Council on Foreign Relations | PJI ‘26 | past @thedailyiowan @qctimes | DMs or email are open for tips, tricks, and all things politics — roxyekberg@gmail.com
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Articles by Roxy Ekberg
Nuclear power, nuclear reactors, nuclear economy, mini reactors
NUCLEAR POWERWhy Nuclear Energy Is Making a Global Comeback Published 25 August 2026 Nuclear energy is gaining momentum as countries seek reliable, low-emission power sources to meet increasing electricity demand and climate goals amid uncertainty in fossil fuel markets. Its revival renews long-standing debates over safety and nuclear proliferation. Energy security concerns augmented by recent years of war in Ukraine and the Middle East have fueled a global resurgence of nuclear energy.
Why nuclear energy is making a global comeback
Aug. 24, 2026, 5:34 AM EDT This article was originally published on CFR.org and updated by NBC News. Energy security concerns augmented by recent years of war in Ukraine and the Middle East have fueled a global resurgence of nuclear energy. In Asia, Europe, and elsewhere, governments are looking to nuclear energy as a stable power source in the face of geopolitical uncertainty, increasing electricity demand, and accelerating climate change.
What Is Nuclear Energy, and Why Is It Making a Comeback?
Energy security concerns augmented by recent years of war in Ukraine and the Middle East have fueled a global resurgence of nuclear energy. In Asia, Europe, and elsewhere, governments are looking to nuclear energy as a stable power source in the face of geopolitical uncertainty, increasing electricity demand, and accelerating climate change.
How I Got My Career in Foreign Policy: Sadanand Dhume
Sadanand Dhume has viewed foreign policy through the lens of a foreign correspondent, a newspaper columnist, an author, and now a senior fellow at CFR, where he focuses on India, Pakistan, and South Asia. He also writes the biweekly East is East column for the Wall Street Journal, covering South Asia and the Indian diaspora.
How Spain’s Migration Surge Tested EU Border Policy
Tens of thousands of migrants crossed from Morocco into Ceuta, an autonomous Spanish territory in North Africa, between July 30 and 31. The unexpected crisis overwhelmed local authorities and infrastructure, marking a first test of the European Union’s (EU) new Pact on Migration and Asylum.
How I Got My Career in Foreign Policy: Stephanie Psaki
Under the Biden administration, Stephanie Psaki was the first U.S. coordinator for global health security at the National Security Council (NSC), where she navigated the U.S. response to major disease outbreaks such as Ebola. Years of work in research and at nonprofits fueled her knowledge of what policies would lead to public health improvements.
The UK Will Have Its Seventh Prime Minister in a Decade. What Happened to the Others?
The United Kingdom (UK) is experiencing an unprecedented wave of political leadership turnover. Six prime ministers have stepped down since the 2016 Brexit referendum. The volatility in the UK’s highest executive office has been fueled by economic instability, political polarization, and personal scandals. The prime minister is head of the UK government, but is also a member of the legislature and remains in power only as long as they retain enough support to govern.
Africa Has Faced a Rare Ebola Outbreak for Months. Here's What to Know. Original
The rapid spread of a rare Ebola strain through Central and East Africa is testing local public health authorities and raising concerns about the state of global health security. The proliferation of a rare strain of Ebola known as the Bundibugyo virus in Central and East Africa now constitutes the third-largest Ebola outbreak on record.
Africa Has Faced a Rare Ebola Outbreak for Months. Here’s What to Know.
The proliferation of a rare strain of Ebola known as the Bundibugyo virus in Central and East Africa now constitutes the third-largest Ebola outbreak on record. Having likely circulated undetected since around February, the disease continues to spread in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), with additional cases in Uganda and France, more than a month after the World Health Organization (WHO) declared it a public health emergency of international concern.
IC community works to recover following Ped Mall shooting
Local Iowa City leaders aim to listen to community members to determine how to move forward. May 12, 2026 Franklin Pastorino, a University of Iowa third-year student, had never heard a gun go off before. When shots were fired on the Pedestrian Mall on the April 19 shooting, Pastorino thought the loud sound was fireworks. It wasn’t until he heard people screaming that he realized something was horribly wrong.
