Illustration credit: Peter Naktin New German SPD Leaders Could Spell Doom For Merkel by Hal Conte Members of Germany’s Social Democratic Party picked two obscure figures to lead the party in a blow to the “Grand Coalition” government headed by Chancellor Angela Merkel, who has promised to retire come next election. Saskia Esken and Norbert […]

Hong Kong Polytechnic University Blocked to Trap Protestors by Yoona Lee Chinese Communist leaders declared they will enforce “national security” protocols against protesters in Hong Kong after months of street battles over the city’s government and a now-scrapped extradition bill proposal. Last week, protesters turned Polytechnic University into a site of siege, escalating the intense […]

Illustration credit: Peter Naktin Marshall Islands Still Badly Scarred From U.S. Nuke Tests by Hal Conte 130 tons of irradiated soil dumped by the U.S. government within a concrete dome is at risk of being released as a result of rising sea levels due to climate change The U.S. tested 67 nuclear bombs and bacteria-laced […]

Illustration credit: Peter Naktin Johnson and Corbyn Face Off as UK Set For December General Election by Hal Conte The U.K. Parliament voted for a Dec. 12 general election last Tuesday as Prime Minister Boris Johnson failed once again to advance Brexit through the legislature. Johnson’s Conservatives currently have a large lead in the polls […]

Illustration Credit: Peter Naktin Macri Expelled From Presidency in Argentina as Kirchner Rides Again by Hal Conte Cristina Fernandez and Alberto Fernandez became vice-president and president of Argentina in a long-expected victory, with the pair’s 48 percent of the vote leading outgoing President Mauricio Macri’s alliance by 7.5 percent. The election was seen as a […]

Illustration credit: Peter Naktin Body of Spanish Ex-Dictator Franco to be Reburied on Thursday by Hal Conte Notorious fascist Francisco Franco’s remains are scheduled to be removed from the giant, ornate mausoleum where they currently reside and reinterred next to those of his wife on Thursday. After crushing the Republic, Franco was dictator until 1975 […]

Illustration credit: Peter Naktin Anti-LGBTQ Law and Justice Party Wins Again in Poland, But Left is Back By Hal Conte Poland’s ruling Law and Justice party cruised to an overall majority in Sunday’s parliamentary elections, a widely expected result in a vote with high turnout. The party has declared “LGBTQ-free zones” and described gays and […]

Illustration credit: Peter Naktin Deportation of Haitians Intensifies Racism in the Dominican Republic. By Yoona Lee The Dominican Republic recently ended birthright citizenship for Haitians in the country as the latest step in a long line of discrimination against immigrants. In September 2013, a Dominican court issued the judgment that reversed birthright citizenship to Dominicans […]

Illustration credit: Peter Naktin French Ex-President Chirac Dead at 86 By Hal Conte Jacques Chirac, president of France from 1995 to 2007, and prime minister twice, during the 1970s and 1980s, died on Thursday. A Gaullist, Chirac’s attempts to install Thatcherite economics after being elected as prime minister under Socialist François Mitterrand was met with […]

Illustration credit: Peter Naktin Protests Hit Egypt Amid Simmers of Discontent With Autocrat By Hal Conte At least 74 people were arrested in Cairo as protesters demanded the fall of the Egyptian government in two nights of ongoing demonstrations against President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi, whose IMF-backed austerity programs have led to increased poverty and higher […]

Illustration credit: Peter Naktin Russia By Hal Conte President Vladimir Putin’s United Russia party saw sweeping losses as voters took revenge over economic stagnation and a rise in retirement ages last year, with the main opposition Communist Party gaining seven seats and smaller parties six of the 38 won by United Russia in 2014. The […]

Illustration credit: Peter Naktin Ukraine By Alice Hakvaag Volodymyr Zelensky, most well known for being a Ukrainian comedian who portrayed incumbent president Petro Poroshenko, has just won Ukraine’s presidential election. Zelensky won 73% of the vote as of Sunday evening. The result is mainly viewed as an embarrassment to the current establishment, since Zelensky has […]

Illustration credit: Peter Naktin Italy By Hal Conte Julius Caesar Mussolini, great-grandson of the infamous Italian dictator and founder of fascism Benito Mussolini, is running for election to the European Parliament. He’s running as a deputy for the Brothers of Italy party, at a time when the country’s political scene is dominated by anti-establishment and […]

Illustration credit: Peter Naktin Haiti By Alice Hakvaag This year marks the sixth year for the annual Haiti Fashion Week, something that has been making waves in fashion communities around the world. Michel Chataigne, a designer and coordinator for the event, says that, “designers from Italy, Paris, and the US come to see the shows […]

Illustration credit: Peter Naktin Mexico By Hal Conte Mexican President Andrés López Obrador slammed Spain and the Catholic Church for their role in colonizing the Latin American continent and committing genocide against the indigenous population. He sent letters to the Bourbon king of Spain and Pope Francis urging an apology, which the Spanish government refused. […]

Illustration Credit: Peter Naktin Russia By Hal Conte Russian President Vladimir Putin has outlawed “fake news” within Russia with the signing of a bill that gives those who spread “blatant disrespect” for the government fines of over $6,000. Government officials say that the measure will reduce hateful online comments and the spread of misleading content, […]

Illustration credit: Peter Naktin Algeria By Hal Conte A longstanding nationwide protest campaign has succeeded in forcing 82-year-old President Abdelaziz Bouteflika to decline a fifth term after 20 years at the helm of the African nation. In recent weeks, a general strike and protests by energy workers unhappy with the president’s policies bolstering international investors […]

Thailand By Hal Conte Princess Ubolratana Rajakanya Sirivadhana Varnavadi, the older sister of King Maha Vajiralongkorn, was announced as a candidate for premier of Thailand two weeks ago. Prayuth Chan-ocha, a general and de facto leader of the country since 2014’s military coup, was expected to assume power through the ballot box. Royal family members […]

Poland By Hal Conte A Middle East-oriented diplomatic conference was thrown into turmoil when Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu made comments that were translated into English by his Twitter team as reading “the common interest of war with Iran.” The event was seen by many as an attempt to rally support for isolating Iran among […]