Category: International Extemp Page 11 of 59

On November 15, 2021

1. Should governments abandon lockdowns as part of their COVID mitigation policies?
2. Will Seif al-Islam win Libya’s presidential election?
3. Why is Germany having a hard time stopping a new surge in COVID cases?
4. Will the EU win its showdown with Lukashenko?
5. Should the UN impose any conditions on future food aid to Afghanistan?
6. Would it be wise for Russia to avoid a larger military conflict in Ukraine?
7. Should the “right to die” become a global human right?
8. What can cure Latin America’s “democratic recession”?
9. Was Nicaragua’s recent presidential election fair?
10. What does India need to do to win its long-term rivalry with China?

HotTopics: International Extemp Questions for the Week of November 8-14, 2021

On November 8, 2021

1. Is Xi Jinping’s “cultural revolution” working?
2. Will the pledges at COP26 be enough to prevent a significant rise in global temperatures by 2050?
3. Should the ICC do more to investigate American war crimes in Afghanistan?
4. Will Portugal’s snap elections prove fatal for its governing Socialist Party?
5. How can South Africa’s ANC recover from a dismal municipal election showing?
6. Should the Bank of England wait to raise interest rates?
7. What role should developing nations play in global climate change efforts?
8. Is the Bangladeshi government doing enough to quell religious violence?
9. Should the international community continue to provide food aid to North Korea?
10. How should the Iranian government approach new talks with the U.S. over its nuclear program?

R&D: The COP26 Summit

On November 5, 2021

Today’s R&D is brought to you by Prepd (pronounced “prepped”). Prepd is building debate technology that helps extempers and congressional debaters research, practice, and compete. Visit www.prepd.in to learn more.

This week’s R&D covers the COP26 Summit, the twenty-sixth meeting of nations that signed the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) in 1994 and later agreed to the Paris Climate Accord in 2015. The leaders of the attending nations are trying to work out a framework to prevent global temperatures from increasing by 2.7 degrees Fahrenheit over the next twenty years.

COP26 news: Coal phase-out boosts hope for limiting warming to 1.5°C https://t.co/4f5ou1KraU

— New Scientist (@newscientist) November 4, 2021

As long as multilateral engagement is defined by nationalism, power politics, and emotion, rather than solidarity, law, and science, our future will continue to grow bleaker, warns @ecfr‘s @markhleonard. #COP26 #climatechange https://t.co/djwaY5x5zJ

— Project Syndicate (@ProSyn) November 4, 2021

“COP is sort of turning into a greenwash campaign, a PR campaign, for C.E.O.s, world leaders, politicians,” said Greta Thunberg at an event on the sidelines of COP26. https://t.co/e2MzJMNgiw

— NYT Business (@nytimesbusiness) November 4, 2021

HotTopics: International Extemp Questions for the Week of November 1-7, 2021

On November 1, 2021

1. How will Sudan’s military coup affect Israeli-Palestinian relations?
2. Will COP26 be able to implement a successful global climate plan?
3. Why are military coups increasing in Africa?
4. How should the LDP respond to the results of Japan’s recent election?
5. Is the WTO doing enough to advocate the benefits of free trade?
6. Will the inevitable re-election of Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus as the head of the WHO hurt the organization going forward?
7. Is the Ethiopian government losing the Tigray War?
8. Should Taiwan welcome the presence of U.S. troops in its country?
9. Are price controls hindering the Argentinian economy?
10. Should NATO be concerned about the growing arms race in the Balkans?

R&D from Prepd: The Tigray War

On October 29, 2021

Today’s R&D is brought to you by Prepd (pronounced “prepped”). Prepd is building debate technology that helps extempers and congressional debaters research, practice, and compete. Visit www.prepd.in to learn more.

This week’s R&D covers the violence in the Tigray region of Ethiopia. Fighting has engulfed the area since November. Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed ordered the country’s armed forces to go to Tigray after there was an attack on a national military base. Tigray’s major political party governed Ethiopia’s affairs for almost thirty years until Ahmed took power in April 2018. To date, the violence has claimed more than 8,000 lives.

