“What gives me strength in this difficult time is my faith. Praying together, reminding each other to stay strong, believing that better days will come”, this is how Zaher, 56, a resident of Gaza City, begins his account, while the internet connection cuts in and out during our conversation. Around him, the city lies in… Continue reading Living under the bomb — Zaher’s hope from Gaza
The Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) stands at a complex crossroads where immense natural wealth coexists with protracted humanitarian crises, entrenched political fragility and persistent insecurity. Currently, the country’s trajectory is shaped by overlapping dynamics: conflict and displacement in the east; an uneven political transition following contentious elections; macroeconomic pressures in a mineral-dependent economy;… Continue reading Congo at a crossroads — humanitarian urgency, political flux and public health risks
A minute before the clock struck 10 in the evening, a 6.9 earthquake awakened the people of Bogo City from their sleep. The earthquake that happened last September 30 had affected a total of 747,979 people, with reported deaths at 79, and 559 were injured. Ten days later, another massive earthquake with a magnitude of… Continue reading How recent Philippine earthquakes revealed the power and peril of social media
An unlikely group is gathered at the entrance of the Victoria underground station: three clean-shaven men in corporate outfits, a mother leaning on her baby’s stroller, and four teenage girls sipping on Blank Street matcha. The unconventional cluster anxiously checks their phones, letting out a collective, frustrated sigh. What could they possibly have in common on an ordinary Monday morning?… Continue reading Mind the gap — why young Londoners are pedalling away from the Tube
“The whole purpose of education is to turn mirrors into windows” American journalist Sydney J Harris’ quote could perhaps shed some light upon the harsh truth of university education in 2025: that its “purpose” is becoming diluted. In the Summer of 2025, UCAS figures reported an all-time high in the university and college acceptance rate… Continue reading The reality of a university education in the UK
In recent weeks, Nepal has been rocked by one of the most intense political uprisings in its modern history. What began as a peaceful protest against a social media ban quickly escalated into a nationwide revolt, culminating in the resignation of Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli and the collapse of key government institutions. This upheaval… Continue reading Nepal’s political earthquake — a youth-led uprising and its global reverberations
Where else in the world can you stroll down and explore an abandoned bobsleigh and luge track, once used in a prominent Winter Olympics and later entwined with one of Europe’s most infamous wars? Just outside Sarajevo, the Bosnian bobsleigh and luge track winds its way down Trebević Mountain, now almost completely cloaked in vibrant… Continue reading A love letter to Bosnia — how a war-scarred bobsleigh track inspires a new generation of athletes
The Office for National Statistics (ONS) has released its latest bulletin on the number of people over the age of 90, living in the UK. This data shows hat the total number of over 90-year-olds in the UK in 2024 reached over 625,000, over one and a half times what was 20 years earlier. The total has risen in 15 of the last 16… Continue reading Britain’s aging population
Myanmar’s civil war, which erupted following the military coup of 1 February 2021, has entered its most violent and consequential phase. The country, long plagued by ethnic conflicts, is now experiencing nationwide resistance and an unprecedented uprising against military rule. Recent escalations in 2024 have intensified humanitarian crises and raised alarms for regional stability. This… Continue reading The ongoing Myanmar civil war — recent escalations and regional implications
The Horn of Africa has long been a region of strategic importance and persistent instability. Ethiopia, once seen as a bulwark of stability in the region, has in recent years become the epicentre of a devastating civil war with far-reaching consequences. The conflict, initially concentrated in the Tigray region, has since escalated into a broader… Continue reading The Ethiopian civil war and its escalation
