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Opinion | Viewpoint

The Setonian
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Putin goes rogue: Russia’s diplomatic terrorism is exposed

By Makram Bekdache | March 8

Since the late 2000s, Russia has adopted a decidedly aggressive tone in its foreign policy. Eager to prevent NATO from expanding around his borders, Vladimir Putin used the relatively low-stakes annexation of Crimeato show the world he would not be afraid to pursue new strategic interests for his country. Back then, the West reacted in a lukewarm fashion. Sanctions only mildly hurt the Russian economy as they did not effectively target the specific industries or the oligarchs that funded Putin’s endeavors. 

The Setonian
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Missed connections: The separation between graduate and undergraduate life at Tufts

By Chelsie Wei | March 8

Walking in the streets of Tufts’ Medford campus, you may hear undergraduate students chattering about the latest IR midterm, frat party stories and housing lotteries. But have you run into any graduate students in your daily socials, club meetings and pickup sports? About 49% of the student population at Tufts consists of graduate students, with about 30% studying on Medford campus through the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, School of Engineering and the Fletcher School. However, the undergraduate population at Tufts rarely interacts with this significant portion of the campus community outside of class, whether it be in club meetings, at sporting events or at social gatherings. My peers and I often wondered what graduate students might be doing after their classes if not participating in the activities most undergrads associate with the traditional Tufts experience. There, instead, seems to exist an unrecognized problem brewing in the undercurrents among graduate student life — their lack of an on-campus presence in major academic organizations and culture clubs.

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A closer look at Tufts' COVID-19 trends

By Kristin Shiuey | March 3

The Tufts COVID-19 Dashboard has become a site frequently visited by students. For many, guessing how many COVID-19 cases there are on campus in a given week is almost like a game. Two weeks ago, the dashboard displayed skyrocketing numbers that had students wondering whether we would be sent back home. 

The Setonian
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Leave them alone this time: Iraq is reclaiming its sovereignty

By Makram Bekdache | February 23

History has been particularly unfair to Iraq. The country has repeatedly tried to gain prestige and claim the foothold it deserves within the Arab world and the Middle East. But any prolonged stability or progress for Iraq seems to have been constantly barred. Nevertheless, the country might be finally ready to act and become truly independent again.

The Setonian
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Rushing for a job in finance: The reality of early recruiting timelines

By Chelsie Wei | February 22

If you open LinkedIn and enter the keywords “2023 summer,” you will find  yourself with 6,438 job postings, as of mid-February 2022, regarding intern positions for Summer 2023. If you proceed to filter down openings by the following industries — “financial services,” “accounting” and “business consulting and services” — the number drops down to 3000. Financial services opportunities comprise many of the positions hiring for interns with a start date in 1 ½ years, and their deadlines are approaching fast.

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For many, "test optional" is not really optional

By Vihaa Kapadia | February 17

When the decision for colleges and universities to go test-optional spread rapidly through the country like a wildfire due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the SAT started to lose its relevance. Harvard University decided to go test-optional until 2026  to limit the weight of standardized tests in the admission process due to their biased nature, which disproportionately disadvantages students of color and those from low-income families. In 2020, universities in the University of California system decided to steer away from the SAT and ACT permanently for similar reasons. 

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Nuclear frenemies: Why is Russia courting China?

By Makram Bekdache | February 16

Russia is growing increasingly belligerent. With the United States busy confronting China’s growing influence in Asia, Vladimir Putin is now trying to send a message by threatening Ukraine to show the West that they shouldn’t discount his powerful country. It was then only a matter of time for an adage to return: “The enemy of my enemy is my friend.” This saying holds in the context of Sino-Russian relations. 

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The silenced star: Takeaways from the Peng Shuai case

By Kristin Shiuey | February 15

The esteemed 2022 Winter Olympics are being hosted in China: a nation known for its strong military power, authoritarian-like command over its vast population and confrontational stance towards the West. The People's Republic, under General Secretary Xi Jinping's authority, has maintained tense relations with the United States over economic trade, technology production, its violent persecution of the region of Hong Kong and its threats towards Taiwan. 

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Promises and approval: Where does Biden stand one year into his term?

