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World Events
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Important Incidents
War in Ukraine is pushing global acute hunger to the highest level in this century
Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has produced a terrible humanitarian crisis in eastern Europe. It also is worsening conditions…
Finland and Sweden’s desire to join Nato shows Putin has permanently redrawn the map of Europe
With Finland’s leaders announcing they want the country to join Nato, and all the signs pointing to Sweden…
Remembering The Past, Looking To The Future: How The War In Ukraine Is Changing Europe
Both sides in this war have plundered history. Vladimir Putin claims to be replaying the second world war…
How Russia’s fixation on the Second World War helps explain its Ukraine invasion
Russian media references to the “de-Nazification” of Ukraine to justify its invasion have placed Russia’a fascination with the…
How 9/11 Changed American Culture
Culture is the overview of a person’s beliefs, principles, law, religion, and tradition. It embodies an individual’s identity…
The war in Ukraine has caused a housing crisis. Here’s how to combat it
With seven million Ukrainians internally displaced, the search for empty buildings to repurpose isn’t enough The apartment is…
The Ukraine war is at a dangerous stalemate. What’s next?
Vladimir Putin is now fighting a proxy war against NATO. Losing would be a disaster for either side…
How To Spot Disinformation About The Russian Invasion Of Ukraine
As the conflict continues, Ukrainian citizens are using platforms like Twitter, Facebook, and TikTok to show the world…
Who gets to decide when the pandemic is over?
It’s been two years since the World Health Organization (WHO) declared the COVID outbreak a pandemic, and since…
Where Military Aid to Ukraine Comes From
Looking at pledges of military aid to Ukraine between the start of the Russian invasion and March 27,…
Ukraine war shows ‘nuclear deterrence’ doesn’t work. We need disarmament
Despite leaders’ claims, nuclear weapons don’t prevent war or make life safer or more peaceful – they put…
A historian corrects misunderstandings about Ukrainian and Russian history
The first casualty of war, says historian Ronald Suny, is not just the truth. Often, he says, “it…
Only Twelve Countries Have Full Equal Rights for Women
There are only twelve countries in the world which offer full legal protections to women, according to the report…
Ukraine as a ‘borderland’: A brief history of Ukraine’s place between Europe and Russia
One interpretation of the name “Ukraine” is borderland. This needs to be taken seriously. Borderlands are all about…
What would Western sanctions mean for Russia?
The unprecedented measures proposed by the US, the EU and the UK could create chaos in Russia’s economy…
Is international law powerless against Russian aggression in Ukraine? No, but it’s complicated
The world was treated to a grotesque spectacle this week. Russia, the current president of the UN Security…
War once helped build nations, now it destroys them
Organised violence – the term war boils down to – has long been a unifier of peoples. Archeological…
Putin is about to start the most senseless war in history
A view from Russia: no sanctions will stop Moscow, and its actions will drive more countries into NATO’s…
Ukraine: What would a Russian invasion actually look like? These are the three most likely scenarios
Despite suggestions to the contrary from the Kremlin, Ukraine remains surrounded by Russian troops, both along its long…
How did we reach this point in the Russia-Ukraine crisis – and what’s next?
Politicians in the West are scrambling to use the crisis for their own agenda, while experts suggest Russia…
Technology is revolutionizing how intelligence is gathered and analyzed – and opening a window onto Russian military activity around Ukraine
The U.S. has been warning for weeks about the possibility of Russia invading Ukraine, and threatening retaliation…
Who’s to blame in the Ukraine-Russia standoff? It depends on perspective
In the West, the current standoff between Ukraine and Russia has typically been presented as one in…
Alpine hills and sandy beaches: The real frontlines of the Ukraine-Russia conflict
Diplomats complain that Russian President Vladimir Putin cannot read the room when it comes to negotiations. He begins…
4 Trends That Will Shape The Future Of Higher Education
Measures adopted during the pandemic do not address the root causes of the problems facing higher education. Institutions…
Beijing’s scant snow offers a glimpse at the uncertainty — and risks — of future Winter Olympics
The postcards and posters from most Winter Olympics call attention to the thick powder and ice-covered mountains we…
The Russia-Ukraine Military Imbalance
The fact that Russia has a larger military than Ukraine will hardly come as a surprise to most, but the…
Ukraine crisis is reminding Nato why it was formed in the first place
As Russian troops mobilise near Ukraine’s border and appear poised to invade, so the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation…
Why is Putin’s Russia threatening Ukraine?
