As the UN General Assembly opens its annual session for 2020/21 this month, delegates should introspect on the transformations in world affairs in the 75 years since the Charter was signed. In 1945, Britain and France were ‘victorious’ Allied powers
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In Part I, I commented on the state of individual fitness at the national level, focusing on the UK and the USA. In short, levels of physical activity need to increase. But what about at the global level – through
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The current Covid pandemic has swiped the human species like few events before. In early September, we have 25 m. cases and are heading for 1 m. fatalities. It is an historic challenge to the international community of states. And
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India was recently elected to the Security Council for the two-year period, 2021-22. What does this portend for the UN – and for India? As a serious player within the UN system and also as an active participant in UN
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The Australian bushfires and the Indian floods, both of 2019, are just a glimpse into some disproportionate consequences of the global climate crisis that is upon us. Current international law systems have proven to be limited as a tool for
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The weak-kneed efforts at strengthening global security in recent decades are desperately in need of a reset. Nowhere is this more palpably obvious than in Afghanistan, along of course with Syria, Yemen and Libya. But let me focus on Afghanistan,
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Aviation is a force for good. It broadens the mind. It connects people with new cultures, experiences, places and opportunities; and it underpins the global economy. Yet, its dependency on fossil fuel is harmful. What, then, to do? Aviation currently
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International aviation has landed – abruptly. The global COVID-19 pandemic has seen closed borders, on-going travel restrictions, decreasing passenger demand, airline lay-offs and bankruptcy. It is undoubtedly the biggest challenge the aviation industry has faced, to date. Yet this is
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Extremism, in all its forms – political, religious, ethnic, gender, generational – is, in short, an extreme version of a belief system. It can be promoted peacefully, and within the normal bounds of freedom of speech. And it can, of
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The title-phrase derives from Hindu scripture. It is found in the Upanishads, and the full verse remains engraved on the entrance to the Parliament of India. Essentially, the world is one family. For centuries, the phrase has shaped India’s spiritual
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