With the U.S. pulling out of UNESCO under President Trump this week, China is ready to step up and gain more sway over how the world handles history education, cultural sites, and AI rules. UNESCO's influence on what counts as "official" history and tech guidelines makes this a game-changer for global standards. Sure, there's ample reason to be wary of China's Communist Party leading the charge regarding intenational standards, but as a major power filling the gap left by the U.S., they have the capacity to provide the desired leadership.

Massive protests are hitting Ukraine as the government scraps key agencies meant to fight corruption, in a country that's already notorious for corruption. This is unfolding during a drawn-out war with Russia, where Ukraine's gotten billions in Western aid but faced questions on how it's all being spent. It's a reminder that ditching oversight erodes trust.

The ICJ's advisory opinion today labels climate change as an "urgent" and "existential" threat, spelling out what nations must do under international law to cut emissions and help vulnerable countries, like small island nations that pushed for this ruling. While it's not legally binding, it could shape future global talks and push countries toward stronger climate action. This is a big moment to rethink how we approach clean energy and production. Overblown doomsday talk about impending climate disaster aside, clearer guidelines might finally get us moving in the right direction.

President Trump is charging former President Obama with treason over the Russia collusion story, backing it up with fresh intel from Tulsi Gabbard that points to foul play in the 2016 probes. Skepticism toward Trump's claims is fair, but evidence keeps piling up that officials went too far in painting him as a Russian puppet to block his path to power. Much like the Epstein scandal, transparency and accountability are needed swiftly in order to keep faith in our systems intact.

After a sit-down with the Philippine president, the U.S. agreed to a 19% tariff on their imports, while also this week cutting a deal with Japan. The deal with Japan includes agreements on tariffs, investments, and lower taxes for Japanese carmakers here. Despite all the expert hand-wringing, these tariff moves seem to be paying off by fixing lopsided trade that's harmed the American public for years.

The USDA is ramping up worries about outsiders meddling in U.S. food safety research. This tactic seems to be a part of a wider push to protect our domestic interest as the USDA also recently moved to bar China from purchasing American farmland. A smart dose of caution toward foreign players makes sense as priority of government.

From dead last in school rankings, Mississippi's now cracked the top 20 states in education. This success story could offer real tips for fixing broken schools elsewhere in the U.S. With education in rough shape nationwide, and the feds handing more control back to states, Mississippi's rise shows what focused local changes can achieve.

Governor Jeff Landry fired back on X at a Democrat's slam on Joe Rogan's show, claiming "God is the foundation of our great country, and the separation of church and state is a MYTH," and challenging Rogan to host him for a debate. The state law requires the Ten Commandments to be placed in public school classrooms which obviously is a recipe for provoking fights over the role of religion in education. Whatever "myth" means here remains unclear but nonetheless this a troubling move in the direction of publicly recognized religion.

State Attorney General, Liz Murrill, is calling out the Mayor of New Orleans, LaToya Cantrell, for skipping normal steps and faking an emergency to ram through a deal with trash workers. Holding leaders accountable is key, especially if they're bending rules to advance their agenda. We'll see how this shakes out, but it's a solid example of why transparency matters in city hall to keep things fair for everyone.

The city council just okayed AI software for cops to match faces in investigations. Tech like this is obviously coming to policing whether we like it or not, but the privacy risks and potential misuse are real concerns. We should probably work to build in strong rules now, so we can embrace our ongoing technological revolution without losing our freedoms.