The World’s Biggest News, Summarized

2018 Midterms: On Nov. 6, 2018, the highest turnout of voters in history determined the fate of all current seats in the U.S House of Representatives as well as 35 Senate seats. State governors and ballot measures were also up for grabs across the country. As predicted by journalist and analysts, the Democrats managed to gain control of the House, winning 38 seats previously controlled by Republicans. The Senate managed to maintain its Republican majority and expanded it by two seats. The control of the House by Democrats will ultimately make it harder for the Trump administration to pass conservative laws and possibly help Democrats make future gains in preparation for the upcoming 2020 presidential election. (WC: 115)  

Thousand Oaks Shooting: On November 7th, a late-night shooting occurred at the Borderline Bar & Grill in Thousand Oaks, CA. 13 people, including the shooter Ian David Long, a former U.S marine, died that night. To this day, there is still no knowledge as for the shooter’s motive and investigators continue to seek one. According to ABC15, 323 mass shootings have occurred in the United States in 2018. (WC: 65)

California Wildfires: Starting in early November, the Camp and Woolsey Fires began burning in California. The Camp Fire, burning in Northern California, quickly spread and prompted evacuations across Butte County. By November 10th, the town of Paradise was practically destroyed with a majority of the homes reduced to ashes by the fast-moving fire. The Camp Fire wasn’t contained until November 30th and as of press time, 85 people have been reported dead and 11 are still missing. Around 153,000 acres and 14,000 homes were destroyed as well.

The Woolsey Fire, starting alongside the Camp Fire and contained on Thanksgiving, burned in Ventura County. Despite only three people killed by the fire, 96,000 acres were burned and 1,600 homes were destroyed. These two fires combined have made 2018 the deadliest wildfire year for California in recorded history. Following the containment of the fires, a government climate change report was released, warning that destructive fires will occur much more frequently in the years to come.     

Migrant Crisis:  Starting in early October, multiple migrant caravan groups from Central America left their countries with the intention of crossing the U.S. border , hoping to improve their lives. Certain Central American countries, such as Honduras, Guatemala, and El Salvador, have been plagued with corruption, gang wars, and general poverty as of late, prompting the mass migration. Throughout their journey, they have been met with resistance from Mexican residents, particularly by those in the border city of Tijuana, where some migrants were tear gassed by border security. Early on, President Trump announced his disapproval for the caravan, calling for greater border security to prevent the migrant caravans from passing through Mexico into the U.S.  

Yellow Vests Movement: In mid-November, tensions over French President Emmanuel Macron’s proposed diesel and petrol tax escalated as the “Yellow Vests” took control of French cities and towns. The tax, meant to reduce France’s global emissions, was rejected by the working class and those in rural areas, a part of the population which relies on the use of cars in order to live. Even worse, diesel and petrol had already been rising within the country for the past year. On December 10, the President responded to the protests in a formal televised address, promising to raise the minimum wage by 100 euros per month in 2019, also canceling any planned taxes on the lower class. “The Yellow Vest Movement” so far has resulted in 118 wounded and 1,220 in police custody.