Village-scale solar-powered minigrids are the most promising path for India to meet its linked aims of GDP growth and access to electricity for all.

Should North Korea ever have the capacity to launch a nuclear missile that could reach the U.S. mainland, Trump would have approximately ten minutes to react and make a decision to counterattack.

At the 2021 UN Climate Summit, Barbados prime minister Mia Mottley called for more and better use of special drawing rights (SDRs), the International Monetary Fund’s reserve asset. The special drawing right is an international reserve asset created by the IMF. It is not a currency—its value is based on a basket of five currencies, […]

Critical levels of nationwide hunger in Sudan has only increased to critical levels since the start of the Sudanese civil war in April 2023. Escalated hostilities between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) have led to limited mobility and repeated blockages of humanitarian aid. This, coupled with the volatile floods […]

At the end of the first week at the 16th Conference of Parties on Biodiversity (COP16), finance emerges as the biggest issue but also shrouded in controversies. On Saturday, as the COP moved closer to its most crucial phase of negotiations, resource mobilization—listed under Target 19 of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (KMGBF)—took centerstage, with […]

A small incident in the mounting mayhem of the 2024 elections crystalized the state of the dark art of politics in these United States. In Springfield, Ohio, a small midwestern industrial city, a woman named Anna Kilgore noticed that her cat, Miss Sassy, had been missing for a few days. Kilgore notified the police that she […]

Over the coming month, the United States has a window of opportunity to lift a multi-billion-dollar burden from Ukraine, and other countries in financial distress, without costing the US taxpayer a dime. The International Monetary Fund (IMF) is currently considering ending its controversial “surcharges” — punitive fees that it imposes on countries whose debt exceeds […]

The warnings from the United Nations and from anti-nuclear activists are increasingly ominous: the world is closer to a nuclear war—by design or by accident—more than ever before. The current conflicts—and the intense war of words—between nuclear and non-nuclear states—Russia vs. Ukraine, Israel vs. Palestine and North Korea vs. South Korea—are adding fuel to a […]

How will Israel respond to Iran’s recent ballistic missiles barrage? “Strategic patience” is the best course. Israel has its hands full with Hamas and Hezbollah. Now is not the time to escalate a new major war with Iran, which could have nuclear implications. Israeli intelligence is still chafing from its failure to preempt Hamas’ attack […]

Russia is pursuing, during these contemporary times, a new form of economic architecture, non-hegemonic policies and simultaneously portraying its first-class military power in the world. Russia’s development paradigm is distinctively different and largely oriented towards Global South. While Russia stands against Western hegemony and dominance, and against NATO, Israel maintains a complex relationship between the […]

The United Nations Secretary General António Guterres congratulated grassroots Japanese organization Nihon Hidankyo on being awarded the 2024 Nobel Peace Prize. “The atomic bomb survivors from Hiroshima and Nagasaki, also known as the hibakusha, are selfless, soul-bearing witnesses of the horrific human cost of nuclear weapons,” he said in a statement. “While their numbers grow smaller each […]

In a world where the fight for land rights often pits the powerful against the marginalized, Indigenous communities stand as resilient defenders of their ancestral lands. These communities, rich in culture and tradition, face numerous challenges, from encroachment and exploitation to climate change. Empowering Indigenous communities is not just a matter of justice; it is […]

New institutional economics (NIE) has received another so-called Nobel prize, ostensibly for again claiming that good institutions and democratic governance ensure growth, development, equity and democracy. Daron Acemoglu, Simon Johnson, and James Robinson (AJR) are well known for their influential cliometric work. AJR have elaborated earlier laureate Douglass North’s claim that property rights have been […]

While the expansion of democracy is a key condition for peace, the Achilles’ heel of democracies is that their leaders are constrained by electoral calendars, forcing them to push for peace or delay, whereas autocracies can afford to play the long game to achieve the favorable outcomes they desire. Take, for example, the current wars […]

On the day following the US election, UN Secretary General, Antonio Guterres issued a brief statement commending the people of the United States for their active participation in the democratic process. He wisely omitted mention that the election of Donald J. Trump – who attempted to overturn the people’s mandate by inciting an insurrection in […]

For religious, humanitarian, and scientific reasons, Israel’s increasingly apparent plan for the de facto colonization of the Northern Gaza Strip is a bad idea. When that program was rejected recently by Israel’s own Defense Minister Yoav Galant, he was summarily fired by Prime Minister Netanyahu. However, the founding document of the worldwide Jewish community, the […]

With an average of only one in five voters participating in local elections, voting results are easily swayed by just one vote. Voting in local elections has never been more critical.

