Ghana Approves Law Criminalizing LGBTQ Promotion

May 29th, 2026 by Jai Shenoy

Amidst the intensifying crackdown on sexual minorities in West Africa, Ghana’s parliament approved a new bill that criminalizes the promotion of LGBTQ activities. The measure was approved by a voice vote following unanimous support from the Constitutional and Legal Affairs Committee. Officially titled the Human Sexual Rights and Family Values Bill, the legislation further prohibits the “funding, sponsorship or promotion” of LGBTQ acts by imposing prison sentences of three to five years for such actions. The law also establishes a mandatory requirement that may compel individuals to immediately report prohibited LGBTQ conduct to authorities.
#intl-politics #africa

Biden Sues DOJ Over Document Release Plan

May 27th, 2026 by Siyona Biswas

Former President Joe Biden has launched a federal lawsuit against the Justice Department to halt the imminent public handover of audio tapes and transcripts from his past interviews with a biographer. These records were central to Special Counsel Robert Hur’s probe into classified documents. Court documents indicate that Biden wants the files blocked because their exposure would constitute an “unwarranted invasion” of personal privacy, since the conversations were held inside his own home. Legal experts tracking the case note that by suing, Biden avoids the reignition of intense public scrutiny over his cognitive sharpness, though the move risks triggering a major separation-of-powers battle.  
#us-politics #us-legal

Slovenia Appoints Right-Wing Janez Jansa as Prime Minister

May 22nd, 2026 by Adrienne Wang

Today, the Slovenian Parliament voted 51-36 to appoint Janez Jansa as the new prime minister. The former nationalist premier replaced Robert Golob, a liberal who reportedly stated he could not form a government. The new administration marks a major shift in Slovenia’s direction of policy. Jansa has pledged to restore traditional values and begin instituting more power to local governments. The new prime minister also indicated support for Israel by stating that he would relocate the nation’s embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, a city claimed by both Palestine and Israel as their capital. This directly changes Slovenia’s pro-Palestine stance that was supported by Golob, who recognized Palestine as a state in May 2024.
#intl-politics #europe

US Indicts Cuban President Raúl Castro

May 21st, 2026 by Tanvi Ramkumar

On Wednesday, federal prosecutors in Florida were granted permission by a judge to unseal a 20-page indictment that charges former Cuban president Raúl Castro and five associates in connection with the Cuban military’s 1996 shootdown of US planes. The federal charges against Castro, the brother of the late Fidel Castro, are widely seen as an escalation of the Trump administration’s pressure campaign against the Cuban government. Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche said at a news conference that the indictment was intended to deliver justice for “the families of four murdered Americans” who “have waited for justice for nearly 30 years.”
#intl-politics #us-legal #americas #conflict

Putin Visits Beijing Days After Trump

May 19th, 2026 by Steven Zhang

On Tuesday, Russian Federation President Vladimir Putin landed in Beijing to meet Chinese President Xi Jinping. This meeting comes at a juncture for Putin, who seeks to reaffirm Chinese support for his country amid setbacks in its war against Ukraine. Over the weekend, Ukrainian drones struck the heart of Moscow. The meeting marks the 25th anniversary of the Sino-Russian Treaty of Friendship. China is currently Russia’s top oil importer and trade partner. Since the start of the Ukraine war, China’s oil imports from Russia have only increased. Because Putin’s visit to Beijing comes just after Donald Trump’s, some analysts have stated that Putin shouldn’t portray Trump’s warming relations with Xi as a threat to his own, since China has the advantage over Russia due to Russia’s reliance on China for exports. 
#intl-politics #europe #asia #us-FoPo

Senator Bill Cassidy Primaried Out

May 18th, 2026 by Arnav Goyal

On Saturday, Senator Bill Cassidy (R-LA) was primaried out, becoming the first previously elected senator in 14 years to lose a primary. This loss came after heavy criticism from President Donald Trump, primarily due to Cassidy’s vote to impeach Trump in 2021 and the congressman’s continued moderate stance that has disillusioned much of the Republican Party. The two challengers who are going to the runoff are far more conservative, and have bashed Cassidy as being “too liberal.” With this, only two out of the seven Republican senators who voted to impeach President Trump after January 6th still remain, and one, Susan Collins, is considered to be incredibly vulnerable in the midterm elections.

