India, The World's Largest Democracy, Prepares For Elections

In most democratic countries, voters go to the polls on a single, predetermined day. However, that is not true in India. The world's largest democracy, with about 970 million registered voters, conducts its elections in seven stages over six weeks. Held every five years, the elections will occur from April 9, 2024, to June 1, 2024. The results will be announced on June 4, 2024....

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Iowa Caucus Kicks Off 2024 US Presidential Race

The race for the US presidency kicked off in earnest with the Iowa caucus on January 15, 2024. Over 110,000 Republican voters braved the frigid weather and dangerous driving conditions to vote for the candidate they believed was most qualified to run for president in the November elections....

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Remembering Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

Martin Luther King Day, observed annually on the third Monday of January, celebrates the life and legacy of the American civil rights leader. The federal holiday is designated as a national day of service to encourage Americans to volunteer to improve their communities....

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The Israel — Hamas Conflict Explained

On October 7, 2023, the Palestinian militant group Hamas launched an unprecedented attack against Israel. The large-scale assault occurred in the early morning hours, just as Israelis were wrapping up the seven-day-long Jewish festival of Sukkot....

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Youth Environmentalists Win Historic Climate Trial In Montana

A group of young environmentalists in Montana won a landmark climate change ruling on August 14, 2023. In a historic first, District Court Judge Kathy Seeley sided with the youth activists that the state's government was not doing enough to protect them from climate change. Here is a rundown of all the essential details....

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Everything You Need To Know About The US Debt Ceiling

On May 1, 2023, US Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen urged lawmakers to raise the debt ceiling immediately. She warned that if the US government were not allowed to borrow more, it would be unable to meet its obligations by early June 2023. They include things like Social Security and Medicare payments. The government would also be unable to make interest payments on money borrowed in the past. This would result in a US debt default....

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The Life and Legacy of Martin Luther King, Jr.

Martin Luther King, Jr. (MLK) was one of America's most influential civil rights movement leaders. His life and achievements are celebrated annually on the third Monday of January. The federal holiday, which will be observed on January 16 this year, is designated as a National Day of Service. Americans are encouraged to spend the holiday volunteering to improve their communities....

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Rishi Sunak Is Britain's First Prime Minister Of Color

On October 25th, 2022, Rishi Sunak replaced Lizz Truss as Britain's Prime Minister (PM). The country's third leader in less than two months is a man of many firsts. He is the first non-white and first Indian-origin PM. At 42, Sunak is also the youngest British leader in over 200 years. With an estimated family net worth of £730 million ($840 million), Sunak is the richest-ever British PM....

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The US Midterm Elections Explained

Election season is in full swing in the United States. On November 8, 2022, millions of Americans will head to the polls to vote for their favorite candidates at this year's midterm elections. As the name indicates, the elections occur halfway through a US president's four-year term. Midterms do not receive the same attention as presidential elections. But they can have just as significant an impact on the country's direction....

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San Francisco's Four-Year Quest To Find The Perfect Public Trash Can

San Francisco's public trash cans have long outlived their lifespan and need to be replaced. However, the current design is inadequate for the city's burgeoning population and the increasingly larger number of tourists. The garbage receptacles also get rummaged through by scavengers, who leave behind a mess. To alleviate the issues, in 2018, San Francisco Public Works officials set out in search of a perfect trash can. The quest proved harder than they had thought....

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US Lawmakers Approve The Inflation Reduction Act

The US House of Representatives passed the Inflation Reduction Act on August 12, 2022. The comprehensive legislation, approved by the Senate on August 8, 2022, will be signed into law by President Joe Biden later this week. It is designed to lower health care and energy costs, combat climate change, and increase taxes on large corporations. Major provisions of the bill include:...

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President Joe Biden Signs Bipartisan Gun Safety Bill Into Law

President Joe Biden signed the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act into law on June 25, 2022. The legislation aims to stop dangerous people from obtaining firearms and to provide much-needed funds to improve the nation's mental health system. It is the most significant gun control regulation approved by the US Congress since the now-expired Federal Assault Weapons Ban of 1994....

