Browsing Category
World Events
490 posts
Important Incidents
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…
How the COVID-19 delay of the Tokyo Olympics helped some athletes break records
After an unprecedented delay due to a once-in-a-century global health crisis, the Tokyo Games are finally ready to…
6 Things To Know About The Slow COVID-19 Vaccine Rollout
As the United States flounders to meet its COVID-19 vaccine targets—only 49% of Americans are fully vaccinated to…
Tokyo 2020: How Japan’s moment of glory has become a millstone for the economy
“Japan is back!” declared Shinzo Abe, the then Japanese prime minister, after he made a surprise appearance dressed…
The Massive Costs Behind The Olympic Games
The 2020 Olympics are finally set to get underway in Tokyo on Friday barring a last minute cancellation amid rising…
Could COVID-19 be mutating in animals without us knowing?
People have been panicking about COVID-19 in animals since the very start of the pandemic. There’s now plenty…
5 Things You Should Know About The Delta Variant
As the new coronavirus strain, called the Delta variant, spreads, experts are taking it seriously. For the first…
Everything you need to know about the G7’s plan to donate 1 billion vaccine doses
The G7 have announced their plan to donate a billion COVID-19 vaccine doses to poorer countries. However, some…
NATO Defense Expenditure
World leaders are descending on Brussels for the first in-person NATO summit since the start of the pandemic.…
G7 Showed That Post-Trump, The World Has Shifted
What a difference a year makes in international diplomacy. A year ago, then-US President Donald Trump was obliged…
G7 Is More United But Not Effective Enough To Tackle The World’s Biggest Problems
When the UK hosts the G7 summit in Cornwall between June 10 and 12, it will be the…
The Forgotten History Of Memorial Day
In the years following the bitter Civil War, a former Union general took a holiday originated by former…
Is Pandemic Isolation Pushing People Towards Extremism?
Right-wing extremists are taking advantage of COVID-19 restrictions and conspiracy theories to radicalise and recruit new supporters While…
COVID In India: The Deep-Rooted Issues Behind The Current Crisis
India finds itself in the throes of a humanitarian disaster. Until March 2021, case numbers were low in…
Do we need to update our tools assessing COVID-19 vaccine performance to work against the novel variants?
Over the course of 2020, scientists and global health organisations— including CEPI, the National Institute of Biological Standards…
After Early Success, India’s Daily COVID Infections Have Surpassed The US And Brazil. Why?
India is in the grip of a massive second wave of COVID-19 infections, surpassing even the United States…
Coronavirus Variant Spread Through 15 Countries Before Discovery
The B117 variant of the virus responsible for COVID-19 has been spreading for longer than previously known, researchers…
What is thrombocytopenia, the rare blood condition possibly linked to the AstraZeneca vaccine?
Anthony Zulli, Victoria University; Maja Husaric, Victoria University; Maximilian de Courten, Victoria University, and Vasso Apostolopoulos, Victoria University…
COVAX Reaches Over 100 Economies, 42 Days After First International Delivery
More than one hundred economies have received life-saving COVID-19 vaccines from COVAX, the global mechanism for equitable access to…
Covid-19 Variants: Five Things To Know About How Coronavirus Is Evolving
The Sars-CoV-2 virus is changing in ways that are making it more transmissible, increasing the severity of disease…
The Suez Canal In Numbers
The Suez Canal has been thrust into the global spotlight after a cargo ship became stranded, blocking travel…
After The Ever Given: What The Ship Wedged In The Suez Canal Means For Global Trade
In the early hours of March 23, the container ship Ever Given was blown off course by high…
Suez Canal Blockage: What It Takes To Unwedge A Megaship
One of the world’s largest container ships, named Ever Given, has been wedged across the Suez Canal since…
Global Oil Shipments Depend On Major Chokepoints
A massive container ship remains wedged in the Suez Canal, blocking a crucial global trade artery for a third consecutive…