Peru's Congress voted 75-24 on Tuesday to impeach and immediately remove interim President José Jerí over his undisclosed meetings with a Chinese businessman at the center of the "Chifa-gate" influence-peddling scandal. This marks the third consecutive president ousted in under three years, triggering fresh political chaos in the Andean nation as lawmakers scramble to name a new interim leader ahead of snap general elections now set for April 12. Curbing corruption is perhaps the chief job of governing bodies and so it is good to see immediate action being taken to address what appears to be blatant and inappropriate behavior by this interim president.

More than 80 UN member states, joined by Secretary-General António Guterres, issued a strong joint statement condemning Israel's latest unilateral land-registration drive and settlement-expansion measures across the occupied West Bank as unlawful de-facto annexation. Officials warned the move risks mass Palestinian dispossession, further erodes the two-state solution, and violates international law, with the UN Palestinian Rights Committee highlighting the accelerated home demolitions and settler violence in the past month alone. Strongly worded condemnations from the UN have done little to constrain Israel's behavior in the last couple of years but I guess there is some utility in these bodies providing a platform for countries to demonstrate they have a shared opinion on a globally consequential issue.

Gabon's media regulator indefinitely suspended Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube after citing an explosion of false information, cyberbullying, hate speech, and posts inciting violence that threaten national cohesion, security, and stability. The blackout comes amid widespread public-sector strikes and growing street protests against the post-2023 coup government of President Brice Oligui Nguema, prompting critics to label the shutdown a blatant crackdown on dissent and free expression. Autocrats increasingly have turned to restricting access to the internet to slow the ability of opponents to communicate but such a maneuver is misguided and reveals that these leaders are not interested in what's best for Gabon but rather interested in retaining power and enshrining their place in a corrupt hierarchy.

Conservation groups, historians, and scientists filed suit against the Trump administration over an executive order that directed the removal or alteration of national-park signage and exhibits covering slavery, climate change, Indigenous history, and civil-rights milestones. A parallel federal ruling already forced restoration of slavery-related displays at Philadelphia's Presidents' House site, while plaintiffs argue the broader policy amounts to government-sponsored historical erasure at more than 400 park units. While I remain committed to telling a forthright and accurate account of American history, there is a deep underlying question of retaining the ability to celebrate American history in places that are designed to inspire a national sense of pride. No matter how one resolves that tension, it does seem odd that these types of discretionary decisions are subject to legal scrutiny in this manner.

The Department of Homeland Security issued hundreds of administrative subpoenas to Google, Meta, Reddit, and other platforms demanding names, emails, IP addresses, phone numbers, and location data of users who posted criticism of ICE operations or participated in tracking and protest activities. Multiple tech companies have already begun complying with the requests, raising fresh concerns about government surveillance of First Amendment-protected speech and the chilling effect on public dissent. This is a grave violation of the fundamental basis of American citizenship and this type of aggressive surveillance is simply unacceptable. Everyone responsible for this behavior should be publicly reprimanded.

Union membership held steady at approximately 10 percent of the U.S. workforce (14.7 million members) throughout 2025 despite intense political headwinds and legal challenges from the new administration. Public-sector density remained more than five times higher than the private sector, though recent organizing gains among Black women slowed sharply or reversed in several key industries under renewed federal pressure. Unions are critical for labor to be able to protect itself from being subject to the arbitrary demands of capital so it is good to see them staying strong especially in industries where workers are most likely to be undermined and undervalued.

AI and data-analytics giant Palantir Technologies officially relocated its corporate headquarters from Denver, Colorado, to Miami, Florida, initially operating out of a co-working space in Aventura as part of the accelerating exodus of high-profile tech firms and billionaires to the Sunshine State. Executives cited Florida's business-friendly tax environment, lighter regulation, and pro-innovation policies as decisive factors, with the move expected to bring hundreds of high-paying jobs and further cement Miami's status as a rising tech hub. So many of the tech giants are headed south due to more favorable regulatory environments which I would generally consider fine but in a political climate with such intense polarization the idea of this type of flight leading to parallel economies emerging is somewhat troubling.

Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders signed an executive order directing every cabinet-level agency to conduct a full review and overhaul of permitting, licensing, and approval processes, with mandatory timelines and public dashboards to be implemented within 120 days. The directive aims to slash bureaucratic red tape, accelerate economic investment, enhance transparency, and still maintain environmental and safety protections across the state. Great move by the governor here as the regulatory state has gotten completely out of hand in most states. While there's importance in ensuring things happen in an orderly fashion, regulation is counterproductive when it completely stifles the ability of people to move projects forward.

Georgia lawmakers advanced legislation that would cap any single corporation at 500 single-family rental homes statewide, strip related tax incentives, and impose stricter disclosure rules on foreign investors. The bill specifically targets metro Atlanta's outsized corporate ownership rate (one of the highest in the nation) in a direct effort to restore affordability and opportunity for first-time and typical family home buyers. Corporate home ownership is a plague on this country as homes are not meant to be primarily business opportunities and every measure to ensure they end up in the hands of families not hedge funds should be taken. While I think people ought to have the opportunity to leverage real estate for financial gain, the notion that corporate buyers could be the majority owners of homes in Atlanta is clearly absurd.

Louisiana banned SNAP recipients from purchasing soda, candy, and energy drinks beginning on Ash Wednesday as part of health-driven reforms aligned with the national "Make America Healthy Again" push. Separately, Florida's House passed legislation adding stricter work requirements and other eligibility conditions for unemployment benefits, with proponents arguing the changes will encourage faster workforce re-entry and reduce long-term dependency. Increasingly the states are tightening up on what is guaranteed in order to receive governmental assistance and I have not seen requirements that I think are outlandish or problematic. As always I'm open to alternative perspectives but it does seem intuitive to me that the government will allow you to purchase foods that are deemed healthy and that if you are of working age and healthy, you have to demonstrate a good faith effort to work to receive unemployment. Perhaps though, I've taken the side of 'The Man' in that regard.