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Continue reading to stay informed on the latest news from October!
US government shutdown
In an effort to fund their many needs, the US government has been continuously spending in a deficit budget. In other words, their spending remains greater than their revenue. This seems like a good thing, right? The government spends money in order to make its citizens’ lives better. In reality, no. This is because constantly spending more than what the government earns means they will become more and more in debt. Being in too much debt has many possible consequences; the main one is the risk of a government shutdown. Though President Biden has enacted a law to “keep the government funded” until December, the possibility of a shutdown still remains. No shutdown happening immediately means that those with government jobs will stay employed, and the various federal agencies will not need to close down temporarily.
German Elections
On September 26th, Germany held their parliamentary election. This was an important event because it marked the end of Angela Merkel’s 16-year long leadership. The person next in power will heavily influence both the country itself, but also the European Union and world as a whole, both politically and economically, therefore the role of the Prime Minister is essential Germany. Though Germans don’t vote directly for the candidate they want to win, out of the three top candidates, the one with the most votes is Olaf Scholz from the Social Democratic Party. However, Scholz’s win does not mean he takes over right away. It will require weeks or even months before the transition occurs from Merkel to him. Only time will tell the changes that will occur in Germany – and the world – due to this significant change of power.
UK staff shortages
Months after the finalizing of Brexit, the UK is seeing major staff shortages in many of its sectors. These include labor, fuel, and supermarket goods. The reason for this is changes in the supply chain due to Brexit and the pandemic, which directly affect the consequent sectors. For example, the fuel shortage will lead to a decrease in the ability for transport and delivery of goods. With decreased delivery, supermarkets will decrease in stock and shelves will remain empty for prolonged periods. The worker shortage has also added to this problem of inability to keep up with demand. If the staff shortage continues, it can have long-lasting effects on lifestyles and individuals as there could be drastic shortages of essential goods. To manage the problem, businesses have been forced to shift their hiring approach to raise their employee numbers. Britain’s Prime Minister, Boris Johnson, has also implemented changes in immigration and visa laws to increase staff and drivers. This was done with the main goal of increasing supply for Christmas, but will hopefully have positive effects until long-term solutions are found.
New Zealand covid management
Despite New Zealand’s initial success in managing the spread of the coronavirus through lockdowns and contact tracing, it has recently been faced with the reality that it can no longer maintain its enforcement. This is due to the outbreak of the delta variant, which has been found to be the fastest spreading as it is 2 times more contagious than other covid-19 variants. The country’s Prime Minister, Jacinda Ardern, has come up with a plan to ease restrictions without causing a shock and rise in cases, as the lockdowns have not proven to be effective at controlling the spread. Continuously spreading awareness of the vaccine is one implementation, and another general one is to slowly open up public spaces and allow for small and controlled family gatherings. Prime Minister Ardern assures the public of her optimism for the future but says that they “cannot rush” in order to keep everyone safe and healthy.
South Africa covid-19 update
President Cyril Ramaphosa announced the nation’s moving down to a lockdown level 1 starting October 1st. This allows for a shortened curfew and loosened gathering restrictions. Indoor gatherings with up to 750 people are now allowed, and up to 2000 for those outdoors. Face masks remain mandatory for anyone over the age of six in any public space. Airport openings are limited in order to control the cross-border spread of the virus.