Putin’s threats are a desperate defence of Russia’s status quo. I’m often asked the following question about Ukraine:…
The Global Risks Report 2022 revealed the top risks facing the world – So what can we do about it?
The Global Risks Report reveals the top risks requiring urgent global action. Past years have seen a lack of mobilization…
5 things to know about why Russia might invade Ukraine – and why the US is involved
U.S. President Joe Biden said on Jan. 19, 2022, that he thinks Russia will invade Ukraine, and cautioned…
10 COVID-19 lessons that will change the post-pandemic future
We have reached the end of the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic with more problems on the horizon.…
How COVID-19 transformed genomics and changed the handling of disease outbreaks forever
If the pandemic had happened ten years ago, what would it have looked like? Doubtless there would have…
Omicron may not be the final variant, but it may be the final variant of concern
It is controversial whether viruses are alive, but – like all living things – they do evolve. This…
The World Is Ill-Prepared to Prevent Another Pandemic
While the world’s overall preparedness score in the 2021 Global Health Security Index isn’t particularly good, it is markedly worse in…
A new study shows mixing COVID-19 vaccines could make them more effective
People have a better immune response when they received a first dose of AstraZeneca or Pfizer-BioNTech shots, followed…
How can scientists update coronavirus vaccines for omicron? A microbiologist answers 5 questions about how Moderna and Pfizer could rapidly adjust mRNA vaccines
If the omicron variant of the coronavirus is different enough from the original variant, it’s possible that existing…
Omicron is the new COVID kid on the block: Five steps to avoid, ten to take immediately
South Africa reacted with outrage to travel bans, first triggered by the UK, imposed on it in the…
The Hunt For Coronavirus Variants: How The New One Was Found And What We Know So Far
Since early in the COVID pandemic, the Network for Genomics Surveillance in South Africa has been monitoring changes…
Where People Don’t Have Access to Basic Sanitation
Around the world, access to basic sanitation is improving, but there are still many countries where more than…
Why are prices so high? Blame the supply chain – and that’s the reason inflation is here to stay
Consumer prices soared in October 2021 and are now up 6.2% from a year earlier – higher than…
Supply chains can easily break – here’s how they can be made more resilient to prevent shortages
Supply chains are essential to everyday life, bringing materials to factories, food to your plate, and fuel to…
SpaceX Inspiration4 mission will send 4 people with minimal training into orbit – and bring space tourism closer to reality
On Sept. 15, 2021, the next batch of space tourists are set to lift off aboard a SpaceX…
9/11 Did Not Change The World – It Was Already On The Path To Decades Of Conflict
The September 11 attacks in New York and Washington were visceral in their impact. In less than three…
mRNA Vaccines – Here’s Everything You Need To Know
In December 2020, the US FDA issued emergency use authorization for mRNA vaccines developed by Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna,…
With or without the Taliban, COVID and climate will inspire terrorism
Young jihadis across continents are turning to violence – and that will continue whatever the new old rulers…
The Taliban are megarich – here’s where they get the money they use to wage war in Afghanistan
The Taliban militants of Afghanistan have grown richer and more powerful since their fundamentalist Islamic regime was toppled…
Afghanistan: The Graveyard Of Empires
As the United States and its NATO allies accelerate their final withdrawal from Afghanistan, the Taliban have retaken swathes…
The Taliban: What could its return to power mean for Afghanistan?
The Taliban is typically portrayed as a group of men with beards and turbans, driven by Islamic fundamentalist…
As Afghanistan falls, what does it mean for the Middle East?
In the 19th century, the phrase “The Great Game” was used to describe competition for power and influence…
Not everyone cheered the ancient Olympic games, but the sacred games brought together rival societies
The 2020 Tokyo Olympics started on July 23, 2021, amid a few different controversies. Beyond the question…