According to an analysis by the Urban Institute, between 2010 and 2015, more than 19 million non-elderly people gained health insurance under the  Affordable Care Act. The top 10 states that ranked the highest based on percent of total population insured through the A.C.A. are Nevada (1), California (2), Oregon (3), Kentucky (4), New Mexico (5), West Virginia (6), Florida (7), Arkansas (8), Colorado (9), and Washington (10).

Some say it was the taking down of the Robert E. Lee monument that caused the torch-wielding Nazi/white supremacists to rage. Others are confident that it had nothing to do with the statue, and everything to do with racist and anti-Semitic rage of monumental proportions that inspired the Nazis/white supremacists/white nationals to storm Charlottesville, Virginia.    

MANILA, Philippines — After an exodus at Chery Tiggo, Ara Galang led the team’s collective effort to eke out a come-from-behind win over the gritty Capital1 and jumpstart their 2024-25 PVL All-Filipino Conference. The Crossovers were pushed to their limits right at the start of their post-Eya Laure era as they also missed key members Mylene Paat, Jen Nierva, and Jas Nabor leaving an undermanned team, which also lost EJ Laure and Buding Duremdes. But Galang and the Crossovers stuck to their collective effort to fight back from a 1-2 deficit before surviving the Solar Spikers, 20-25, 25-23, 22-25, 25-18, […]...

Keep on reading: PVL: Collective effort gets it done for undermanned Chery Tiggo

Jalen Johnson had 18 points, 13 rebounds, 10 assists and three steals to lead the visiting Atlanta Hawks to a 117-116 victory over the Boston Celtics on Tuesday in the first NBA Cup game for each team. Jaylen Brown and Derrick White scored season highs of 37 points and 31 points, respectively, for the Celtics. Brown was 7 of 12 from 3-point territory and 10 of 15 overall. White added six rebounds and five assists. Atlanta took a 117-116 lead when Onyeka Okongwu tipped in a missed shot with 6.1 seconds to play. After each team turned the ball over […]...

Keep on reading: NBA Cup: Hawks catch Celtics in closing seconds for win

MANILA, Philippines — The Office of the Civil Defense (OCD) on Wednesday said the government is ready to respond to the effects of typhoons in the coming days and weeks of the year. OCD head Ariel Nepomuceno, however, admitted that the consecutive storms/typhoons in the past few weeks are unprecedented, even in the current system the government has for disaster response. “Nakalatag naman ‘yung sistema natin, although admittedly itong sistema natin hindi na-assume ‘yung ganitong scenario, bago rin sa’tin ito,” said Nepomuceno during a Kapihan sa Manila Hotel briefing. (Our system is in place, although admittedly our system did not […]...

Keep on reading: Gov't ready for calamity response; staff fatigue a big concern - OCD

TOKYO, Japan — Japan’s Seven & i Holdings 3382.T is considering launching a management buyout that would see the retailer go private in a deal that could be worth up to $58 billion, Bloomberg News reported on Wednesday. The Nikkei newspaper also reported that the owner of the 7-Eleven convenience store chain was looking at […]...

Keep on reading: Japan's 7-Eleven reportedly considering management buyout of up to $58B

Franz Wagner pumped in 32 points on Tuesday as the Orlando Magic cruised past the visiting Charlotte Hornets, 114-89, in NBA Cup action. Moritz Wagner scored 18 points off the bench and Jalen Suggs tallied all 17 of his points in the first half for Orlando, which has its first three-game winning streak of the season. Franz Wagner made 14 of 25 shots from the field as the Magic shot 46.2 percent overall. He also led Orlando with eight rebounds and five assists. READ: NBA Cup set to begin with eight group-play games LaMelo Ball’s 35 points and Grant Williams’ […]...

Keep on reading: NBA Cup: Franz Wagner scoring surge as Magic rout Hornets

OG Anunoby scored 24 points and Josh Hart recorded a triple-double as the New York Knicks spoiled Joel Embiid’s season debut with a 111-99 road win over the Philadelphia 76ers on Tuesday. In both teams’ first NBA Cup game this season — not to mention a rematch of last season’s first-round playoff series that New York won in six games — all five Knicks starters scored in double figures, as did Miles McBride with 15 points off the bench. Hart finished with 14 points, 12 rebounds and 10 assists. Karl-Anthony Towns chipped in 21 points and 13 rebounds, while Jalen […]...

