In early 2018, Cape Town, South Africa came dangerously close to being the world’s first major city to run out of water. People lined up for blocks to collect spring water. Stores sold out of...
World
Only the Richest Ancient Athenians Paid Taxes – and they Bragged...
In ancient Athens, only the very wealthiest people paid direct taxes, and these went to fund the city-state’s most important national expenses – the navy and honours for the gods. While today it...
The Urban Poor have been Hit Hard by Coronavirus. We Must Ask...
The enormous death toll in New York City, the epicentre of the coronavirus outbreak in the US, led New York’s governor, Andrew Cuomo, to write that “there is a density level in NYC that is...
Right-Wing Extremism: The New Wave of Global Terrorism
In April 2020, the United Nation’s Secretary-General, António Guterres, addressed members of the Security Council by warning them that the COVID-19 pandemic could threaten global peace and security...
Tweets Reveal Trump’s and Biden’s Competing Views of Masculinity...
Shortly after news networks called the presidential race in favour of Joe Biden and Kamala Harris, Harris’ husband, Doug Emhoff, posted the following tweet: Screen Shot, Twitter. More than a...
What Lies Behind the War in Tigray?
At the core of the current war between the Ethiopian central government and the Tigrayan People’s Liberation Front is the realignment of politics and the contest for political hegemony. In my view...
Evidence Shows China’s Huge Ghost Fleet Were Illegally...
A ghost fleet of Chinese-owned fishing vessels crowded along the edge of Ecuador’s exclusive economic zone (EEZ) near the Galápagos Islands between June and September, prompting international concern...
The Tricky Path Ahead to Vaccinating the World Against COVID-19
To the delight and relief of millions around the world (and the stock market), Pfizer and Moderna have announced vaccines for COVID-19, with astonishingly high effective rates. Now, there is a race...
Peru ‘Coup’: Public Fury Forces Resignation of Interim President...
Peru is in deep crisis. The week-long regime of interim president Manuel Merino has been brought crashing down in the face of mass protests by tens of thousands of angry protesters. Three...
Saint or Sinner: Rawlings was Pivotal to Ghana’s Political and...
Twenty years after he left political office, probably nothing divides Ghanaians more than their opinions regarding Flight-Lieutenant Jerry John Rawlings who has died. His lingering political...
The Foreign Policy Legacy that Donald Trump Leaves Joe Biden
Donald Trump promised the American people that he would “Make America Great Again” by pursuing an America First foreign policy as president. The pledge, made on his inauguration day, stemmed...
Biden’s Win isn’t the End of Trumpism. It is the Start of a...
After four long days, the Associated Press (AP) finally called America’s controversial and chaotic 2020 Presidential Election. Former Vice President Joe Biden has been elected, to quote commentator...
‘New Zimbabwe’ Remains Elusive Three Years Later
Three years ago, Zimbabweans wildly celebrated what they saw as a change for the better, but now they regret this change that has sadly turned out to be a change for the worse as the ‘New Zimbabwe’...
Are Mercenaries the Answer to Mozambique’s Deadly Insurgency?
As Mozambique faces the growing security problem of an Islamist insurgency in the gas-rich northeastern province of Cabo Delgado, will the deployment of mercenaries solve – rather than exacerbate –...
How Emerging Threats are Changing Strategic Thinking About the...
Ever since nuclear weapons became a part of the USSR’s arsenal, American policymakers have strived to preserve what is known as “strategic stability”. According to Carnegie Moscow Centre, the term...
The UN Recognises Access to Drinking Water as a Human Right. So...
In a June 2020 article, speaking on the water crisis, US Senator Bernie Sanders told The Guardian “America’s challenges resemble those of a developing country. It’s time for that to change.” Although...
Planting Trees To Solve Climate Change? It’s More Complex Than...
Dealing with climate change is one of the greatest challenges faced by humanity. From sustainable energy sources to restrictions on industry, people have taken multiple approaches to help preserve...
Can Black Lives Matter Change India’s Perspectives of Colour and...
The idea that skin fairness is equal to beauty has long been a part of Asian culture, especially in countries like India. A holdover from the colonial past, this idea – mostly targeted at...
Scientists Are Racing to Map the Earth’s Seabed. Here’s Why.
Steinar Ellefmo, an Associate Professor in NTNU’s Department of Geology and Mineral Resources Engineering, said: “We actually know more about the moon than the seafloor.” He’s not wrong. Since 1969...
Climate Change Is Enabling the Spread of Deadly Mosquito-Borne...
Many of the long-predicted effects of climate change are now occurring: glaciers have shrunk, plant and animal ranges have shifted, trees are flowering sooner and there are longer and more intense...