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Where you read it first | Saturday, September 23, 2023
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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.

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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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It was only a matter of time: What we must keep in mind with the omicron variant

By Idil Kolabas and Claire Wilkinson | December 9

It was only a matter of time before researchers discovered another mutation of COVID-19. On Nov. 26, the World Health Organization reported omicron as a “variant of concern,” triggering the adoption of travel bans by various governments and a wave of panic that has begun affecting populations around the world. Still, many questions remain regarding what makes this variant different, making much of the panic we see, fueled by rumors and misinformation, unproductive. 

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In Poland, 'Law and Justice,' or 'How to lawfully dismantle justice?'

By Makram Bekdache | December 3

The right-wing Law and Justice (PiS) party has been governing Poland for the last six years. The ruling coalition has turned a blind eye to and even discretely defended societal measures that go directly against the European Union’s stance, notably on issues like abortion and LGBTQ rights. These measures are a populist attempt by the PiS to ensure the loyalty of their crucial rural base, and they have already maintained the party at the helm through two elections. The country that birthed Lech Walesa and the fight against Soviet hegemony abruptly turned back on its history, bringing the Kaczyński twins, Jaroslaw and Lech, and their bigoted party to power.

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The passage of Biden’s infrastructure bill and the consequences of our polarized political climate

By Faye Shen Li Thijssen and Sara Kessel | December 1

On Nov. 15, President Joe Biden signed the long-awaited $1.2 billion infrastructure bill into law. The U.S. is now able to finally begin infrastructure projects that were previously put on hold, investing $550 billion over the next five years. These projects includerebuilding our roads and bridges, investing in public transit and easing Amtrak’s maintenance backlog, expanding broadband systems to aid rural and low-income communities and furthering environmental infrastructure through climate resilience and renewable energy sources. 

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A divided house in need of big repairs

By Trent Bunker | November 23

As the night of the Nov. 2 election progressed and it became clear that Republican candidate and businessman Glenn Youngkin would defeat former Democratic Governor Terry McAuliffe in the race for governor of Virginia, talking heads and pundits were instantly tasked with diagnosing our tumultuous political moment. After all, the state has been relatively blue since the Obama presidency and yet a candidate with the endorsement of former President Donald Trump, whom the state rejected in the 2020 election, was able to scrape together a winning coalition of rural Republicans and suburban Democratic defectors.

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Glenn Youngkin’s win in Virginia should be a wake-up call to Democrats

By Faye Shen Li Thijssen and Lily Langrind | November 23

On Nov. 2, Republican businessman Glenn Youngkin was declared the new governor-elect of Virginia with just over 50% of the vote.Youngkin’s victory marks a notable moment in the state’s political history, as he'll be Virginia’s first Republican governor in over a decade.In the wake of this historic election and political polarization of the past several years, this election may set an important precedent for the tone of national politics in upcoming election cycles. 

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The unnerving implications of Mark Zuckerberg’s ‘metaverse’

By Gian Luca Di Lenardo | November 22

Mark Zuckerberg has changed Facebook’s corporate name to Meta to reflect the company’s growing focus on creating an all-encapsulating virtual reality known as the “metaverse,” a decision that has elicited a wide array of reactions. For those who consider themselves technologically inclined, Zuckerberg’s decision may be in line with that of a visionary, a progenitor of a new, exciting era of tech. For others, myself included, Zuckerberg’s decision reflects a growing gap between the world of everyday Americans and the world of people like Zuckerberg. In a world where lockdowns and social distancing have become realities, the last thing many of us desire is to live in a world mediated by holograms and finely tuned avatars. Zuckerberg is calling for nothing less than a reimagination of our relationship with technology and this should make us, at the very least, uneasy.

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Managing expectations: How we can see hope in global climate summits

By Henry Murray | November 19

From Oct. 31 to Nov. 13, the 26th United Nations Climate Change Conference, known as COP26, took place in Glasgow, Scotland. After years of climate summits filled with unkept promises and a worsening global climate crisis, many were skeptical that this climate conference would be any different. Amidst the summit, popular environmental activist Greta Thunberg called COP26 a failure.However, it is important to try to think about the effort in its entirety and to find a more positive attitude about these meetings. While I agree with Thunberg’s sentiment and exhaustion following speech after speech filled with claims and commitments that we can’t help but question, I believe COP26 offered promising outcomes. 

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Boston’s new mayor Michelle Wu: A historic win for Boston and progressive politics

By Reya Kumar | November 18

On Nov. 2, Michelle Wu was elected mayor of Boston. This result was predicted — Wu was leading the polls for weeks — but it represents a historic achievement for the city of Boston. The outcome of this election would have been historic regardless of the winner, as both Wu and her opponent, Annissa Essaibi George, are women of color in a city that has only ever elected white men. In fact, all of the top four candidates in the primary election were women of color, illustrating the growing voice of minority populations that make up over 50% of Boston’s populace. 

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