22 May 2023 /Conflict and War/ –Ukraine’s foreign minister, Dmytro Kuleba, began a tour of African countries this week in an effort to challenge Russian influence in the “Global South.” Kuleba met with foreign ministers from Egypt, Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, and Morocco to discuss the war in Ukraine and to seek their support for Ukraine’s position. Continue reading
Matt Weaver, University of Portsmouth
In 1956, seven European countries – Belgium, France, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Switzerland and West Germany – gathered in Lugano, Switzerland for the first ever Eurovision Song Contest. The competition was only broadcast in select countries, meaning only a small number of viewers watched Swiss entry Lys Assia win the grand prize with the song Refrain.
Paul Jackson, University of Birmingham
A three-day ceasefire to mark the Islamic festival of Eid-al-Fitr in Khartoum appears to be dead in the water as fighting continues in the Sudanese capital. According to the World Health Organization, more than 330 people have been killed over the past week. Now, with reports emerging that arms are being sent from Egypt and Libya, there are growing fears the situation could develop into a civil war that could draw in regional powers.
April 18, 2023 /World/ — The Ukraine war has divided the world in many ways. Some countries have condemned Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and have imposed sanctions on Russia. Others have been more hesitant to take action, fearing that it could escalate the conflict.
The war has also divided the world on a ideological level. Some countries see the war as a battle between democracy and authoritarianism. Others see it as a proxy war between the United States and Russia. Continue reading
Jose Caballero, International Institute for Management Development (IMD)
After over a year of the Ukraine war, efforts at building a global consensus against Russia seem to have stalled, with many countries opting for neutrality.
The number of countries condemning Russia has declined, according to some sources. Botswana has edged towards Russia from its original pro-Ukraine stance, South Africa is moving from neutral to Russia-leaning and Colombia from condemning Russia to a neutral stance. At the same time, a large number of countries have been reluctant to support Ukraine.
State House
Lusaka, Zambia
3:37 P.M. CAT
ZAMBIAN OFFICIAL: Mr. Hakainde Hichilema, President of the Republic of Zambia; Honorable Madam Kamala Harris, Vice President of the United States of America; cabinet ministers present from both countries; members of the press; distinguished invited guests; ladies and gentlemen: Welcome to the press conference being held here at State House this afternoon.
And to begin the process, I now have the singular honor and privilege to call upon the President of the Republic of Zambia to deliver his remarks.
Continue reading
Jennifer Mathers, Aberystwyth University and Anna Kvit, UCL
Thousands of women have voluntarily joined Ukraine’s armed forces since 2014, when Russia’s occupation of Crimea and territories in eastern Ukraine began. Over the past nine years, the number of women serving in the Ukrainian military has more than doubled, with another wave of women joining after Russia’s full-scale invasion in February 2022.
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By Samuel Woodhams | Digital rights researcher and journalist The long, turbulent history of UK’s Online Safety Bill can be traced back to 2017, with the publication of the Internet Safety Strategy green paper. Since then, the proposed legislation has gone through endless revisions, been delayed and, at times, looked like it might be dropped entirely. Continue reading |
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By Samuel Woodhams | Digital rights researcher and journalist Last week, WhatsApp announced a new proxy support feature that will help people stay connected during internet disruptions. The app is often targeted by government censors because messages on the end-to-end encrypted service can’t be intercepted, enabling people to organise protests and share critical information in private. |
John Hammond, University of Reading and Yiorgos Gadanakis, University of Reading
Welcome to this special report on the food industry, the fourth instalment in our series on where the global economy is heading in 2023. It follows recent articles on inflation, energy and the cost of living.