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Road to the World Cup: Mexico modernizes, Infantino plays politics

By Antonia Toro | October 21

Mexico is not simply relying on its history as a two-time World Cup host (1970 and 1986); it is actively working to modernize its security infrastructure. Mexico City, which will host the tournament’s inaugural game at the Estadio Azteca, recently selected the firm Amper to lead a technological modernization of its centers of Command and Control (C5) specifically in preparation for the World Cup. This update, involving new infrastructure and the latest version of the GEMYC-D system, aims to enhance public safety and optimize operations across the metropolis.

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Forgotten Fronts: The junta’s Golden Triangle

By Alexander Degterev | October 21

Burma, rife with instability from decades of military control, has become a steadily growing hub of international crime.

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Evanescence and the Beautiful Foolishness of Things: Hokusai’s ‘The Great Wave’

By Isabella Jin | October 21

For centuries, the East and West have existed as what seem to be distinct entities — so different in culture and ideology that the art they produced reflected those stark differences. While Western art focused extensively on perspective and individual expressionism, East Asian art maintained its historical lineage of searching for “essence” in life and depicting the philosophical ideas of Buddhism and Daoism. However, as suited to the adventurous spirit of the great explorers, cultural exchange between the two was an inevitable historical product that brought excitement and revolution. 

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Love to Hate: Kyrie Irving

By Brian Becker | October 20

He’s a box office superstar talent, bringing fans through the turnstiles. Pundits might even argue he’s the most watchable player in the NBA with his shifty step-backs and silky smooth layups, moves that he practiced growing up in his West Orange home without a backboard square. While fans are left in awe from his on-court craftsmanship, his off-court controversy has ruffled at least a few feathers and even prevented him from showing up to work.

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Moments ‘til Madness: What to make of the preseason Top 25

By Owen Short | October 16

With about three weeks to go until the opening tip of the college hoops season, we finally have the first official Associated Press Poll of the 2025–26 season. Most of the names and general rankings aren’t very surprising, given all the time spent analyzing these now mostly finalized rosters, but ...

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The Bigger Picture: Let Maggie Cheung tell you about wealth and identity

By Linda Huang | October 16

On my flight back to Boston from Hong Kong, I watched “Comrades: Almost a Love Story” (1996), a Hong Kong film directed by Peter Chan and starring Leon Lai and Maggie Cheung — the perfect ending to my summer. The bittersweet emotions this romantic melodrama evoked quickly earned it a place at the top of my list of Hong Kong classics, despite its poorly translated English title. The original Chinese name, “Tian Mi Mi,” literally means “Sweet Honey,” a far better description of the film’s tender yet heartbreaking tone.

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A Jumbo’s Journey: And the universe said…

By Ben Rachel | October 15

Telling people that I am a part of a DJ duo is super strange. It’s not because of the actual act of DJing, but because my first-year self would probably have a heart attack if I told him what I was doing with my time. My partner and I are going into our second year as the DJ duo known by the name rnr.dj (everyone should go follow on Instagram: @rnr.dj_).

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Almaty: The city of blisters

By Max Turnacioglu | October 10

The following is your complete insider’s guide to running a half-marathon in Almaty with minimal training — in nine easy steps!

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Through Indigenous Eyes: Tribe-run tourism

By Sorsha Khitikian | October 10

After spending our first night with a family member in Las Vegas, my mom and I hit the first destination on our road trip: the Grand Canyon. A bucket-list item for both of us, we decided to make the most of the drive. Along the way we stopped at cool sites such as the Glen Canyon Dam and Wahweap (where I even got to touch the Colorado River!). But by far the standout of these stops was Upper Antelope Canyon.

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Love to Hate: Rivalries in the community

By Brian Becker | October 9

Mark Knopfler’s song “Going Home: Theme of the Local Hero” provides Newcastle United fans with a sense of local pride. While not as mainstream as Premier League football, Tufts host communities of the Medford/Somerville area — and beyond — provide plenty of intense rivalries from the professional stage down to the local community. All of which, in the eyes of some fans, define the true meaning of a ‘local hero.’ In the same spirit, I’ve compiled a guide of the greatest local sports games happening within the local area fit for Tufts students, as well as Medford, Somerville and Arlington residents alike, to attend.

