By: Liz Johnson (PO ’24) One of the most heavily militarized zones in the world is the Taiwan Strait, a 110-mile wide strait that separates China and Taiwan, a self-governing island that China claims as its own. In 1954, both Taiwan and China tacitly agreed to recognize and not cross this median line, since then…
Rya Jetha (PO ’23) Earlier this month, Julian Assange’s extradition trial concluded after four weeks of testimony at London’s Central Criminal Court. The proceedings included testimony about Assange’s risk of being denied justice if he were extradited to the United States, political motivations behind his prosecution, and his physical and mental health. But this trial…
Guest Contributors Anubhav Das and Winy Daigavane, National University of Advanced Legal Studies In January 2020, the first case of COVID-19 was reported. In the five months since, it has spread all over the world. Around the world, public health officials have enacted stringent measures to mitigate the impact of the virus. However, deaths continue…
By: Andy Liu (HMC ’23) Since the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, nations across the world have rapidly intervened to contain the virus’ spread. Much has been made of the different approaches that the world’s developed nations have taken toward containing COVID-19; whether it’s the United States’ federal approach, with individual states having their own…
By Rya Jetha (PO ’23) Back in 2018, when going to school, grocery shopping, and itching our noses was normal, the World Health Organization (WHO) put out a plan for accelerated research of diseases like Ebola, SARS and Zika. The plan, known as the 2018 Research & Development Blueprint, included Disease “X” on the list…
By Christopher Tan (PZ ‘21) Crippled by US sanctions, embroiled in political unrest and rattled by the death of its most important general; the last few months have tested Iran’s hardline leadership. Yet, through tight control of the media, vote-rigging and revolutionary zest; Tehran has quelled whatever threats these posed to its regime. As the…
By Shuyan Yan (PO ’23) On Feb.7th, Chinese social media saw a massive outpouring of outrage and grief due to the death of Doctor Li Wenliang from coronavirus. Li Wenliang was one of the eight people who first revealed the information about several mysterious pneumonia cases in Wuhan. However, like the other seven, he was…
By Andy Liu (HMC ’23) The European Union has a reputation for stringent data rights regulations, with the 2018 passing of the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) further strengthening personal data rights and data protection across member states. However, a recent ruling in the European Court of Justice (ECJ) in a case between Google and CNIL, a…
By Savannah Green (CMC ’20) The topic of citizenship in the United Kingdom and throughout Europe has been consistently discussed since the beginning of Brexit talks. Though the UK’s exit from the European Union is still not finalized, many EU citizens living in the UK (and vice versa) are worried about their status post-Brexit. EU…
By Katya Pollock (PO’21) In March 2019, the U.S.-backed Syrian Democratic Forces announced that they had secured the last ISIS stronghold in Syria, the small town of Baghouz at the eastern border of the country. In the nearly five years since ISIS’s leader, Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, first declared the creation of an Islamic caliphate, the…