National Referendum Happening in Italy

On Sunday, December 4^th, Italy is going to have a national referendum deciding whether or not the country’s 1948 constitution should be amended. Put forward by Italy’s 41-year-old Prime Minister, Matteo Renzi, the referendum marks a potential turning point in the country’s history and receives international attention. Some people consider that it would turn into “the fall of the third domino,” following Brexit and Trump. However, many global leaders give their support to Renzi, including President Obama and the German government.

UPDATE: Following the December 5 defeat of the referendum, Prime Minister Renzi announced he would resign.

Donald Trump Becomes the First President to Speak to a Taiwanese Leader in Four Decades

On Friday, December 2rd, a phone call between the president-elect Donald J. Trump and Taiwan’s president Tsai Ing-wen marked the ending of a four-decade silence. Since 1979, the United States has cut its diplomatic ties with Taiwan to demonstrate its recognition of the People’s Republic of China. By taking this phone call, Mr. Trump became the first president to speak to Taiwanese leader in at least forty years. The two leaders congratulated each other on winning the earlier elections.