Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva took 51.79% of Sunday's runoff vote after losing the first round - a first since Brazil's return to democracy. Flávio Bolsonaro says he will seek to annul the result.
When a permanent member blocks action at the UN, the work moves down the hall - to a room where all 193 countries vote and no one holds a veto. Here is what it can do, and what it cannot.
Ten days after the Gang Suppression Force formally launched operations, an ambush north of Port-au-Prince has left four foreign soldiers missing. The UN-backed mission is the second international attempt in two years to break gang control - and its hardest test has just begun.
The ICC tries individuals, not countries, for four crimes, and only when national courts do not. Here is how the court in The Hague works.
UNCTAD projects 2.6% global growth in 2026, but concentrated momentum, costly finance and geoeconomic rivalry are narrowing policy choices.
A September 29 stay lets a contested third-country removal policy operate while the justices weigh notice, protection claims and the limits of lower-court relief.
The 1926 treaty defined slavery through ownership. A century later, the latest global estimates of forced labour and forced marriage show why law must be measured in lived freedom.
The UN is marking a declaration that put people, participation and fairness at the center of development. Its anniversary asks whether those principles shape decisions beyond the conference room.
On August 29, Icelanders will decide whether to reopen European Union accession negotiations. The ballot is formally about talks, but the campaign has become a debate over the króna, fisheries, living costs and what sovereignty means on Europe's northern edge.
Puerto Rico’s drought emergency has brought rationing and new federal aid, but loans for eligible producers cannot substitute for reliable water service for residents.
India’s Independence Day honors liberation while keeping the unfinished work of pluralism and democracy in view.
On Fidel Castro’s centenary, Cuba’s crisis exposes the distance between revolutionary memory and daily life.
On the International Day of the World's Indigenous Peoples, the U.N. is focusing on midwives whose knowledge protects mothers, babies and community rights.
Hiroshima Day arrives as the world's nuclear arsenals are being modernized, arms control is weakening, and thousands of warheads remain ready for use.
A 49–50 vote left the war in the president’s hands, and exposed how far Congress has retreated from its own constitutional power.
A close reading of Alabama’s prison crisis, and why a real solution must be measured by accountability, care, safety, and the lives inside the system.
A disputed World Cup suspension became a test of how FIFA protects the appearance and reality of independence when political power seeks access.
After the Supreme Court rejected Trump’s emergency tariffs, the administration rebuilt them under a different law. The legal label changed; the constitutional fight did not.
More than 1,000 civilians were reportedly killed by drone attacks from January through May as strikes reached markets, schools, water systems and roads.
Daniel Ortega’s government is moving from controlling elections to eliminating them, revealing how authoritarian systems hollow out democracy before discarding it.
The Soviet Union promised equality among its republics, but repression, deportation, and Russification left political and cultural scars that still shape the region.
India’s Cockroach Janta Party turned an insult against unemployed youth into a national movement demanding accountability for an examination system in crisis.
Over the past 10 years, the birth rate in the largest country in the world has dropped by 30%. Russian experts cite many factors, including the decline of traditional values, economic instability, and even extremists. Let’s examine how the government promotes childbirth and punishes those who choose to remain child-free, the factors that undermine these efforts, and the clear, effective measures the state could implement to support existing families and encourage people to have children....
Look at the roster of the French national team. Then look at the history of French colonialism in West and North Africa. The connection between those two things is not coincidental. It is the entire story. France's ability to field one of the most competitive squads in the world in 2026 is inseparable from the migration patterns set in motion by its imperial history, the communities that formed in its cities as a result, and the young men who grew up in those communities dreaming of...
After the annexation of Crimea in March of 2014, Ukraine entered a brief sphere of relevance in global politics. The spotlight garnered substantial support from Western allies – primarily NATO and EU member nations, among others. Once the sensationalism of the event faded and the priorities of others shifted over time, the attention on Russia’s aggression towards Ukraine gradually faded. On February 24, 2022, the world’s attention suddenly returned to the post-Soviet country when a formal...
The week of May 11 through May 17, 2026, produced a set of civil rights developments that, taken individually, each warranted serious coverage. Taken together, they describe something more alarming: a coordinated, sustained effort to weaken the federal government's role in protecting racial equality. Voting rights took a hit. DOJ enforcement activity against civil rights violations slowed. Immigration policing expanded in ways that civil rights organizations and international human rights...