Senior column | Onward and upward
This goodbye comes a year sooner than I had marked in my color-coded calendar. Yet, I feel that is very fitting as this year, this role, this time at The Daily Iowan has been nothing like what I planned for. I joined this newsroom the second I stepped foot on campus, anticipating to get a byline or two and puff up my portfolio. The DI quickly became my favorite place filled with my favorite people.
April 19 Ped Mall shooting suspect arrested
Damarian Jones, 17, was taken into custody on Monday, May 11, and faces charges related to the shooting. May 11, 2026 This is a developing story. Check back for updates. Suspect in the April 19 Pedestrian Mall Shooting, Damarian Jones, of Cedar Rapids, was taken into custody near Atlanta, Georgia, according to a news release from the city of Iowa City.
Iowa GOP aims to pass SAVE Act
Despite support from Iowa’s federal delegation, Johnson County leaders worry about voter disenfranchisement. April 21, 2026 WASHINGTON — The process of casting a ballot may become more difficult for voters come midterms if the Safeguard American Voter Eligibility, or SAVE Act, passes through Congress.
Two victims of Ped Mall shooting released from hospital
This is a developing story. Check back for updates. The Iowa City Police Department is continuing to investigate the early morning April 19 shooting on the Pedestrian Mall in downtown Iowa City. Of the five victims identified in the shooting, one remains in critical condition, two are in stable condition, and two are no longer hospitalized, according to an April 20 news release from the City of Iowa City. Three University of Iowa students were injured in the shooting.
Iowa congressional members say reconciliation bill to end government shutdown will appear next week
WASHINGTON — As a record-breaking partial government shutdown over funding the Department of Homeland Security stretches into its second month, members of Iowa’s congressional delegation anticipate reconciliation will be the solution to ending the standstill. Congress has struggled to reach a bipartisan deal to fund DHS, resulting in a partial shutdown that began in mid-February.
Muscatine County Jail releases ICE contract
Muscatine County Jail collects nearly $1 million annually to hold federal inmates, including ICE detainees, according to contract agreements provided to The Daily Iowan. The sent a request for the county's three most recent contracts with ICE on Feb. 5 and received a response acknowledging the request on Feb. 12 from Muscatine County Attorney Korie Talkington. She informed the on Feb.
Exdetenido de ICE cuenta su experiencia de detención en la cárcel del condado Muscatine
Al buscar asilo, la fuente se entregó a la policía federal inmediatamente después de entrar los Estados Unidos. La fuente fue detenida inmediatamente. Sin antecedentes penales, la fuente fue encarcelada por casi un año y medio. "Se entregué cuando venía al país porque quería hacer lo correcto," dijo el exdetenido. La detención en la cárcel del condado Muscatine fue difícil de adaptar por las condiciones duras, dijo la fuente.
Former ICE detainee recounts experience in Muscatine County Jail
Released from Muscatine County Jail after nearly a year and a half in ICE detainment, a former detainee was relieved to see the sun again. Granted anonymity by The Daily Iowan due to safety concerns, the source said the windows inside the facility were so opaque they did not let direct sunlight in. Seeking asylum, the source turned themself over to federal officials immediately after entering the United States. The source was immediately detained.
IC man detained by ICE pleads guilty to fraud charge
DAVENPORT, Iowa - Making small talk in the hallway before his plea hearing, Jorge González Ochoa, an Iowa City man who was detained by ICE agents in September, shifted in demeanor once he entered the courtroom. Brows furrowed and head angled toward his interpreter for the duration of his court proceeding, González Ochoa pled guilty to fraud and misuse of documents. The 28-year-old appeared in the U.S. District Court Southern District of Iowa on Feb. 17 after entering a plea agreement on Feb. 13.
