• South China Sea Aggression

    The People’s Republic of China (PRC) has accused the Philippines of violating supposedly secret, informal agreements regarding the Second Thomas Shoal since 2016, as part of a broader campaign to assert control over the area and depict the Philippines as aggressive and uncooperative. The PRC claims that former Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte and Chinese President…

  • Why Elections in Ukraine Won’t Be Happening Anytime Soon

    There has been increased discussion on social media that Ukraine has “cancelled” elections that were scheduled to take place. However, this is a simple lack of awareness of the Ukrainian constitution and willful ignorance of the realities of the ongoing conflict with Russia. Constitution Ukraine’s constitution explicitly states that elections cannot be held while martial…

  • The fascinating story behind the making of Margaret Atwood

    With nearly every step, my microspikes slipped off the soles of my chukka boots. I couldn’t have picked worse footwear for hiking a snow-covered mountain. To be fair, I didn’t plan for much on this Iceland vacation, never mind hiking, so I’d packed light for my five days in Reykjavík. Enveloped in fog, I could…