Genocide 2.0—Trump’s Plan for Cleansing Gaza

Either the new US President, Mr. Trump, is ignorant of international law or thinks he’s so brilliant that he doesn’t care about it. Either way, he seems to have stumbled into proposing an extension of Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu’s clearly documented crime of genocide by suggesting that somebody “clear out” the people in Gaza, in effect advocating the ethnic cleansing of the territory.

Can We Still Solve Climate Change?

When it comes to climate change, the awful news has been coming thick and fast. We now know that in 2024, the Earth’s average temperature exceeded 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels for the first time.

UN Faces Backlash from a Hostile White House

The Trump administration which regained the White House last week after a four-year hiatus, has come down heavily on thousands of illegal immigrants and hundreds of perceived enemies-- triggering a rash of executive orders on military and federal agencies But in the ensuing political chaos, Trump has not spared the United Nations either.

Longing for EU

Good news! For two years now every single UK poll has shown a majority now want to return to the EU. Of course they do, since every reliable source shows the continuing damage done by Brexit in almost every sphere. Those promised ‘Brexit benefits’ are nowhere to be seen.

A Lasting Peace Between Israelis and Palestinians

Following the long-sought cease-fire agreement between Israel and Hamas, the major challenge for the Israelis and the stateless Palestinians is how to achieve a lasting peace that will end the disastrous cycle of death, destruction, displacement and despair.

The “Fierce Urgency of Now”– to Reverse Course in Haiti

As we commemorated Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s Day on January 20, 2025—a day that also marked America welcoming its newly elected president—we honor the legacy of this civil rights leader by reflecting on his powerful words: “We are confronted with the fierce urgency of now.”

Report Exposes Silent Global Emergency as More Crises-Affected Children Need Urgent Education Support

A report released today on the International Day of Education sounds alarm as the number of school-aged children in crisis worldwide requiring urgent support to access quality education reaches a staggering 234 million—an estimated increase of 35 million over the past three years fueled by intensifying armed conflict, forced displacements, more frequent and severe weather and climatic events, and other crises.

How Artificial Intelligence Will Affect Asia’s Economies

Asia-Pacific’s economies are likely to experience labor market shifts because of artificial intelligence (AI), with advanced economies being affected more. About half of all jobs in the region’s advanced economies are exposed to AI, compared to only about a quarter in emerging market and developing economies.

Fallen Black South African Soldiers From World War I Finally Remembered

It was a solemn ceremony on a bright sunny day on the southern tip of Africa, in Cape Town’s company gardens, amid the grass wooden structures that stand out. The 1,700 carefully constructed brown wooden carvings are standing in a line. These structures represent a new Commonwealth War Graves Commission (CWGC) memorial, which honors the contribution of the hundreds of Black South African military laborers of the First World War. The CWGC remembers the fallen soldiers of both World Wars equally with this first permanent redress tribute.

Let the Kite Fly High

The global plastics negotiation process, launched in 2022 under a resolution by the UN Environment Assembly, represents an unprecedented effort to combat the escalating plastic pollution crisis.

The First Phase of Israel-Palestine Ceasefire Begins

On January 15, 2025, the long-awaited ceasefire proposal between Israel and Hamas was approved, bringing the first bout of relief for the people of the Gaza Strip after 15 months of conflict. This has allowed for the exchange of prisoners and hostages between the two nations as well as a greater flow of humanitarian aid to be directed to Gaza. Although this only accounts for the first phase out of the three phase plan, it is uncertain if Israel will continue to uphold the negotiations of a truce after the first phase is completed.

Rethinking Africa’s Debt: Debunking Myths and Identifying Sustainable Solutions

To achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and Agenda 2063 aspirations, Africa requires an additional $1.3 - 1.6 trillion in financing.

A World Where Rich Get Richer, Poor Get Poorer — and Billionaires Rise

Perhaps one of the UN's most ambitious and longstanding projects – the launching of 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)-- is aimed, among other things, at helping developing nations eradicate extreme poverty by 2030. But that elusive goal has made little or no significant progress.

Journalists Behind Bars: China, Israel & Myanmar the Worst Offenders in 2024

The year 2024 has been one of the most devastating for journalists covering conflicts worldwide-- with 361 behind bars, the second highest since the global record of 370 imprisoned back in 2023.

Trillions in Dirty Money: How Hidden Loopholes Fuel Corruption and Inequality

It is no longer a secret that at major global summits there are more lobbyists than official delegates. There, they participate as ‘guests,’ and most of them work for big business corporations. Their goal? To deter the adoption of policies that conflict with their employers’ interests.

UN Claims to Strengthen Battle Against Racism in Workplace—Amid Reservations

As the United Nations plans to commemorate its 80th anniversary later this year, it is “reflecting on the steps taken to advance implementation of the Secretary-General’s Strategic Action Plan for addressing racism in the UN Secretariat. The UN’s Anti-Racism Office, which was created in 2023, has hosted several online events that reached over 13,500 participants and generated 2,000 comments, and welcomed 2,700 visitors to its iSeek page (accessible only by staffers)—possibly a reflection of the rising complaints and concerns of UN staffers.

How US Media Hide Truths About the Gaza War

A few days before the end of 2024, the independent magazine +972 reported that “Israeli army forces stormed the Kamal Adwan Hospital compound in Beit Lahiya, culminating a nearly week-long siege of the last functioning hospital in northern Gaza.”

The Challenges Facing the World’s Fifth Largest Economy

India has surged forward as the world's fifth-largest economy and has now surpassed China to claim the title of the most populous nation. However, this rapid ascent is not without its challenges; rising unemployment and inflation loom large, threatening demographic dividend and its ambitious goal of sustaining a 7 to 8% GDP growth.

Developing Countries are Being Choked by Debt: This Could be the Year of Breaking Free

The debt disaster is back. Indeed, the aid agency Cafod reports that developing countries today face “the most acute debt crisis in history”.

Genocidal President, Genocidal Politics

When news broke over the weekend that President Biden just approved an $8 billion deal for shipping weapons to Israel, a nameless official vowed that “we will continue to provide the capabilities necessary for Israel's defense.” Following the reports last month from Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch concluding that Israeli actions in Gaza are genocide, Biden’s decision was a new low for his presidency.

The most Secret Memory of Men and the Disgraceful Condemnation of Two African Authors

In 2021, the Senegalese novelist Mohamed Mbougar Sarr became the first writer from sub-Saharan Africa to be awarded the Prix Goncourt, France’s oldest and most prestigious literary prize.