Jorge González Ochoa enters plea agreement for fraud, misuse of documents
Jorge González Ochoa, who was detained by plainclothes U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents in Bread Garden Market on Sept. 25, entered a guilty plea agreement to a count of fraud and misuse of documents, according to court documents filed Feb. 13. The charge carries a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison, a maximum fee of $250,000, and supervised release of up to 3 years, according to court documents.
Protesters demand action against ICE from Iowa lawmakers
DES MOINES - Ahead of Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds' last annual address, roughly 200 protesters rallied in the rotunda of the capitol building to call for an end to the presence of the Immigration and Customs Enforcement, or ICE, in the state. Organized by the Party for Socialism and Liberation Iowa, the protest follows the Jan. 7 killing of Renee Good by an ICE agent in Minneapolis, Minnesota.
Reynolds announces plan to revamp veteran benefits, services in annual address
DES MOINES - One month after two Iowa Guardsmen were killed and three injured in Syria, Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds proposed improvements to veteran benefits in her final Condition of the State address. Edgar Torres-Tovar and Sgt. William Howard were killed in Syria by a lone ISIS gunman on Dec. 13. Torres-Tovar, 25, from Des Moines, and Howard, 29, from Marshalltown were posthumously promoted to staff sergeant. The guardsmen were returned to Iowa on Christmas Eve.
Iowa lawmakers' top priorities for the 2026 legislative session
DES MOINES - Iowa lawmakers gaveled in the 2026 legislative session on Monday, marking a decade of a Republican trifecta in the statehouse. The majority party's legislative leaders pinned property tax relief as a top priority for this session, while Democrats emphasized a need to lower costs for Iowans. The Iowa Senate proposed an overhaul of the state's property tax system.
Iowa to participate in summer EBT after two years of opting out
Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds announced Monday the state will participate in the federal summer electronic benefit transfer program, or summer EBT, after opting out for two years. The announcement follows the U.S. Department of Agriculture approved the state's waiver to align the summer food program with Iowa's Healthy SNAP program by implementing new guidelines that prevent food benefits from being used to purchase candy, soda, and some store prepared foods.
Arrest made after shooting investigation
Xzavier Herman, 22, of Iowa City, was arrested Saturday by ICPD with assistance from the Cedar Rapids Police Department. At roughly 1:29 p.m., ICPD responded to reports of a shooting near the 900 Block of East College Street; reports indicated a person was shot in the chest, according to a news release from the City of Iowa City. Witnesses reported hearing shots fired and responding officers recovered evidence of gunfire, according to a news release from the city Friday.
A look inside Quad-Cities voting precincts and how both sides of the river become more red Original
Laken Ealy always voted blue. In the 2024 election, she flipped red. Sitting on her porch on a humid July morning, the Moline resident said her political leanings have changed as she’s aged. Once a staunch Democrat, she voted for former President Barack Obama before leaning independent and eventually turning to the Republican Party. Ealy's voting follows the nationwide red wave observed in November 2024, yet stands out in deep blue Rock Island County.
A look inside Quad-Cities voting precincts and how both sides of the river become more red
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'The Paper' cast gives a glimpse behind the scenes
The Daily Iowan participated in a virtual roundtable Q&A with cast members from Peacock's comedy series "The Paper" along with other college newspapers across the country. Focused on the newspaper, the Toledo Truth Teller, the mockumentary is a spinoff of "The Office," a comedy series that ran from 2005 to 2013. In Toledo, Ohio, the same documentary crew that filmed at Dunder Mifflin 20 years earlier now follows a reporting team.
A look inside the Quad-Cities voting precincts with the biggest changes
Cecilia Esquivel first turned to the Democrats in 2020. She stayed blue four years later. Speaking in soft tones to avoid waking the day care children napping in her home on 25th Street in Moline, Esquivel laid out her voting history, explained why she turned away from the Republican Party after voting for Donald Trump in 2016. “The second time, when I voted for Biden, it was really to just let me vote for somebody other than Trump,” she said.
