Our Top Stories for the Week of November 28, 2022

Updated December 2, 2022 | Infoplease Staff

It’s been a busy week, from political deaths to political decisions. Who has time to keep track of it all? That’s why we’ve boiled it all down to our top stories of the week.

Around The World

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France To Codify Abortion Into Constitution: On Friday, November 25, 2022, The French National Assembly adopted a constitutional amendment to codify the right to abortion, which was spurred partly by rising restrictions. Most lawmakers decided to insert a language ensuring "the efficacy and equitable access to the right to stop pregnancy freely." The right-wing parties that control the Senate say that abortion is not under threat in France.^[1]
Belarusian Foreign Minister Dies At 64: On Saturday, November 26, 2022, Belarus' foreign ministry said on Saturday that Vladimir Makei, the country's foreign minister, died at the age of 64. Makei, who was born in 1958 in the Belarusian district of Grodno, has been in the role since August 2012, according to the foreign ministry's website. The information released on the Presidential website, Belarus' president, Alexander Lukashenko, offered his sympathies to Makei's friends and family on Saturday.^[2]
Government Hotel Attacked In Somalia: On Sunday, November 27, 2022, Police and witnesses report that militants stormed a hotel used by government officials in Mogadishu, Somalia's capital, on Sunday evening. Al Shabaab, which controls huge swaths of the nation and is reportedly affiliated with al Qaeda, claimed responsibility for the strike, saying it was targeted at the neighboring presidential palace. According to state station SNTV, security troops were reacting to an al-Shabaab attack on a hotel in the capital.^[3]
Mudslide In Italy: On Sunday, November 27, 2022, heavy rainfall in Campania, the region around Naples and Ischia, for many days led to a massive landslide. Dozens of houses are restricted, and rescuers are impeded by inclement weather. Interior Minister Matteo Piantedosi told reporters that the situation was "very difficult" since up to 155mm (6.1in) of rain had fallen in six hours, and the missing people were believed to be buried beneath the thick mud.^[4]
BBC Journalist Detained In China: On Monday, November 28, 2022, while covering the anti-government lockdown demonstrations sweeping China, a BBC journalist in Shanghai was beaten and temporarily detained by Chinese police. Ed Lawrence was arrested during the main demonstration and kept for many hours before being released. The BBC confirmed that he was beaten and assaulted by police officers before being handcuffed and hauled away.^[5]
France Experience Spike In Covid Levels: On Tuesday, November 29, 2022, The French government's spokesman, Olivier Veran, stated that the COVID pandemic appears to be resuming, citing a 40% increase in new cases every day compared to last week. The seven-day moving average of new COVID infections in France increased to more than 44,000 on Monday, up from 25,000 per day in early November.^[6]
Jiang Zemin Dies At 96: On Wednesday, November 30, 2022, Jiang Zemin, the Chinese communist leader who laid the path for China's development as a global powerhouse and secured its significance in the international community, died at the age of 96. On Wednesday, the former leader of the ruling Communist Party and state president died of leukemia and severe organ failure.^[7
Drug For Alzheimer’s Passed Clinical Trials: On Wednesday, November 30, 2022, Following years of research failures and billions of dollars spent on discovering a cure for Alzheimer's, researchers announced the development of a new medicine—Lecanemab—that is capable of removing protein clumps that are particularly prevalent in the early stages of the illness. Every year, lecanemab costs between $12,000 and $35,000 for each patient and has the most effect on people in the early stages of the disease.^[8]

Sources: [1] BBC [2] CNN [3] Reuters [4] BBC [5] BBC [6] Reuters [7] CNN [8] The Guardian

Within The US

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Avian Flu Kills Millions Of Birds: On Friday, November 25, 2022, The deaths of chickens, turkeys, and other birds in the United States this year surpassed the previous record of 50.5 million birds killed in an avian-flu outbreak in 2015, making this the greatest animal-health disaster in the United States to date. According to USDA statistics, the epidemic in the United States started in February and affected flocks of poultry and non-poultry animals in 46 states. The virus, known as highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI), is spread by wild ducks via excrement, feathers, or direct contact with poultry.^[1]
Early Voting In Georgia Run-Off Elections: On Saturday, November 26, 2022, A week of early voting began in nearly two dozen Georgia counties due to a Georgia Supreme Court rule. The election is for a controversial runoff between Democratic Sen. Raphael Warnock and Republican challenger Hershel Walker. According to current AARP research, Warnock has a four-point lead over Donald Trump-endorsed Walker ahead of the December 6 race.^[2]
Us Senate Pass Bill To Protect Same-Sex Marriage: On Wednesday, November 30, 2022, The United States Senate passed the Respect for Marriage Act, legislation that will safeguard same-sex marriage, and Democrats are hoping Biden will sign it before Republicans take over the House next year. The bill was moved to the Senate's majority vote on Tuesday with support from 12 Republicans, passing 61-36. Public support for same-sex marriage is at 70%, but if the ruling is overturned, up to 29 states might impose a ban.^[3]
Hakeem Jefferies To Be The First Black Democratic House Leader: On Wednesday, November 30, 2022, Hakeem Jeffries was overwhelmingly chosen to be the Democratic Party's leader in the United States House of Representatives beginning in January. As a result, he is the first African-American to hold such a high-ranking post in Congress. Jeffries, who is 52 years old and from New York, will be the House Democratic leader for the 118th Congress, which begins on January 3.^[4]