A fifth of the world’s oil passes through a strait just 55km wide. Right now, that strait is closed, and...
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by Soumya Dutta
The catastrophic floods and debris flows in Nepal and Tibet on 26 August have exposed the growing vulnerability of the Himalayan region. The disaster comes amid rapid glacier loss, expanding glacial lakes, destabilising mountain terrain and increasing development in fragile valleys. Soumya Dutta examines how climate change is interacting with infrastructure expansion to create more complex and potentially cascading hazards. The article looks at lessons from recent disasters in Sikkim and Uttarakhand and argues for stronger transboundary monitoring, real-time early-warning systems, comprehensive hazard mapping and climate-resilient development. It calls for reconsidering infrastructure and settlements located in high-risk Himalayan corridors.by Sunil Acharya
Nepalis and Tibetans must not pay the price – with their lives, livelihoods and money meant for education and health – for global heating caused by wealthy states.by Jon Queally
The abuses by the Israeli government and military are “a stain on the conscience of humanity, requiring the UK and France to act.”by Zeeshan Aleem
There is no possibility of an arrest happening for the foreseeable future. But it illustrates a sea change in the U.S.-Israeli relationship.by Pon Chandran
The Save Silent Valley Movement remains one of India's defining environmental struggles. Faced with a proposed hydroelectric dam that threatened an ancient rainforest in Kerala, scientists, writers, activists and local communities united to protect one of the Western Ghats' richest ecosystems. Their sustained campaign led to the cancellation of the project and the declaration of Silent Valley as a National Park. This article revisits the history of the movement, the people who shaped it, and the enduring lessons it offers for balancing development with ecological conservation and protecting irreplaceable natural heritage for future generations.by Dr. Ramzy Baroud
Dr Ramzy Baroud examines Israel’s expanding diplomatic counter-offensive as governments in Colombia, Venezuela, Slovenia and elsewhere move to reverse or weaken policies supportive of Palestine. He argues that Israel is seeking to overcome growing international isolation through changes in government, diplomatic pressure and strategic alliances. The article places these developments against the wider global response to the Gaza war and Israel’s conduct across the Middle East. It also considers the role of Arab states in preserving positions on Palestine and occupied territories, arguing that diplomatic statements alone are insufficient. The struggle over Israel’s international standing is entering a decisive phase.by Oliver Moore
Since 2012, the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) has implemented a collaborative food storage programme. In this, regional reserves “allow countries to pool resources, spread fiscal burdens, collaboratively achieve efficiency gains, and reduce overall stockpile sizes.”Creative Commons