Could Trump Really Blow up the Global Trade System?

Trump’s trade policy blends aggressive tariffs, legal manoeuvring and transactional diplomacy. But could he really blow up the global trade system?

A Dream Deferred: Why Is Traveling Across Africa So Hard for Africans?

Aliko Dangote, Africa’s richest man, carries his frustration as visibly as he carries his passport. To travel across the continent he calls home, he needs 35 visas—each a bureaucratic hurdle and a reminder of the barriers to free movement and trade in Africa.

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.

Taliban’s Decrees Worsen Crisis for Afghan Women, Banning All NGO Work

Afghan women are enduring perhaps their most challenging time. Since the Taliban regained power four years ago, restrictions on women and girls have escalated, beginning with bans on education and paid employment.

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.

Food Systems Worsen Diets, Health

Corporate-dominated food systems are responsible for widespread but still spreading malnutrition and ill health. Poor diets worsen non-communicable diseases (NCDs), now costing over eight trillion dollars yearly!

Martin Luther King Jr’s Legacy on Health Equity Through the Eyes of a Black African Doctor

Every year, January 20 is celebrated as Martin Luther King Jr. Day. He was a leader in the Civil Rights Movement who fought for equality and justice, especially for Black people, through peaceful protests and powerful speeches. The day is observed annually on the third Monday of January, close to his birthday on January 15. It is a time to remember his work, reflect on his message of fairness and nonviolence, and engage in acts of service to help others in our communities.

Still Hopes for a Future Plastic Treaty– But it Won’t be Easy

The last few weeks of 2024 were a disappointment for those who strongly believed that planet Earth is in need of bold actions. First, there were the frustration stemming from what could be defined at minimum as unconvincing outcomes of both COP 16 on Biodiversity and COP 29 on Climate.

Pemba’s Woman Salt Farmers Forge Livelihoods Amid Climate Woes

As the cool morning breeze sweeps across the Indian Ocean beach in Tanzania’s Pemba archipelago, Salma Mahmoud Ali begins her day. With her brightly coloured Kikoi cinched tightly around her waist and a dark blue scarf framing her face, she walks barefoot toward her salt ponds. The humid air hangs, but Ali wades through ankle-deep water with courage.

Photo Essay: Kashmir’s Ingenious Climate-Responsive Architecture.

India's average temperature has risen by 0.7°C since 1901, bringing more frequent and intense heat waves, erratic rainfall patterns, and a marked decline in monsoon consistency since the 1950s.

Africa & Europe Must Join Forces to Protect Our Ocean by Pressing Pause on Deep Sea Mining

Deep-sea mining may not be on the official agenda next week at the World Economic Forum in Davos (January 20-24), but restoring public trust in international cooperation is.

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.

The Reckless and Dangerous Misogyny of Zuckerberg and Musk

In anticipation of Donald Trump’s inauguration his gold-studded Florida estate, Mar-a-Lago, is at the heart of political power games, where influential businessmen like Mark Zuckerberg and Elon Musk are positioning themselves as key players in his orbit. Apparently unfazed by legal controversies and scandals, Trump is preparing for his return in collusion with already powerful men, who in their pursuit of personal gain and political influence reflect a disturbing trend of billionaire oligarchy merging with politics. A worrying development that might have significant consequences for the future of free speech and women’s rights.

Israel and Palestine Secure Ceasefire Agreement After 15 Months of Conflict

A ceasefire agreement between the states of Israel and Palestine was reached on 15 January, 2025 , effectively putting an end to hostilities in the Gaza Strip. This comes after nearly 15 months of conflict, which has caused immense damage to Palestinian infrastructure, development, and civilian life. The three-phase plan proposed for the ceasefire agreement consists of the return of Israeli hostages, Palestinian refugees returning home, and the reconstruction of Gaza. Additionally, the ceasefire is expected to essentially put an end to the Israel-Hamas War and significantly mitigate the humanitarian crisis occurring in the Gaza Strip.

Farmer’s Bill: A Reprieve for U.S. Farmers Affected By PFAS

The use of fertilizers has been introduced in society to enrich soil and supply high-grade harvests for centuries. As time went on, humans have managed to develop new ways to reform this operation, and as such, have formed a lessened health risk fertilizer called “biosolids”.

Ghana a Contender for BRICS+ Alliance

With heightening geopolitical interest in building a new Global South architecture, Ghana's administration is considering joining the 'partner states category' of BRICS+, an association of five major emerging economies (Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa).

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.