Global Affairs
Executive Summary As of April 2025, U.S.-Japan trade relations are at their most precarious point in decades. President Donald Trump’s administration has imposed sweeping tariffs on Japanese exports—most notably a 25% levy on automobiles and a 24% “reciprocal” tariff on all Japanese goods, with a 10%
Global Affairs
Global Affairs
Introduction On Easter Sunday, April 20, 2025, Pope Francis delivered what would be his final “Urbi et Orbi” (To the City and the World) Easter message from the balcony of St. Peter’s Basilica. In a message marked by both spiritual hope and urgent geopolitical appeals, the pontiff called for
Global Affairs
Introduction On April 19–20, 2025, Iran and the United States concluded a second round of nuclear negotiations in Rome, marking the most significant diplomatic engagement between the two adversaries in years. Both sides described the talks as “positive” and “constructive,” signaling cautious optimism for a potential breakthrough after years
Domestic Affairs
Introduction The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has abruptly canceled $750 million in planned funding for the Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities (BRIC) grant program, a move that marks a dramatic shift in federal disaster mitigation policy. The decision, announced in early April 2025, follows an executive order from President
Domestic Affairs
Domestic Affairs
Introduction The Pentagon was thrown into crisis this weekend as new revelations emerged implicating Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth in a widening scandal over the mishandling of classified military information and a climate of dysfunction at the highest levels of the Department of Defense. The controversy centers on Hegseth’s
Domestic Affairs
Introduction On April 21, 2025, Google entered the most consequential legal battle in its history as the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) began a three-week “remedy hearing” in Washington, D.C., seeking to break up the tech giant for operating what a federal judge has ruled is an illegal
Domestic Affairs
Domestic Affairs
Introduction Governor JB Pritzker has announced a major decline in shootings and gun violence in Chicago, attributing the progress to a series of targeted state initiatives, unprecedented funding, and community-driven strategies. This announcement, made alongside state and city officials, community leaders, and violence prevention experts, marks a significant milestone in
Global Affairs
Global Affairs
Introduction The Sahel and West Africa have emerged as the global epicenter of jihadist violence, accounting for 51% of worldwide terrorism-related deaths in 2024. This crisis, fueled by a lethal combination of political instability, military coups, and the withdrawal of Western security assistance, has reshaped the region’s geopolitical landscape.