#us-politics #republicans

Public Backlash After Utah Approves Construction of AI Data Center

May 17th, 2026 by Janelle Lee

Republican county commissioners approved a new data center to be built in the Northwest region of Utah. The data center will be 40,000 acres large and is backed by Shark Tank star Kevin O’Leary. Many locals are angry with the new construction as the project began without much public opinion taken into consideration. This center will consume more energy than the entire state, so the power will come from natural gas burning turbine generators. The prospective center’s area is also already in a state of drought, so many local citizens argue that a water-consuming data center will be harmful towards the environment. In response, O’Leary has released several statements, saying “It shows the Chinese and the rest of the world we are not messing around.”

#us-politics #us-econ #us-tech #social-issues

Japan Struck by 6.7 Magnitude Earthquake

May 15th, 2026 by Adrienne Wang

Japan’s eastern coast was hit by an earthquake that measured a magnitude of 6.7, inciting governmental emergency warnings across five prefectures. The quake occurred at a depth of 50 kilometers off Miyagi Prefecture in the Tohoku region. Japanese authorities have stated that there were no immediate casualties reported. However, some Yamagata Shinkansen bullet train services remain partially closed while authorities progressively conduct inspections on transportation infrastructure. Despite the relatively high magnitude and strong shaking, no tsunami alert was issued as the country’s disaster management agencies continue to assess the aftermath.

#intl-politics #intl-environment #asia #humanitarian

California Mayor Resigns After Allegedly Being a Chinese Agent

May 12th, 2026 by Bianca Trujillo

Eileen Wang, the mayor of Arcadia, has resigned after federal prosecutors accused her of acting as an unregistered agent for the Chinese government. Prosecutors allege Wang worked with Chinese officials between 2020 and 2022 to spread pro-Beijing propaganda through a Chinese language media platform targeting Chinese-American communities. According to the US Department of Justice, Wang is expected to plead guilty to violating federal foreign agent laws, which require individuals working on behalf of foreign governments to disclose those ties publicly. Prosecutors say the operation included content denying human rights abuses in Xinjiang and coordinating messaging with Chinese officials through encrypted communications. The case has intensified concerns over foreign influence in local US politics, particularly efforts by China to cultivate relationships with rising American officials at the municipal level. Wang faces up to 10 years in prison if convicted.

#us-politics #social-issues #us-legal

Supreme Court Louisiana Ruling Impacts Voting Season

May 10th, 2026 by Roshan Shivnani

With the US Supreme Court having ruled to restrict the use of race in creating majority-minority districts, confusion amongst voters is set to spread despite primaries already being in progress across some districts. In fact, thousands of Louisiana voters have already begun voting in what could potentially not even be their real district. But, the redrawing of such maps has consequences far outside state borders. SCOTUS’ ruling also encouraged Republicans in Alabama, Mississippi, South Carolina and Tennessee to consider eliminating four Democratic districts among them, three of which are represented by Black lawmakers. Critics say that lawmakers may have expanded power over regulation going forward.

#us-politics #social-issues #us-legal

Canvas Cyberattack Disrupts Schools Nationwide

May 9th, 2026 by Sophie Baryalai

A cyberattack targeting the educational platform Canvas disrupted thousands of schools across the United States this week as students prepared for finals and end-of-year assignments. The hacking group ShinyHunters claimed responsibility, alleging it accessed data connected to nearly 9,000 schools worldwide, including private messages, student emails, and ID numbers. Universities such as Harvard, Princeton, and Georgetown reported outages, while the FBI confirmed it was investigating the incident. Supporters of stronger cybersecurity protections say the breach exposed major weaknesses in school technology systems, while critics argue increased regulation could create higher costs and technical complications for schools nationwide.

#us-politics #social-issues #us-tech

Kash Patel Accuses the FBI of Lying

May 6th, 2026 by Janelle Lee

Today, Director Kash Patel accused the FBI of lying to obtain surveillance warrants in order to illegally spy on Donald Trump during the 2016 presidential campaign. Patel claimed that the organization had taken “those packaged lies that they had paid for with campaign finance funds and went into a secret surveillance court and illegally spy.” He asserts that the warrants that were originally approved by the former FBI director, James Comey, are now rescinded by the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court (FISA). Patel also claims that he was illegally spied on by staffers such as Rosenstein and Wray. He says that he will continue to investigate the alleged abuses. 

#us-politics #us-legal

Suspected Hantavirus Case Investigated on Antarctic Cruise Ship

May 4th, 2026 by Vivaan Gupta

According to numerous reports, health officials have been investigating a suspected case of Hantavirus aboard the MS Hondius, a cruise ship operating in the southern part of the globe and Antarctica. Three passengers have died, with one lab-confirmed case and five more suspected infections, as reported by the WHO. The ship, which carried around 150 total passengers, is now anchored off of Cape Verde. Affected passengers were then isolated and quarantined, and some were monitored. The authorities say that there is no evidence of widespread person-to-person transmission. Yet, this outbreak has shown a greater emphasis on disease control in travel. 

