Scarce food and drinking water. Limited and inconsistent healthcare. Rapidly deteriorating mental health. With conflict on the rise globally, this is the grim reality for millions around the world. April 7th will mark the sixth-month anniversary of the attack on Israel and the subsequent war in Gaza, which has killed over
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Trade growth likely to pick up in 2024 despite challenging environment
The latest edition of the WTO's “Global Trade Outlook and Statistics” foresees a gradual recovery in world merchandise trade volume in 2024 and 2025. This follows a contraction in 2023 driven by the lingering effects of high energy prices and inflation in advanced economies, particularly Europe. So, what does our
Upcoming India elections don’t inspire any hope in heavily militarised Kashmir
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi is favoured to win a third term in office when the country holds its massive general election, starting on April 19. While there are many questions about what another Modi term could mean for the country, residents in the Muslim-majority northern region of Kashmir are particularly
How long can Israel continue its war in Gaza amid pressure at home and abroad?
Comeback on the cards for Asian antelope declared extinct in Bangladesh
On Jan. 7, 2024, in a rural area of northwestern Bangladesh, a nilgai, the largest species of Asian antelope, crossed the border from India. It never crossed back. When villagers in Ranisankail subdistrict, Thakurgaon district, found out about the nilgai, also known as the blue bull, “they chased the animal and caught
Following Asian countries’ leads, climate action opportunity for developing nations
In the deserts of Gujarat, something remarkable is happening. On my recent visit I saw hundreds of trucks moving under the warm Indian sun. Thousands of hardworking young people from all corners of Bharat, as Indians now often call their nation, are turning around the previously empty and harsh landscape. This
Has the world progressed or regressed, 30 years after a landmark population conference?
As the world commemorates the 30th anniversary of the landmark International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD) held in Cairo in 1994, one lingering question remains: Has the world progressed– or regressed– in implementing some of the recommendations in the Programme of Action (PoA) approved by 179 UN member states. According
Scattered measures in humanitarian aid for Gaza not enough
As the humanitarian crisis in Gaza drags into its sixth month on Sunday, April 7, the UN Secretary-General calls for a “true paradigm shift” in the delivery of humanitarian aid. On Friday April 5, 2024, Secretary-General António Guterres spoke before reporters to mark six months since the October 7 attacks, where
Tensions with China drive investors towards Vietnam
In recent months, several European representatives embarked on trade missions to Vietnam. German President Steinmeier visited Hanoi in January. The Netherlands sent Prime Minister Mark Rutte, with the Dutch royal couple, King Willem-Alexander and Queen Máxima, soon to follow suit. Notably, the Netherlands stands as the most significant European investor
Developing countries’ government debt crises loom larger
Developing countries are being blamed for having borrowed and spent irresponsibly. But they have only been doing what foreign powers and financial interests have urged them to do. Since the 2008 global financial crisis, developing nations have been told to borrow massively from private finance, even at exorbitant interest rates, to