The Sunday Subject – November 13, 2022

Following midterm elections this week, Democrats will remain in control of the Senate.

While a number of House races still remain uncalled, Republicans are favored to narrowly win a House majority. Democrats’ ability to hold their Senate majority this midterm has been considered a historic victory – despite President Biden remaining unpopular and a 40-year record high inflation, the “red wave” many predicted failed to materialize. Anger over the reversal of Roe v. Wade and Republican actions no doubt played a role in turnout.

Scientists presented findings at the UN’s COP27 summit in Egypt that the planet is on course to breach 1.5 degrees of warming in only nine years.

For the first time, the COP summit agenda included “loss-and-damage” financing, which calls on the rich countries most responsible for historical greenhouse gas emissions to compensate poor countries for the effects of climate change.

Following Ukrainian advances, Russian troops withdrew from Kherson, the only regional capital Russia captured since the invasion began.

For eight months, residents of Kherson had been living under brutal Russian occupation, which included widespread torture and disappearances, and a lack of access to water, internet and power. “We were terrified of Russian army, we were terrified by soldiers that can come any moment in our house, in our home – just open the door, like they are living here, and steal, kidnap, torture,” said one resident. After the city’s liberation, people took to the city square wrapped in Ukrainian flags to celebrate, singing and chanting about freedom for Ukraine.