Bad Month For…
By: Jeremy Matloub
Seismic Shift in the Labor Market
The labor shortage in the United States has been a significant issue since March of 2020, with unemployment rates skyrocketing to up to 14.7% in April. However, in more recent times, we are returning to normality. The expectations for this month’s development are 500,000 new jobs, which is an improvement in comparison to August’s rate. While this may be positive, we still have a ways to go after losing more than 22 million jobs in only one month last year, due to Coronavirus & the national shutdown of the economy. As of March 2020, only 18 million jobs have been restored, leaving a considerably high unemployment rate in the country.
Rising Mortgage Rates
After incredibly low mortgage rates throughout the Coronavirus pandemic, mortgage rates are beginning to rise once again, and are expected to continue for the long term. Mortgage and refinancing rates have been hovering near 3% for several months, and the seller’s market will finally begin to slip away. This will prevent many homeowners from having the opportunity to refinance to a lower rate when paying their monthly payments, or when cashing out equity for renovations.
Afghanistan’s Humanitarian Crisis
Afghanistan has risen to second on the Global Emergency Watchlist due to high exposure to three critical threats, conflict, COVID-19, climate change, and additionally the unstable political climate with the recent Taliban government takeover. The need for humanitarian aid in Afghanistan has been growing rapidly throughout the pandemic due to constant conflict, over doubling the need for aid from 2020 to 2021.
Good Month For…
By: Alyssa Strezoski
Adele
Adele is a star by which the globe is brightened by. An ever popular music artist, her acclaim has grown throughout the years. She was even appointed as a Member of the Order of the British Empire back in 2013 by Prince Charles. Recently, she has announced the drop of her new album, 30, soon to be streaming on Nov. 19. Fans worldwide have been thrown into a frenzy, as this is the first album she has released since 2015. On Oct. 15, she also released one of the songs, Easy on Me, featured in her upcoming album, and has soared to the tops of charts. The song is full of heartbreak and forgiveness, relatable for a majority of people. With the positive responses given to this first song, people wait anxiously to hear the rest of the album and usher in a new age of Adele.
The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge
On October 17, 2021, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge helped with the awards ceremony of the Earthshot Prize. The Foundation is centered around the creation of new solutions to existing global environment issues. Five winners are chosen each year until 2030, with an award of 1 million pounds each. It was founded by The Royal Foundation of The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge in 2020, and serves to support it until 2022, when it will officially become its own entity.
The Covid Vaccine
On October 20, the FDA finally approved the usage of Moderna and Johnson & Johnson booster shots. It comes right in time for the flu season, when people are ready to travel for the holidays and spend time with loved ones. The FDA has also allowed for people to mix and match their own boosters, saying that they can pick which brand they want, regardless of the two original shots they’ve received.