Situation for Tigray’s Population Grows More Desperate @DeutscheWelle: https://t.co/46J8pVUgAO #Ethiopia #Tigrai pic.twitter.com/U7WiUCt4do

— allAfrica.com (@allafrica) October 26, 2021

“God have mercy.” Interviews and internal documents reveal the most detailed picture yet of life under government blockade in Ethiopia’s Tigray region. https://t.co/IHQiY2RULL

— The Associated Press (@AP) October 16, 2021

Ethiopian textile industry at risk if U.S. suspends trade deal over Tigray war https://t.co/FT04rHAT7X pic.twitter.com/g5kwt8Uv6N

— Reuters (@Reuters) October 28, 2021

HotTopics: International Extemp Questions for the Week of October 25-31, 2021

On October 25, 2021

1. Is South Africa’s ANC incapable of solving the nation’s economic inequality?
2. Should Vladimir Putin weaponize Russia’s energy resources?
3. What should be China’s ambitions in space?
4. How can Libya become stable?
5. What steps should Taiwan’s government take to counteract China?
6. Should the rise of AUKUS alarm ASEAN?
7. Has Hungary’s political opposition found the key to defeating Viktor Orban?
8. Should Chilean lawmakers remove President Sebastian Pinera from power?
9. Does the Taliban need international assistance to defeat ISIS?
10. Have Europe’s far-right political parties lost momentum?

R&D: Global Supply Chain Bottlenecks

On October 22, 2021

Today’s R&D is brought to you by Prepd (pronounced “prepped”). Prepd is building debate technology that helps extempers and congressional debaters research, practice, and compete. Visit www.prepd.in to learn more.

This week’s R&D covers global supply chain bottlenecks. As an effect of the COVID-19 pandemic and its associated shutdowns, the world is facing a massive supply chain crisis. Prices of groceries, automobiles, and energy sources are skyrocketing and the lack of resources is making things difficult for large and small businesses alike. In the United States, the Biden administration has committed to keeping West Coast shipyards open 24/7, while also modifying truck driver licensing requirements. However, experts warn that it could take more than a year to undo the damage.

China’s energy crisis threatens lengthy disruption to global supply chain https://t.co/uH5NkpMgsR

— Financial Times (@FinancialTimes) October 17, 2021

“The White House has stumbled into a messaging problem when it comes to higher prices and empty shelves,” writes @jimantle: https://t.co/YVlZbIUCIu

— The Week (@TheWeek) October 21, 2021

Fears grow as UK factories hit by worst supply chain shortages since mid-70s https://t.co/6OIOGtKCe0

— The Guardian (@guardian) October 21, 2021

HotTopics: International Extemp Questions for the Week of October 18-24, 2021

On October 18, 2021

1. How should the British government respond to the slaying of David Amess?
2. What can Japan do to increase foreign investment in its economy?
3. Is the power of popular culture, rather than military force, the key to resolving tensions on the Korean peninsula?
4. Should Israel cease its policy of assassinating enemies?
5. Is Lebanon’s sectarian power-sharing system crippling the country?
6. Do Latin American economies need more or less protectionism?
7. Have European governments moved away from fossil fuels too quickly?
8. Is Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro guilty of crimes against humanity in the Amazon?
9. Will cultural crackdowns help or hinder the power of China’s Communist Party?
10. Who was the biggest winner of the recent Iraqi elections?

HotTopics: International Extemp Questions for the Week of October 11-17, 2021

On October 11, 2021

1. What does the rise of Eric Zemmour say about the state of French politics?
2. Will China’s increased military pressure on Taiwan backfire?
3. What will be the Taliban’s biggest difficulties in governing Afghanistan?
4. Will international pressure force the Ethiopian government to alter its policies toward Tigray?
5. Is India’s economy too reliant on agriculture?
6. Will rising oil prices be a boon for the world’s developing economies?
7. How would a Polish exit affect the European Union?
8. Will the Pandora Papers have a sizeable geopolitical impact?
9. Is the Franco-Greek defense pact a threat to Turkey?
10. To what degree does the global economy remain hobbled by the COVID-19 pandemic?

HotTopics: International Extemp Questions for the Week of October 4-10, 2021

On October 4, 2021

1. Will Merck’s COVID pill help ease the impact COVID-19 has had on the developing world?
2. How will President Duterte’s retirement affect the future of Filipino politics?
3. Will it ever be in China’s interest to launch a military attack on Taiwan?
4. Did Japan’s LDP pick the wrong leader?
5. What does the German election result mean for Europe’s future?
6. If Kim Yo-jong took power in North Korea, would it have a negative impact on East Asian security?
7. Would Russian mercenaries do a better job combating jihadism in Mali than French forces?
8. Should Australia prioritize AUKUS over a free trade deal with the EU?
9. Is Brazil the unquestioned superpower of Latin America?
10. Does Vietnam’s economy need more diversification?

