Tag Archives: News

Editorials/Student Voice, National, News

Blue tsunami: Midterm election results

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By: Louise Wallraff

Photo by Edmond Dantu00e8s on Pexels.com

Last Tuesday night was an unprecedented win for democrats, with both the Senate and House of Representatives comfortably winning the majority. Even long-time republican strongholds like Kansas, South Carolina, and Texas “turned blue”.

In a time of hyper partisanship, Americans came together to vote against an administration driving up the cost of living, funding an unwanted war, and supporting reckless ICE agents. Although President Trump wasn’t on the ballot, this is a direct rebuke against what his administration has, and hasn’t done, in the past two years.

As of now, the senate is secured 54-44, with democrats winning in many states President Trump won by double digits in 2024. The Mississippi and Alaska senate races still remain too close to call. Wins in states like Kansas where a democrat hasn’t been elected in 94 years, or in Texas where James Talarico won despite Elon Musk spending half a billion speak loud. 

The house is currently 254-165, a majority not seen since the Obama era in 2008, with 16 undecided races. Democrats improved their performance in 99% of the roughly 2,100 counties nationwide compared to 2024, especially in counties with Hispanic voters, as well as young voters. Angie Nixon, a democratic socialist running in Florida with minimal support from her party only lost by two points.

There are many other notable achievements. Georgia elected the United States’s first black woman as Governor, Keisha Lance Bottoms. Michigan elected the first Muslim U.S. Senator, Dr. Abdul El-Sayed. Minnesota elected the first Native American Female Senator, Peggy Flanagan. New Mexico elected the first Native American Female Governor, Deb Haaland. New Hampshire elected the first openly gay male Senator, Chris Papaas. Lastly, there was a record number of women running for congress.

What’s next? Right after democrats started their sweep, news anchors were already discussing the 2028 presidential election and what this means for both parties. This is mainly speculation, as no noteworthy presidential campaigns have been announced.

As for what our nation’s Senators and Representatives plan on doing when they get sworn into office in January, there remains some conflict. While more moderate democrats are arguing for bipartisanship and working with the Trump regime, progressives and anti-establishment democrats support immediately investigating the current administration and passing the policies American voters are asking for.

There is a last minute attempt to elect Chris Van Hollen over Chuck Schumer for Senate Majority leader, as some senators argue Chuck Schumer is far too aligned with the status-quo. Hakeem Jefferies is on track to be the first Black House majority leader, although he is being criticized for the same reasons.

Overall, the record 124 million voters shows that right now people have hope for better futures and want to make their voices heard, we can only hope democrats are able to deliver their promises when they step into office in January.

News, World

Problems in the Democratic Republic of the Congo

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By: Tenley Em

The Democratic Republic of the Congo, also known as the DRC, is a country in Central Africa. It is a country with a lot of natural resources, including minerals, forests, and water.

Even though the DRC has many resources, the people living there still face many serious problems. Some of the biggest problems are conflict, disease, poverty, and not having enough access to things like clean water and healthcare.

One of the biggest problems in the DRC is conflict. There are different armed groups that fight over land and valuable resources, especially in the eastern part of the country. Because of the fighting, many people have had to leave their homes to stay safe. Some families lose their homes and belongings, while others have trouble getting food or finding a safe place to live. Children are also affected because they may not be able to go to school or live a normal life being surrounded by such danger.

Even with the effort to bring peace, an agreement was made but broken just 6 days after. It seemed like neither side wanted genuine de-escalation.

Today, there’s said to be fewer options to negotiate peace. One choice is a military intervention that would force a capable ending to the severe violence happening, making a political option open as a solution as well. Or if it all comes down, acceptance of the continuing violence and war to be normalized, this would include struggle for a large number of Congo citizens. Considering the lack of force being used to stop this, it seems like the DRC is leaning towards the second option.

Disease is another big problem in the DRC. Diseases like malaria, cholera, and measles can spread easily when people do not have clean water or good healthcare. Some people live far away from hospitals or cannot afford the medicine they need. This can make illnesses much more dangerous than they normally would be.

One of the multiple severe diseases that’s spreading rapidly in the DRC is Ebola, only 5 months after the first few cases of Ebola being reported, Ebola had already infected 9,000 people and killed over 4,000. Near a majority of the people who had been confirmed to have the disease have died. The rapid spread of this disease has already moved to seven provinces and is said to be the second largest Ebola outbreak ever recorded.

An issue in the DRC is also poverty. It affects many people in the country. Even though the DRC has many valuable minerals, many people who live there do not benefit from the money made from these resources.

