1. European Union proposes suspending funding to Hungary

The Executive Branch of the European Union recommended on Sunday, Sept. 18 that the organization stop any further funding to Hungary.

The European Commission, which is the legislative and enforcement arm of the EU, said that the organization was taking this action “to ensure the protection of the EU budget and the financial interests of the EU against breaches of the principles of the rule of law in Hungary.”

The European Union executive recommended suspending some 7.5 billion euros in funding for Hungary over corruption, the first such case in the bloc under a new sanction meant to better protect the rule of law https://t.co/Tn4LfKiL2M

— Reuters (@Reuters) September 18, 2022

The EU Budget Commissioner, Johannes Hahn, released a statement saying this recommendation is moving forward, despite recent measures Hungary proposed to address deficiencies. Countries within the EU pay roughly 1% of their gross income to the EU budget. From 2021 to 2027, Hungary is slated to receive at least 50 billion euros. Currently, the EU is proposing a suspension of 7.5 billion euros.

Before this proposal can go forward, a vote must be placed to the member countries of the EU. In order for the vote to pass, it needs to receive a 55% majority of the 27 members. This means at least 15 countries must vote in favor of the proposal.

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2. Japanese officials order civilians to seek shelter as a typhoon strikes the country

On Sunday, Sept. 18, at 7 p.m. local time, a powerful typhoon made landfall in southern Japan. Ahead of the storm, the Japanese government had ordered the evacuation of more than eight million people in the southern and western regions of the country.

Named Nanmadol, Japanese weather experts predict that this could be one of the most destructive storms to hit Japan in the last few decades.

Japanese officials have ordered more than 4 million people to seek shelter as a powerful typhoon approached the country’s southernmost main island.https://t.co/XWrrn4B9Ep

— The Washington Post (@washingtonpost) September 19, 2022

The forecast has the storm traveling over the island of Honshu, Japan’s main island.

At landfall, the winds were estimated to be sustaining around 110 miles an hour, the equivalent of a Category 2 hurricane. Shortly after landfall, the winds dropped to around 90 mph, with gusts up to 115 mph. 

The storm is expected to gradually weaken as it travels northeast before exiting to the pacific on Tuesday, Sept. 20.

3. Bus crash in China, 27 killed and 20 injured

On Sunday, Sept. 18, a bus crashed in the south-western region of China. It overturned on the roadway, 27 people were killed, and 20 people were injured. 

Covid quarantine bus crashes in China and kills 27 peoplehttps://t.co/FMjyOCuYws

— BBC News (World) (@BBCWorld) September 18, 2022

The bus was carrying people to a COVID-19 quarantine facility. China’s COVID-19 policies include mass testing and contact tracing. Even if just a few people test positive, an entire city can come grinding to a halt for days, even weeks. 

As the majority of the world’s countries have started to live with COVID-19, China is the only major economy which still has a “COVID zero” strategy; prioritizing the virus above virtually everything else.

While the cause of the crash has not been determined yet, this accident does occur just a few weeks before the Chinese Communist Party is due to have a party-wide congress. Which occurs every five years at which China’s COVID-19 policies are expected to be discussed.

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