The $1.3 Trillion Climate Finance Test Moves to COP31
COP29 set the target. COP30 produced the roadmap. As governments turn toward COP31 in Türkiye, the unresolved challenge is how to turn a $1.3 trillion climate-finance ambition into capital that actually flows. At COP29 in Baku, governments agreed that developed countries would take the lead in mobilizing at least $300 billion annually by 2035, while […]
DR Congo Ebola Outbreak Becomes Second-Largest on Record as Death Toll Tops 2,000
More than 4,400 cases have been confirmed as the fastest-growing Ebola outbreak on record strains containment efforts — and scientists race to develop the first approved vaccine targeting the Bundibugyo virus. The Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) has become the second-largest on record, with the death toll surpassing 2,000 less […]
China and America’s Car Markets Are Moving in Different Directions
China’s latest auto data reveal an extraordinary contradiction: domestic vehicle sales are falling sharply even as electric models capture nearly two-thirds of the market and Chinese manufacturers accelerate overseas. In the United States, overall demand remains comparatively resilient — but hybrids, rather than fully electric vehicles, are gaining momentum. The world’s two largest automotive powers […]
Zambia’s Economy Has Stabilized. Now Voters Will Decide If Hichilema Has Delivered
The copper-rich nation has made significant progress stabilizing its economy after a historic debt crisis, but Thursday’s election will test whether voters believe those gains have improved everyday life — and whether Zambia can convert rising global demand for critical minerals into broader development. LUSAKA — Zambians head to the polls Thursday in an election […]
UN Human Rights Council Experts Accuse U.S. Sanctions of Deepening Cuba’s Humanitarian Crisis
HAVANA — Independent experts appointed by the UN Human Rights Council are accusing the United States of worsening Cuba’s humanitarian crisis through escalating economic pressure, as fuel shortages, prolonged blackouts and shortages of medicines strain essential services across the island. In a statement released Thursday, the experts condemned recent U.S. measures and urged governments and […]
Chinese AI Models Gain Ground in Africa as Cost Reshapes the Global Technology Race
Chinese artificial intelligence models are gaining traction among developers in parts of Africa, suggesting that affordability and adaptability could become as important as raw technical performance in determining which AI systems achieve global adoption. Reporting from technology communities across Africa, The New York Times found that some developers and startups are choosing inexpensive, customizable Chinese […]
U.S. Releases Nearly $2 Billion in Global Health Funding as Washington Advances a New Partnership Model
After more than a year of uncertainty surrounding U.S. foreign assistance, Washington has begun releasing nearly $2 billion in previously appropriated funding for international organizations working on childhood immunization, tuberculosis, hunger and other global priorities. The most significant commitment came last week when the U.S. State Department notified Congress that it would release $600 million […]
IOM Crisis Report Lands as Humanitarian System Faces Sharper Funding Constraints
GENEVA — The International Organization for Migration’s latest review of crisis operations arrives as the global humanitarian system confronts a difficult reality: displacement remains exceptionally high, crises are becoming more prolonged and interconnected, and funding is tightening. IOM’s Operating in Crisis 2025 report examines the agency’s work across conflict, disaster and displacement settings during a […]
Defense Brief: New Wars Are Reshaping Old Alliances
Saudi Arabia, Türkiye and Pakistan’s new mutual-defense pact underscores a broader shift toward overlapping security partnerships as conflicts increasingly cross borders and challenge traditional alliance structures. Saudi Arabia, Türkiye and Pakistan signed a landmark defense agreement Friday committing the three countries to regard an armed attack against one as an attack against all. The Mecca […]
Puerto Rico Begins 48-Hour Water Rationing as Record Drought Tests Aging Infrastructure
More than 180,000 customers in and around San Juan face rotating water cuts as critically low reservoirs, extreme heat and longstanding weaknesses in Puerto Rico’s water system converge. SAN JUAN — Puerto Rico is beginning emergency water rationing Friday, placing more than 180,000 customers on rotating 48-hour service interruptions as one of the island’s most […]
