At the end of the first week at the 16th Conference of Parties on Biodiversity (COP16), finance emerges as the biggest issue but also shrouded in controversies. On Saturday, as the COP moved closer to its most crucial phase of negotiations, resource mobilization—listed under Target 19 of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (KMGBF)—took centerstage, with […]

Everything is at stake. Everything is at stake with nuclear weapons. While working as a nuclear war planner for the Kennedy administration, Daniel Ellsberg was shown a document calculating that a U.S. nuclear attack on communist countries would result in 600 million dead. As he put it later: “A hundred Holocausts.” That was in 1961. […]

Russia is pursuing, during these contemporary times, a new form of economic architecture, non-hegemonic policies and simultaneously portraying its first-class military power in the world. Russia’s development paradigm is distinctively different and largely oriented towards Global South. While Russia stands against Western hegemony and dominance, and against NATO, Israel maintains a complex relationship between the […]

Information manipulation and misinformation are not new phenomena, but they have taken on exaggerated importance, especially with the massive use of social media. Hostile and stigmatizing narratives against civil society and civic activism, whether intentional or not, especially when propagated by authorities, create undue restrictions and hinder the exercise of the rights to freedom of […]

In a world where the fight for land rights often pits the powerful against the marginalized, Indigenous communities stand as resilient defenders of their ancestral lands. These communities, rich in culture and tradition, face numerous challenges, from encroachment and exploitation to climate change. Empowering Indigenous communities is not just a matter of justice; it is […]

When Dr Gamani Corea, a former Secretary-General of the Geneva-based UN Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) was holding court in the delegate’s lounge, I asked him what he thought of the bitter dispute between then Secretary-General (SG) Boutros Boutros-Ghali (1992-1996) and the United States over the Egyptian’s determination to win re-election for a second […]

Migration, trade, the defence of democracy, the confrontation with China and the collapse of multilateralism are issues that shed more doubts than certainties on Latin America’s expectations of the imminent presidential elections in the United States. Interest and tension have grown after dozens of polls and bookmakers have shown similar chances of victory for Democrat […]

As a result of its policies and actions in response to the 7 October attack, the Israeli government has not only alienated its allies and acquired adversaries but also found itself isolated diplomatically. The consequences of those developments and realignments have occurred across countries, organizations and groups worldwide.   Situation The Israeli government’s actions in […]

The immigration ban, which combined with health care reform will likely wreak even more havoc on an already depressed rural America.

The NRA

NEW YORK — It looks like the 2025 Grammy Awards may be a different kind of award show. Beyoncé leads the nods with 11, bringing her career total to a record-breaking 99 nominations. There’s an incredible diversity of genres represented across the major categories, and women continue to succeed. So… who didn’t make the cut? What were the best surprises of all? Let’s take a look. Country’s cool again… and it looks a little different. Country music has bled into other prominent genres and the Recording Academy has taken note. Country hybridists — like Beyoncé, Post Malone and first-time nominee […]...

Keep on reading: The Beatles, 'BRAT' summer, and other 2025 Grammy nomination snubs, surprises

Israeli authorities have advised their nationals in Thailand to remain vigilant following reports that they might be targeted during the Full Moon Party on Koh Phangan this coming Friday, the Times of Israel reports.

Satit Limpongpan, chairman of the selection committee tasked with choosing the new board chairman of the Bank of Thailand, has confirmed the position will not have any influence on the central bank's monetary policy.

Russia's lower house of parliament voted unanimously on Tuesday to ban what authorities cast as pernicious propaganda for a child-free way of life, hoping to boost a faltering birth rate. - REUTERS

DENPASAR — Several international airlines cancelled flights to and from Indonesia's resort island of Bali on Wednesday, after further eruptions of a volcano that has spewed ash clouds as high as 10 kilometres (32,808 feet) and forced thousands to evacuate.

[Shabelle] Mogadishu -- In a strategic move to bolster Somalia's defense apparatus, President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud has made key changes in the military hierarchy, appointing General Sahal Abdullahi Omar as the new Commander of Land Forces and elevating Lt. Colonel Hassan Salah Abdi to the position of Commander of Special Forces.

