“US-China relations are “as bad as [they have] been since Tiananmen,” according to an expert at UC San Diego. Why are analysts comparing the current relationship between China and the U.S. to that following the Chinese government’s murder of thousands of citizens? Tensions between D.C. and Beijing have risen dramatically in recent years.”
Read More“Decriminalizing abortion is the first step to increasing and expanding freedoms for women on an international scale as well as protecting them against domestic violence.”
Read More“Although the relationship between the U.S. and Egypt is important from a strategic point of view, at what cost does this value bring? Human rights are being trampled on by a U.S. ally and only small actions have been taken to remedy the situation. Only time will tell how President Al-Sisi will react given the Biden administration’s request for human rights violations to be addressed. One can only hope Western countries will hold their allies accountable for protecting and upholding basic, human rights.”
Read More“Emma’s Paralympic experience is one of resilience in the face of possible defeat, reflecting the very nature of the Paralympic Games.”
Read More“Such outspoken criticism of the government is dangerous in Communist Cuba – a national security state – where individuals who protest the government are accused of treason, and large-scale activism is brutally repressed.”
Read More“Doumboya stated that the coup d’etat is an attempt to restore political power to the Guinean populace and take it from corrupt politicians. He expressed a desire to construct a new Constitution.”
Read More“There is still a window for humanity to mitigate climate risk. In all of the U.N.’s climate predictions, the world temperature will increase by 1.5° C. Yet if countries mobilize rapidly to decrease emissions and reach net-zero carbon emissions by 2050, global warming may fall back below 1.5° C in the latter half of the century”
Read More“Following a withdrawal that many viewed as too hasty and which saw the death of thirteen US servicemen, Biden’s approval rating has dropped to its lowest number since he entered the White House.”
Read More“In the wake of violent clashes between rebel groups and the Chadian military, General Deby announces a transition government that attempts to appease opposition leaders while maintaining order.”
Read More“Tensions between Moscow and the West have escalated even further this week, with Russia running military exercises in the Black Sea and massing a large number of troops in Crimea and at Ukraine's border. This comes at a time when internal protests and international pressure around the health of Alexi Navalny already have eyes on Russia and coordinated sanctions have been launched by the US and EU.”
Read More“While all of these threats are not to be taken lightly, the grandest threat must be climate change and environmental degradation, for without an environment none of the other potential threats are meaningful.”
Read More“The liberties included in Hong Kong’s constitution, the Basic Law, are freedom of assembly, freedom of speech, an independent judiciary system, and some democratic rights. This Constitution is meant to last at least until 2047, but now this Constitution is under attack with the introduction of the electoral reform bill.”
Read More“Amidst negotiations between Iran and the United States over a return to the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action Iran’s Natanz nuclear facility was attacked, complicating negotiations.”
Read More“One thing is for certain in light of the pandemic-plagued days in which we live: there is no shortage of political and morally divisive policies on the horizon. On March 30th, over 25 heads of state called for an international pandemic treaty to greater combat and alleviate the risk of future life-altering pandemics from arising. The World Health Organization (WHO) Director-General, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, stated that “the world cannot afford to wait until the pandemic is over to start planning for the next one,” and during a news conference he campaigned on its urgency due to the WHO’s lack of ability for surveillance and oversight within member nations. Origins of the treaty stem from member nations, such as China over the past year, being able to deny WHO access to novel epidemic data or disease materials that could prove crucial in combating a novel pathogen.”
Read More“This maneuver will directly undercut America’s influence in the Middle East as China is opting in to buying Iranian oil, who is currently under American sanctions. These sanctions have isolated Iran in the Middle East and have limited Iran’s opportunities for foreign investment. Historically, sanctions have been an effective form of punishment as long as the nation has no one else to turn to economically. With China’s economic extension to Iran through a 25 year deal, this offers both a relief to Iran economically while also allowing it to think freely concerning other issues such as the Iran Nuclear Deal.”
Read More“Amidst growing concern about the stability of global supply chains and Chinese aggression in the Indo-Pacific, Australia announces its plan to accelerate the production of a domestic guided missile program.”
Read More“On the night of March 30th, an Italian navy captain was caught exchanging classified documents for money from a Russian military official in a Roman car park. The Italian captain was apprehended immediately after completing the exchange.”
Read More“Ten years after the conflict began, the United Nations special envoy to Syria now claims there may be a ‘window of opportunity’ to end the fighting. In an interview with the BBC, Geir Pedersen has pointed to the fact that there is a fragile ceasefire in place between Assad’s forces and rebels in the northwestern province of Idlib. Idlib is the last province under rebel control. ‘For the first time in 10 years, the frontlines in Syria have not changed,’ Mr. Pedersen said. ‘This creates an opportunity.’”
Read More“President Joe Biden has come forward saying that he intends to move the United States to reenter the Iran Nuclear Deal as soon as Iran resumes compliance with the stipulations. Biden has also suggested that, upon reentering the deal, he plans to negotiate a successor agreement that will also address Iran’s missile program. In response, Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif stated in September of 2020 that Iran would “absolutely not” renegotiate the deal’s terms from scratch, and expects the United States to compensate Iran for the monetary damages from the oil and banking sanctions under the Trump Administration which amount to USD $1 trillion.”
Read More“While much disinformation comes from inside the U.S., Americans must also note an ever-present strategy for impacting elections adopted by both interveners, and that is dividing the population and undermining faith in our election systems. Distrust in our democracy generally, is not only damaging in election time, but damaging to the cohesion of the nation broadly.”
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