The GPR Digest- February 24, 2025
Hamas hostages, Texas measles, Egyptian tombs, and more!
Editor’s Note: Welcome to the first GPR Digest post of 2025! The Digest is happy to return to quality coverage of weekly news events.
Although the Digest will be taking a break next week, stay tuned the following Monday at 11:00 for our work, and keep reading to see our new contributors to the team!
GEORGIA
Georgia woman sues fertility clinic, claiming she gave birth to another patient’s baby
After undergoing in vitro fertilization two years ago, Krystena Murray of Savannah, GA became pregnant with a healthy baby boy. In December 2023, she delivered her baby but immediately realized he did not come from one of her lab-fertilized eggs because the baby was black, while both Murray and her sperm donor were white. Murray reported the mix-up to the fertility clinic, even though she has decided to raise the child. The fertility clinic tracked down and notified the baby’s biological parents, who then demanded custody. Murray gave up the 5-month-old boy to avoid a legal fight she couldn’t win.
However, on Tuesday, February 18, Murray filed a civil lawsuit against Coastal Fertility Specialists, where she claimed that the clinic’s negligence in mixing the other couple’s embryos with her own caused her ongoing pain and anguish. Further updates on the case are to be expected in the coming months.
UGA students host tribute to Laken Riley
February 22, 2024 was a day of mourning and sorrow on the UGA campus as Laken Riley's death marked a turning point for university safety— not just in Georgia but around the nation.
However, this Saturday, February 22, several UGA students walked to pay tribute to her. The Laken Hope Foundation along with Alpha Chi Omega hosted a 22 for 22 Memorial, where participants were encouraged to walk for 22 minutes straight. It was a day of remembrance for Laken and her impact on the UGA community.
NATIONAL
US Postmaster General Louis DeJoy intends to resign
On Tuesday, February 18, DeJoy signalled that he would be stepping down from his position as US Postmaster General. Entering the position in 2020, DeJoy was tasked with modernizing the Postal Service and ensuring its long-term financial stability. Now, over four years into his efforts, the DeJoy-led USPS reported a near $10 billion loss, far from his goal of breaking even by 2023.
DeJoy faced heavy scrutiny for his modernization efforts from both sides of the aisle in 2024. Senator Jon Ossoff (D-GA) and Representative Mike Collins (R-GA), in a rare moment of bipartisanship, questioned him on lengthy mail delays throughout the state and expressed concern on how they might impact the 2024 elections. DeJoy’s decision to increase prices on postal products and to restrict auxiliary deliveries only worsened these delays at a minimal improvement to their financial situation.
Since his resignation, DeJoy announced he would be supporting the Board of Governors by devoting his “time and energy in being as helpful as possible” in their search for a successor.
Texas measles outbreak increases to 90 cases
Currently, the measles outbreak in West Texas has increased to 90 cases, the largest outbreak in about 30 years. As of last Friday, February 21, 16 people were hospitalized across seven counties. The Texas Department of State Health Services reports that the majority of the cases are prevalent in children ages five to seventeen. Health officials in Texas are opening vaccine clinics and screening efforts to reduce the risk of spreading the disease.
There have also been about 14 reported cases in New Mexico, Georgia, and five other states. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the outbreaks have been linked to individuals who are unvaccinated or with an unknown vaccination status.
INTERNATIONAL
Several injured in Toronto plane crash
Last Monday, February 17, a Delta Airlines plane flipped over at the Pearson International Airport in Toronto. 18 of the 80 individuals onboard Flight DL4819 from Minneapolis-St. Paul were injured, with 3 suffering critical injuries, one of whom was a child. They were taken to the hospital after the accident, though some were released Monday night. All were reported to have survived.
The CRJ900LR aircraft and staff reported high winds, frigid temperatures, and disorganization in Toronto after a 22-cm snowstorm over the weekend. However, they are unsure what went wrong when the plane touched down. Delta is facing a lawsuit for the incident.
Hamas frees hostages; Israel delays prisoner release
On Saturday, February 22, Hamas released 6 Israeli hostages from Gaza, bringing the number of freed hostages up to 25. Their release comes as part of a ceasefire deal negotiated in January between Hamas and the Israeli government. These 6 are the last Israeli hostages freed in the first phase of this deal.
However, Israel announced it would be delaying the release of the 620 Palestinian prisoners it pledged to free under the same deal. Israeli officials were reportedly upset at the use of “humiliation ceremonies”, performative displays that condemned Israel in the process of freeing the hostages. Aside from banning these events, Israel also demanded the release of more Gaza captives in order to hold their end of the deal.
Friedrich Merz set to become Chancellor of Germany
Following mildly favorable election results, it appears the next German Chancellor is set to be a leader from the Christian Democrats: Friedrich Merz. Merz, a conservative businessman with no history as a government minister, would come into power at a critical time in Europe, just as Trump has cut Ukraine and Europe out of negotiations with Russia. Merz’s foreign policy is more aligned with Trump than Germany’s previous Chancellor and leader of the Social Democratic Party, Olaf Scholz. However, Merz has given pushback to Trump’s most recent comments siding with Russia, suggesting collaboration to be unlikely.
Germany’s far-right party, Alternative for Germany (AfD), came up second behind the conservative Christian Democrats in Sunday’s election. The AfD doubled its total from the last election, a result which signals a stark shift further to the right in Germany. Merz has since claimed victory.
