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The Tufts Daily
Where you read it first | Sunday, December 22, 2024

Opinion | Viewpoint


The Setonian
Viewpoint

Leave them alone this time: Iraq is reclaiming its sovereignty

History has been particularly unfair to Iraq. The country has repeatedly tried to gain prestige and claim the foothold it deserves within the Arab world and the Middle East. But any prolonged stability or progress for Iraq seems to have been constantly barred. Nevertheless, the country might be finally ready to act and become truly independent again.


The Setonian
Viewpoint

Rushing for a job in finance: The reality of early recruiting timelines

If you open LinkedIn and enter the keywords “2023 summer,” you will find  yourself with 6,438 job postings, as of mid-February 2022, regarding intern positions for Summer 2023. If you proceed to filter down openings by the following industries — “financial services,” “accounting” and “business consulting and services” — the number drops down to 3000. Financial services opportunities comprise many of the positions hiring for interns with a start date in 1 ½ years, and their deadlines are approaching fast.


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Viewpoint

For many, "test optional" is not really optional

When the decision for colleges and universities to go test-optional spread rapidly through the country like a wildfire due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the SAT started to lose its relevance. Harvard University decided to go test-optional until 2026  to limit the weight of standardized tests in the admission process due to their biased nature, which disproportionately disadvantages students of color and those from low-income families. In 2020, universities in the University of California system decided to steer away from the SAT and ACT permanently for similar reasons. 


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Viewpoint

Nuclear frenemies: Why is Russia courting China?

Russia is growing increasingly belligerent. With the United States busy confronting China’s growing influence in Asia, Vladimir Putin is now trying to send a message by threatening Ukraine to show the West that they shouldn’t discount his powerful country. It was then only a matter of time for an adage to return: “The enemy of my enemy is my friend.” This saying holds in the context of Sino-Russian relations. 


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Viewpoint

The silenced star: Takeaways from the Peng Shuai case

The esteemed 2022 Winter Olympics are being hosted in China: a nation known for its strong military power, authoritarian-like command over its vast population and confrontational stance towards the West. The People's Republic, under General Secretary Xi Jinping's authority, has maintained tense relations with the United States over economic trade, technology production, its violent persecution of the region of Hong Kong and its threats towards Taiwan. 



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Viewpoint

Promises and approval: Where does Biden stand one year into his term?

On Jan. 20, 2021, Joe Biden was sworn in as President of the United States with an approval rating in the mid-50s. Now, a year later, his approval rating rests firmly in the low-40s, which is lower than any president — other than Donald Trump — at this point in their first term. Despite many of Biden’s successes in his first year, the drop in approval likely arises from the fact that he has been slow to act on some campaign promises and suffered from circumstances out of his control.


The Setonian
Viewpoint

Investors must consider risks when investing in cryptocurrency

From celebrities appearing in cryptocurrency commercials to the repetitive, self-proclaimed investing gurus on TikTok, cryptocurrency has grounded itself in social media and pop culture. However, its swift growth on the internet has exposed many of the dangers of the business. While investing money is smart, and a new realm like cryptocurrency is encouraging for people looking to make money, the lack of understanding that most people have of cryptocurrency is frightening. Cardify, a market research platform, conducted various studies on the state of cryptocurrency in recent years and found thatover 83% of investors reported having only a moderate to low understanding of what they were investing in. As people are bombarded with information about cryptocurrency online, many feel pressure to get involved without any knowledge of the business, for fear of missing out. This trend of rash decision making, especially with something as volatile as cryptocurrency, has the potential to lead to significant loss. 


The Setonian
Viewpoint

"Rules for thee but not for me": The role of leaders in containing COVID-19

n Jan. 19, British Prime Minister, Boris Johnson, announced that many of the more stringent measures Britain had taken to curb the spread of COVID-19 early on in the pandemic would officially end on Jan. 26. Since the end of January, those in Britain are no longer required to wear masks indoors or show NHS COVID Passes to enter public venues, and the government no longer advises people to work remotely. Additionally, the government announced that they intend to end the legal requirement for those who test positive for COVID-19 to self-isolate. The current regulations are set to expire on March 24, after which they will not be renewed. Along with this announcement, Johnson continued to encourage British citizens, among whom 65% of eligible people are fully vaccinated and boosted, to practice cautious behavior like handwashing and ventilating rooms, and he urged those who remain unvaccinated to step forward and receive their vaccines.



