Politics

Heartbreak has turned to rage in Israel. Can Benjamin Netanyahu survive the biggest challenge to his rule?

Ran Porat, Monash University - Israelis are once again venting their anger over the failure of the government to reach a deal to release the hostages still being held by Hamas in Gaza. Hundreds of thousands of protesters have taken to the streets across the country over the past couple days, with some gathering outside the homes of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and the US embassy. The first nationwide strike since last October’s Hamas attack also brought the country to a standstill. The spark for the protests was the discovery of...

Ukraine war: what China gains from acting as peacemaker

Stefan Wolff, University of Birmingham and Tetyana Malyarenko, National University Odesa Law Academy After more than a year of no direct communication, the Chinese president, Xi Jinping, and Ukrainian president, Volodymyr Zelensky, had a...

The EU in 2023: Succeeding amidst challenging times

At a time of increased geopolitical tensions, the EU has continued to successfully tackle the issues that concern Europeans most in 2023, whilst remaining on track to deliver on the political priorities. That is...

One-third of Ukrainians would give up land for peace – but it’s not as simple as that

Stefan Wolff, University of Birmingham According to a recent opinion poll taken by the Kyiv International Institute of Sociology, almost one-third of Ukrainians are now prepared to make territorial concessions to Russia if this brings the...

Silicon Valley Bank biggest US lender to fail since 2008 financial crisis – a finance expert explains the impact

William Chittenden, Texas State University Silicon Valley Bank, which catered to the tech industry for three decades, collapsed on March 10, 2023, after the Santa Clara, California-based lender suffered from an old-fashioned bank run....

How EU citizens help shape EU laws and policy

This past June, Europeans were called to use their vote and elect their representatives in the European Parliament. This was democracy in action, but it is not the only way EU citizens can...

New tools to reinforce the EU’s economic security

The Commission has put forward several proposals to strengthen the EU’s economic security. Like many parts of the world, Europe is living through growing geopolitical tensions and profound technological shifts. This presents a number of challenges. We also want to ensure that the EU remains one of the most open and attractive destinations for business and investment. That is why the Commission has outlined a number of new measures in the areas of trade and research. The steps related to trade include: improving the screening of foreign investments into the EU to prevent investments that may pose a risk to the EU’s security. For example, checking that all Member States have a screening mechanism in place,...

Young nuclear experts share their know-how and passion with the next generation

The European Union is putting a spotlight on education and training as it pursues a green-energy transition that will create countless new sustainable jobs. By...

Ukraine war 12 months on: the role of the Russian media in reporting – and justifying – the conflict

James Rodgers, City, University of London - The media war that has accompanied Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has shown how important a part of 21st-century conflict journalism is, and also demonstrated the power authoritarian regimes possess to restrict reporting – even in the age of smartphones and social media. In a move that echoed the draconian censorship laws of earlier ages, the Russian government declared its media war just days after it invaded its neighbour. New legislation meant journalists risked jail if they refused to follow dutifully the official line that the war was “a special military operation”, and not a war at all. As the BBC director general, Tim Davie,...

How to go carbon neutral: Lessons from a Danish island

When fish stocks crashed in the Baltic in the late 1990s, the islanders of Bornholm, Denmark, realised they had to reinvent themselves. Their rocky...

Ghost kitchens: The $43 billion restaurant segment designed for takeout and delivery

By Kiersten Hickman - Some of your favorite takeout...

Pope Francis: the first post-colonial papacy to deliver messages that resonate with Africans

Stan Chu Ilo, DePaul University - When he was presented to a cheering crowd at St Peter’s Square, Vatican City, on 13 March 2013, few people outside Latin America knew much about Jorge...

Kenya’s opposition wants to split up the country – but secession calls seldom succeed

John Mukum Mbaku, Weber State University - Kenya’s opposition politicians recently called for secession – which is the withdrawal of territory and sovereignty from...

Olives, the source of “liquid gold,” offer more riches to unlock

Companies are finding promising ways to use the nutrient-filled residue from olive-oil production. By Alex Whiting. Olive oil is a multibillion-euro global business and Manuel Román...