On September 17, 2025, a grass-roots movement titled No Music for Genocide was launched to geo-block music on streaming services from the State of Israel. This means these artists are restricting access to their music on platforms such as Spotify and Apple Music in a specific geographic region. The region here is the State of Israel. Although Israel and Palestine are geographically on top of each other, the people running No Music for Homicide have clarified that to their knowledge the geo-block does not affect the Occupied West Bank. The initiative is a “cultural boycott” response to Israel’s ongoing genocide in Palestine. The website cites the move done by major…

Recently, Japan has witnessed a sharp rise in bear attacks which has aroused public concern. Bears have been increasingly sighted in residential neighborhoods, on school grounds, supermarkets, and train stations.  During the current fiscal year, approximately 100 individuals have been injured and at least 12 were killed.  This issue has become so serious that the British government added a bear warning to its Japan travel advisory.  Additionally, a new app called “Bowbear” was launched in Japan to help deter bears and improve public safety. Limitations on bear hunting in Japan are among the key factors contributing to the current crisis.  Under the Wildlife Protection, Control and Hunting Management Act, hunting…

With just over 30 weeks until the 2026 FIFA Men’s World Cup kicks off, questions persist about how the United States, Canada, and Mexico will manage security. The 2026 edition of soccer’s biggest event is being billed as the biggest ever, and for good reason. It’s the first to feature 48 teams, a 16-nation increase and is also the first to be hosted in three countries. With such scale, it is impossible not to wonder about safety. The past year and a half has only deepened those questions. In June 2024, the United States hosted the Copa America final (South America’s largest soccer competition) in Miami, which was delayed for…

The United States-Mexico-Canada agreement (“USMCA”) is a trade deal between the three countries in North America, which came into effect in July 2020, replacing the North American Free Trade Agreement (“NAFTA”). The USMCA agreement aims to promote free trade, labor rights, environmental protection, and digital trade among the parties. This trade relationship is approaching a pivotal moment, as it is scheduled for its mandatory joint review in July 2026. The U.S. is holding a public hearing on November 17, a consultation process required by U.S. law. Tensions are high as the U.S. considers restructuring the current trilateral agreement. What was supposed to be a routine check-in has now been compromised,…

On September 1, 2025, the Government of Nepal began enforcing the sixth amendment to the Mountain Expedition Regulation Act. This version of the act introduces new rules aimed at addressing long-standing safety and environmental concerns. It also brings economic changes for high-altitude guiding services in Nepal. In recent years, an increasing number of people have tried their luck at reaching the top of Mount Everest. In 2025 alone, the Government of Nepal issued 468 climbing permits—over 100 more than the 2022 climbing season—highlighting the upward trend in human traffic. However, this growing allure has had negative consequences due to inadequate regulation. For example, many people link the rise in climbers…

On January 27, 2025, President Donald Trump signed Executive Order 14122, designating Mexican cartels like the Sinaloa Cartel and Cartel Jalisco Nueva Generación (CJNG) as Foreign Terrorist Organizations (FTOs) and Specially Designated Global Terrorists.  This move, finalized by the State Department on February 20, 2025, allows the U.S. to freeze cartel assets, block their financial networks, and pursue narcoterrorism charges.  The goal is to choke off the fentanyl trade, which the CDC’s 2024 Update blames for over 100,000 U.S. overdose deaths each year.  Those deaths come with a staggering $1.5 billion economic hit, from healthcare costs to lost productivity.  The U.S. Department of Justice’s 2025 Cartel Enforcement Report details 1,200…

For years, Panama and the U.S. have conducted diplomacy. In 1903, the U.S. supported Panama’s succession from Colombia, leading to US control over the Panama Canal through the Hay-Bunau-Varilla Treaty. Although not all Panamanian citizens agreed with U.S. control over the canal, Panama has benefited from US support. Panama’s Darién Gap (“The Green Hell”) borders Colombia and Panama. The Green Hell has historically been used for migrant passage. The landscape, however, is nothing short of dangerous. Migrants are exposed to disease, robbery, sexual violence, and cartel exploitation. Chillingueros, local guides who know the routes, are often hired by migrants seeking passage. The Gulf Cartel and the Sinaloa Cartel are among…

For decades, Greece has been infamous for chronic tax evasion. From cash-based transactions to local tavernas to undeclared vacation villas along the Aegean coast, under-the-table economic activity has undermined state revenue and fueled mistrust in government institutions. The consequences were particularly acute during the Eurozone debt crisis, when international creditors repeatedly pressed Athens to improve tax collection as a condition for financial support. Now, in an unexpected turn, Greece is emerging as a pioneer of technology-driven enforcement. In 2025, the government launched a “tax revolution,” deploying artificial intelligence, big data analytics, satellite imagery, and even drones to uncover hidden income and property. The initiative raises critical questions about how far…

A policy change by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) during the Trump administration had ripple effects that are still being felt. At the start of Trump’s second term, the U.S. announced it would end financial support for family planning programs in developing countries, arguing that they did not qualify as “lifesaving”. This decision was part of the broader dismantling of USAID and has left a devastating gap in global reproductive health. The United States provided 40 percent of the funding for family planning programs in 31 developing countries. This funding would have provided more than 47 million women contraceptive devices and medical services. The impact is severe…

The massacre known as “Bloody Sunday” occurred in Northern Ireland on January 30, 1972. On this date, thousands of people were protesting a new law that was enacted in Northern Ireland, which allowed law enforcement to imprison a civilian without the right to a trial. During this protest, troops were deployed to supervise and ensure the safety of civilians; however, the troops were actually the ones who turned this protest into a massacre. Throughout the protest, the troops fired 108 rounds of ammunition at the unarmed protestors. A total of thirteen people were shot and killed by the troops, with an additional fifteen people being injured. This shooting led to…