James Kile The open ocean has long been a chess board in the struggle for nations to gain and maintain influence.[1] From piracy, war, and trade, the world’s oceans have often been a battleground of international political strategy.[2] The dark side of the ocean shipping ecosystem is one of many recent challenges faced by Western…
Continue ReadingEric Quintana-Snyder As reproductive technology has improved in the past decade, the popularity of surrogacy has soared, becoming an increasingly popular option for LGBTQ+ couples who wish to have children. Many individuals and couples therefore have turned to international surrogacy arrangements to fulfill their dreams of parenthood. In fact, the industry is expected to grow…
Continue ReadingSierra Paulsen On March 21st, Uganda passed sweeping legislation to further criminalize the LGBTQ community.[1] In a near unanimous 387 to 2 vote, Uganda’s Parliament approved the bill, which outlaws identifying as LGBTQ and bans “promoting and abetting homosexuality” and “conspiracy to engage in homosexuality.”[2] While Uganda is no stranger to homophobic rhetoric and already…
Continue ReadingAnastasiya Kadukov Whether it’s the algorithms of TikTok or the AI of ChatGPT, technology is becoming more sophisticated every day. The world is changing, and emerging technology is surpassing society’s expectations. These platforms are transforming our relationship with the Internet and one another. Through these everchanging accelerated times comes a lot of fear and lack…
Continue ReadingAnnaLisa Hamann Following months of negotiations surrounding the Compact of Free Association (COFA) renewal,[1] the United States and the Republic of the Marshall Islands signed a new Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on January 12, 2023.[2] According to the U.S., the new MOU “confirms the shared desire to strengthen the special partnership between our nations.”[3] The…
Continue ReadingThorin Wenner On March 23, there were chaotic scenes in Paris as police clashed with anarchists and other protesters in the French capital.[1] This was the ninth successive day of protesting, and they were not just limited to Paris; train and air travel across the country were disrupted by protests.[2] The intensity of the government…
Continue ReadingLaura Phillipp Tucker Did Lord Elgin know he was creating a centuries-long strife when he took The Parthenon Marbles—a collection of Ancient Greek sculptures—from the Parthenon in Athens to London in 1799?[1] The marble statues currently housed in the British Museum are from the 5th Century B.C. and were part of a “frieze that ran…
Continue ReadingSuzanne Mead A small island country off of the coast of India, Sri Lanka rarely makes U.S. headlines.[1] Yet, a majority of people in the U.S. agree that democracy is the best system of government and with democracy comes elections of a country’s leaders.[2] The country of Sri Lanka has a parliamentarian system that includes…
Continue ReadingJoanna Curry Following the lead of U.S. foreign policy and consistently with over 30 other states, in 2017 Minnesota passed a law that prohibits the state government from contracting with any entity that participates in an anti-Israeli movement known as BDS (Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions).[1] The Minnesota bill passed with bipartisan support, but over the…
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