[Addis Standard] Addis Abeba -- The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation of Somaliland has announced progress in preparing for the upcoming presidential and party elections scheduled to take place on 13 November this year.

[Shabelle] Mogadishu, Somalia -- In its weekly session, Somalia's Council of Ministers, under the leadership of Prime Minister Hamsa Abdi Barre, delved into a comprehensive review of the nation's strategies and achievements in combating terrorism and financial crimes.

[ISS] Somalia's upcoming seat on the UN Security Council should allow it to shape international maritime security policies.

[Shabelle] Kismayo, Somalia -- The regional state of Jubaland has announced the suspension of all cooperation with the Federal Government of Somalia, escalating tensions over political and governance issues. The decision, made public early Sunday, marks a significant rift in the country's federal structure.

[Shabelle] Riyadh, Saudi Arabia -- Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud has touched down in Riyadh on Sunday evening for the Extraordinary Arab and Islamic States Summit.

[Radio Dalsan] Somaliland's Vice President, Abdirahman Abdillahi Ismail Saylici, made headlines on Sunday by publicly endorsing the opposition Waddani Party just days before the November 13 presidential election.

[VOA] Washington -- According to the Somaliland National Electoral Commission, more than 1 million registered and eligible voters head to the polls Wednesday to elect their president for the next five years.

[UNHCR] UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency has just concluded a three-day event, hosting partners and Governments from the East and Horn of Africa, Great Lakes Region and Yemen, to review strategies for comprehensive solutions to the ongoing displacement crisis in Somalia. The meeting brought together representatives from Uganda, Yemen, Djibouti, Ethiopia and Kenya, as well as the regional body, Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) and provided a platform for sharing insights and aligning efforts among

Qatar is arguing that it won’t act as a mediator any longer, threatening the fate of the hostages because a deal would be harder without Doha in the middle.

The materials were recovered by IDF soldiers during operations in the Gaza Strip.

How can Khamenei's "shadow empire" deteriorate?

While reports in Israel assess that Hezbollah may have lost 80 percent of its rocket arsenal and also lost 2,000 fighters, Hezbollah is putting on a brave face, claiming Israel is far from its goals.

High-level meetings in Tehran signal deepening Iran-Iraq security cooperation, while Iran simultaneously advances its regional agenda through talks with Turkey, Russia, and Lebanon.

Ukraine and Russia barrage each other with dozens of drone attacks

Israeli airstrikes on Gaza and Lebanon kill dozens of people

Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu says he and Donald Trump 'see eye to eye' on Iran

Macron and Starmer lay wreath at Paris' Tomb of the Unknown Soldier on Armistice Day

Judges block Albania model again and order return of 7 migrants to Italy

Thousands of Serbians demand prime minister's resignation following deadly roof collapse

Thousands masquerade as Carnival season starts with festivals across Germany

North Korea finalises landmark defence pact with Russia

At least 22 killed in Lebanon and Gaza strikes as Israeli defence minister rejects ceasefire

Trump to appoint hardliners Rubio and Waltz as foreign policy chiefs, reports claim

German auto and engineering workers to get 5.5% wage rise after union negotiations

Church of England head Justin Welby resigns over handling of sex abuse scandal

  Matthias Schmale is the Assistant Secretary-General, UN Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator in Ukraine. Schmale brings more than 30 years of experience in humanitarian and development work. He previously served as Senior Adviser to the UN Development Coordination Office’s regional team for Africa, as Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator (a.i) in Nigeria, and in several high-level […]

On November 6, the World Health Organization (WHO) announced that the second round of polio vaccinations in the Gaza Strip has been completed. A total of 556,744 children under ten years of age received the mOPV2 vaccine along with a dose of vitamin A to ensure immunization. However, due to rampant hostilities from the Israeli […]

The ongoing, escalating violence in Lebanon forces millions of Lebanese civilians to face daily bombardment, repeated orders of evacuation, routine destruction of critical infrastructure, and limited access to basic services. With the death toll and rates of displacement on the rise, humanitarian organizations fear that the upcoming winter season is expected to exacerbate these harsh […]