Worldcrunch
The fall of El Fasher in Darfur has thrust Sudan’s forgotten war back into view. But behind the horror and beyond the headlines lies a deeper truth: that regional powers are prolonging the conflict, and the international community remains shamefully silent.
Donald Trump and some 20 European and Middle Eastern leaders meet Monday in Egypt to discuss Gaza, but with different agendas and objectives. The risk is that this will lead to a ceasefire without a peace process, which is a recipe for future disasters.
In his speech, the U.S. president denounced European immigration and climate policies, sharply criticized the UN, and, above all, revealed that American leadership has vanished — leaving only a superpower driven by the obsessions of its president.
For some, it is not enough; for others, it is a gift to Hamas. But the recognition of Palestine by a growing number of Western countries is way of saying “no” to the eradication of Palestinians from their land.
The Israeli Prime Minister calls for an updated vision of the militarized city-state of ancient Greece, a justification for the growing isolation of the Jewish state. His comments came as the Israeli army launched its ground offensive on Gaza City, an operation that has been condemned by many nations.
Less than three weeks after Emmanuel Macron announced his intention to recognize Palestine, Israel and the United States are increasingly mounting obstacles to the French diplomatic initiative. Israel accuses the French president of seeking to “undermine stability” in the Middle East.
As the Houthis turn politics into perpetual warfare and view the state as spoils, the international community, and UN specifically, must decide whether to treat them as legitimate actors or confront them as extremists threatening Yemen’s fragile sovereignty.
Eight decades after the UN Charter was signed, the so-called rules-based order is looking pretty battered. Still, the fact that someone breaks a rule doesn’t make it invalid. Law and reality never fully align. Otherwise, we wouldn’t need law.
India’s inconsistent stance on Gaza reflects a broader diplomatic drift — from principled leadership to transactional alignment.
The West once promised freedom, justice and reason. But after centuries of global dominance, war crimes and broken ideals, its future hangs in the balance. As nationalism rises and China stakes its claim, is the West entering its final act — or just another turning point?
An appeal signed by 75 Nobel Prize winners calls on the world to take action to end the suffering of Congolese civilians in the mineral-rich eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo. But they have little chance of being heard — despite our shared responsibility.
The distribution of food aid in Gaza was suspended yesterday after chaotic scenes prompted the Israeli army to open fire. Humanitarian experts had warned the effort was doomed to fail after Israel bypassed established aid organizations in favor of an unknown foundation.
Would you fight for your country? My generation hears this question a lot these days. But my generation was taught to fight for peace — so why aren’t we holding onto that aim, especially now?
The upcoming International Conference on Combating Antisemitism in Jerusalem will include leaders from the European far right, revealing a disturbing shift in the meaning of solidarity, memory and the political use of the Holocaust.
Concerned about Islamic State sleeper cells in Syria, neighboring Jordan is cautiously hoping the country’s interim president, Ahmed Al-Sharaa, will support international efforts to combat ISIS.
Europeans are coming to grips with a harsh reality: The United States is no longer the guardian ensuring the continent’s security — worse, it may have even turned into an outright adversary. Nothing underscores this shift more than the U.S. vote at the United Nations on Ukraine, siding with Russia and standing against EU nations.
President Donald Trump’s proposal for the United States to take over Gaza and resettle the 2.1 million Palestinians living there has pushed Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi to delay his trip to the White House. But Trump holds some big cards that Cairo knows it will have to face.
A royal divorce, the beginning of global diplomacy, and the debut of a legendary comic.
The emerging geopolitical paradigm is one of a kind of “armed peace” led by states equipped with nuclear weapons as the ultimate guarantee of security. The battlefield now spans the range of hybrid threats and technological breakthroughs, introducing the potential for “strategic surprises.”
While Latin America’s leftist leaders and even the Pope keep urging the West to give generously to the developing world to end poverty and curb migration, decades ago Asian states just “put on their big boy pants” to work their way to immense prosperity.
The premiere of a Hollywood epic, the selection of a future U.N. leader, and the birth of a pop superstar.
The first Nobel Prizes being awarded, a milestone in the history of transnational legislation, and the loss of a soulful music legend.
Multilateral diplomacy may seem to be exhausted today as wars and violence proliferate unchecked, but nobody should think its time is past and expect to see peace in the world.