The DRC has $24 trillion in unused mineral reserves, such as copper, gold, diamonds, and vital minerals like cobalt that’s used in batteries in order to power smartphones and vehicles. Yet, in 2024 more than 73.5% of the Congolese population lived on less than $2.15 a day. While its minerals fuel the global economy, millions of Congolese families face hunger, displacement, and disease despite having natural wealth.

Another problem is that many people do not have easy access to clean water, education, or healthcare. These are things that people need in order to live healthy and safe lives. Children especially need schools so they can learn and have more opportunities when they grow up.

Some people struggle to afford food, medicine, and safe housing. The competition over these resources can also cause more fighting and make life even harder for people.

The Democratic Republic of the Congo has many serious problems, but it also has a lot of potential. If there was more peace and people had better access to healthcare, education, clean water, and other basic needs, life could improve for many people. The problems in the DRC are not easy to fix, but learning about them can help people understand what is happening and why change is important.

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National, News

Drug smuggling tunnel found in San Diego

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By: Janessa Castro Cruz

Exhibit 7 (2 of 2), 373 kilograms of cocaine stashed aboard a small airplane captured in Ecuador January 2014, by: U.S. Department of Justice 2017 via Wikimedia Commons

In San Diego, at a retail store called “Buy 4 Less”, in June of 2026, the homeland security task force investigation discovered a cross-border tunnel that was used to traffic thousands of pounds of drugs across the border that led to Tijuana, Mexico. Authorities say that some of those drugs were likely headed to the Midwest and the Chicago area. The tunnel stretched 1,933 feet away from the retail store to Mexico, and it had walls, rails, lighting, ventilation systems, and electricity.

The investigation started December 2025 when the retail store was reported for having suspicious activity. When the homeland security task force began surveilling they discovered individuals transporting empty suitcases across the border and between the store and vehicles.

In May 2026, they watched a lot of suspicious activity coming from the retail store, like a man loading heavy items into a van and dropping it off to a nearby mechanic shop. They also watched a few suspects place three deep freezers onto a truck, filling them with packages.

San Diego county sheriff’s deputies stopped the trucks and they discovered evidence of controlled substances. They discovered more than 2,200 pounds (1,000 kilograms) of cocaine from the vehicles, with a street value of $45 million worth of cocaine, according to authorities.

Officers started search warrants at the retail store “Buy 4 Less” and the mechanic shop that a man dropped off items to. Hidden under the store’s floor, they found the tunnel that extended about 1,064 feet (and as deep as 21 feet), from the retail store to the U.S.-Mexico border, and another 800 feet into Mexico.

4 people were charged with conspiracy to distribute controlled substances and one of them faces additional charges for conspiracy to use a cross-border tunnel and to import controlled substances.

Editorials/Student Voice

The wrong ice is melting

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By: Dahlia Man and Brayden Marsh

In elementary, I remember when I was introduced to the issue of climate change at school for the first time. This was one of those rare, significant issues that revealed to me how small I was in comparison to the size of the world. I remember the various educational materials used to educate us about climate change: things like the video of a glacier melting, a large number of polar bears being unable to find enough food, and how gases were creating a “greenhouse” of sorts to keep the earth warm. I understood what was explained to me and knew it was vital information even when I was a child. While it wasn’t a thought consistently I had with me every hour, I did carry it in my mind and considered the lesson it was teaching me. 

Climate change stayed an important topic within my next years of school. In middle school and high school, the subject found its way back to me every single year. My awareness of it had never disappeared. As I grew older, the issue didn’t just pop up in lessons at school, it also showed up on my social media feed and news articles. Each time I read/saw more, the more urgent it felt. I began to realize that it wasn’t just ice simply melting, it will affect our food systems, extreme weather change, ecosystem failure, etc. But as big as it was, I had never felt a firm grasp onto how extreme the matter truly was globally. It felt as if it was a distant problem, a concern I had no immediate solution to. 

Parallel to my time growing up, I had never felt a concern of worrying about immigration enforcement affecting my own family because I was in a household of US citizens, long before I had even been born. It never had truly felt like something that could have impacted me directly, even if I had parents who were born in a foreign country. It was another topic brought up in the news, but I felt as if it wasn’t a personal one. Or I had at least thought in my young ages. Every school day I left in the morning and returned home in the afternoon, never questioning whether my family would still be there. That familiar perception had made it so much easier for me not to be my concern. 