#intl-politics #us-health

Trump’s Deadline for War Powers Resolution on Iran Passes

May 3rd, 2026 by Bryan Gu

Last Friday, the War Powers Resolution on Iran crossed its 60-day mark. Within these 60 days, the president must recall these troops unless authorized by a vote in Congress. To avoid the vote, Trump has sent a letter to Congress stating that hostilities have been “terminated.” Professionals argue that this could be an action to reset the 60-day clock.  Many specialists concluded that the War Powers Resolution was the reason why Trump wanted Iran to surrender by April. Due to a lack of formal declaration from Congress, the conflict with Iran is not an official war. As a result, the legislative branch has the option to cut specific funding for the war in Iran.

#us-politics #middle-east #conflict #republicans #democrats

SCOTUS Ruling Limits Voting Rights Act

May 1st, 2026 by Elisa Ma

In Louisiana v. Callais, the 6-3 conservative majority of the Supreme Court of the United States (SCOTUS) ruled that the inclusion of two majority-African American districts in Louisiana’s 2024 redistricted map (with six total districts) was an example of unconstitutional racial gerrymandering. This decision further limits the Voting Rights Act of 1965, a hallmark of the civil rights movement to reduce racial discrimination in voting. Notably, this ruling came early, possibly allowing enough time for tangible effects before the midterms. Some expect it to dilute the voting power of minority voters in Republican-held states.

#us-politics #us-legal #social-issues #republicans #democrats

Pentagon Releases Financial Statement on Iran War

April 29th, 2026 by Janelle Lee

Recently, Democrats have demanded that the Pentagon release the total cost of the war against Iran. Today, the military’s chief financial officer stated that as of today, the war has cost $25 billion. This statement has not been backed by official reports, but a more detailed cost report is being prepared. This cost likely stems mainly from munition. Hegseth continued to tell the House Armed Service Committee that the Trump administration is planning on expanding the budget of the Pentagon to $1.5 trillion dollars. This unprecedented amount is to “maintain the world’s most powerful and capable military.”

#us-politics #us-econ #conflict #democrats

China Orders Unwinding of Meta’s Deal with Manus AI

April 27th, 2026 by Daniel Song

Today, China announced that it would order the reversal of Meta’s acquisition of Manus, a Singaporean AI company with Chinese founders, on the basis that the deal may have violated Chinese regulations on foreign investment and technology export. This comes as China has tightened restrictions on domestic AI companies relocating abroad to further their expansion. The US has also passed legislation blocking Americans from directly investing in Chinese AI companies. Previously, many Chinese tech executives had hoped to register their companies in Singapore to skirt both Chinese and American regulations, but this most recent development could chill their aspirations. 

#intl-politics #intl-econ #us-tech #asia

NATO Allies Support Spain Against Reported US Threats

April 24th, 2026 by Adrienne Wang

On Friday, an email from the United States Pentagon was reported to have suggested that America punish its allies who had failed to back up the US-Israel campaign against Iran in the recent war. This included statements indicating that the US should suspend Spain from the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO). Spain’s prime minister, Pedro Sanchez, stated in response not to worry, and that “We are fulfilling our obligations toward NATO.” At the Cyprus Summit, fellow EU leaders also came to Spain’s defense. Italian prime minister Giorgia Meloni criticized the US’ relations with Spain, and the prime minister of the Netherlands, Rob Jetten, said that Spain’s membership of the alliance was “crystal clear.”

#intl-politics #europe #us-FoPo

Trump Signs Pro-Psychedelic Executive Order

April 22nd, 2026 by Elisa Ma

On April 18th, President Donald Trump signed an executive order named “Accelerating Medical Treatments for Serious Mental Illness,” which orders the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to aid the development and accessibility of psychedelic drugs that show promise in treating mental health conditions. Alongside fast-tracked approval and data sharing, acting Attorney General Todd Blanche has been tasked with reclassifying select Schedule I substances (high potential for abuse and no accepted medical use). This order comes after Joe Rogan spoke with Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. about ibogaine, which is specifically named in the document. 

#us-politics #us-health

Spain Launches Program to Legalize Up to Half a Million Migrants

April 20th, 2026 by Ibrahim Khan

With over 840,000 undocumented migrants in the country, Spain has launched a program that grants legal status to over 500,000 migrants. The aim is to reduce labor exploitation in the Spanish underground economy. Today, hundreds of migrants lined up outside immigration offices to legalize their status as Spain opened up in-person applications. Spanish Migration Minister Elma Saiz asserted that “Regularization is not competition. It is social justice and visibility. It is giving opportunities.” The program contrasts with anti-immigration rhetoric from the United States and other European nations such as Italy, which has implemented the practice of sending asylum seekers to deportation centers. 

