This week, news editors Ira Buch ’25 and Katharine Ellis ’26 take readers beyond the Scoville Gates for a preview of noteworthy local, national, and international recent events. Buch and Ellis explored The Lakeville Journal, The Times of India, The New York Times, and The White House Administration Orders.
Local: Schaghticoke Tribal Nation Seeks Federal Recognition
The Schaghticoke Tribal Nation (STN) is native to the Northwest corner of Connecticut with roots in the nearby town of Kent. Originally granted federal recognition in 2004, the STN lost its acknowledgement in 2005 after opposition from state officials and other local tribes. Since then, the tribe has fought to regain federal recognition.
However, due to President Trump’s regulatory freeze, the STN now faces further obstacles in its quest to be recognized. The regulatory freeze will postpone the effects of any laws published in the Federal Register for the next 60 days in order to review each law.
National: Elon Musk gains access to the National Treasury
On January 20, President Trump issued an executive order to establish the President’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). According to the order, the goal of the agency is to modernize “federal technology and software to maximize governmental efficiency and productivity.”
The department, led by Mr. Elon Musk, now has access to the National Treasury’s payment system. Musk and his representatives can now monitor and limit government spending, potentially gaining access to sensitive taxpayers’ data.
International: Conflict Rages in the DR Congo
Hundreds of people have been killed and thousands injured as conflict escalates in the Democratic Republic of Congo. On Monday, January 26, members of the March 23 movement captured Goma, a city of millions on the border with Rwanda. The rebels claim they fight for the protection of Tutsis, an ethnic minority group, which has long been persecuted. The Rawandan president, Mr. Paul Kagame, an ethnic Tutsi, has denied arming the rebels.
Millions of people have been displaced and made refugees by the fighting. President Trump’s recent freeze on international aid will have a chilling effect on humanitarian efforts. The New York Times reports that 68.6% of annual aid to DR Congo comes from the U.S.