But as I grew older, this began to change drastically. Around me I would hear various stories of families being ripped apart from each other or stories of living in fear. Something that had felt so far, suddenly felt so real and present. I was concerned about the Earth becoming warmer over time, to abruptly worrying if my parents would be waiting at home for me just as they do everyday. This time, it was a different fear. It felt immediate – it was heavy. When I came across a social media post with the words; “The Wrong ICE is Melting”, I felt moved. It stuck with me for days. The double entendre felt so raw, as it addressed not just one issue, but two. It connected climate change and immigration enforcement in a way I hadn’t thought of before. I understand now as I’ve grown, that it is important to care about all issues and matters even if it does not affect me. 

We believe the importance of keeping our planet cold is absolutely vital, because it doesn’t just affect us humans, it affects every single part of our Earth. With rising temperatures, we have rising sea levels. This can cause major displacement within our people and even disrupt ecosystems that animals highly depend on. Even beyond this, weather events will become severely extreme, with critical droughts, harsh hurricanes, drastic wildfires, etc. And these aren’t even dire ideas, these are issues some may already face. This is what makes it so crucial for our communities, individuals, and government to take action into fixing our planet before it becomes irreversible. 

All together, it is also foremost that we all reconsider how we as a country have treated people within our own borders. It is almost “safe” to say that Immigration and Customs Enforcement instill fear and precariousness instead of actual safety within our communities. With more humane approaches, everything will properly be resolved with dignity and respect. This will help protect families and ensure everyone is treated with integrity. Just like climate change, they are both long-term issues that focus on what we can do for our planet and our future. It builds a strong bond within the people and the vision to the world we want to create. 

National, News

The great Jesse Jackson 

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By: Sema’Jae Tate

Image by: Brianmcmillen via Wikimedia Commons

Jesse Jackson was an African American male born in Greenville, South Carolina on October 8th, 1941. He went to a racially segregated school, Sterling High School and Jesse said growing up with the Jim Crow segregation law he was taught/told to go to the back of the bus and use a  separate water fountain. He had to accept it and it was rough.

Jesse Jackson was also bullied growing up because of his out- of-wedlock birth. He said “Being bullied growing up motivated me to succeed.” 

After he graduated high school in 1959, he rejected a contract from a minor professional baseball team so he could attend the University of Illinois on a football scholarship, but after his second  semester at the predominantly white college, Jesse Jackson transferred to North  Carolina A&T, a historically black university. He said the reason he transferred was  because “Racial prejudice prevented me from playing quarterback and limited my playing.”   

At A&T Jackson played quarterback and was elected student president. He became active in local civil rights protests against segregated libraries, theaters and restaurants. During that time, he graduated with a B.S. Degree in 1964.

He then attended the Chicago Theological Seminary on a scholarship. He left the seminary in 1966, three classes short of earning his master’s degree, to focus full-time on the civil rights movement.

He was ordained a minister in 1968 and was awarded a Master of Divinity degree by  Chicago Theological Seminary in 2000, based on his previously earned credits and  his subsequent work and life experience. 

In 1965, Jesse Jackson participated in the Selma to Montgomery march, where he met and worked alongside Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. He subsequently joined the SCLC and despite everything that was going on  Jesse still wanted to push harder to make a difference.

After King was assassinated, it was a tragedy, but things couldn’t just stop there so Jesse Jackson started his own organization People United to Save Humanity (PUSH),  focusing on economic empowerment and, later, political advocacy.

Jesse Jackson died on February 17, 2026.

News, World

Current events (international)

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By: Treshawn Ross


English: Demonstrator during the 2025–2026 Iranian protests silhouetted against a street fire proudly waving the Lion and Sun flag of Iran. Date 9 January, 2026. Unknown author via Wikimedia Commons

Iran- Major protests against the Iranian regime started in late December of 2025. These protests were largely unviolent and orderly. Many of the protesters were demonstrating because of the insanely high inflation, and the collapse of the Rial which is the currency Iranians use.

The goal of the protests was to remove the Islamic Republic controlling Iran. As a result the Dictator of Iran, Ali Khamenei ordered an internet blackout in the country. This was done to prevent any media being released from the country, as he planned on violently cracking down on the protesters. The response of the government was to massacre scores of protesters and to arrest some of them to hold them for execution at a later date. The estimates say that 30,000 or more people were killed. Previously, President Trump promised to step in if the Iranian regime killed any protesters and in response to the reported massacres he sent an aircraft carrier and military personnel near Iran.