#intl-politics #europe

Trump and the IRS Discuss Resolving $10 Billion Lawsuit

April 17th, 2026 by Adrienne Wang

Attorneys for Donald Trump have told a federal court this Friday that there have been discussions about resolving his $10 billion lawsuit. He sued the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) and the Treasury Department this year for allegedly failing to take the steps necessary to prevent government contractor Charles Littlejohn from disclosing the president’s tax documents to news outlets. Littlejohn pleaded guilty and was sentenced to five years in prison in 2024. The lawsuit notes that Trump was suing in his personal capacity. It also alleged that the incident caused “reputational and financial harm” as it led to the New York Times exposing that the president had only paid $750 in federal income taxes in 2016 and 2017.

#us-politics #us-econ

FTC Opens Probe Into AI Voice Cloning Scams

April 15th, 2026 by Zaid Asad

The Federal Trade Commission announced on April 13 that it has launched a formal investigation into AI voice cloning scams across the United States. Scammers are actively using artificial intelligence to replicate the voices of family members, using them to call victims and demand urgent payments under false emergencies. The agency reports a spike in these cases over the past month, with losses reaching thousands of dollars per incident. Officials warn that the technology is becoming cheaper and harder to detect, raising concern about gaps in consumer protection. New federal regulations may be made in response to the investigation.

#us-politics #us-tech #social-issues

US Enforces Strait of Hormuz Blockade After Talks Collapse

April 14th, 2026 by Bianca Trujillo

The United States has launched a naval blockade targeting Iranian ports in the Strait of Hormuz following the collapse of peace talks, marking a major escalation in the conflict. US forces are intercepting vessels linked to Iran, with multiple ships already turned back and over 10,000 personnel deployed to enforce the operation. The blockade threatens a critical global oil route, through which roughly 20% of the world’s energy supply passes. Iran has warned of retaliation, raising fears of broader regional conflict and signaling that future operations could involve expanded naval clashes or attacks on Gulf infrastructure.

#intl-politics #intl-econ #middle-east #conflict #us-FoPo

Harris Weighs Possibility of Running in 2028

April 12th, 2026 by Aryan Kondekar

Last Friday, former Vice President Kamala Harris announced the possibility of her running in the next election cycle at the National Action Network convention in New York City. Although not officially declaring a campaign, she is leaving the door open to the possibility. Harris states she is a perfect candidate for the job because she knows “what the job requires.” She also expressed her gratitude towards her followers, specifically but not limited to Black voters and Democratic groups. The pool of candidates for the 2028 election looks to be competitive, with other potential picks being Josh Shapiro and JB Pritzker. 

#us-politics

Trump Criticizes Strait of Hormuz Reopening

April 10th, 2026 by Santiago Jimenez

Following several tense weeks after the beginning of the United States’ “war on Iran,” the two nations have built temporary peace upon a ceasefire requiring Iran to reopen the Strait of Hormuz. However, the agreement hasn’t gone without hiccups. President Donald Trump reports, “[Iran is] doing a very poor job [of opening the strait].” His grievances include concerns that less ships are passing through, and that Iran is continuing to halt oil shipments through the strait.

#intl-politics #intl-econ #middle-east #conflict

Israeli Airstrikes Kill and Injure Lebanese Citizens

April 8th, 2026 by Janelle Lee

Israeli strikes have hit Beirut, killing hundreds of people and injuring more than a thousand. According to Lebanon’s civil defense, more than 182 were killed. Reports from the Iranian state media state that in response to the Israeli airstrikes, the Strait of Hormuz is not open. The White House argues that Lebanon is not included in the previously agreed-upon ceasefire, thus, the continued closure is unjustified. This is Israel’s largest coordinated strike in the current war, hitting over 100 Hezbollah targets. AP journalists reportedly saw charred bodies on the ground and in vehicles at one of the busiest intersections in Beirut.

#intl-politics #middle-east #conflict #humanitarian

Trump Targets Kharg Island in Retaliation

April 7th, 2026 by Audrey Han

After the rejection of President Trump’s peace proposal, Trump has retaliated by demanding the opening of the Strait of Hormuz, threatening to send Iran “back into the Stone Age.” This was followed by his attacks on Kharg Island, a strategic stronghold for Iran as it’s where the majority of its oil is exported. Although US experts clarified that this attack did not target oil sites, President Trump has also threatened to wipe out the entire Iranian civilization, dismissing questions about whether his actions count as potential war crimes. In return, Iran has launched aggressive attacks on US allies in the Middle East, including missile strikes on a critical Saudi Arabian petrochemical facility.  

