest addition to the COVID task force (Scott Atlas) is propagating inaccurate information to the president, hence endangering the lives of millions especially by stating that the United States "really have a handle of what's going on". Both parties contradict each other with regards to the availability of the vaccines, with the CDC stating that they would most likely release the vaccines between March-April 2021 whilst Trump said that it would be done so before November 3rd 2020 just in time for the elections. Speculation is on the rise that maybe the American race to this proverbial needle is no longer pure with science but tainted by politics. MOSCOW RUSSIA: Alexander Gintsburg, director of the Gamaleya National Research Center for Epidemiology and Microbiology, speaks during an interview on September 24th, 2020 revealing that preliminary results of its vaccine trial will be released amidst the frenzy to end the pandemic. Ginstsburg states that the pace of development is needed under these conditions which resemble the war. He says that this is being done so without cutting corners. The Russian vaccine was promptly introduced during a time of uncertainty, solidifying its national prestige and reputation. However, there is doubt about the efficacy and safety of this vaccine due to it's anonymity.