November 1 – Africa: MOROCCO
Massive anti-government protests erupt across Morocco after fish seller, Mouhcine Fikri, was crushed to death by a compactor in a garbage truck. The incident happened when police confiscated about 1,100 pounds of his swordfish, saying swordfish was not allowed to be fished at this time of the year. Fikri, who invested lots of money in the product, jumped into the truck to retrieve the fish. Protesters say Fikri’s case demonstrates the abuse of power of Moroccan authorities, as well as brings to light economic problems such as high unemployment and poverty. Fikri was part of the informal economy, which in Morocco employs about 30 percent of the country’s workforce.[1]
November 1 – East Asia: CHINA
China unveils its newly designed Chengdu J-20 stealth fighter during an air show. It was designed to rival the United States’ F-35 and F-22 fighter jets. Its design and its many features are very similar or identical to the American fighters, and US military officials accuse China of stealing the design by hacking into their computer systems.[2] Stealth aircrafts are designed to avoid detection using a variety of different technologies.
China showcasing its J-20 stealth aircraft – video (0:53 min)
U.S. Air Force’s stealth fighter – video (1:09 min)
November 6 – Latin America: NICARAGUA
Nicaraguan President Daniel Ortega wins a third consecutive and a fourth overall term in office in a landslide election with 72 percent of the vote.[3] His wife, Rosario Murillo, who has already been playing an important role in his administration, ran as his vice -presidential running mate. Ortega, former guerrilla leader of the Sandinista rebels who overthrew the Somoza dynasty in 1979, is popular for his social programs and improved economy. The opposition calls the election a farce and accuses him of authoritarian ambitions. International observers were not allowed to monitor the election.
November 8 – North America: UNITED STATES
Republican candidate Donald Trump delivers a shocking victory in the U.S. presidential election, winning 306 electoral votes and defeating Democratic candidate former First Lady and Senator Hillary Clinton with 232 electoral votes. Trump, the billionaire real estate mogul and former reality TV star, who led an unconventional and divisive campaign, wins the solidly Republican states, as well as the swing states of Florida, Pennsylvania, and Ohio. He also wins Michigan and Wisconsin, states that have not voted Republican for president since 1988 and 1984 respectively.[4] Trump who never has held elected office mobilized white working class Americans who feel left behind by globalization and blame the Washington establishment for that. He stirred controversy with his anti-Muslim and anti-immigrant comments, harsh and racially-charged rhetoric, as well as comments about women. Hillary Clinton wins the popular vote by more than 2.8 million votes, but in the American system, the election victory is determined by electoral votes.[5] Republicans also win the majority in both houses of Congress. The President-elect vows to reverse many of the Obama administration’s policies, such as the Affordable Care Act, and appoint a Conservative Supreme Court justice. Protests develop across the country with anti-Trump slogans.
More on the 2016 election results.
Explaining the Electoral College.
More on the Electoral College.
Arguments for and against the Electoral College.
November 10 – International Organizations / East Asia: INTERPOL / CHINA
Vice Minister of Public Security in China, Meng Hongwei, becomes the first Chinese to head the international criminal police organization, Interpol. He will serve as president until 2020. INTERPOL has 190 member-countries. Its high-tech infrastructure of technical and operational support helps police around the world to cooperate. Amnesty International official says that the appointment of Meng Hongwei is worrying because of China’s attempts of trying to use Interpol to arrest dissidents and refugees abroad.[6]
History of Interpol
Interpol: 100 Years of Innovation – video (5:40 min)
November 13 – Middles East: IRAQ
Iraqi government forces liberate the ancient Assyrian city of Nimrud situated about 20 miles south-east of Mosul, which Iraqi government forces are attempting to take from Islamic State (IS) militants. Nimrud was held by IS for the last two years. While under IS, the militants bulldozed Nimrud and its archaeological sites that dating back to the 13th Century BC after declaring the site and its statues blasphemous. The United Nations cultural body UNESCO declared this deliberate destruction of cultural heritage as a war crime.[7]
History of the Ancient City of Nimrud
UNESCO video: Archaeological site of Nimrud before destruction
Reuters video: IS destruction of Nimrud
November 13 – Europe: MOLDOVA
Pro-Russian candidate Igor Dodon defeats pro-European candidate, Maia Sandu, and wins Moldova’s presidential election with 52 percent of the vote.[8] During his campaign, he blamed widespread corruption on the pro-European Union parties and vowed to restore close ties with Russia. Moldova depends on loans from the International Monetary Fund (IMF), approved before the election to help the country survive its financial shock of 2014 caused by massive bank fraud that led to the disappearance of $1 billion equal to about one-sixth of the country’s GDP. As a result, the country’s three banks collapsed, plunging the country into financial and political turmoil.[9]
November 15 – East Asia: CHINA
Hong Kong’s high court disqualifies two newly elected legislators, Sixtus Leung and Yau Wai-Ching, from taking their seats in the Legislative Council after they refused to pledge allegiance to China and used derogatory words when referring to China during the October 12 swear-in ceremony. The judge rules that according to the Basic Law of Hong Kong, the legislators have to swear allegiance to Hong Kong as part of China when they take office. The ruling comes a week after China intervened by interpreting Hong Kong’s mini-constitution and insisted that oath taking has to be conducted sincerely and accurately. Sixtues and Yau represent a pro-independence Youngspiration localist political party in Hong Kong founded in 2015. It emerged from the 2014 Hong Kong protests, often referred to as the “Umbrella Revolution”, and stands for self-determination of the autonomous territory.