R&D: German Elections (2021)

On October 1, 2021

Today’s R&D is brought to you by Prepd (pronounced “prepped”). Prepd is building debate technology that helps extempers and congressional debaters research, practice, and compete. Visit www.prepd.in to learn more.

This week’s R&D covers the German elections. The Social Democratic Party (SPD) won the largest number of seats, picking up fifty-three in the Bundestag for a total of 206. Chancellor Angela Merkel’s Christian Democratic Union/Christian Social Union (CDU/CSU) alliance came in second, losing fifty seats for a total of 196. It is expected that the SPD will coalition with the Green Party and the Free Democrats, returning it to power for the first time since 2005.

The victory of the Social Democratic Party in Germany’s election has raised questions over whether center-left parties across Europe could make a comeback.

Here’s a look at the factors that will influence whether a revival is possible.https://t.co/63NBoyTFb9

— The New York Times (@nytimes) September 29, 2021

Olaf Scholz has some big shoes to fill.

The German Finance Minister has the best shot at forming a new German government after leading his Social Democratic Party to a narrow victory in Sunday’s parliamentary elections. https://t.co/wVQ2Cli6P0

— CNN International (@cnni) September 27, 2021

Olaf Scholz of Germany’s Social Democratic party says he wants to form a coalition with the Green and Free Democratic parties to tackle climate change https://t.co/vOXhJEGZxa

— New Scientist (@newscientist) September 29, 2021

HotTopics: International Extemp Questions for the Week of September 27-October 3, 2021

On September 27, 2021

1. How should China respond to the AUKUS partnership?
2. What lesson should Canadian conservative learn from the recent snap election?
3. How closely should the European Union’s foreign policy mirror the United States?
4. Will the Chinese government have to intervene in Evergrande’s collapse?
5. Should the CPTPP include Taiwan?
6. Will Erdogan’s pressure for a rate cut worsen Turkey’s economic situation?
7. Should Kristalina Georgieva resign as the head of the IMF?
8. How will Sudan’s decision to stop supporting Hamas impact the Israeli-Palestinian peace process?
9. Should the Arab League readmit Syria?
10. What can the United Nations do to better combat racism?

R&D: AUKUS

On September 24, 2021

In International Extemp, R&D, U.S. Extemp

Today’s R&D is brought to you by Prepd (pronounced “prepped”). Prepd is building debate technology that helps extempers and congressional debaters research, practice, and compete. Visit www.prepd.in to learn more.

This week’s R&D covers the AUKUS partnership. Announced on September 15, AUKUS is a trilateral security agreement between the United States, Great Britain, and Australia. The nations pledge to cooperate on defense issues and is seen by experts to be a counter to Chinese influence in the Indo-Pacific region, even though British Prime Minister Boris Johnson told the British Parliament recently that the partnership is not meant to antagonize China. The European Union was less than thrilled with the agreement, with France recalling ambassadors to the United States and Australia last week after Australia cancelled plans to purchase French submarines for nuclear models from the United States and Great Britain.

A new security partnership, AUKUS, will deliver nuclear-powered submarines to Australia. This sets a troubling precedent for nuclear nonproliferation policy.@james_acton32 highlights this precedent and what can be done to offset its consequences: https://t.co/VpeKV7FV2H

— Carnegie Endowment (@CarnegieEndow) September 22, 2021

Balance is needed between the hard power of AUKUS and the collaboration and rules-based competition with China that are required for climate diplomacy and trade https://t.co/yddCnaUr2p

— The Economist (@TheEconomist) September 23, 2021

“Raising the costs for major Indo-Pacific powers of going to war is in Indonesia’s interests, but not if that means China has greater maritime capabilities which threaten Indonesia or are used in grey-zone operations.” Read @SecurityScholar on #AUKUS: https://t.co/ZbQWbkdFsm

— Brookings FP (@BrookingsFP) September 23, 2021

HotTopics: International Extemp Questions for the Week of September 20-26, 2021

On September 20, 2021