Politics
‘Warrior ethos’ mistakes military might for true security − and ignores the wisdom of Eisenhower
‘Warrior ethos’ mistakes military might for true security − and ignores the wisdom of Eisenhower The Pentagon has announced a name change to the Department of War, signaling an escalation in the administration’s embrace of a militaristic mindset that ignores the wisdom of President Dwight D. Eisenhower. The name change comes after President Donald Trump […]
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Why a quick compromise to the first government shutdown in nearly 7 years seems unlikely
Why a quick compromise to the first government shutdown in nearly 7 years seems unlikely The US government has entered its first shutdown in nearly seven years due to disagreements over spending measures, with both Democrats and Republicans seemingly dug in on their positions. The Democrats’ stated sticking point is the expiration of health care […]
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Where George Washington would disagree with Pete Hegseth about fitness for command and what makes a warrior
Where George Washington would disagree with Pete Hegseth about fitness for command and what makes a warrior Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth recently announced new directives aimed at “reshaping the military’s culture” and restoring a “warrior ethos,” which he believes has been eroded by the inclusion of women in combat roles. However, historian Maurizio Valsania […]
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Trump’s Gaza peace plan: A bit of the old, a bit of the new – and the same stumbling blocks
Trump’s Gaza peace plan: A bit of the old, a bit of the new – and the same stumbling blocks The US has unveiled a new peace plan for Gaza, which includes 20 points that outline a framework for ending the two-year-old war and establishing a Palestinian state. The plan calls for Israel to withdraw […]
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Supreme Court to decide if Colorado’s law banning conversion therapy violates free speech
Supreme Court to decide if Colorado’s law banning conversion therapy violates free speech The US Supreme Court will hear oral arguments on October 7, 2025, to determine if Colorado’s law banning conversion therapy violates free speech. The case, Chiles v. Salazar, centers around whether talk therapy used by licensed professional counselor Kaley Chiles to try […]
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Supreme Court opens with cases on voting rights, tariffs, gender identity and campaign finance to test the limits of a constitutional revolution
Supreme Court opens with cases on voting rights, tariffs, gender identity and campaign finance to test the limits of a constitutional revolution The US Supreme Court’s upcoming term will test the limits of a constitutional revolution, with cases on voting rights, tariffs, gender identity, and campaign finance reflecting deep cultural divisions among Americans. The court’s […]
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Shutdowns are as American as apple pie − in the UK and elsewhere, they just aren’t baked into the process
Shutdowns are as American as apple pie − in the UK and elsewhere, they just aren’t baked into the process The US is an exception when it comes to government shutdowns, which are rare or non-existent in most Western democracies. The main reasons for this difference lie in the relative power of the legislature, how […]
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Oregon’s National Guard lawsuit hinges on Trump’s Truth Social posts
Oregon’s National Guard lawsuit hinges on Trump’s Truth Social posts Oregon Governor Tina Kotek had a phone call with President Trump where she tried to convince him not to send National Guard troops to Portland. Despite her efforts, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth issued a memorandum deploying 200 members of the Oregon National Guard to Portland […]
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Moral panics intensify social divisions and can lead to political violence
Moral panics intensify social divisions and can lead to political violence Moral panics can intensify social divisions and lead to political violence, as seen in recent high-profile incidents such as the assassination of Charlie Kirk. The concept of moral panics involves a societal epidemic of disproportionate fear of real or perceived threats, often leading to […]
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McCarthyism’s shadow looms over controversial firing of Texas professor who taught about gender identity
McCarthyism’s shadow looms over controversial firing of Texas professor who taught about gender identity Texas A&M University has fired a children’s literature professor, Melissa McCoul, over her discussion of gender identity in class, sparking concerns about academic freedom and free speech. The university claims that McCoul’s course content was not consistent with the published course […]