CULTURE
A$AP Rocky found “not guilty” in trial
On Tuesday, February 18, Rakim Mayers, also known as A$AP Rocky, was found not guilty of shooting his former childhood friend, Terrell Ephron, near a Hollywood hotel in 2021. Ephron was another member of the A$AP Mob, under the name A$AP Relli. The night of the alleged crime, he was left with bullet-graze wounds above his knuckles, and he testified that Rocky had threatened to kill him.
Rocky pleaded not guilty to all accounts, and the defense accused Ephron of fabricating evidence and extortion. During the trial in Los Angeles, Rocky’s wife Rihanna appeared with their children. The two celebrated when the verdict was announced in their favor.
Egypt discovers first royal tomb in over 100 years
Egyptian officials announced on Tuesday, February 18 that an ancient tomb has been uncovered on the Western banks of the Nile River, near the city of Luxor. After a full excavation, the archaeological team determined the tomb belongs to King Thutmose II, the husband of Hatshepsut. This makes the tomb the first royal discovery in over 100 years, following the discovery of King Tutankhamen’s tomb in 1922.
Although the tomb was in poor condition due to flooding, the Egyptian-British archaeological team responsible for uncovering it is also leading intense restorative work to protect its treasures.
The end of the 24-25 awards season
This year’s awards season is drawing to a close with the NAACP Image Awards, Independent Spirit Awards, and Screen Actors Guild (SAG) Awards all having been held over the weekend— and with the long-awaited Oscars coming up this Sunday, March 2. Notable awardees include Former Vice President Kamala Harris being honored with the NAACP’s Chairman Prize and Conclave’s win for Outstanding Ensemble Cast at the SAG Awards.
Conclave’s win ties into the ongoing debate for what films will score big at the coveted “Big 5”Academy Awards titles: Best Screenplay, Best Director, Best Actor, Best Actress, and Best Picture. Among the two most debated categories, this year’s top contenders for Best Picture include Anora, A Complete Unknown, and Conclave, while the Best Actress category is expected to be a close race between Mikey Madison (Anora) and Demi Moore (The Substance).
Contributors: Sophia Nguyen, Blake Daniel, Jackson Bost, Alizah Mudaliar, Aviella Schwartz, Emma Mineva, Jason Eappen
World (Trade) War 3 is ABOUT to
A TARIFF AND TRADE WAR IS ABOUT TO DESTROY THE WORLD AS WE KNOW IT
Tariff $ accrue to domestic governments to begin with but the costs are impinged upon consumers in all ‘competing’ countries. Prices increase for imported goods, sales slump, Supply chains are destroyed, goods are cut off, shortages occur, prices skyrocket, deprivation occurs in industry and jobs are lost or suspended, contracts are cancelled, supply stops, demand cannot be met because trade stops, tariffs are therefore not collected, domestic GDP falls because production and sales stop, taxes are not collected, governments are deprived of normal tax revenues and can’t meet own budgets, all social payments like pensions and social payments stop. Governments fall, health care systems and education crumble, all government operations cease to provide for citizens, EVERYTHING STOPS
Domestic industries cannot always be re-tooled quickly to allow countries to Buy (Home) goods so the Promise of ‘independence’ for domestic economies is a ‘lie’ that will never come true.
A tariff or world trade ‘war’ would put the everyday people 🌎 in very deep trouble all around the 🌍 world
Too much of the world’s capital is ‘invested’ in crypto - which has always been a Ponzi scheme at heart - and produces nothing in terms of real goods and services for the world relative to what is invested instead of being invested in industry and companies that ‘produce’ goods and services
If crypto fails, and it will if big rich ‘investors’ start withdrawing their capital trillions and trillions upon trillions (quadrillions) will be lost disappearing into cyberspace
THE WORLD is in trouble because of what is threatening - TARIFFS - a domino effect would occur around the world as countries try to ‘protect’ themselves with escalating competing tariffs that only drive their own economies downwards
The rich are in power - and the rest of the world would be poor in many ways, not just monetarily - the New World Order is about to take over.
This is George Orwell’s “1984” about to happen.
3 Superpowers ran the World of “1984”
A world of destitution, privation, and persecution at the hands of the “thought police”. People are being jailed for their opinions. That is already happening in the UK. The “Online Harms Act” is ready to go in Canada. Virtually the whole world is online and trackable and traceable. The Police are showing up at people’s doors in the UK for criticisms of the Labour Party and assorted online ‘aggressions’ for ‘words’ on Facebook. The world is ready to crumble at the hands of its own governments.
The ‘Axis of Evil’ is massive and it’s growing fast.
Government Tariffs are going to reduce the world to poverty. Oppressive governments are in power. This is the ‘New World Order’ about to happen
The RICH and POWERFUL remain in power and and the WHOLE REST of the WORLD is POOR, not just monetarily, but in terms of everything that they can’t get their hands on in economies that are downsized to the bare minimum - complete government control of everything.
This is the END OF THE WORLD AS WE KNOW IT COMING SOON
This is the ‘Project’ of the “New World Order”
WW3 ‘Trade War’ Begins with Tariffs
THE RICH AND POWERFUL WILL BE THE ONLY PEOPLE WHO AREN’T POOR and PERSECUTED
AND IF I’m wrong, and worldwide tariffs are halted, the world remains as it is. Nothing happens. For now. The world just continues on the lunatical path it is already on.