By Reya Kumar | February 10

On Jan. 20, 2021, Joe Biden was sworn in as President of the United States with an approval rating in the mid-50s. Now, a year later, his approval rating rests firmly in the low-40s, which is lower than any president — other than Donald Trump — at this point in their first term. Despite many of Biden’s successes in his first year, the drop in approval likely arises from the fact that he has been slow to act on some campaign promises and suffered from circumstances out of his control.

The Setonian
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Investors must consider risks when investing in cryptocurrency

By Henry Murray and Idil Kolabas | February 9

From celebrities appearing in cryptocurrency commercials to the repetitive, self-proclaimed investing gurus on TikTok, cryptocurrency has grounded itself in social media and pop culture. However, its swift growth on the internet has exposed many of the dangers of the business. While investing money is smart, and a new realm like cryptocurrency is encouraging for people looking to make money, the lack of understanding that most people have of cryptocurrency is frightening. Cardify, a market research platform, conducted various studies on the state of cryptocurrency in recent years and found thatover 83% of investors reported having only a moderate to low understanding of what they were investing in. As people are bombarded with information about cryptocurrency online, many feel pressure to get involved without any knowledge of the business, for fear of missing out. This trend of rash decision making, especially with something as volatile as cryptocurrency, has the potential to lead to significant loss. 

The Setonian
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"Rules for thee but not for me": The role of leaders in containing COVID-19

By Gian Luca Di Lenardo | February 7

n Jan. 19, British Prime Minister, Boris Johnson, announced that many of the more stringent measures Britain had taken to curb the spread of COVID-19 early on in the pandemic would officially end on Jan. 26. Since the end of January, those in Britain are no longer required to wear masks indoors or show NHS COVID Passes to enter public venues, and the government no longer advises people to work remotely. Additionally, the government announced that they intend to end the legal requirement for those who test positive for COVID-19 to self-isolate. The current regulations are set to expire on March 24, after which they will not be renewed. Along with this announcement, Johnson continued to encourage British citizens, among whom 65% of eligible people are fully vaccinated and boosted, to practice cautious behavior like handwashing and ventilating rooms, and he urged those who remain unvaccinated to step forward and receive their vaccines.

The Setonian
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Ukraine: What will it take for the West to react?

By Makram Bekdache | January 25

The fall and dismantling of the Soviet Union humiliated the newly created Russian Federation and left it in grave economic trouble. The countries that emerged from this process chose diverging paths when it came to relations with Russia. 11 of the 15 ex-USSR countries joined the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS), essentially vowing to collaborate and align with Russian politics. Most importantly for Russia, this union was a political successor to the Cold War-era collective defense treaty known as the Warsaw Pact. The ex-superpower hoped this would prevent its young neighbors from joining NATO and bringing American weaponry to their doorstep. 

The Setonian
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Tufts students and university officials must support facilities staff and dining workers

By Reya Kumar | January 19

Dining workers and custodial staff keep our campus running, supporting students, educators and administrators alike. Without them, we would not be able to function as an educational institution. Amidst the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, during which operations were expanded and immense uncertainty loomed over our campus, they continued to work tirelessly, risking their own health in the process. Tufts custodial and dining staff are integral members of our community and we must do more to support them.

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Nepotism and networks: Inequity in internship access for students

By Faye Shen Li Thijssen and Sara Kessel | December 13

For undergraduate students, the process of applying to internships can be a daunting one, further complicated by the advantages and networks that only some have access to. Depending on the industry, the timelines for submitting an application can vary greatly, with some summer internships in fields like finance starting as early as the fall.Staying on top of these recruitment and application deadlines is important if you want to stand out among the numerous other applicants. However, those with the right connections are often the ones who can navigate the process most easily, successfully taking hold of the many internship opportunities.

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True glory: Remembering Virgil Abloh

By Makram Bekdache | December 10

“Being displayed in museums and staying in the streets: that is true glory,”  Sophie Fontanel wrote on Giorgio Armani. I would argue this quote suits Virgil Abloh as much, if not more — a man who grew to become one of the most popular designers on Earth. Virgil Abloh, the artistic director of Louis Vuitton, founder of Off-White and a unique force in the fashion industry, passed away last week at the young age of 41, victim to a cancer he had been privately fighting. While Abloh was a master of social media, gaining success as he publicized his brand on various platforms, he was able to protect his private life, highlighting the resilience with which he soldiered on while facing such a ruthless disease. Just as impressive was his versatility in his work. Indeed, the Illinois native never restricted himself to the medium of clothing. Far from it.

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