1. Will foreign fighters help Ukraine turn the tide against Russia?
2. In light of economic difficulties, should China continue its present rate of military spending?
3. Are Pakistan’s women’s marches accomplishing their objectives?
4. Should NATO impose a no-fly zone over Ukraine’s nuclear power plants?
5. Will Danish voters approve joining the EU’s defense policy?
6. What steps can Moldova take to protect its territorial integrity and deter Russian aggression?
7. Is the Sahel the new home of international terrorism?
8. If North Korea developed a spy satellite, what impact would that have on East Asian security?
9. How can the international community alleviate food shortages that will come from Russia’s invasion of Ukraine?
10. Are Germany’s green energy efforts failing?
Category: International Extemp Page 7 of 56
1. Are the Baltics next?
2. Does Russia’s invasion of Ukraine illustrate the need for procedural reforms at the UN Security Council?
3. How will international sanctions against Russia affect the global economy?
4. Should Finland join NATO?
5. Will refugees from Ukraine push the politics of Eastern European countries further to the political right?
6. How can the democratic world regain its footing against the world’s authoritarians?
7. Why is inflation surging in Brazil?
8. Has globalization made the ability to sanction bad international actors harder?
9. Should Cambodia cast its lot with China or the United States?
10. Is Kuwait backsliding on human rights?
1. Was France’s mission against jihadists in the Sahel a success?
2. To what degree is rising inflation a threat to Erdogan’s leadership?
3. Should OPEC continue to allow oil prices to rise?
4. Could Russia win a new Cold War with the West?
5. Has inflation become a bigger threat to the global economy than the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic?
6. Does a safer world require a high amount of American military spending?
7. Has the British Conservative Party become too fractured to govern effectively?
8. Is the international community doing enough to stop a famine in the Horn of Africa?
9. In hindsight, was NATO expansion into Eastern Europe a bad idea?
10. Should the IOC enact more punishing sanctions on Russia?
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 war tensions between Russia and Ukraine. The United States, Great Britain, France, and Germany have made diplomatic overtures to Russian President Vladimir Putin to avert war with Ukraine. Russia is demanding that the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) not made Ukraine a member and draw back some of its forces in Eastern Europe, conditions that Western countries have said are unacceptable. Even though reports in the middle of the week suggested that Russia was drawing back some of its troops, other accounts have questioned those assertions, noting that Russia maintains a sizeable troop buildup in Crimea, on its proper border with Ukraine, and along the border that Ukraine shares with Belarus. Since Russia controls 10% of the world’s oil supply, any war that causes a disruption to those supplies, especially because the United States is threatening punitive sanctions on Russia if it invades, it could cause gas prices in the U.S. to rise.
Russia could carry out electronic warfare as part of an invasion. Here’s what to know about this invisible kind of military technology. https://t.co/g35caObmUa
— Popular Science (@PopSci) February 18, 2022
Russia expelled the deputy U.S. ambassador, the State Department said, in what U.S. officials called an “escalatory step” that could limit diplomatic solutions for the crisis on Ukraine’s borders. https://t.co/JjUWYL7ZOV
— NYT Politics (@nytpolitics) February 18, 2022
Ukrainian President Zelensky’s attempt at a patriotism-boosting Unity Day received lackluster attention among Ukrainians as the threat from Russia remains, writes @jacklosh from Kyiv. https://t.co/Wy1bNFMj9B
— Foreign Policy (@ForeignPolicy) February 18, 2022
1. How would a Russian invasion of Ukraine affect the political standing of German Chancellor Olaf Scholz?
2. Has Justin Trudeau handled the “Freedom Convoy” protests poorly?
3. To what degree is the global economy on the verge of crashing?
4. Should Russia annex Belarus?
5. What should Narendra Modi do if the BJP does poorly in India’s state elections this year?
6. Are African states doing a better job controlling the COVID-19 pandemic?
7. How can the Mexican government better protect journalists?
8. What will be the economic impact of the ICJ’s judgment against Uganda?
9. Do international sanctions work?
10. Should Ferdinand Marcos, Jr. be allowed to stand as a candidate for the Filipino presidency?
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 provides resources on the Ottawa truck protests. For the past week truckers who are protesting the Canadian government’s COVID-19 vaccination mandate for those crossing the U.S.-Canadian border have blocked traffic in the Canadian capital city. They have been joined by other far-right groups and opponents of Justin Trudeau’s Liberal government. The protests also played a role in the ouster of Erin O’Toole, the moderate leader of Canada’s Conservative Party. There are also fears by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security that similar protests could occur in the United States, causing economic chaos.