Russia/Ukraine– The Russia/Ukraine war has turned into a slow grind for territory, contrary to the 3 day operation that Russian dictator Putin anticipated. Most recently Putin has ordered drone attacks on civilian infrastructure and innocent people in Ukraine’s Kharkiv region. These attacks killed at least 5 people and injured several others. Putin is ordering attacks on Ukraine’s energy and transport infrastructure in an attempt to cripple the country in the harsh winter months. The battle on the frontlines has been more successful for Russia as they have the manpower to slowly advance despite the casualties.

Israel/Gaza- Israel recovered the remains of the last hostage taken on October 7th, 2023. This allows for more peace talks to occur; the United Nations (U.N.) and many other aid groups push for a phase 2 of peace plans. Netanyahu’s office agreed with Hamas on the new peace deal as all of the demands were met. Hamas is under pressure to disarm to complete the deal which U.S. officials say is close to happening.

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Editorials/Student Voice

ICE Effects in Minnesota

By: Siri David

ICE has been showing up in the Twin Cities more than ever, and there are a lot of things to know and keep in mind during these hard times.

Trump has sent at least 2000 ICE agents to Minnesota to detain undocumented immigrants, but that is not what they have been doing. These agents have been racially profiling people all over Minnesota. They target specific neighborhoods, restaurants, and schools just based off of the diversity in each area.

There have been two fatal shootings in the month of January. The first shooting was of a 37-year-old white woman named Renee Good. Renee was shot on January 7th as she was trying to drive away from officers and help protect her neighbors. An officer shot her through her window while she was driving and she accelerated on the gas and crashed and died almost immediately after being shot. The most recent shooting was of Alex Pretti. He was a 37-year-old white man who was shot by an ICE agent while he was protecting his neighbors from ICE.

These horrific killings have led to Minnesotans taking a stand. The largest strike in the last 70 years happened in Minnesota last Friday. Over 10,000 Minnesotans marched in downtown Minneapolis in -20 degree weather. Schools, restaurants, and many small businesses were closed.

There are so many steps you can take to help during these hard times- whether it’s protesting, collecting food and money, or just helping protect your neighborhood. A lot of organizations and non profits in the Twin Cities are finding ways to help families who are struggling because they can’t leave their houses, so donating money, food, or household needs can be really helpful. At Highland, some of the club leaders came together and made a plan to help raise money and get necessities out to students and their families that go to Highland. There are so many ways to help during these times and anything is better than staying quiet.

During these difficult times it can be hard to find the good, but take the time to look around you and see the strong community that has come together to fight back. Minnesota is a strong example of what resisting and fighting back looks like. It is so inspiring to see and don’tbe afraid to strive to make a difference. Everyone’s voice matters and can make a change.

News, World

The “Seven Minute” heist

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By: Charlotte Aver

(Image credit: Unsplash)

On October 19th in Paris, four “construction workers” entered the Louvre through a window and stole eight pieces of royal jewelry from the Apollo gallery. No one was expecting the heist and guests assumed it was normal to have construction workers around so it went by unnoticed, at first.

One piece of jewelry that was stolen was Napoleon’s wedding gift to his wife, which was a diamond and emerald necklace that consisted of 32 emeralds and 1,138 diamonds. They also stole Empress Eugénie’s tiara which was a diamond and pearl tiara, as well as her bow brooch. Empress Marie-Amélie’s jewelry set was also stolen; it was a sapphire and diamond diadem as well as earrings and a necklace. Another brooch was stolen as well. The crown that belonged to Empress Eugénie was stolen but dropped as the thieves made their escape it was recovered by officials at the Louvre. All of this that was stolen has a value of roughly 102 million dollars.

One of the suspects (male, age 34) was arrested before he was able to get on a flight to Algeria with no return ticket. They arrested him because he fit the description of who broke in based on firsthand accounts and his DNA matched the DNA on the scooter used for the getaway. He has yet to confess whether or not he was a part of the heist.

Another supposed suspect (male, age 39) was arrested at his home. They believe he was a part of the heist because his DNA is on the glass cases from which the jewelry was stolen. He also has a past record of theft and at the time of his arrest was working illegally as a taxi driver. He will continue to be detained, even if he was not a part of the heist due to his past involvement with illegal activities.

The third suspect (male, age 37) was arrested 10 days after the heist because his DNA was in the truck used to make it look like there was construction work and also in the basket lift used to get the thieves in the building. He denies any involvement with the heist.

The final suspect (female, age 38) to be arrested was also allegedly in the truck though her lawyer says she denies any involvement with the heist or the people who allegedly committed the crime.