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History is repeating itself at the FBI as agents resist a director’s political agenda
History is repeating itself at the FBI as agents resist a director’s political agenda FBI Director Kash Patel’s tenure has raised concerns that he is implementing President Trump’s political agenda, leading to a politicization of the agency. Patel has installed loyalists at the DOJ and FBI who are dedicated to supporting Trump’s interests, including Dan […]
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Hamas has run out of options – survival now rests on accepting Trump’s plan and political reform
Hamas has run out of options – survival now rests on accepting Trump’s plan and political reform Hamas has accepted some aspects of President Donald Trump’s peace plan, including handing over administration of the Gaza Strip to a body of independent Palestinian technocrats and releasing all remaining Israeli hostages. Hamas’ military wing, the Al-Qassam Brigades, […]
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Ending taxes on home sales would benefit the wealthiest households most – part of a larger pattern in Trump tax plans
Ending taxes on home sales would benefit the wealthiest households most – part of a larger pattern in Trump tax plans Ending taxes on home sales would primarily benefit wealthy households, particularly those with high-priced homes, with an estimated average benefit of $100,000 per qualifying seller. The majority of Americans who sell their homes already […]
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Cuba’s leaders see their options dim amid blackouts and a shrinking economy
Cuba’s leaders see their options dim amid blackouts and a shrinking economy Cuba’s power grid is old and hard to maintain, and the country cannot afford to import all the oil it needs to keep the lights on, leading to frequent blackouts. The ongoing blackouts point to larger economic problems facing Cuba, including a shrinking […]
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Conventional anti-corruption tools often fail to address root causes – but loss of US leadership could still spell trouble for efforts abroad
Conventional anti-corruption tools often fail to address root causes – but loss of US leadership could still spell trouble for efforts abroad The US’s loss of leadership in anti-corruption efforts could spell trouble for global progress, despite conventional tools failing to address root causes. The Foreign Corrupt Practices Act has been effective in preventing bribery […]
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Commuters have bemoaned Philly’s public transit for decades − in 1967, a librarian got the city to listen
Commuters have bemoaned Philly’s public transit for decades − in 1967, a librarian got the city to listen Philadelphia’s public transit system has been plagued by poor conditions and unstable funding for nearly a century, with commuters’ complaints often convincing government officials to act. In 1967, librarian Miriam S. Axelrod wrote a letter to Mayor […]
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Censorship campaigns can have a way of backfiring – look no further than the fate of America’s most prolific censor
Censorship campaigns can have a way of backfiring – look no further than the fate of America’s most prolific censor The Trump administration’s efforts to suppress speech it disfavors may backfire, as seen in the case of comedian Jimmy Kimmel being suspended from his show and subsequently gaining more viewers than ever before. The history […]
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Why Jimmy Kimmel’s First Amendment rights weren’t violated – but ABC’s would be protected if it stood up to the FCC and Trump
Why Jimmy Kimmel’s First Amendment rights weren’t violated – but ABC’s would be protected if it stood up to the FCC and Trump Jimmy Kimmel’s indefinite suspension by ABC after making comments about the alleged shooter in Charlie Kirk’s death has sparked debate over whether it violates his First Amendment rights. The First Amendment protects […]
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Why Argentina is looking to the Trump administration for a bailout − and what the US Treasury can do to help
Why Argentina is looking to the Trump administration for a bailout − and what the US Treasury can do to help Argentina’s President Javier Milei has asked for US help to stabilize his country’s economy, which is facing a sharp sell-off of its currency and stocks. The US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent has announced that […]
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Why are there so many protests? The US public is highly polarized, and that drives people to act
Why are there so many protests? The US public is highly polarized, and that drives people to act Polarization is driving the surge in protests in the US, with the number of nonviolent demonstrations almost tripling since 2017. The level of polarization among Americans has reached its highest level since political scientists began tracking it […]
