Blog
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Governments Across the World Race to Buy Medical Equipment in order to Respond to COVID-19’s Increasing Reach
By Gabriel Diaz, Associate Editor On March 11, 2020, the World Health Organization designated coronavirus disease (COVID-19) a global pandemic. With nearly 700,000 confirmed cases and 34,000 deaths globally COVID-19 has quickly become the only topic of conversation. Cities around the world are almost completely deserted as measures to tackle the pandemic continue. Governments have halted flights, locked down towns and urged people to stay at home. Healthcare professionals internationally on the other hand are not given the same advice. Medical workers and first responders are on the frontline fighting against the global pandemic. Some of which are doing so without the luxury of proper equipment and safeguards to protect themselves…
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COV-19: China Leads Global Pandemic Containment – International Commerce Delayed
By: Kenneth D. Knight, Associate Editor On December 31, 2019 the World Health Organization (WHO) was notified by the China Country Office that there were multiple cases of pneumonia with an unknown source, originating from Wuhan City, Hubei Province of China. In their first situation report, dated January 20, 2020, 282 total cases had been reported, resulting in six deaths, spanning across seven countries and territories. Although these reports cover a short period of time to date, the results recorded have changed drastically over time. On March 13, 2020, President Trump declared COV-19, or informally referred to as Coronavirus, a global pandemic and announced a national state of emergency in…
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The COVID-19 Pandemic: Are the PHEIC Protocols Doing Their Job?
By Kara Rockey, Associate Editor Since the first reported case of COVID-19 emerged in China in December 2019, there have been over 416,000 confirmed cases and over 18,000 confirmed deaths, all spurring from 197 affected countries. Ultimately, the rapid spread of the virus has highlighted a global vulnerability to the spread of novel infectious diseases, particularly ones spread easily through close proximity and social interaction. The World Health Organization (WHO) has been at the forefront of global efforts to combat the COVID-19 pandemic by providing leadership and guidance to many affected countries, contributing to research efforts, and setting global standards and monitoring their implementation. The IHR is a binding instrument…
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As Coronavirus Cases Rise Globally So Too Do Risks for International Businesses and Transactions
By Cody Lind, Associate Editor Coronavirus (COVID-19) has captured the world’s attention and concern as it continues to spread globally – leaving the international community with more questions than answers. As of March 3, 2020, The Word Health Organization has confirmed 91,783 cases of the virus worldwide, totaling 3,123 deaths. The virus has been confirmed in 74 countries, including China (80,303) where it was first detected, South Korea (4,812), Iran (2,336), Italy (2,036), and the United States (64). While the virus’s human impact is clear, the coronavirus’s impending threat to the global economy cannot be understated. In the past week, stocks in Europe and Asia have plummeted. In the US, the…
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Crypto Hub of Asia Has First Legal Battle Decided
By Greg Browne, Associate Editor Singapore’s Court of Appeals just ruled on its first legal dispute involving cryptocurrency. Four out of five judges concluded that Quoine Exchange, one of the world’s major bitcoin exchange operators, should pay damages for wrongfully reversing seven transactions on its platform in April of 2017. What is most interesting about this case is that the actors of both parties were a bunch of algorithms; there was no human error involved. In April 2017, B2C2, an electronic market maker, successfully sold 309 ether for 3,092 bitcoins, generating a profit of $3.7 million. Quoine claimed a glitch arose as it was reconfiguring passwords for its hacker defense…
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Coronavirus: The International Outbreak
By Conor Bowers, Associate Editor On the final day of 2019, the Chinese government reported a few cases of pneumonia that stemmed from a seafood market in Wuhan, a large inland city of around 11 million people. Initially, both local and national Chinese governments were reluctant to announce publicly the outbreak. These suspicious pneumonia cases ultimately became what we know today as the coronavirus, 2019-nCoV. This specific coronavirus has never been identified before, and unlike many coronaviruses that only cause moderate illness, such as the common cold, this respiratory virus has become lethal. On Thursday, January 29, the virus had become so widespread that the World Health Organization declared the…
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Brexit as Force Majeure – Boris Johnson’s Act of God?
By Audrey Fick, Associate Editor Britain must negotiate a trade deal with Europe regarding future commercial relations by the end of 2020, or face expensive disruption with its largest trading partner. That deadline may be impossible, however, considering that recent European trade deals with Canada and Japan took seven years, and only further complicated by Johnson’s intent to break from European regulatory rules concerning labor, environment, and product safety. In moving UK commitments to abide by EU standards regarding tax, labor rights, and environment out of the legally binding portion of the Brexit deal into a separate, non-binding political deal, Johnson arranged for increased freedom to diverge from EU norms…
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Nike’s International Shipping Ban on Retailers Means Trouble for “Sneakerheads”
By Imani Deas, Associate Editor YOU GOT EM!— Every sneakerheads favorite thing to see. If you are familiar with the Nike brand or the Nike SNKRS app, then you know that “you got em” means that you just secured the sneakers you’ve been dying to get your hands on, or better yet your feet in. What is a sneakerhead, you might ask? A sneakerhead is an individual who collects limited, rare, original, or flat out exclusive sneakers. The collection usually consists of Nike Air Jordan’s but is not limited to such category. Moreover, a sneakerhead has a passion and knowledge of specific sneakers. Those who purchase limited or rare sneakers…
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Power Play in Moscow: Putin’s Attempt to Stay in Power
By Moneeka Brar, Associate Editor On January 15, 2020, Russian President Vladimir Putin surprisingly announced constitutional amendments that would drastically change the Russian government. This includes amendments that would strengthen the powers of the prime minister and parliament, coming at the expense of the Russian presidency. However, with growing unrest in Russia amongst its political and economic economies, only time will tell if these changes will prove to be successful or lead to the end of his power. If these amendments to the Russian Constitution are successful, Putin will maintain his long-term grip on power after his current (and final) presidential term ends in 2024. With these amendments, it is…
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U.S. Strike on Qassem Soleimani Leads to More Questions than Answers
By Troy Parker, Associate Editor On January 3rd, 2020, the United States conducted an airstrike on a car departing Iraq. The car contained the second most powerful man in Iran—General Qassem Soleimani. Soleimani was responsible for dozens of attacks on U.S. personnel over many years and was labeled as a terrorist in 2011. However, many questions now emerge from the ashes of this strike, including: how did we get here? Did President Trump have the legal authority to do this? And what is to come of the growing tensions between the two countries? The U.S. and Iran have not had a diplomatic relationship since 1980. A breakthrough appeared imminent with…