The possibility of these artifacts ever being recovered is incredibly low due to the possibility that the jewelry has been boiled down to just jewels and alloy.

There is no known footage of the heist, unless a lucky tourist caught it on camera. The absence of video footage is due to the thieves hacking the system, but the Louvre is also partly responsible because the password for all of the security cameras was “Louvre”. So the thieves were clever but also the security system was weak.

This seems to be an incredibly odd freak incident considering that nothing has been stolen from the Louvre before this heist since the nineties. With this in mind there is also the fact that the Louvre is one of the most famous art museums in the world. Hopefully, this never happens again and everything that was stolen is returned in one way or another.

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News, World

The Jamaican hurricane

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By: Karl Salkowski

(Image created by ChatGPT)

On October 28th, 2025, a category 5 hurricane hit Jamaica. This was Hurricane Melissa, the strongest hurricane in Jamaica’s recorded history. Hurricane Melissa caused an incredible amount of damage, with economic losses totaling over 30% of Jamaica’s GDP.

Hurricane Melissa was identified as a Category 5 hurricane, making it the first of its kind to hit Jamaica. Officials have confirmed over 75 deaths across the Caribbean, with at least 32 in Jamaica. The hurricane caused massive damage to the island, with over 5 million tons of debris blocking roads and isolating communities, making it difficult for rescue teams to make their way through the island.

Although hurricanes hit Jamaica fairly frequently, none of them had this magnitude of destruction. Hurricane Melissa is the worst natural disaster Jamaica has ever faced. It displaced tens of thousands of people and caused major economic loss, projected to be over 4 billion.

Hurricane Melissa had sustained winds of 185 mph and a central pressure of 892 mb, making it one of the most powerful hurricanes to ever land in the Atlantic. Jamaica’s fisheries and agriculture were hit especially hard, with most being completely destroyed in the storm. The storm crippled Jamaica’s infrastructure, food production, roads, and power lines.

Jamaica received humanitarian aid almost immediately; food, water, and medical supplies arrived swiftly to the island from several global organizations. Due to the massive destruction of infrastructure across the island, it is projected to take years for Jamaica to fully recover.

Jamaica however has remained resilient, beginning efforts to clean and rebuild across the island. Tourism is incredibly important to Jamaica, as it is one of the largest parts of their GDP. On November 11th, 2025, Jamaica welcomed its first cruise ship to reach the island after the storm. This milestone is symbolic of Jamaica’s path to recovery as the nation adapts to Hurricane Melissa’s damage.

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Editorials/Student Voice

History of the Alien Enemies Act

By: Maggie Hong

United States Alien Enemies Act notice issued on April 18, 2025; obtained by the American Civil Liberties Union and filed in A.A.R.P. v. Trump. Via Wikimedia Commons and the United States Department of Homeland Security

Over the past few months, the Trump administration claims to have deported over 100,000 illegal immigrants from the United States. Among them are 130 Venezuelan men, accused of membership with a Venezuelan gang, designated by the US government as a terrorist organization. However, the men were given no chance to dispute these accusations, and many of them live and work legally in the US. So, what gives Trump the power to deport them with no evidence of gang affiliation?

In 1798, a law called the Alien Enemies Act was passed by Congress. It was intended to protect the United States in the event of a war with France, a possibility which seemed likely at the time. It granted the President the power to detain or deport any citizen of an enemy nation without evidence of a crime or a hearing in their defense. It was created as a wartime authority; something only to be used when the US is in a state of war or enemy invasion. However, only Congress, not the President, has the authority to declare war on another nation.

Since its creation, the Alien Enemies Act has only been used three times: during the War of 1812, World War I, and World War II. Notably, it was used to intern Japanese Americans in prison camps during World War II. Many of them were native born American citizens, making them not considered alien enemies under the law. However, they were still interned along with the rest of the Japanese American population.

Trump has invoked this act for the fourth time in US history, the first time not during a major conflict or state of war. This is backed by the opinion that the US is being invaded by illegal immigrants, largely from Mexico and other Latin American countries. This could justify a use of the Alien Enemies Act, as it does provide for enemy invasion. However, this opinion is not backed by any evidence of ill intent or antagonism against the US. And, as Congress has not declared a state of war, this invocation is highly questionable.

The Supreme Court has ordered that one of the immigrants, here legally, be returned to the US. When Trump met with the president of El Salvador, though, he refused to return him, saying the US has no jurisdiction over his prison. As this case continues to develop, it sets precedent as to the power of our executive branch and the other branches’ power to check it.