On May 19, 2026, President Trump signed an executive order directing banks to screen customers for immigration status. If you are undocumented, the federal government now wants your bank to know it. The order instructs financial regulators to identify signs that customers without legal status are opening accounts or obtaining loans. The Treasury Department is tasked with issuing risk guidance to financial institutions. An earlier draft of the order would have required banks to collect...
Across six continents, the legal machinery of the state has been turned against queer people. Understanding why requires confronting what law actually is — and what it has always been used to do.
ICE, otherwise known as U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, was established to protect communities. That purpose has been catastrophically abandoned. In recent months, ICE has not simply been detaining undocumented immigrants. It has been abusing detainees, separating children from their families, shooting innocent bystanders, and setting records for deaths in custody. This is not enforcement. It is terror. A Pattern of Violence In October 2025, ICE shot U.S. citizen Marimar Martinez...
On April 29, 2026, the Supreme Court of the United States ruled on Louisiana v. Callais. The 6-to-3 decision, drawn largely along partisan lines, dismantled a key provision of the Voting Rights Act of 1965, dealing a significant blow to minority representation in Congress. The case turned on the application of Section 2 of the VRA, the Gingles Test, and the Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment. In Louisiana v. Callais, a group of non-African American voters sued Louisiana over...
A World Shaped by Conflict Wars happening right now across the world affect far more than the nations directly involved. The current generation grows up in a time when global conflict is constantly shown in news and social media feeds. Even students not directly affected still feel the effects in many different ways. Constant Exposure Through Media and Technology Today, information spreads faster than ever before. Social media, news apps, and videos deliver real-time updates from war zones....
Recently, citizens across the United States have noticed concerning details about President Donald Trump's appearance, including bruising on his hands and rashes on his neck. He has also exhibited unusual behavior in recent months. These observations pose a question that resonates across the political spectrum: is the U.S. government providing accurate information about the state of President Trump's health? At 79 years old, Trump is the oldest president to be sworn in. Health concerns, while...
Twenty people were killed across southern Lebanon on Wednesday, hours after Lebanese and Israeli officials met face-to-face in Washington for the first time since 1993. The diplomacy and the destruction arrived in the same 24-hour window. Both felt like a statement.
In recent months, the Solar Panel Project of volunteer organization Sunflower Seeds Ukraine (SFSU) completed a remarkable feat: delivering nearly 200 solar panels across more than 8,500 kilometers of land and ocean to the Kharkiv Polytechnic Institute (KPI). The effort required passionate volunteers, international cooperation, and generous donors. SFSU, a fiscally-sponsored program, accepted four tons of decommissioned equipment from an American nonprofit in Montana and transferred it to KPI,...
A Statement Goes Viral On April 7, 2026, President Donald Trump posted to Truth Social a message about Iran’s regime that quickly spread across news platforms and social media. In the post, Trump warned that a whole civilization would die that night, never to be brought back. He issued what many read as a direct threat tied to potential U.S. strikes on Iranian bridges and power plants. Trump called explicitly for complete and total regime change, expressed hope for something revolutionarily...
Political literacy is more than just knowing who runs the government or what laws are passed. It is a vital skill that empowers us to understand the systems shaping our lives, engage meaningfully in civic life, and challenge the narratives that influence public opinion. In a world saturated with information and misinformation, political literacy becomes a tool for clarity, agency, and justice. Why Political Literacy Matters More Than Ever Political literacy is the foundation of a functioning...
As conflict escalates across the Middle East, governments are using national security as justification to arrest journalists, activists, and ordinary citizens for speaking out. The UN warns of a systematic crackdown on freedom of expression.
Japan's Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi shakes hands with U.S. President Donald J. Trump On March 19, 2026, newly elected Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi met bilaterally with U.S. President Donald Trump in the Oval Office at the White House in Washington, D.C. The two leaders discussed a wide range of topics, including China, oil, the Iran conflict, NATO, and other pressing international matters. Prime Minister Takaichi entered the meeting with a clear message: she believes President...
Conflicts are erupting across the globe. Wars, political unrest, discrimination, and oppression impact millions. During these challenging times, people now more than ever depend on local, independent journalists to deliver critical wartime information. However, reporting on these problems puts journalists in great danger. Like civilians, journalists working in war-torn conflict zones have always been at risk of being collateral damage. What’s alarming is not only the number of journalists...