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Americans Stage Nationwide Rallies To Push For Stronger Gun Control Laws

Tens of thousands of Americans across the country took to the streets on June 11, 2022, to once again push for more stringent gun control laws. The rallies come in the wake of the tragic deaths of 19 students and two teachers at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas, on May 24, 2022, and ten shoppers at a Buffalo, New York, grocery store on June 2, 2022....

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Ukrainian Bomb-Sniffing Dog Gets A Medal From President Volodymyr Zelenskyy

The ongoing Russia-Ukraine conflict has produced an unlikely hero — a Jack Russell Terrier named Patron. The two-year-old pooch is credited with detecting over 200 Russian explosives since the war began in February. On May 8, 2022, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy honored Patron and his owner, Mykhailo Iliev, with a presidential medal for their service to the country....

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The Russia-Ukraine Conflict Enters Its Seventh Week

Russia's unprovoked attack on Ukraine, which began on February 24, 2022, shows no signs of abating. After being forced to withdraw from the northern cities of Kyiv, Chernihiv, and Sumy, the Russian army focused its military efforts on the port city of Mariupol in southeastern Ukraine. Their relentless bombardment has destroyed 80 percent of the city's infrastructure and killed as many as 10,000 civilians....

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Ketanji Brown Jackson Makes Supreme Court History

On April 7, 2022, the U.S. Senate voted 53-47 to confirm Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson as the 116th Associate Justice of the United States Supreme Court. The 51-year-old is the first African American woman and only the sixth female to serve on the nation's highest court....

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Remembering Madeleine Albright, America's First Female Secretary Of State

Dr. Madeleine Jana Korbel Albright, the first female US Secretary of State, passed away on March 23, 2022. A statement released by her family revealed that the 84-year-old had been suffering from cancer. The highest-ranking woman in the history of the American government at the time of her appointment, Dr. Albright played a crucial role in shaping US foreign policy in the 1990s....

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Unique Ways People Are Helping Support Ukraine

Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, which began on February 24, 2022, is showing no signs of ending. While the brave Ukrainians have thus far succeeded in keeping the Russian army from taking over major cities like Kyiv, Kharkiv, and Mariupol, the war is taking a toll on the Eastern European nation. Thousands of residential buildings, cemeteries and even hospitals have been razed by Russian airstrikes. Over two million Ukrainians have fled to neighboring countries, and as many as 4,000 soldiers and civilians are believed to have perished....

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The Russia-Ukraine Conflict Explained

On February 24, 2022, Russian forces unleashed a wave of attacks on neighboring Ukraine. Given that Russia had been gathering troops on Ukraine's border since October 2021, the full-scale invasion from the north, east, and south was not totally unexpected. However, American and European Union (EU) officials had hoped that the threat of economic sanctions would deter Russian President Vladimir Putin from taking this drastic action. To better understand how we got here, it is essential to know a little about the long, complicated relationship between the two countries....

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Queen Elizabeth II Is The First British Monarch To Celebrate A Platinum Jubilee

On February 6, 2022, Queen Elizabeth II celebrated her Platinum Jubilee — 70 years to the day she became queen. The 95-year-old is the first British monarch and one of only four documented monarchs, worldwide — Louis XIV of France; Johann II of Liechtenstein, and, most recently, Bhumibol Adulyadej of Thailand — to mark the extraordinary anniversary. The historic milestone will be celebrated with events and initiatives throughout the year, but the main festivities will be held during a four-day holiday weekend in June....

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Honoring The Life And Legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

Martin Luther King Day, which will be observed on January 17, 2022, is about more than honoring the legacy of the American civil rights activist. It is the only US federal holiday designated as a national day of service — a "day on, not a day off." Americans are encouraged to celebrate the occasion by participating in service activities to help their local communities....

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