Explainer: How Ottawa’s anti-vaccine mandate protests are spreading globally https://t.co/1eTffYVGoc pic.twitter.com/zFRS3GjqCN
— Reuters (@Reuters) February 10, 2022
A convoy of trucks and other vehicles operated by people protesting Covid-19 vaccine mandates and social restrictions are clogging downtown Ottawa. Here’s what you need to know. https://t.co/N9j37yajy1
— The Wall Street Journal (@WSJ) February 10, 2022
The optics of Canada’s usually placid and orderly national capital overtaken by truckers and their supporters protesting coronavirus restrictions has shaken the country. https://t.co/rilknmOiDU
— New York Times World (@nytimesworld) February 9, 2022
1. Has India experienced a “lost decade”?
2. Should Great Britain abolish the monarchy after the death of Queen Elizabeth II?
3. What does the ouster of Erin O’Toole mean for the future of Canada’s Conservative Party?
4. Are the EU’s PIGS on the road to recovery?
5. Should the IOC create a permanent location for future Olympics?
6. Does Ukraine need to join NATO?
7. Will central bankers around the world have to take aggressive steps to combat inflation?
8. Is the death of Abu Ibrahim al-Hashimi al-Qurayshi a major blow to ISIS?
9. Should countries abandon “zero COVID” policies?
10. Is it in China’s best interest to form a closer relationship with Russia?
1. Should Western powers agree never to let Ukraine join NATO?
2. Is organic farming a major threat to the global climate?
3. What changes does the EU need to make to its energy policy?
4. Will there be more military coups in West Africa before the end of 2022?
5. What does an inability to choose a new president reveal about the state of Italy’s political system?
6. Will the EU win its trade dispute with China at the WTO?
7. Does the UN need to be playing a part in the growing crisis in Ukraine?
8. Will the U.S. decision not to give military aid to Egypt create instability in the Middle East?
9. Does Germany need to embrace a more hawkish foreign policy?
10. Would Argentina’s economy improve with less government interference?
1. If Russia invades, can Ukraine fight them to a draw with Western aid?
2. Why is there a growing food crisis in the Horn of Africa?
3. If Boris Johnson resigns or is ousted, who should British Conservatives choose to replace him?
4. How should NATO respond if Russia makes a “minor incursion” into Ukraine?
5. Will hosting the Olympics create as many political problems in China as it did for Japan?
6. Should the European Union commit itself to stronger border enforcement?
7. How can the international community best assist African nations in vaccinating their populations against COVID-19?
8. Is Venezuela’s political opposition too divided to make substantial change in the country?
9. Are Iran’s proxy forces becoming more dangerous?
10. Is the BJP failing to protect India’s Muslim population?
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 British Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s political problems. Johnson is under fire for hosting gatherings with his staff at No. 10 Downing Street while the rest of Great Britain was locked down under COVID-19 restrictions in spring 2020. The more egregious allegations are that Johnson’s staff partied before the Duke of Edinburgh’s funeral, which had social distance restrictions. Johnson has told the British Parliament that the gatherings were for work and were not social, but the public is skeptical, as are members of the British Conservative Party. Some Conservative MPs are calling on Johnson to resign, noting that opinion polls are showing the Conservative trailing the Labour Party by double digits. Johnson has so far refused and stated earlier in the week that he would fight any no-confidence vote.
