State of U.S. Troop Presence in Eastern Europe
Aidan Ishann Raman Bogan Staff Writer NATO allies are reassessing their defensive strategy in Eastern Europe as shifting U.S.
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FOCUS on the Global Energy Crisis: The United States
The ongoing energy crisis that started in Europe has rapidly reverberated across the globe, and the United States is not immune from its influences. However, while Energy Wire reports on Americans deep rooted concerns over gas prices and the domestic political impact it may have, U.S. oil production means the country is more involved in the crisis than some assume.
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Solomon Islands Security Deal with China Sends Shockwaves Across Pacific
A recent leaked report reveals that the Solomon Islands has drafted a security agreement with China, reports CBS News. This agreement would allow China to deploy military personnel and armed police in the islands, as well as permit Chinese warships to visit the nation, according to the Center for Strategic & International Studies. Though the leaked document has yet to be formalized, it has generated significant international concern and criticism.
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Russia Accused of Atrocities as Massacre Continues in Ukraine
On April 3, Ukraine accused Russia of committing a massacre of the Ukrainian people located in Bucha, a city located north of Kyiv, the Ukrainian capital. The accusations arose following Russia’s retreat from Kyiv. Numerous images and videos being circulated show the violence Russian soldiers inflicted upon the Ukrainian citizens. Images show numerous atrocities, such as a picture of at least twenty male corpses, lining a singular street in Bucha.
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Taliban Declares Total Ban on Poppy Cultivation
The cultivation of poppy is now strictly prohibited in Afghanistan, per a recent decree from the Taliban. The move comes amid the Taliban’s bid for formal international recognition, in which cessation of the Afghan drug trade has been a major impediment to the international community.
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Ketanji Brown-Jackson Confirmed as First Black Female U.S. Supreme Court Justice
On April 7, the United States Senate confirmed Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson’s nomination to the Supreme Court of the United States. According to NBC News, Judge Jackson will be the first Black woman and first public defender to be nominated and confirmed for a seat on the country’s highest court. She will take office in October 2022 following Justice Stephen Breyer’s retirement at the end of the current Supreme Court term.
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New Prime Minister Appointed in Pakistan After No-Confidence Vote
In the midst of intense political turmoil, Pakistan’s parliament elected its new Prime Minister, Shehbaz Sharif on April 11, reports The New York Times. The new Prime Minister was voted in after the previous Prime Minister, Imran Khan, was ousted in a contentious no-confidence vote on April 10.
Read MoreSomalia Elections Again Delayed, Drawing Western Warnings
Somalia’s federal parliamentary elections have been postponed with no planned makeup date, drawing the ire of Western backers that have condemned the delay.
March 15 was the deadline for each of Somalia’s five states to separately hold elections for the country’s lower house of parliament. By the end of the day, however, the central government failed to announce the completion of the vote nationwide. While voting was completed in the states of South West and Galmudug, the states of Jubaland, Hirshabelle, and Puntland cumulatively still had 40 vacant seats to fill as of the date of the deadline, according to Africanews.
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FOCUS on Ukraine: Global Sanctions
Although the United States and its European allies have so far avoided direct military contact with the Russian armed forces, they have engaged in a different kind of warfare. Economic warfare has been employed to deter further Russian aggression in Ukraine and punish the regime for its illegal territorial expansion.
Read MoreSanctions May Not Stop Putin, But They Will Certainly Hurt the Russian People
As the world watched in horror while Vladimir Putin launched his illegal and indefensible invasion of Ukraine, many immediately called for the harshest sanctions possible to be imposed on Putin’s regime. The United States and its allies showed remarkable unity in implementing comprehensive sanctions targeting key sectors of the Russian economy. According to Vox, the U.S. and Europe immediately sanctioned Putin and other Russian oligarchs by freezing their assets and confiscating properties belonging to individuals close to the Russian government.
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