Next Generation Diplomacy

Debrief and Potential Solution to US-Russia Crisis over Ukraine Article by Alfred Xavier Yet again, the US, the West, and Russia have found themselves in another quagmire reminiscent of the ones from the Cold War—and even one from 8 years ago. In recent weeks, US, European, and Ukrainian officials have been on high alert at the sight of the mobilization of 100,000 Russian soldiers situated along the Ukrainian border in multiple regions. Western officials have made numerous warnings and predictions on the possibility of starting a new and bloody European war that could drag several world powers in as the Russian invasion threat seems imminent. Eight years since the annexation of Crimea by Russia, in response to the ousting of a pro-Russian president in Ukraine, Ukraine has found itself once again fending off a centuries-long dominant and creeping Russian influence, with the US and its NATO counterparts scrambling to find an effective solution to repel the possibility of a ‘full-fledged

The Endangered Spix Macaw By: Blessen Kuriakose The luscious, blue ombre feathers of the illustrious Spix Macaw have mesmerized many for years. Many may recognize these birds from the famous movie Rio. Their growing popularity over the years has attracted much attention towards them. The Spix Macaw, otherwise known as Cyanopsitta spixii, is a parrot originating from Brazil. German naturalist Johann Baptist Ritter von Spix first discovered the majestic animal on his expedition to Brazil in 1819. Little is known of their natural habitats as they occupy little space in the vast expanses of ornithological literature. These birds were spotted in nature in the state of Bahia of Brazil in the year 1986. Soon, these animals were captured and sold for very high prices to bidders in the US and Europe. This species of parrot has been considered extinct for many years. It was declared extinct in the wild in the year 2000. The many causes of this decline in the population of Spix Macaw include ille

Addiction: Rehabilitation or Incarceration? By: Andrew Zhang America’s prisons are packed to the brim with 2.1 million inmates convicted of crimes ranging from murder to simple traffic violations. Coming from all corners of the country and all walks of life, these convicts have been sentenced for offenses against America’s judicial system. However, despite seeming very different, most of these convicts have one thing in common: drugs. Drugs have been long known to alter the human psyche. They artificially stimulate the “reward” center of the brain to release dopamine, or the “happy” chemical, which enables the user to feel pleasure. However, prolonged stimulation causes addiction, where the body cannot feel or function normally without the drug (Redonna K et al., 183-190). Addiction, along with a host of other mental and physical changes brought on by the use of drugs, causes people to behave irrationally and commit crimes they would not usually commit. A whopping 65% of the prison pop

The Gilded City Made with Blood By: Brian Li Dubai: the golden standard of a dream destination for both tourists and millionaires, or both at the same time. The saying is literal and metaphorical, as the city made its first pot of gold by supplying the new growing demand of gold by the emerging middle class in India back in 1968. And since then, Dubai has only grown in both popularity and capital. Ranking as THE most popular or sought-after destination globally in 2022 by CNN and receiving approximately over 5 million tourists in the first ten months of 2021. "Dubai is an ultramodern city that has it all: golden beaches, world-class dining, and gorgeous hotels." Its social and economic status only gets taken to an even higher stage when you see all of the celebrities and models who post their photos on top of luxurious high rises overlooking its notorious and awe-inspiring man-made island with a second one in its constructions. And for the college-seeking students out there,

  Why is it Hard to Get a Good Education in the Philippines? Will Concepcion Introduction In 2015, a sample of 15-year-old Filipino students were tested and ranked last in reading comprehension out of 79 countries, while they were ranked second to last in math and science. As a third-world country, the Philippines has a hard time investing money into education because of the lack of basic necessities in the area already. In fact, many public schools do not have technology such as computers and other tools, despite the digital age. Therefore, education in the Philippines is hard for everyone in the country. Covid-19’s impact Covid-19 had also been a significant cause of concern for education struggles in the Philippines. Thanks to Covid, over 20% were expected to drop out of school, four million students could not enroll for the school year, and even the closing of schools thanks to the lack of enrolled students. The deadly virus had also forced schools to run digitally, which was a pro

  QUOTH THE RAVEN, “NEVERMORE”: Open Access and the fight for free knowledge Griffin Hon For hundreds of thousands of researchers and students every day, the little red key and the black corvid that bears it are a comforting sight for sore eyes. With an ever-growing collection of 85,258,448 articles, shadow library Sci-Hub offers free access to 95% of all scientific journal literature. Sci-Hub spells out its goal on the front page of its infamous website, sci-hub.se: “ ... to remove all barriers in the way of science. ” To this extent, it’s been a crucial tool in the education of millions worldwide and an unsung part of the most important scientific discoveries of the last decade. Despite this, our passerine hero has been banned in 11 countries , including the United Kingdom, France, Germany, and Sweden. Sci-Hub’s creator, dubbed the “ Robin Hood of the academic publishing world ” and the “ Pirate Queen of Science ,” is being sued for $15 and $4.8 million in compensation from several