Prime minister odds: The favourites to replace Boris Johnson 👀 https://t.co/zFhIT298CL
— The Independent (@Independent) January 19, 2022
🔎 What could a no-confidence vote mean for Boris Johnson?
All the questions you may have, answered 👇 https://t.co/igXeqacQX1
— The Times (@thetimes) January 19, 2022
Vote of no confidence, resignation or survival: what next for Boris Johnson? https://t.co/fTCwVoydvS
— The Guardian (@guardian) January 19, 2022
1. If you were North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, which candidate would you hope wins the South Korean presidential election?
2. Will rising global oil prices trigger Kazakhstan-like protests in other nations?
3. Should Central American countries continue to aid the United States in stopping migrant caravans?
4. If the Labour Party were to return to power in Great Britain, should they restore Britain’s membership in the European Union?
5. Is Russia becoming overextended?
6. Should Serbia press forward with its lithium mining plans?
7. Is it too late for Jair Bolsonaro to mount a successful re-election effort?
8. Should revisions be made to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT)?
9. Why is the French Socialist Party struggling to be relevant?
10. Should the Mexican government reject Obrador’s energy policies?
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 political unrest in Kazakhstan. Increasing fuel prices provoked protests in the Central Asian nation last week, leading to wider protests against the country’s autocratic government and its economic policies. Kazakhstan’s leadership called in Russian troops to help restore order and to date more than 9,000 people have been detained by authorities. Experts see the problems in Kazakhstan and the resulting issues as another example of Russia trying to enhance its influence over former Soviet republic states.
A War of Words: Kazakhstan, Terrorists, and Protestershttps://t.co/QjLqLaFIir
— The Diplomat (@Diplomat_APAC) January 13, 2022
In Kazakhstan, the violence has eased but questions loom https://t.co/2murPjw2rX pic.twitter.com/d8jozM9MsH
— Al Jazeera English (@AJEnglish) January 12, 2022
Five questions on the troubled country answered by a former American ambassador https://t.co/6U947uCuiF
— Asia Times (@asiatimesonline) January 13, 2022
1. Which candidates will make the French presidential runoff this spring?
2. How can Turkmenistan put an end to the “Gates of Hell” fire?
3. Are Russian concerns about NATO expansion to its border justified?
4. Can the UN save Sudan’s democratic transition?
5. Was Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen’s recent trip to Myanmar helpful or harmful for efforts to resolve the nation’s political crisis?
6. How can Bulgaria reverse its population decline?
7. Is Bosnia falling outside of the West’s orbit?
8. Will street protests in Kazakhstan produce lasting change?
9. Is the refusal of some nations ot sell defense components to Turkey weakening the NATO alliance?
10. How can African nations reduce their reliance on commodities?
1. Will 20222 see the end of the COVID-19 pandemic?
2. Should the international community refuse to release funds to the Taliban government until their human rights record improves?
3. How can Ukraine best prepare to defend itself from a Russian invasion?
4. Is Gambia’s truth commission working?
5. How can the Chinese government encourage its population to spend more in 2022?
6. Are Erdogan’s policies making Turkey’s economic situation worse?
7. Should African countries rely on their neighbors more than the United Nations to put down internal rebellions?
8. How can Boris Johnson reverse his eroding political position?
9. Does Chile need more or less “neoliberalism”?
10. Will Libya be able to hold a fair and impartial presidential election?
Note that these will be the last questions of the first semester. Extemp Central will resume posting new, original content on Monday, January 3.
1. How will the world decide the COVID-19 pandemic is over?
2. Should the British Conservative Party give Boris Johnson the boot?
3. What will be the global impact of the Evergrande default?
4. Is Aung San Suu Kyi the best leader for Myanmar’s democratic movement going forward?
5. To what degree can Emmanuel Macron make the European Union more powerful in the world?
6. Should El Salvador’s political leadership continue negotiate with street gangs?
7. Will New Zealand’s anti-smoking plan work?
8. What can cure the dysfunction that bedevils global democracies?
9. Who will win Colombia’s next presidential election?
10. Should Israel end its policy of nuclear ambiguity?