There is a new hit called “Dynamite,” and it’s not by Taio Cruz. Breaking records in the last month, BTS (Bangtan Sonyeondan), also known as Bangtan Boys, became the first K-pop group from South Korea to reach the No.1 spot in the Billboard Top 100. Their hit “Dynamite,” a fun ’70s disco-pop song that broke … Read more
When I began my time as an HPR writer nearly four years ago, the first article I wrote detailed how the 2016 election of President Donald Trump would mobilize a new generation of young Republicans. This generation, I argued, would enshrine the Republican Party in new ideals: free enterprise, combined with a newfound commitment to … Read more
The 2020 presidential election is set to be one of the most controversial and unprecedented election cycles in all of American history. Between fears of results taking weeks to come out and worries about widespread voter suppression, it is easy to see why almost half of eligible Americans are concerned about whether this November election … Read more
Protesters in Belarus have been flooding the streets of Minsk for nine weeks straight, marching against the Belarusian government and President Alexander Lukashenko. These demonstrators demand his resignation and freedom for political prisoners following the August 9 elections, which, according to the official count, have been won by Alexander Lukashenko with a seemingly implausible 80% … Read more
Following the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991, the newly independent republics seemed to be fertile ground for democracy. Today, only three former Soviet republics have successfully democratized—Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania—while many have remained saddled with autocratic regimes reminiscent of Soviet-style dictators. Haphazard liberalization of the fledgling republics led to widespread corruption and the … Read more
Across the rapidly changing face of America — from Portland, Oregon, to Seattle, Washington, and from Austin, Texas, to Kenosha, Wisconsin — the Movement for Black Lives continues to demand justice. But now, fear has reached a boiling point: In a matter of moments, a nation in crisis will make its vote in an unprecedented and … Read more
In March of this year, as Coronavirus thrust itself onto the forefront of the global stage, the Director General of the United Nations, Tatiana Valovaya, expressed hope that COVID-19 could serve as a “common enemy” to bring the world together and catalyze peace. While the status of this can be debated, this hope has not … Read more
On March 13, 2020, President Donald Trump announced a national emergency in response to COVID-19. At the time, there were 40 deaths and 1,701 confirmed cases in the United States. As of October 2020, more than 200,000 Americans have since died from the disease — a toll surpassing combat deaths from our last five wars … Read more
As election day approaches, a potential blue wave is on the horizon. Polls show Democratic candidate Joe Biden’s lead holding steady, and even states once safely in Trump’s camp could be in play. Among the states swelling to support the former vice president, a curious player throws their hat in the ring: Nebraska’s 2nd electoral … Read more
I first read Jhumpa Lahiri on a plane ride back from my first trip to India. Lahiri is a pulitzer-prize winning author, recognized for how her works address immigrant experiences, emotional adversity, and assimilation in America often from an East Indian perspective. In the cold, black cabin I sat with a reading lamp illuminating her … Read more