France Becomes First Nation to Add Right to Abortion to Constitution
The French legislature voted Monday to amend the nation’s Constitution to protect the right to abortion, making it the first nation in the world to do so. The amendment will prevent the French government from significantly altering its current policy of funding abortions performed less than 14 weeks into the pregnancy. The amendment, which passed through the legislation with an overwhelming majority, comes after President Emmanuel Macron publicly promised to enshrine the right to abortion in the Constitution in 2022, hours after Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization overturned the right to abortion in the United States.
Shehbaz Sharif Sworn in as Pakistani Prime Minister After Controversial Election
Shehbaz Sharif was sworn in as Prime Minister of Pakistan Monday. Sharif, who has served as prime minister once before, took office after a contentious election Feb. 8. Supporters of imprisoned former Prime Minister Imran Khan won more seats than Sharif’s Party, the Pakistan Muslim League (Nawaz); however, in the weeks following, Sharif succeeded in allying with the Pakistan People’s Party to form a coalition government and secure his place as prime minister. Khan’s supporters were forced to run as independents because their party, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf, was banned from competing in the election. The Feb. 8 election, which was disrupted by a mobile internet outage and complicated by arrests and violence prior, has been disputed by Imran Khan and its supporters who allege that the election was fraudulent. Protests took place across the country, and last Sunday, the National Assembly session was delayed due to protests by Khan’s supporters in the legislature.
China Announces Ambitious Economic Growth Plan
Last Tuesday, Chinese Premier Li Qiang gave his address to the annual National People’s Congress session where he announced plans to increase spending to improve the nation’s military, invest in technological advancement, and accomplish other goals including a lofty objective of five percent economic growth in the next year. China’s economy grew 5.2 percent in 2023, but this growth followed a period of malaise due to the nation’s strict lockdowns and restrictions during the COVID-19 pandemic. Maintaining this level of expansion in 2024 will be challenging, as Li admitted in his address. Expansion is particularly difficult given the falling price of Chinese homes and many real estate developers defaulting on loans.
Mexico City Drought Leads to Wildfire in Water Catchment Basin
One of Mexico City’s rainwater catchment basins caught fire March 5. The fire, which was brought under control by the afternoon, burned 75 acres of dried vegetation. The catchment basins store rainwater to prevent the stormwater system from overflowing. Normally, the catchment basins are filled with green vegetation, but currently, central Mexico is experiencing a drought after low levels of rainfall in 2023. Officials say that the low rainfall is the result of El Niño and heat waves, both likely an effect of climate change.
Biden Announces Plans to Build Pier To Bring Aid to Gaza
During the State of the Union Thursday night, President Joe Biden announced plans for the U.S. to build a floating pier connecting in Gaza for the purpose of allowing aid to enter the disputed region. The pier will be built over several weeks by U.S. soldiers. All U.S. troops will remain at sea and not set foot in Gaza, to keep Biden’s promise that no U.S. soldiers will be deployed to the territory during the conflict. The pier will provide a new route for aid to enter Gaza. Currently, all humanitarian aid must go through two land crossings in the south of the region. Officials also said that a third land crossing could be opened in northern Gaza within a week. Additionally, the U.S. has been airdropping aid into Gaza, with the fourth shipment of aid delivered Thursday.