Preventing nuclear weapons. Destroying missile capabilities. Projecting power in the Hormuz Strait. Cutting off the support of terrorist groups. The GOP famously hailed the Trump-Vance candidacy as the “peace ticket” – today, Iran becomes the eighth country where the president has ordered military strikes since January 20th of 2025. The Trump administration has offered many shifting justifications for its new war in Iran: which is it? Fluctuating Justifications for War Since the beginning of...
In today’s fast-changing world, global policy trends shape how nations interact, how rights are protected, and how challenges are addressed. I find it fascinating to watch these shifts unfold. They reveal much about our shared priorities and the tensions we face. From climate action to digital governance, the landscape is complex yet full of potential. Let’s dive into some of the most significant trends shaping global policy right now. Understanding the Current Global Policy Trends Global...
Ever since the Covid pandemic, large companies that produce clothing known as “fast fashion” have become increasingly popular. While the world was locked away in quarantine for months, there was not much to do for entertainment. However, once companies like SHEIN and Temu started emerging, society started flocking toward these sites to get their hands on the best deals. The companies’ unbelievably low prices and unique, trendy styles caught the attention of millions of people around the...
On February 28th, The Cleric and former Supreme Leader of Iran Ali Hosseini Khamenei was assassinated from Tehran as a part of Israeli airstrikes aimed for the high ranking official of Iranian. Ali Khamenei has been in power since 1981, he previously served as a third president from 1981 to 1989. He declared tenure leadership since then. He served as Head of State, for a total of 36 years and six months. This made him the longest-serving leader in the Middle East. He was widely considered as...
The Rohingya genocide case is one of the most tragic and complex human rights crises of our time. It involves a systematic campaign of violence, displacement, and discrimination against the Rohingya people, a Muslim minority group in Myanmar. As I explore this topic, I want to share with you the key facts, legal battles, and ongoing challenges surrounding this case. Together, we can better understand the gravity of the situation and why it demands our attention. What Happened to the Rohingya?...
The Middle East has entered a dangerous new phase of conflict that could redefine geopolitical alignments for years to come. What began as a targeted military operation has now erupted into a multi-front war involving Iran, Israel, the United States, and allied and proxy forces across the region. On February 28, 2026, coordinated airstrikes by the United States and Israel struck strategic locations deep inside Iran, including military facilities and leadership compounds — notably killing...
February 22 sits at the intersection of two distinct election stories that illuminate a broader truth about democracy. On February 18, the U.S. Election Assistance Commission held a public hearing focused on election audit standards. Officials and experts discussed how structured, transparent audits can strengthen public trust in American elections. Audits are technical exercises. They verify counts, examine procedures, and assess compliance. But they are also symbolic. In a political climate...
On February 23, the United Nations Human Rights Council opens its 61st regular session in Geneva. By February 20, much of the diplomatic positioning has already taken place. The Council is often portrayed either as symbolic theater or as moral authority. In reality, it is a negotiation arena. States defend policies, civil society groups document abuses, and resolutions are drafted with language that can echo for years. What happens in Geneva does not automatically transform conditions on the...
As the Milano Cortina Winter Olympics approach their closing ceremony on February 22, the narrative is predictable. Medal counts rise. National pride intensifies. Host cities celebrate smooth execution. Italy has already recorded one of its strongest medal performances in Winter Games history. That achievement deserves recognition. But mega events like the Olympics are never only about sport. They are also tests of governance. Hosting the Games requires enormous coordination across...
This week in New Delhi, artificial intelligence is being discussed in rooms filled with executives, diplomats, and policymakers. But what is unfolding is not just a technology summit. It is a geopolitical alignment moment. The India AI Impact Summit, running February 16 to 20, has drawn global tech leaders at the same time that Brazil’s President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva begins a state visit to India on February 18. That overlap signals something important. Artificial intelligence is no...
Gambia’s Supreme Court is preparing to rule on a legal challenge that could overturn the country’s 2015 ban on female genital mutilation, a practice internationally recognized as a form of torture and gender-based violence. The case was brought by religious leaders and lawmakers who argue that the ban violates constitutional protections for religious and cultural freedom. If successful, the challenge would reverse a decade of legal progress aimed at protecting girls and women from a practice...