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Munching with Max: Porter Square

By Max Druckman | October 9

Steph and Klay. Batman and Robin. Mario and Luigi. Every dynamic duo features a main character and a trusty sidekick. While these sidekicks often don’t get the attention they deserve, their contributions are equally important.

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High Fidelity: The 10 best album openers of all time

By Kasra Salehi | October 9

“High Fidelity” by Nick Hornby is a book about the music-obsessed — about the kinds of guys who spend their free time making desert-island mix tapes. The main character, Rob, spends hours reorganizing his record collection based on different themes and aesthetics. I’ve decided to start the column that Rob wishes he could have had. I’ll review new albums, write about some of my favorite albums with upcoming anniversaries and, most importantly, I’ll make lists.

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Science

Dissertation Diaries: Chantal Aaron

By William Nguyen | October 9

Welcome back to the fifth installment of “Dissertation Diaries.” This week, we will be highlighting Chantal Aaron, a fifth-year Ph.D. student in The Elizabeth Byrne Lab at the Tufts Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences.

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The Intangibles: Kyrie Irving, rightfully misunderstood

By Jonah Cowan | October 8

Who is Kyrie Irving? My intention here is not to absolve Irving of responsibility, but rather to understand what led him towards anti-vaxxing and conspiratorial ideologies, and how he has evolved since then. I would like understand him as a person first, then analyze him specifically as a person desiring influence.

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Forgotten Fronts: USAID cuts will kill millions in Sudan and leave America destitute on the world stage

By Alexander Degterev | October 7

President Donald Trump’s dismantling of the United States Agency for International Development was never just a budgetary decision; It was a political declaration that welfare abroad be damned — ushering in a new era of direct and in-your-face U.S. intervention. 

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Road to the World Cup: FIFA’s unity problem

By Antonia Toro | October 6

FIFA revealed the new World Cup soccer ball on Thursday. Named TRIONDA, it features three colored waves: green for Mexico, red for Canada and blue for the United States. For much of the World Cup’s history, World Cup balls have symbolized host nations.

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The Full Court Press: Bowling alone, batting together

By Noah Goldstein | October 3

In his 2000 book “Bowling Alone: The Collapse and Revival of American Community,” political scientist Robert Putnam writes that, “American history carefully examined is a story of ups and downs in civic engagement, not just downs — a story of collapse and of renewal.”

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Dissertation Diaries: Udathari Kumarasinghe

By Addison Dion | October 2

This installment of “Dissertation Diaries” highlights Udathari Kumarasinghe, a fifth-year Ph.D. candidate in the Department of Physics and Astronomy at Tufts University. Before Tufts, Kumarasinghe completed a Bachelor of Science in Physics at the University of Peradeniya in Sri Lanka.

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Moments ‘til Madness: The pecking order of the Power 5

By Owen Short | October 2

Just like everything else in college basketball, the pecking order of the top conferences seems to shuffle from year to year. With the constant churn of the transfer portal and a fresh round of coaching changes, this feels like the right moment to take stock of the Power 5. The goal: to predict which leagues are poised for the most success, whether by racking up tournament bids, producing true championship contenders or simply standing out in overall competitiveness.

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Elephant Yoga? A Jumbo Guide to Boston’s Yoga Spots: Down Under School of Yoga

By Fiona Hinrichsen | October 2

Founded by Justine Wiltshire Cohen in 2004 in a church basement in Newton Highlands, the Down Under School of Yoga stands as one of Boston’s most esteemed yoga studios. Cohen’s yoga journey began at a very young age. Her parents, both journalists, worked with the Dalai Lama’s community in India, teaching English to Tibetan monks. Cohen’s own teaching career has now spanned over two decades. Notably, while working in Washington, D.C., as an international human rights lawyer, she combined her passion for law and classical yoga to become the yoga teacher to the U.S. Supreme Court. 

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