Blog
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Brexit as Force Majeure – Boris Johnson’s Act of God?
By Audrey Fick, Associate Editor Britain must negotiate a trade deal with Europe regarding future commercial relations by the end of 2020, or face expensive disruption with its largest trading partner. That deadline may be impossible, however, considering that recent European trade deals with Canada and Japan took seven years, and only further complicated by Johnson’s intent to break from European regulatory rules concerning labor, environment, and product safety. In moving UK commitments to abide by EU standards regarding tax, labor rights, and environment out of the legally binding portion of the Brexit deal into a separate, non-binding political deal, Johnson arranged for increased freedom to diverge from EU norms…
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Nike’s International Shipping Ban on Retailers Means Trouble for “Sneakerheads”
By Imani Deas, Associate Editor YOU GOT EM!— Every sneakerheads favorite thing to see. If you are familiar with the Nike brand or the Nike SNKRS app, then you know that “you got em” means that you just secured the sneakers you’ve been dying to get your hands on, or better yet your feet in. What is a sneakerhead, you might ask? A sneakerhead is an individual who collects limited, rare, original, or flat out exclusive sneakers. The collection usually consists of Nike Air Jordan’s but is not limited to such category. Moreover, a sneakerhead has a passion and knowledge of specific sneakers. Those who purchase limited or rare sneakers…
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Power Play in Moscow: Putin’s Attempt to Stay in Power
By Moneeka Brar, Associate Editor On January 15, 2020, Russian President Vladimir Putin surprisingly announced constitutional amendments that would drastically change the Russian government. This includes amendments that would strengthen the powers of the prime minister and parliament, coming at the expense of the Russian presidency. However, with growing unrest in Russia amongst its political and economic economies, only time will tell if these changes will prove to be successful or lead to the end of his power. If these amendments to the Russian Constitution are successful, Putin will maintain his long-term grip on power after his current (and final) presidential term ends in 2024. With these amendments, it is…
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U.S. Strike on Qassem Soleimani Leads to More Questions than Answers
By Troy Parker, Associate Editor On January 3rd, 2020, the United States conducted an airstrike on a car departing Iraq. The car contained the second most powerful man in Iran—General Qassem Soleimani. Soleimani was responsible for dozens of attacks on U.S. personnel over many years and was labeled as a terrorist in 2011. However, many questions now emerge from the ashes of this strike, including: how did we get here? Did President Trump have the legal authority to do this? And what is to come of the growing tensions between the two countries? The U.S. and Iran have not had a diplomatic relationship since 1980. A breakthrough appeared imminent with…
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The Lasting Effects of a Continent on Fire
By Mariah Almonte, Associate Editor “It’s hell on earth!” After four months of devastating bushfires throughout Australia, thousands remain trapped in seaside towns surrounded by fire and clouded with smoke. As temperatures continue to rise above 104 degrees Fahrenheit, “severe” fire danger alerts have been issued across the Continent. On January 1, 2020, Australia’s Prime Minister, Scott Morrison, deployed the military to provide aid and help evacuate thousands of residents from the southeastern coast. With no way out due to road closures and skies too clouded to fly, hundreds have sought shelter on the beach while living on boats and being transported on naval vessels as evacuations continue. Though the continent…
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Becoming Atlantis: Venice’s floods, Climate Change & Corruption
By Sharon Otasowie, Associate Editor A fragile treasure built on 118 islands off Italy’s northeast coast, it’s a miracle that Venice has managed to survive and thrive for more than 1,000 years. The city has built a naval and commercial empire and created an immense collection of palaces and churches, full of priceless paintings, to which an estimated 20 million tourists flock to every year. With the plan of an underwater fortress of steel designed to rise from the depths during high tides to protect the lagoon city of Venice, it’s among the most ambitious works of civil engineering in modern Italian history. But decades after the idea’s formation, Venice remains…
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Knife-Crime Crisis: Saving UK Youth Before It’s Too Late
By Briana T. Clayton, Associate Editor LONDON, England — On the night of November 7, 2019, a shocking night of violence resulted in three teenagers being stabbed within 10 minutes of one another. The double knife attack in West London resulted in the death of one of the victims, while at the same time, police rushed to Feltham where another young teenager had been stabbed. Sadly, this story has become all too common in the UK. Young people, specifically teens are falling victim to the knife crisis, some having been caught when they are defenseless, losing their lives too soon, while others make the choice to carry the weapon for…
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The NBA’s China Debacle: How Corporations Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Chinese Market
By Max Hubscher, Associate Editor On October 4, 2019, one tweet, and its subsequent fallout showed the influence that a foreign government can have over an American company. On that day, Daryl Morey, the General Manager of the Houston Rockets NBA team tweeted a picture that read “fight for freedom stand with Hong Kong”. The since deleted tweet was posted in support of the ongoing protests in Hong Kong against increased Chinese governmental control over Hong Kong. The tweet had almost instant ramifications for the Rockets. The day after the tweet was posted Tencent, an official broadcasting partner of the NBA in China and China Central Television (CCTV) announced that…
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What’s Going on With Brexit?
By Alexandra Calhoun, Associate Editor In 2016, 51.9% of voters voted in favor of leaving the E.U. How that exit would take place would become a political firestorm. Former Prime Minister Theresa May lost her position because she couldn’t finish what she’d begun- Brexit. Boris Johnson then took her spot with the promise that he’d get a Brexit withdrawal agreement through Parliament. Boris Johnson once stated that he would rather be “dead in a ditch” than ask Brussels for an extension past October 31, 2019 and that the U.K. would leave on October 31st “deal or no deal” But “deal or no deal” was not the acceptable pathway for many…
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The World’s Most Wanted Man is Dead
By Shannon Bausinger, Associate Editor In the early hours of October 27, 2019 President Trump announced ISIS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi had died by suicide after being surrounded in a tunnel by U.S. forces. No U.S. personnel losses were suffered, although many of Baghdadi’s people were killed including his three children who were alongside him when the suicide vest was detonated. This successful mission followed the cancelation of other attacks set to take place in preceding weeks. Baghdadi rose to prominence in 2014 when he declared the creation of a caliphate. Under the leadership of Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, ISIS has been held responsible for a reign of terror; displacing millions…