Keep on reading: NBA Cup: Joel Embiid scores 13 in return as 76ers fall to Knicks

MANILA, Philippines – The Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) will closely monitor the tax compliance of online marketplaces and online sellers during the holiday season, Commissioner Romeo Lumagui Jr. has said. In a statement Wednesday, Lumagui warned that online businesses violating tax laws would be blocked. Section 115 of the National Internal Revenue Code, as […]...

Keep on reading: BIR to monitor online sellers' tax compliance during holiday season

Thai diplomats have been urged to take a proactive approach to attracting foreign investors following Donald Trump's US presidential election victory, Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra said on Tuesday.

The attorney general has submitted documents to the Constitutional Court regarding the case in which former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra is accused of asserting influence over the Pheu Thai Party.

1. Donald Trump picks Elon Musk, Vivek Ramaswamy to lead Government Efficiency Department  Moneycontrol
2. Trump’s 'Manhattan Project' of government reform: Musk and Ramaswamy to lead efficiency crusade  The Times of India
3. Donald Trump Picks Elon Musk, Vivek Ramaswamy For Cabinet: Internet Has This To Say  News18
4. A dope for DOGE (and Dogecoin): Trump taps Musk in efficiency team, crypto fans rejoice  The Economic Times
5. Video | Elon Musk In Trump's New Cabinet, UK Church Abuse Scandal, Saudi Megacity in Trouble  NDTV

DELHI — A surge in Bitcoin has paused as traders assess the remaining market impact of United States President-elect Donald Trump's rhetorical support for crypto.

[Shabelle] Mogadishu -- In a strategic move to bolster Somalia's defense apparatus, President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud has made key changes in the military hierarchy, appointing General Sahal Abdullahi Omar as the new Commander of Land Forces and elevating Lt. Colonel Hassan Salah Abdi to the position of Commander of Special Forces.

[Radio Dalsan] A Turkish-made drone armed with missiles reportedly crashed on Tuesday in the Al-Shabaab-controlled village of Farsooley, located in Somalia's Lower Shabelle region, local sources have confirmed.

[Radio Dalsan] In a move to bolster Somalia's economic recovery and stability, the United States has forgiven $1.14 billion in debt owed by Somalia. The debt cancellation, announced by US Ambassador to Somalia Richard Riley in Mogadishu, is part of a larger $1.2 billion assistance package for Somalia this fiscal year.

[Radio Dalsan] Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud has extended his congratulations to Donald Trump following provisional results indicating his victory in the U.S. presidential election.

[Shabelle] Mogadishu, Somalia -- In its weekly session, Somalia's Council of Ministers, under the leadership of Prime Minister Hamsa Abdi Barre, delved into a comprehensive review of the nation's strategies and achievements in combating terrorism and financial crimes.

[Shabelle] Kismayo, Somalia -- The regional state of Jubaland has announced the suspension of all cooperation with the Federal Government of Somalia, escalating tensions over political and governance issues. The decision, made public early Sunday, marks a significant rift in the country's federal structure.

[UNHCR] UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency has just concluded a three-day event, hosting partners and Governments from the East and Horn of Africa, Great Lakes Region and Yemen, to review strategies for comprehensive solutions to the ongoing displacement crisis in Somalia. The meeting brought together representatives from Uganda, Yemen, Djibouti, Ethiopia and Kenya, as well as the regional body, Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) and provided a platform for sharing insights and aligning efforts among

The IDF’s 162nd Division continued its operations in the Jabalya area, where soldiers engaged and neutralized several terrorists and dismantled key structures that were used for weapons storage.

Afghan NGOs have also struggled to attend the climate negotiations in recent years.

The IDF reiterated that it seeks to operate against Hezbollah's infrastructure and capabilities to push the group away from southern Lebanon.

While operating in the area, soldiers from the Shaldag Unit identified several tunnel shafts leading to the compound, which led to the exposure of the full tunnel. 

While reports in Israel assess that Hezbollah may have lost 80 percent of its rocket arsenal and also lost 2,000 fighters, Hezbollah is putting on a brave face, claiming Israel is far from its goals.

Erdogan urged Muslim nations at an Arab League summit in Saudi Arabia to unite against Israel

Saudi Arabia's crown prince condemned Israel's "genocide" in Gaza at a Riyadh summit, stressing support for Palestine and pausing US-led normalization talks after recent violent escalations.

The strikes were in response to attacks on US personnel over the past 24 hours, CENTCOM reported.