In-depth look at Quad-Cities voter trends shows how both sides of river became more red
Laken Ealy always voted blue. In the 2024 election, she flipped red. Sitting on her porch on a humid July morning, the Moline resident said her political leanings have changed as she’s aged. Once a staunch Democrat, she voted for former President Barack Obama before leaning independent and eventually turning to the Republican Party. Ealy's voting follows the nationwide red wave observed in November 2024, yet stands out in deep blue Rock Island County.
Scenes and stories from along the course of the 51st Quad-City Times Bix 7 Original
With an hour delay due to storms, the 51st running of the Quad-City Times Bix 7 kicks off at 9 a.m. Runners will be facing wet streets and likely more rain, but should have cooler temperatures. The Arconic Jr. Bix held Friday evening was also delayed due to rain. Despite the weather, people are still out lining the course to cheer on the runners.
Senior Bix unofficial champ Mike Mallon aims to keep age group win at Quad-City Times Bix 7 Original
The Bechtel Trusts Senior Bix is noncompetitive, but that didn’t dampen two-time champ Mike Mallon’s runner's edge. Mallon, 59, has run the Quad-City Times Bix 7 a total of 10 times and holds the record for his age division. His favorite part about running is the competition — with others and himself. He’s won his age group, 55-59, for the past three years, and in 2022 he set a record time of 40:56. Mallon said what drives his competitiveness is protecting his age group records.
Senior Bix unofficial champ Mike Mallon aims to keep age group win at Quad-City Times Bix 7
The Bechtel Trusts Senior Bix is noncompetitive, but that didn’t dampen two-time champ Mike Mallon’s runner’s edge. Mallon, 59, has run the Quad-City Times Bix 7 a total of 10 times and holds the record for his age division. His favorite part about running is the competition — with others and himself. He’s won his age group, 55-59, for the past three years, and in 2022 he set a record time of 40:56. Mallon said what drives his competitiveness is protecting his age group records.
About 1,000 runners, walkers turn out for second Bechtel Trust's Senior Bix Original
Near the back of the pack of roughly 1,000 participants, Barbie Hernandez carefully pushed a stroller along the two-mile stretch of Bechtel Trust's Senior Bix. Peaking over the edge of the stroller, Pearl, Hernandez’s 10-year-old rescue chihuahua, wagged her tail and panted, nose pointing eagerly toward the trail. Hernandez, 74, ran the Bix about 25 years ago.
Iowa’s new summer food program a heavy lift for food pantries
Healthy Kids Iowa, the state's new summer food assistance program, has changed operations at River Bend Food Bank in Davenport and food banks across the state. River Bend Food Bank is one of six food banks partnered with the state to carry out Healthy Kids Iowa. 071725-qc-nws-foodbank 1.jpg Clara Ward, 14, packs boxes of shelf stable food at River Bend Food Bank on Thursday, July 17, in Davenport.
Iowa’s new summer food program a heavy lift for food pantries
Healthy Kids Iowa, the state’s new summer food assistance program, has changed operations at River Bend Food Bank in Davenport and food banks across the state. River Bend Food Bank is one of six food banks partnered with the state to carry out Healthy Kids Iowa. Partnering with 22 food sites across five counties in Iowa, the food bank provided 2,500 pre-packed boxes in June and 3,100 in July to partnering pantries.
LGBTQ+ elected officials hit historic numbers, including an increase in Iowa
A historic number of LGBTQ+ elected officials were elected in 2024, according to a report released in June by the LGBTQ+ Victory Institute. The all-time high came in tandem with a nationwide Republican swing. The annual Out for America report tracks openly LGBTQ+ elected officials in the United States. With data frozen on May 5, the report found a 2.4% increase since 2024. This past election cycle marked a record number of LGBTQ+ candidates running for the Iowa legislature.
Quad-Cities highschoolers gain hands-on experience with MercyOne Genesis camp
Nurses swarmed through the halls of MercyOne Genesis Davenport Medical Center's emergency department Wednesday morning, helping people brought in on ambulances to the trauma bays. Inside trauma bay B, twenty Quad-City high schoolers readied themselves for their mock trauma run. The teenagers were quiet and focused as they studied laminated note cards with their assigned task for the drill.
