Will Alabama Get More Moore? The Answer is No. Doug Jones wins.

Alabama voters made their voices heard by giving Democrat Doug Jones an upset victory in the race for Senator. This is the first time in almost 25 years that a Democrat will represent the traditionally Republican state of Alabama in the Senate. 

A strong turnout among African American voters in Jefferson County containing cities like Birmingham and Selma was one of the keys to Jones' slim margin of victory. The outcome was seen as a stinging defeat for President Trump who put his support behind the Republican candidate Roy Moore. Moore has been accused of multiple instances of harassment against women as young as 14 years old.

Jones' victory shrinks the Republicans margin in the senate to 51-49, giving Democrats momentum heading into the 2018 midterm elections. 

Read more here.

California Wildfires the “New Normal”

Wildfires continued to rage across California over the weekend. The Thomas fire expanded its reach from Ventura County and crossed into Santa Barbara County bearing down on the Carpinteria and Montecito neighborhoods. The fires have blazed through 230,000 acres so far, making it the 5th most deadly fire in California's history. 

As the urban footprint of neighborhoods expand, the close proximity between houses and wildlands allows fires to spread quickly and destroy more property in the process. This combined with the Santa Ana winds and the hottest summer in California's history make the urban rural mix of California's communities a powder keg.

Learn more here.

The Jerusalem Problem

In a move that has far-reaching implications for peace in the Middle East, President Donald Trump declared that the US will recognize the city of Jerusalem as Israel's capital. The announcement has left the US isolated on the issue. Much of the international community including the EU, maintain their embassies in Tel Aviv as to not stir the pot of conflict in the region. Israel believes that Jerusalem is its "eternal and undivided" capital, but the Palestinians see East Jerusalem as its future capitol if it achieves statehood. 

Learn more here.