On paper, carbon trading should help finance environmental projects and fight climate change, but years of debate and blurry standards have turned the initiative into a pollution enabler for the richest countries.
The United Nations suffers from a lack of effectiveness and declining legitimacy due to a failure to reform. The G20 remains the last forum where opposing powers can still talk to one another. But with the return of Donald Trump and his “America First” policy, what comes next is uncertain.
The military has cleared many neighborhoods in Khartoum and Omdurman from RSF fighters, paving the road for many refugees to return home.
Turkey is the top world producer of hazelnuts. Yet, very little trickles down to its producers, and to Turkey in general. One Italian company, in particular, reaps the rewards of its harvest.
It’s clearer than ever that Israel — backed by a number of militarily and economically powerful countries that claim to abide by international law and human rights — continues to destroy these laws and standards that are based on the equality of all human beings.
The war in Sudan has displaced some 10 million people, and 2 million have moved to the already fragile neighboring countries. Yet, as the wars in Ukraine and the Middle East dominate global politics, there are huge gaps in the provision of international aid to these refugees. Rarely has a disaster of this magnitude received so little attention from the international community.
Updated October 4, 2024 at 11:00 a.m. The first Pope to visit the United States was Pope Paul VI happened on this day in 1965, and had significant political and religious implications. Who was Pope Paul VI? Pope Paul VI, born Giovanni Battista Montini, was the Pope of the Roman Catholic Church from 1963 to […]
The Israeli Prime Minister has scored a major victory with the elimination of Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah. But Netanyahu is showing no signs of relenting, continuing the bombing of Lebanon, and also striking Yemen. All with Iran as the ultimate target. Yet can force alone guarantee Israel’s security?
Joe Biden delivered his final speech to the UN General Assembly, in the form of a message from a wise old man who has seen dark times before. But while he has re-established a predictable presidency, he still appears hesitant on Ukraine and the Middle East, which tarnishes his record.
After the pagers explosions and the elimination of several key Hezbollah leaders, Israel massively bombed southern Lebanon, killing more than 550 people. Proportionality is over. Escalation has begun. The civilian death toll may start to pile up just like in Gaza.
The UN Security Council is paralyzed by the major powers, and the General Assembly, which opens today, has no binding power. At a time when conflicts are multiplying around the world, how can global governance be saved? Is it time to scrap the UN and start over?
Hundreds of thousands of migrants are in limbo in Tunisia, which has in recent years become a major transit point for migrants fleeing conflicts and poverty in Africa and the Middle East for better lives in Europe. Women in particular lack basic rights, including sexual and reproductive health services.
The biggest firms and richest people in the world have the money states need to invest in services that can improve the lives of billions of people. That could help stop a collective slide into acute social and political tensions.
Updated August 2, 2024 at 12:00 p.m. Iraq invaded Kuwait on this day in 1990. This surprise invasion marked the beginning of a major international conflict and set the stage for the Gulf War. What were the reasons behind Iraq’s invasion of Kuwait? One key factor was Iraq’s desire to control Kuwait’s vast oil reserves, as Iraq was struggling with significant debt from the Iran-Iraq War. Additionally, territorial disputes, economic grievances, and claims of Kuwaiti overproduction of oil were cited by Iraq as reasons for the invasion. What were the major events of the Gulf War? Significant events included the […]
Egyptian author Alaa Khaled observes crowds of Sudanese refugees walking to and from the nearby UNHCR office, prompting him to imagine the story of each individual and to try to understand the root causes of the current civil war and of the eternal Darfur crisis.
Updated July 11, 2024 at 12:00 p.m. The Srebrenica massacre happened on this day in 1995 during the Bosnian War. Bosnian Serb forces, led by General Ratko Mladić, captured the town of Srebrenica, which was designated as a United Nations Safe Area. Bosnian Serb troops then systematically killed more than 8,000 Bosniak (Bosnian Muslim) men […]
As the war in Gaza nears nine months, bombardments continue, even in the camps where displaced people live. Death and fear are everywhere, as is hunger. Palestinian human rights activist Moustafa Ibrahim is also displaced now. In this personal essay, he addresses the hopelessness that people in Gaza face as they see Israel committing genocide.