November 20 – Latin America: HAITI
Businessman Jovenel Moise defeats his rival Jude Celestin and wins Haiti’s presidential election with 55.6 percent of the vote. However, the turnout was only 21 percent.[10] Jovenel Moise also won the previous election held in October 2015, but the results were annulled after his opponent Jude Celestin disputed the results alleging widespread fraud.
November 21 – International Organizations / Middle East: UNITED NATIONS / SYRIA
In his statement to the Security Council on Syria, Under-Secretary-General For Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator Stephen O’Brien reports that almost one million people in Syria are living under siege in places across the country. He also says that civilians are being isolated, starved, bombed and denied medical attention and humanitarian assistance in order to force them to submit or flee. In the past week, hundreds of civilians had been killed in eastern Aleppo, with air strikes purposely targeting civilians by the Syrian government. He describes conditions in eastern Aleppo as “barely survivable”.[11]
November 25 – Latin America: CUBA
Cuba’s former president and the leader of the Cuban revolution, Fidel Castro, dies at the age of 90. Castro seized power in Cuba in 1959 and turned Cuba into a Communist country. He stepped down in 2008 due to ill health and passed the presidency to his brother, Raul Castro. Over the years, human rights groups and western governments have criticized Castro for human rights abuses and have accused him of being a ruthless dictator who brutally suppressed opposition and destroyed Cuban economy. Many in Cuba are celebrating Castro’s death. Others, however, consider Castro a hero who returned the country to the people and guaranteed social programs.
Fidel Castro: A life in pictures
November 29 – East Asia / International Organizations:
AUSTRALIA / AUSTRALIAN RESEARCH COUNCIL (ARC) CENTRE of EXCELLENCE for CORAL REEF STUDIES
In its recent report on the Great Barrier Reef surveys, the Australian Research Council (ARC) Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies based at James Cook University concludes that higher water temperatures in 2016 have led to the worst destruction of corals ever recorded in Australia’s Great Barrier Reef. The northern section of the Reef is in the worst shape with 67 percent of corals dead. The situation is better in the central section, where 6 percent perished, while the southern reef is in the best shape with just 1 percent of the coral that has died.[12] Higher sea temperatures cause corals to expel tiny photosynthetic algae, called ‘zooxanthellae’. The loss of these algae causes bleaching of the corals, which means they turn white and skeletal. Bleached corals can recover if the temperature drops and zooxanthellae algae recolonize them again, otherwise the coral may die.[13] The report warns, however, that such recovery can be difficult if global warming continues.
Picture of bleached coral in February 2016 that died by April 2016.
Photos and videos of green zones and red zones in the Great Barrier Reef
November 30 – Africa / International Issues: SOUTH AFRICA / HIV/AIDS
South Africa begins testing a new vaccine against HIV, the virus that causes AIDS. HIV virus was identified in 1983 and previous attempts to develop a vaccine against it proved unsuccessful. Testing will last four years. There are 37 million people living with HIV worldwide, and in 2015 there were still about 2.1 million new cases. Sub-Saharan Africa bears the heaviest burden, with 6.8 million people with HIV living in South Africa. In comparison, for the United States this number is 1.2 million.[14]
November 30 – International Organizations: ORGANIZATION for the PETROLEUM EXPORTING COUNTRIES (OPEC)
The members of the oil producers’ cartel, the Organizations for the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC), reach an agreement to cut their oil production by 1.2 million barrels a day, if non-OPEC countries such as Russia also agree to cut their production by 600,000 barrels a day. The cuts would amount to 2 percent of the global production of oil.[15] The group anticipates that the deal will help to reduce a supply surplus that has depressed prices for more than two years. The deal will start on January 1st and last for six months. The biggest question, however, is whether the individual OPEC members will comply with the agreement, as the organization has no enforcement capability.