Quad-Cities highschoolers gain hands-on experience with MercyOne Genesis camp Original
Nurses swarmed through the halls of MercyOne Genesis Davenport Medical Center’s emergency department Wednesday morning, helping people brought in on ambulances to the trauma bays. Inside trauma bay B, twenty Quad-City high schoolers readied themselves for their mock trauma run. The teenagers were quiet and focused as they studied laminated note cards with their assigned task for the drill.
Rock Island City Council advances TIF district expansion including Milan Bottoms Original
By a vote of 6 to 1, Rock Island City Council on Monday passed an ordinance to expand the Parkway/I-280 TIF district that could allow for a proposed development on 10 acres of land adjacent to wetlands known as the Milan Bottoms. The vote comes after months of protests against expanding the TIF district to assist a proposed development by A Hana Illowa LLC that involves a cannabis dispensary and a gas station across from Bally's Quad Cities Casino and Hotel.
'Just the tip of the iceberg': Quad-Cities massage parlor arrests part of national trend Original
One of the most prolific forms of sex trafficking, illicit massage parlors are a multibillion-dollar industry in the U.S. With recent arrests in the Quad-Cities, people are waking up to the pervasiveness of the issue, local anti-human trafficking advocates said. Illicit massage businesses are the number one venue for sex trafficking in Iowa, according to a report by the Iowa Department of Health and Human Services.
Walcott Truckers Jamboree brings in historic equipment, innovative trucks
Dwarfed by massive, shiny big rigs, an unassuming piece of equipment sat tucked away in the lineup of trucks at Walcott Trucker Jamboree at the Iowa 80 Truckstop on Friday. The 1919 Oldsmobile carries 106 years of Iowa farming history on its small, metal frame. Attendees at the Walcott Truckers Jamboree strolled through the rows of trucks entered in the event's Super Truck Beauty Contest. The Oldsmobile was easily overlooked, but those who noticed did a double take. "1919, wow," a passerby mumbled.
Norine Hammond announces run for reelection to Illinois House
Norine Hammond plans to run for reelection to the Illinois House of Representatives, she announced Monday. Representing the 94th House District, the Republican incumbent has held a seat in the state legislature since 2010 when she filled the vacancy of the late Rep. Rich Myers, who she previously worked for as a legislative aide. The 94th House District covers areas of western Illinois, including western Rock Island and Mercer counties.
Iowa high schooler who lost his leg plays in John Deere Classic’s Pro-Am tournament
Carter Henning, a rising sophomore at Calamus-Wheatland High School, was unsure whether he would be able to play sports again after a traumatic injury that resulted in the loss of his leg in February. On Wednesday, Carter teed off in the John Deere Classic Pro-Am tournament. Paired with pros Dylan Frittelli and Zach Johnson, Carter said he hopes to learn a thing or two from the decorated golfers.
Youth Day turns to family day at John Deere Classic Original
Standing on tiptoes, kids tried to snag a peek of the play areas set up for the John Deere Classic’s Youth Day Wednesday. The sun beat down on hundreds of kids and families in a snaking line to the Fan Zone tent, waiting eagerly for access to kids’ activities and free goodie bags. Kids messed playfully with the lock securing the door until 10 a.m. when the glass doors opened wide and a whoosh of A.C. welcomed a stream of those first in line inside.
Iowa high schooler who lost his leg plays in John Deere Classic’s Pro-Am tournament
Carter Henning, a rising sophomore at Calamus-Wheatland High School, was unsure whether he would be able to play sports again after a traumatic injury that resulted in the loss of his leg in February. On Wednesday, Carter teed off in the John Deere Classic Pro-Am tournament. Paired with pros Dylan Frittelli and Zach Johnson, Carter said he hopes to learn a thing or two from the decorated golfers.
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