There is no shortage of newsworthy topics here in the United States. At times it is easy to get lost in it all, but equally crucial things happen all over the world.

They can shed light on political relationships, on humanitarian issues and keep you up to date on global events.

These global headlines are complex. It is highly encouraged to follow the links to the stories provided and read the story in its entirety. 

Here is a quick look at some global events that made the news last week.

Russia increases lockdown as the country’s COVID-19 deaths increase

Russians face new COVID-19 restrictions as the country faces its most deadly phase of the pandemic, according to CNN.

On Tuesday, the mayor of Moscow ordered all people over 60 or those “suffering with chronic diseases” to stay in their homes for four months, according to CNN.

Russian President Vladimir Putin recently approved a proposal to declare non-work days from Oct. 30 to Nov. 7, CNN reports.

Experts claim a lagging vaccination push coupled with a failure in government messaging have been factors, CNN reports. Russian officials have begun to speak openly about the situation as Russia reports 1,028 fatalities on Wednesday, according to CNN.

Vyacheslav Volodin, speaker at the lower parliament, proposed requiring all lawmakers to get vaccinated, according to Reuters.

“Imagine the consequences for the country if parliament stops working,” Volodin told the lower house. “Every day we’re seeing how our … colleagues are ending up in hospital beds,” he said.

According to the article, his proposal was met with angry shouts in the lower house.

As of Oct. 22, of Russia’s 144 million population, only 41.1 million people report being fully vaccinated. 

Ethiopia declares a six-month state of emergency as Tigrayan forces gain ground

The Ethiopian government issued a state of emergency as Tigrayan forces gain control of several towns and consider marching to the capital, according to an article by Reuters.

The state of emergency will take effect immediately and will last for six months, Reuters reports.

This comes two days after the Ethiopian prime minister urged citizens to arm themselves to defend their neighborhoods, according to the article.

“Our country is facing a grave danger to its existence, sovereignty and unity. And we can’t dispel this danger through the usual law enforcement systems and procedures,” Justice Minister Gedion Timothewos told a state media briefing.

Anyone found to be violating the state of emergency by providing aid to the “terrorist group” could spend up to 10 years in prison, stated the article. According to another Reuters article, the Tigrayan forces have joined with Oromo forces who are also fighting the government.

The Tigray forces are pressuring the Ethiopian government to lift the blockade of their region of 6 million people being denied food and medical assistance, according to an AP article.

Also, in the article, the Ethiopian government may disband local administrations and set up military leaderships.

Dozens killed and wounded after an attack on a Kabul military hospital

At least 25 people were killed and more than 50 wounded after gunmen attacked the military hospital, according to Reuters.

The gunmen attacked after two explosions at the hospital, Reuters reports. The Taliban stated that the gunmen were dispatched in less than 15 minutes, according to the article.

Of the five gunmen, four were killed by Taliban fighters and one was arrested, according to a similar article by the Washington Post.

No one has claimed responsibility yet, but the attack is typical of the Islamic State, Reuters states.

Bilal Karimi, deputy spokesman of the Taliban, said this does not show the Kabul security lessening, but that this is an isolated incident, the Washington Post stated.

“There are some scattered incidents,” he said, but “in general, the security situation has been improved” since the Taliban took control of Afghanistan.

Five killed when a building collapsed in Lagos, Nigeria

Five people were killed when more than 20 stories collapsed in Lagos on Monday, according to a CNN article.

“I thought it was an earthquake when I rushed out of my apartment just after 3 p.m. I felt the building move and knew something was wrong,” Olu Apata, a nearby resident and the president of the Nigerian Bar Association, told CNN.

It is uncertain how many people were in the building at the time of the collapse, CNN reports.

When the building collapsed,an article by the New York Times reports that crowds began to try and dig through the rubble by hand.

Since its collapse on Monday, three people have been rescued, according to CNN.

The collapse is suspected to be caused by contractors using bad materials and regulations not being enforced, the New York Time reports. 

According to CNN, more than 1000 buildings could be at risk of collapsing.

News reporter Michael Crimmins can be reached at [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter @michael_crimm