With foreign tensions rising to such a high tenor in recent weeks, yet another false missile alert has been released by the United States' Pacific ally, Japan. According to reports by NPR and CNN, Japanese network NHK erroneously notified followers of an incoming ballistic missile.

As many nationwide have now heard, Hawaiian citizens were sudden awoken from their morning slumbers by the most unsettling message they may ever receive - a ballistic missile strike was imminent, and that it was not a drill.

With a 3-2 partisan vote, the FCC voted yesterday to repeal Title II protections, previously instituted during the Obama Administration. After a hard-fought battle headlined by fervent Net Neutrality advocacy, the vote marks the end of an online era defined by open and equal access. 

Another month passes, and yet again we're blindsided by new reports of a mass shooting in the United States. The moment we begin to normalize these events is the moment we surrender both our safety and moral fiber. 

For anyone who values the preservation of an open and equal internet, those protections are soon at risk. Current FCC Chairman, Ajit Pai, is expected to announce a vote to decide the fate of net neutrality on November 22nd - the day before Thanksgiving. 

In a move characterized both by its inherent denial of climate research and pursuit of profits, Donald Trump announced at 3:00pm that the United States is withdrawing from the Paris Agreement. According to CNN, the United States is abandoning a global coalition of 195 signatories.

France finds itself in the middle of election season - the decision looming on who will become the next representative of Le Tricolore. With preliminary voting over, only two finalists are moving forward to a second, definitive, run-off election: Emmanuel Macron, and Marine Le Pen.

With his comments regarding the Holocaust today, Sean Spicer has triggered a social media firestorm. Spicer compared Syrian President Bashar al-Assad to Adolf Hitler in light of recent chemical attacks orchestrated by Syrian regime forces.

As reported by CNN today, discussions to broker a bipartisan deal have failed regarding Supreme Court nominee Neil Gorsuch. Although senators from both sides fear the repercussions of allowing a simple majority vote to confirm new judiciary appointees, that appears to be the only viable option for Senate Republicans.

It is unbelievably unfortunate that safeguarding the environment has become a partisan issue on Capitol Hill. In the year 2017, climate change and sustainability are still considered "progressive" issues, instead of domestic-policy mainstays in the United States. One would think that preserving the environment for future generations to come would be a top priority. 

I am extremely excited to announce that my content is now available within its own Apple News channel, "The International Pulse"! Having the opportunity to push impactful blog content to larger platforms offers a wonderful opportunity to bring more attention to The International Pulse.

Intelligence hearings on Capitol Hill yesterday helped shed definitive light on accusations of wire tapping, pushed aggressively by the Trump Administration. Their formal conclusion: there was no evidence found to support wire tapping and surveillance of Trump Tower.

Following allegations claiming both Barack Obama and the United Kingdom wiretapped President Trump's communications, it has been confirmed by the Senate Intel Committee, House Intel Committee, and the Department of Justice that no evidence exists supporting surveillance. Even Republican leaders of Congress have stepped forward to validate such findings. 

It is not entirely surprising that the CIA has an arsenal of tools and exploits pertaining to mobile devices. The existence of millions of lines of code relating to engineered malware, viruses, and trojans is concerning. Now that the Vault 7 leaks have thrust this information "into the wild," there are major consequences to consider.

As reported by the New York Times, Sessions claimed that the Department needed to "back away from monitoring troubled police departments...". In his view, practices of the DoJ have prevented these departments from functioning adequately.

As of last week, the White House is facing some backlash from the United Nations - as well as the European Union and the Arab League - in response to President Trump's proposal to pursue single-state policies regarding Israel and Palestine.

Yesterday, justices of the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals ruled in favor of the states of Minnesota and Washington - the plaintiffs in a case ultimately deciding the viability of the Trump Administration's travel ban. With the 3-0 decision, the current freeze on the ban was to remain, opening the door for immigrants from key Muslim nations to enter the United States.

Earlier this morning at Washington's annual National Prayer Breakfast, Donald Trump 'took to the pulpit' to announce that American religious freedom is "under threat." Referring to the Johnson Amendment, sharing its namesake with former President Lyndon B. Johnson, Trump vowed to eliminate the legislation.

We need to bring some clarity to a situation muddled both by fear-mongering and xenophobia. This cannot be mentioned enough: America is a nation built upon the colossal contributions of immigrants, from its inception to the present. Those from diverse backgrounds have contributed in ways that defy quantification.

The initial wave of executive orders from the Oval Office have left many citizens feeling personally attacked. The Trump Administration has justifiably caught plenty of flack for its rhetoric, and has deemed it necessary to substantiate that rhetoric via action.

Closely following the retirement of the Millennium Development Goals in January of 2016, the UN instituted a new set of goals a year ago this month. Picking up where the MDGs left off, the Sustainable Development Goals are set to extend through 2030 - launching a 15-year program of global betterment.

In a world dictated by social media - status updates, tweets, and live streams, particularly - news & current events reach our fingertips almost instantaneously. In an unlikely partnership, augmented reality and the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals have crossed paths.

The former president stated that while we take two steps forward, many times we take one step back soon after. However, the direction of America has predominantly been forward, and we have a propensity for doing so. But, what aims do we pursue? Which causes do we choose to uphold?

While it is important to treat the turning of the calendar as a fresh opportunity to improve ourselves, it is crucial that we remember there are many initiatives we need to take to improve the world around us. This will not be an overnight phenomenon. 

We know both regime and rebel groups have played major roles in wiping out pockets of civilian Aleppines. The problem in Syria is that protection is provided from neither a formal governing body, nor from those who seek to oppose it. The regime stands at one side, the rebels on the other, leaving defenseless civilians in the middle.

During the final couple of months of the election, and following its conclusion, there has been a major debate raging regarding authenticity of information. Every minute this story develops, increased denial is met head-on with fervent finger pointing. What is the appropriate course of action moving forward?