Conflict: Russia Expands Military Offensive in Northeastern Ukraine
The Ukraine-Russia war, which began in February 2022, recently took a turn. According to “CNN,” 160,000 men recently joined the Russian military, increasing the total number to 1.5 million. This is in preparation for the launch of a fresh military offensive in the coming weeks to maximize pressure on Ukraine, specifically in the northeast Sumy, Kharkiv, and Zaporizhzhia regions. This follows the Russian’s retaking most of Russia’s Kursk region last year, according to “AP News.” Ukrainian military analyst Oleksii Hetman said that “they are preparing offensive actions on the front that should last from six to nine months, almost all of 2025.”
Health: Countries Push for Stronger Mental Health Support Systems
A new framework was launched by the World Health Organization (WHO) to assist countries in improving their mental health systems and policies. Mental health policies and organizations are underfunded globally, with up to 90% of people in some countries struggling with mental health receiving little or no help at all. According to “WHO,” the framework laid out five areas that needed reform in different countries, including leadership and governance, service organization, workforce development, person-centered interventions, and addressing social and structural determinants of mental health.
Environmental: India Faces Record-High Air Pollution Levels
Out of the 100 most polluted cities in the world, 74 of them are in India. Although on a larger scale, India is the 5th most polluted country in the world, this is because India’s air monitoring system counts the more rural parts of India that are less affected by air pollution, bringing down the national average. According to “CNN,” Byrinhat, a city in Northeast India, exceeded a level of particulate matter concentration, which measures pollution, by 25 times more than the standard. Numerous cities around India face hazardous conditions often, leading to school closures and shut downs of public spaces. According to Health Policy Watch, globally, only 17% of around 9,000 cities around the world met the WHO standard.
Politics: Tariffs Increase International Tension
According to “CNBC,” ever since President Trump came into office in January, he has imposed a cumulative tariff of 145% on all imported goods from China. China has responded with a tariff increase for American goods, with across the board tariffs of 125% in retaliation. While President Trump has granted reprieves for tariffs on numerous electronics, China’s ministry of commerce said that this was “a small step by U.S. to correct its wrong practice of unilateral reciprocal tariffs”, asking the U.S to cancel the tariffs completely. Xi Jinping has started a diplomatic tour of the country’s main export-based economies, and has appealed to Vietnam to join forces in multilateral trade. According to “CNN,” Xi Jinping is attempting to cast China as a reliable partner and defender and upholder of global trade, in contrast to President Trump’s sudden tariffs on multiple different countries.
Education: Harvard responds to Trump Administration Demands
Late last week, the Trump Administration made numerous demands of Harvard University, including governance and leadership reforms, merit-based hiring and admissions reform, and discontinuation of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programs. According to “The New York Times,” it took less than 72 hours for Harvard to say no to the demands. This resulted in a freeze of more than $2.2 billion in federal funding. This defiance followed Columbia University coming to an agreement with the Trump administration a few weeks ago, reported “CNN.”
