“Sometimes you need a dictator,” offhandedly remarked President Trump in Davos on Jan. 21, the third day of the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting. Out of his many controversial statements uttered at the forum—such as repeated references to Greenland as Iceland—perhaps this statement went undetected to many. Or perhaps it was interpreted as another one […]
Tag: United Nations
Netanyahu Faces the World, and the World Walks Out
When Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu took the stage at the United Nations General Assembly on Sep. 26, 2025, symbolism freighted the event. His address was not merely a policy statement: It was a high-stakes performance under the twin shadows of war crimes allegations and a Trump pardon that cleared a path for him to […]
Who Gets to be a State? The Politics Behind Recognition
On September 21, a coordinated effort by the Western nations of Britain, Australia, Canada, and Portugal aimed to promote a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict by announcing their recognition of Palestine as a sovereign state. This decision happened amidst the escalating humanitarian crisis following continuous Israeli offensive attacks, which have caused global outrage over […]
Managed Paralysis in Global Climate Governance
In the outcome clause of the 28th Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, the phrase “accelerating efforts toward the phase-down of unabated coal power” suspiciously aligns with a common political phrase: “we will make meaningful progress.” However, both of these nonbinding statements — with little to no supporting […]
The Refugee Camp That Time Forgot
Nestled in the arid terrain of northeastern Kenya, the Dadaab refugee complex stands as one of the clearest examples of a humanitarian system that has lost its way. Established in 1991 as an emergency response to the outbreak of civil war in Somalia, Dadaab was designed to be a temporary solution. But over three decades […]
Might Makes Right: the DRC, Rwanda, and a Shifting World Order
The winding path of international politics has reached a fork of values: enduring liberalism versus an emergent imperialism. Our new path will be chosen in Central Africa, a war-ridden and oft-ignored part of the world, where the Democratic Republic of the Congo is facing a resurgence of violence inflicted by its neighbor Rwanda. In 2012, […]
Echoes of Silence: How Aynaghor Exposes South Asia’s Hidden Repression
For the first time in half a decade, Michael Chakma saw the sun. He had escaped, but he could barely remember where to go or who to call. Five years prior, Chakma was abducted by Bangladeshi intelligence, and from that day on, he was subjected to torture, stuck in the darkness, and only able to […]
South Africa Takes on Israel: A New Front in the Gaza Conflict
In a landmark move on December 29th of 2023, South Africa initiated legal action against Israel at the International Court of Justice (ICJ), alleging violations of the 1948 Genocide Convention due to Israel’s actions in Gaza. This unprecedented case raises not only complex legal questions but also shines a spotlight on ongoing humanitarian crises and […]
On The Emerging Hunger Crisis in Sudan
In 2019, the number of people facing acute food insecurity in Sudan was 5.8 million. Today, that number has reached 20.3 million, nearly half of the population, and is continuing to rise. In April of 2023, conflict between rival sectors of Sudan’s military, the Sudanese Armed Forces and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) began […]
Private Markets Aren’t the Problem in Healthcare. It’s Patents.
The issue that destroys the most lives is an instrument intended to save lives. The United States widely implements patent protections for medical technology, but its use internationally leaves the most vulnerable populations at risk. This political tool damages developing economies and deprives millions of essential healthcare. Medical patents are licenses that grant pharmaceutical companies […]