The Setonian
Viewpoint

Ukraine: What will it take for the West to react?

The fall and dismantling of the Soviet Union humiliated the newly created Russian Federation and left it in grave economic trouble. The countries that emerged from this process chose diverging paths when it came to relations with Russia. 11 of the 15 ex-USSR countries joined the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS), essentially vowing to collaborate and align with Russian politics. Most importantly for Russia, this union was a political successor to the Cold War-era collective defense treaty known as the Warsaw Pact. The ex-superpower hoped this would prevent its young neighbors from joining NATO and bringing American weaponry to their doorstep. 


The Setonian
Viewpoint

Tufts students and university officials must support facilities staff and dining workers

Dining workers and custodial staff keep our campus running, supporting students, educators and administrators alike. Without them, we would not be able to function as an educational institution. Amidst the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, during which operations were expanded and immense uncertainty loomed over our campus, they continued to work tirelessly, risking their own health in the process. Tufts custodial and dining staff are integral members of our community and we must do more to support them.



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Viewpoint

Nepotism and networks: Inequity in internship access for students

For undergraduate students, the process of applying to internships can be a daunting one, further complicated by the advantages and networks that only some have access to. Depending on the industry, the timelines for submitting an application can vary greatly, with some summer internships in fields like finance starting as early as the fall.Staying on top of these recruitment and application deadlines is important if you want to stand out among the numerous other applicants. However, those with the right connections are often the ones who can navigate the process most easily, successfully taking hold of the many internship opportunities.


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Viewpoint

True glory: Remembering Virgil Abloh

“Being displayed in museums and staying in the streets: that is true glory,”  Sophie Fontanel wrote on Giorgio Armani. I would argue this quote suits Virgil Abloh as much, if not more — a man who grew to become one of the most popular designers on Earth. Virgil Abloh, the artistic director of Louis Vuitton, founder of Off-White and a unique force in the fashion industry, passed away last week at the young age of 41, victim to a cancer he had been privately fighting. While Abloh was a master of social media, gaining success as he publicized his brand on various platforms, he was able to protect his private life, highlighting the resilience with which he soldiered on while facing such a ruthless disease. Just as impressive was his versatility in his work. Indeed, the Illinois native never restricted himself to the medium of clothing. Far from it.


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It was only a matter of time: What we must keep in mind with the omicron variant

It was only a matter of time before researchers discovered another mutation of COVID-19. On Nov. 26, the World Health Organization reported omicron as a “variant of concern,” triggering the adoption of travel bans by various governments and a wave of panic that has begun affecting populations around the world. Still, many questions remain regarding what makes this variant different, making much of the panic we see, fueled by rumors and misinformation, unproductive. 




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Viewpoint

In Poland, 'Law and Justice,' or 'How to lawfully dismantle justice?'

The right-wing Law and Justice (PiS) party has been governing Poland for the last six years. The ruling coalition has turned a blind eye to and even discretely defended societal measures that go directly against the European Union’s stance, notably on issues like abortion and LGBTQ rights. These measures are a populist attempt by the PiS to ensure the loyalty of their crucial rural base, and they have already maintained the party at the helm through two elections. The country that birthed Lech Walesa and the fight against Soviet hegemony abruptly turned back on its history, bringing the Kaczyński twins, Jaroslaw and Lech, and their bigoted party to power.


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Viewpoint

The passage of Biden’s infrastructure bill and the consequences of our polarized political climate

On Nov. 15, President Joe Biden signed the long-awaited $1.2 billion infrastructure bill into law. The U.S. is now able to finally begin infrastructure projects that were previously put on hold, investing $550 billion over the next five years. These projects includerebuilding our roads and bridges, investing in public transit and easing Amtrak’s maintenance backlog, expanding broadband systems to aid rural and low-income communities and furthering environmental infrastructure through climate resilience and renewable energy sources.