Social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube have become cultural icons of the 21st century, defining a generation of young people and connecting billions of others through social networks. However, embedded within this technological advancement comes several negative effects. These websites and apps are built to keep users on
The idea that the United States is based on Christianity, and, therefore, that Christianity should direct all of its policies has been a fringe belief for many decades, but the rise of far-right extremism has seemingly paved the way for the concept to become mainstream. Top-level Republicans are now echoing
In June 2022, the Supreme Court of the United States passed down its opinion on the landmark case of Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health (2022). In a 5-4 ruling, the court held that there was no constitutional right to abortion in the United States, overturning Roe v. Wade (1973) and
In June 2022, the Supreme Court of the United States will share its rulings with the public, and there are speculations that many of the cases will provide landmark precedents for the next few years. The court will be reviewing the case of Dobbs vs. Jackson Women’s Health (2022), which
Over the past month, we have seen Vladimir Putin launch a violent and pointless war against Ukraine. The idea behind this invasion was not predicated on aggression from the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), or because Ukraine was plotting against Russia, but simply because Putin has failed to acknowledge the
As of February 2022, nearly six million people have died from COVID-19 across the world. By the end of 2021, the second major variant of COVID, designated as Omicron, caused cases to spike to an unprecedented level, with the United States reporting around eight hundred thousand cases per day. As
The United States saw some of the worst climate-related disasters in 2021, and it seems as though the problem is only getting worse. Fires have been raging almost constantly across the west coast, and raging snowstorms have blocked travel on the east coast. Additionally, at the start of 2021, a
For nearly two weeks in November 2021, leaders from around the world gathered in Glasgow, Scotland, for the COP26 Climate Summit. The summit was intended to lead to a global initiative to slow climate change when demand for action against climate change has risen. While COP26 is not the first
As of October 2021, nineteen Republican-controlled U.S. state legislatures have passed laws that restrict access to voting. Voting rights in the United States have always been contentious, and the recent laws have made it extremely difficult to vote in certain states, particularly for people of color. While the 15th Amendment
On August 7, 2021, the United Nations published its now infamous report on the state of the climate crisis. The report states plainly and grimly: humans have been making dramatic changes to the earth’s climate such that temperatures are unlikely to stop rising for the next thirty years. Following the
In the midst of America’s withdrawal, the Taliban have regained power in Afghanistan and sent the country into chaos. While the United States is focused on getting its own people out, a broader humanitarian crisis is brewing. The Taliban’s brutal policies and takeover of the region are creating mass panic
On August 16th, Khieu Samphan, former president of the Khmer Rouge, entered an appeal to reverse his conviction of genocide and crimes against humanity in Cambodia. Samphan’s defense team argued that when he was convicted, Samphan was not provided enough time to prepare a defense, and thus his crimes should
On August 2nd, 2021, the U.S. State Department announced the expansion of a new refugee program for Afghanistan called Priority 2, within the existing U.S. Refugee Admissions Program (USRAP). This announcement comes as the U.S. prepares to withdraw its military forces from Afghanistan at the end of August. The U.S.
It may be hard to believe, but Japan and Russia are technically at war. While no shots have been fired, the two nations have argued for decades over territorial claims to the Kuril Islands. The Kurils are a string of over 50 small volcanic islands situated off Japan’s northern coast
On July 19th, 2021, the Russian Ministry of Defense announced the successful launch of a new hypersonic missile, a weapon unlike any other in the world. What makes the Russian hypersonic missile so powerful is that it is capable of carrying nuclear weapons, travels faster than the speed of sound,
On 13 April 2021, U.S. President Joe Biden announced that the United States would end its military presence in Afghanistan by 11 September 2021. This decision is following the nearly twenty years the U.S. has been at war against the Islamic fundamentalist group, the Taliban. With the extended length of
On July 5th, 2021, Chinese President Xi Jinping hosted a video call with German Chancellor Angela Merkel and French President Emmanuel Macron. The leaders discussed the opportunity of strengthening the relationship between the European Union and the People’s Republic of China. Topics included partnerships related to the global COVID-19 vaccination
On Monday, June 28, 2021, South Korea announced the development of a missile defense system to help protect itself against the recent aggression of North Korea. The technology is to be modeled after the Iron Dome, which is used by Israel to counter Hamas. The Iron Dome is designed to
On 15th June, 2021, Israeli ultranationalists held a celebration at the Damascus Gate, the entrance to East Jerusalem. The rally, known as the March of the Flags, is a celebration of Israel’s occupation of East Jerusalem at the end of the Six Day War in 1967. The march featured inflammatory
