In perhaps the least surprising news of the year, Vladimir Putin has triumphed at the Russian ballot box and been enthroned for the fifth time as president. He will serve for six more years. He will be 77 years old in 2030. According to the constitution, which he re-wrote to his
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Countering increased authoritarianism requires robust civil society, media & academia
Putin’s regime has made it abundantly clear that it will violently repress and punish political opposition. Even as protestors chanted “Russia will be free!” at Nalvalny’s funeral, dozens were arrested simply for honoring his memory. Nalvalny’s martyrdom and the crackdown on his followers points up a loss of freedom not only
Why Modi’s party is favoured to win another poll despite failure in economy?
LPG, a useful transitional fuel for the UN’s clean cooking effort
One of the key efforts under the United Nations (UN) Sustainable Development Goals is to provide poor households with access to clean cooking technologies to replace, in particular, the burning of solid biomass (e.g., fuelwood and charcoal) in traditional open stoves that kills millions of women and children. To date, one
What can we expect from six more years of Vladimir Putin?
After 13 years in conflict, Syrian women & girls must not be forgotten
“I don’t think the world understands what it means to be a woman living in Syria today,” explains Shatha, a woman from Deir-ez-Zor, Syria, who is a survivor of gender-based violence. “It is a life filled with danger, grief, and daily struggle.” Shatha’s story is not isolated but echoes the harrowing
Biden’s balancing act: Israel’s national security vs Palestinian’s humanitarian crisis
In recent weeks, the Biden administration has found itself facing a serious dilemma as to how to balance its commitment to Israel’s national security along with the humanitarian crisis facing the Palestinians in Gaza. Whereas the United States provides military aid to Israel, including bombs and other defense systems, as a
Biden must end arms sales if Israel keeps blocking aid: US Senators
A group of senators said Tuesday that under U.S. law, the Biden administratio must cut off American military assistance to Israel unless the Netanyahu government immediately stops impeding aid deliveries to the Gaza Strip, where children are dying of starvation after months of incessant Israeli bombing and attacks on humanitarian
Should you be concerned about flying on Boeing planes?
The American aerospace giant Boeing has been synonymous with safe air travel for decades. Since the 1990s, Boeing and its European competitor Airbus have dominated the market for large passenger jets. But this year, Boeing has been in the news for all the wrong reasons. In January, an emergency door plug
Thailand’s ‘humanitarian corridor’ for Myanmar faces pushback
The Maung family is rebuilding their lives in a foreign land. A freshly painted signboard with a play on the word Revolution declares their small restaurant is open for business, and breakfast features traditional Myanmar mohinga—rice noodles and fish soup. Three years ago, the family of four was prospering in the