Amid Rwanda-Congo Dispute, M23’s Advance into the DRC Threatens Regional Stability

The renewed violence has brought in regional actors, and concerns have been raised about whether it could escalate into a larger conflict. Burundi, Tanzania, and Uganda have all deployed troops to assist the Congo in fighting M23 and other rebel groups. A summit of East and South African leaders has called for a ceasefire, but any other pressure has stopped there. However, the larger international community has fallen short of putting other pressure on Rwanda despite overt human rights violations by the rebel group.

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Texas’ Measles Outbreak: A Dangerous Symptom of America’s Anti-Vax Epidemic

In 2000, the United States declared measles eradicated, but 25 years later, Gaines County, Texas, is grappling with a measles outbreak, with 124 confirmed cases and counting. The rise of misinformation, distrust in public health, and slipping vaccination rates, exacerbated by the anti-vaccination movement and social media, has led to this preventable crisis, putting vulnerable populations at risk. Public health officials are now fighting to contain the outbreak while emphasizing the importance of empathy, trust, and policy enforcement to combat vaccine hesitancy.

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Musk Misleads: Inside the DOGE’s latest attempt to harm social welfare programs.

In a misleading post on X, Elon Musk shared a chart showing 14 million individuals over the age of 120 with a “death field set to FALSE.” This may indicate they were not officially listed as deceased. However, data from 2024 shows only about 89,000 individuals over the age of 90 received benefits, a stark contrast to claims of “millions” thought to be taking advantage of the system.

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Defunding Diversity: The Legal and Financial Consequences of a DEI Ban

The Education Department’s ultimatum has forced universities across the country into a rather precarious position where they must balance legal, financial, and ideological considerations, representing a larger cultural and political battle over race-conscious policies in education.

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Trump and Musk’s Government Purge: Who Needs a Functioning Government Anyway?

President Donald Trump and Elon Musk’s so-called ‘efficiency’ plan is not about improving the government but dismantling it. By slashing federal jobs, stripping agencies of expertise, and weakening institutions like the EPA and the Department of Education, they are not streamlining operations; they are undermining accountability. This is not reform–it is a deliberate effort to erode the very functions that keep power in check.

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First Round of Ecuador Elections Sends Two Candidates To April Run-Off

A run-off election is set for April 13, 2025, and will grant the winner a full four-year term.  These candidates are not new to snap elections, with both Noboa and González running in August 2023. In the 2023 election, Noboa won with 52% of the vote, becoming the youngest president in Ecuador’s history, and will remain in office until the April election is decided.

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Religious Leaders File Lawsuit Against Immigration Raids in Places of Worship

In response to President Trump’s efforts for stricter immigration laws, 27 Christian and Jewish groups filed a lawsuit against the Department of Homeland Security's immigration enforcement agencies. This suit has come shortly after Pope Francis openly criticized Trump’s decision and his plans for mass deportation.

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How Incoming Tariffs on Steel and Aluminium May Affect Our Nation

This is bound to affect everyday Americans as many industries rely heavily on steel and aluminum - most notably being car manufacturers, aluminum can manufacturers, and construction companies. Higher steel prices could mean an increase in the cost of vehicles, while higher aluminum prices may increase the cost of everyday kitchen staples like canned goods or soda.

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Coal-Country versus Climate Policy: The Rural-Urban Divide of Environmentalism in the Southern United States

By continuing to prioritize inclusive policies and having open dialogue surrounding environmental policy, there is a strong possibility that progress may be made that benefits the planet with the people and communities that call her home.

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Lula’s Diplomatic Gamble: Corruption Concerns Amid Strengthening China Ties

Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva’s renewed presidency in Brazil has reignited concerns about his political integrity, rooted in past corruption scandals. As Lula strengthens ties with China through trade and investment agreements, critics fear these moves could deepen Brazil’s dependence on Beijing while echoing the opaque dealings of his controversial past.

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Pope Francis Condemns Immigration Measures as Partisan Fault Lines Widen in the Church

In a country that increasingly favors strict border policies, it is unlikely that the Pope’s letter will have any measurable influence on Trump’s immigration policy or his support amongst Catholics, which has only gone up following previous papal denunciations. While this suggests that any immediate policy impacts will be negligible, the letter is far from insignificant, underlining growing divisions within the Catholic Church around religious leaders participating in polarized U.S. policy issues like immigration.

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Fueling Defiance: OPEC’s Strategic Counter to U.S. Oil Sanctions

By forming a collective pact to resist U.S. economic pressure, OPEC challenges the dominance of unilateral sanctions and sets a precedent for similar multilateral resistance in other industries. The article analyzes the potential global economic impacts, particularly on oil prices, and examines how OPEC’s actions could influence U.S. consumers and developing nations. It concludes by addressing the broader geopolitical shifts that could arise from this collective resistance.

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El Salvador Agrees to Accept U.S. Deportees

On February 3, Nayib Bukele, president of El Salvador, announced via X, formerly known as Twitter, an agreement giving the United States permission to outsource part of its inmate population to El Salvador in exchange for an undisclosed fee. The central purpose of this deal is to allow the United States to deport undocumented immigrants whose countries reject deportation flights. 

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Flirting with the Far-Right: Why German Politicians Can’t Live without a Populist Surge

“We are the protective barrier. We are the Firewall.” This response comes after a fiery campaign by center-left politician and party leader Fredreich Merz to distance his party, the CDU, from the extreme far-right party, Alternative für Deutschland (AfD) in the fast-approaching German parliamentary elections on February 23rd. Having placed second in recent polls behind Merz’s party, the AfD represents a strong populist barricade that will most likely lead to uncomfortable coalition talks if a majority is to be shared between the two parties. 

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