#intl-politics #intl-econ #middle-east #conflict #us-FoPo

Job Market Report Posts Strong Results

April 5th, 2026 by Arnav Goyal

On Friday, the Bureau of Labor Statistics released their annual monthly jobs report: 178,000 new jobs created, and unemployment rates falling to 4.3%. This number tripled expectations for job number growth, and marked a shift from expectations of rising unemployment. However, this follows sharp job losses during the previous month, and overall flatlining job growth across the nation. Furthermore, being one of the first economic releases since the Iranian war began, analysts looked to observe the war’s impact on the American economy.

#us-politics #us-econ

EU Ministers Call for Windfall Amid Energy Profits

April 4th, 2026 by Jack Zhou

Amidst the war in Iran, oil prices have surged dramatically, and as a result so have profits for oil companies. In response, finance ministers from Italy, Germany, Spain, Portugal, and Austria are asking the EU for a windfall tax, or a tax on energy surplus profits. The goal of this tax is to use the extra profits from these oil companies to provide temporary financial relief for consumers and curb inflation.

#intl-econ #intl-environment

Attorney General Pam Bondi Fired

April 2nd, 2026 by Rebecca Gehlmann

Pam Bondi, an ally of the Trump Administration, has been fired by the president through a Truth Social post. Tensions have been building between Trump and Bondi over the latter’s handling of the Epstein files, which led Democratic and Republican lawmakers alike to accuse her of obstructing justice. The House Oversight Committee voted to subpoena Bondi, and her deposition is scheduled for April 14. Additionally, the president has criticized Bondi for not moving fast enough to prosecute his personal political enemies, despite the fact that she oversaw massive purges in the Justice Department. Trump is reportedly considering replacing Bondi with Lee Zeldin, the EPA administrator.

#us-politics #us-legal #social-issues

Iran’s Foreign Minister Denies Trump’s Claims of Peace Talks

March 31st, 2026 by Adrienne Wang

Iran’s Foreign Minister, Abbas Araghchi, has denied claims of foreign peace negotiations taking place. Despite US President Donald Trump claiming that talks were going well, Araghichi said in an interview with Al Jazeera that while Steve Witkoff, President Trump’s Middle East emissary, had directly sent him messages, this did not equate to negotiations. This comes after a major airstrike in the city of Isfahan and Trump’s pressuring of Iran to end its blockade of the Strait of Hormuz. However, Araghchi has maintained that Iran would only accept a permanent ceasefire in the entire region.

#intl-politics #middle-east #conflict #us-FoPo

Trump Signs Executive Order to Pay TSA

March 29th, 2026 by Aryan Kondekar

Since early February, the US government has been in a partial shutdown. As a result, many employees of the TSA (Transportation Security Administration) have been furloughed. For the past couple weeks, over 10% of TSA workers have not shown up to their jobs due to unpaid salary. This correlates to 460 TSA officers quitting since the start of the shutdown. Consequently, airports have become disorganized and crowded. In turn, on March 27th, Trump signed an executive order to immediately pay the TSA. By framing the situation as a national emergency, he bypassed Congress. It’s important to note the shutdown is not over and this is a temporary fix.

#us-politics #social-issues #republicans #democrats

Former FBI Director Robert Mueller Passes Away

March 26th, 2026 by Tanvi Ramkumar

Robert Mueller, the special consul who investigated Russia’s interference in the 2016 election but chose not to press criminal charges against President Trump, has passed away at age 81 on Saturday. After retiring in 2013, he was appointed in 2017 to lead a 22-month probe into alleged election meddling, resulting in 34 charges against individuals, including Trump associates, Russian intelligence officers, and Russian companies, though Mueller abruptly stopped short of following through with a criminal indictment. Trump reacted to Mueller’s passing by saying “Good, I’m glad he’s dead,” and added that Mueller, “can no longer hurt innocent people!”

#us-politics

Asia Takes Severe Hits from Oil Instability

March 25th, 2026 by Aditya Doizhode

Across Asia, many countries are experiencing instability within the global oil supply chain, a critical repercussion of the US-Iran war. Iran has already closed off the Strait of Hormuz, which accounts for 34% of the entire global supply chain, causing severe price shocks. Additionally, 60% of Asia’s crude imports come from the Middle East, specifically from the supply chains embedded within the Persian Gulf and the strait. If oil import alternatives aren’t considered, stability within the global supply chain likely won’t prevail. High demand could cause further price increases. 

#intl-politics #intl-econ #asia