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UK, France and other Western nations recognize Palestinian state ahead of UN meetings – but symbolic action won’t make statehood happen
UK, France and other Western nations recognize Palestinian state ahead of UN meetings – but symbolic action won’t make statehood happen Western nations such as UK, France, Canada, and Australia have recognized Palestine as a state ahead of UN meetings, marking a significant diplomatic win for the Palestinian cause. The recognition comes despite Israel’s opposition […]
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Trump’s targeting of ‘enemies’ like James Comey echoes FBI’s dark history of mass surveillance, dirty tricks and perversion of justice under J. Edgar Hoover
Trump’s targeting of ‘enemies’ like James Comey echoes FBI’s dark history of mass surveillance, dirty tricks and perversion of justice under J. Edgar Hoover Donald Trump’s administration has launched a “Weaponization Working Group” to investigate perceived enemies, including former FBI Director James Comey, and has already indicted him on charges brought by a Trump loyalist […]
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Trump’s new target: Microsoft head of global affairs Lisa Monaco
Trump’s new target: Microsoft head of global affairs Lisa Monaco President Donald Trump has targeted Microsoft head of global affairs Lisa Monaco for retribution, calling for her to be fired. Trump claims that Monaco is “corrupt,” “deranged,” and a “menace to U.S. national security” due to her work as the 39th Deputy Attorney General under […]
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Trump’s dip into the Nile waters dispute didn’t settle the conflict – in fact, it may have caused more ripples
Trump’s dip into the Nile waters dispute didn’t settle the conflict – in fact, it may have caused more ripples President Donald Trump’s involvement in the Nile River waters dispute did not lead to a resolution, but rather may have caused more ripples in the conflict between Egypt, Sudan, and Ethiopia. The dispute centers on […]
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Religion often shapes someone’s view of abortion – but what about a woman’s actual decision?
Religion often shapes someone’s view of abortion – but what about a woman’s actual decision? Research suggests that while strong religious beliefs can shape public opinion on abortion, they do not necessarily influence a woman’s decision to have an abortion. A study of over 5,000 unmarried young women found that regardless of their level of […]
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Politicizing federal troops in US mirrors use of military in Latin America in the 1970s and ’80s
Politicizing federal troops in US mirrors use of military in Latin America in the 1970s and ’80s The US military’s deployment to domestic law enforcement roles under President Trump mirrors tactics used by Latin American countries in the 1970s and ’80s, which led to military dictatorships. Three Trump administration tactics – priming the public for […]
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How the First Amendment protects Americans’ speech − and how it does not
How the First Amendment protects Americans’ speech − and how it does not The First Amendment protects Americans’ speech, including speech that may be distasteful or unpopular, as long as it does not incite violence, is not obscene, and does not constitute defamation or a true threat. The government can regulate speech through “reasonable time, […]
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How Philly anarcho-punks blended music, noise and social justice in the 1990s and 2000s
How Philly anarcho-punks blended music, noise and social justice in the 1990s and 2000s The Philadelphia anarcho-punk scene of the 1990s and 2000s blended music, noise, and social justice, with many bands singing about war, capitalism, racism, and police violence. The scene was characterized by its underground venues, which became central to the city’s punk […]
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From anime to activism: How the ‘One Piece’ pirate flag became the global emblem of Gen Z resistance
From anime to activism: How the ‘One Piece’ pirate flag became the global emblem of Gen Z resistance The “One Piece” pirate flag, originally from the popular Japanese manga series, has become a global emblem of Gen Z resistance and youth-led activism. The flag’s spread across borders reflects the digital upbringing of Gen Z, who […]
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Facing a shutdown, budget negotiations are much harder because Congress has given Trump power to cut spending through ‘rescission’
Facing a shutdown, budget negotiations are much harder because Congress has given Trump power to cut spending through ‘rescission’ Congress faces a deadline of October 1 to adopt a spending measure to keep the federal government open, as budget negotiations are complicated by President Trump’s power to cut spending through “rescission”. The use of continuing […]
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