by GIJN Staff for Global Investigative Journalism Network This week, the Global Initiative Against Transnational Organized Crime released its second worldwide assessment, the 2023 Global Organized Crime Index, an eight-chapter report that found economic crises and political realignment have fueled global organized crime, which preys on the resulting civic instability, financial vulnerability, and
Alexander Titov, Queen’s University Belfast When Vladimir Putin called for a partial mobilisation in September 2022 it was a sign to ordinary Russians that – despite all the Kremlin’s denials – this was no longer a “special military operation” but a real war. In response to Ukraine’s successful counteroffensive which recaptured swaths of
In the epochal journey of human ascension, philanthropy has been venerated as an illustrious undertaking, a selfless gesture to uplift the downtrodden. However, as the tapestry of the international socio-economic sphere transmutes, the nuances of benevolence deepen. Philanthropy has transcended the simple bequest of aid; it now teems with moral quandaries, one of
Tendai Mangena, University of Leeds In African cultures, the names given to children play an important role because they are often laden with meanings. As a team of professors of literature, linguistics and onomastics (the scientific study of names and naming practices) we have shown in our research that the names parents give
House Speaker Kevin McCarthy. Drew Angerer/Getty Images Charles R. Hunt, Boise State University What do you get when you combine a tiny legislative majority, a former president itching for influence and a rogue group of lawmakers who like making headlines? House Speaker Kevin McCarthy’s hellish life these days. The pressure has been fierce
by Walter Kemp. Originally published on Policy Options Canada has lost its way in international relations. Its past two attempts to secure a non-permanent seat on the United Nations Security Council failed. The country that invented peacekeeping currently deploys fewer than 60 blue helmets. Critics say Canada is not pulling its weight in
President Joe Biden and family after he was sworn in at the U.S. Capitol, January 20, 2021. AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster Peter Kastor, Arts & Sciences at Washington University in St. Louis Hunter Biden, the surviving son of President Joe Biden, was indicted on Sept. 14, 2023, on gun-related charges – facing a possible
Justin Hastings, University of Sydney North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has reportedly offered his “full and unconditional support” to Russian President Vladimir Putin during his visit to eastern Russia this week. Analysts speculate this could mean ammunition for Russia’s war in Ukraine, given North Korea is believed to have large quantities of ammunition
Gavin E L Hall, University of Strathclyde The recapture, by Ukrainian forces, of the oil and gas platforms off the coast of Crimea known as the “Boyko towers” has both strategic and symbolic significance. Their position, between the westerly-most point of Crimea and Snake Island, in waters close to Ukraine’s border with Romania,
Title: Killing Thatcher: The IRA, the Manhunt and the Long War on the Crown Author: Rory Carroll (Author), Gary Trainor (Narrator), HarperCollins (Publisher) In “Killing Thatcher,” seasoned journalist Rory Carroll delivers a gripping and meticulously researched account of one of the most audacious assassination attempts in British history. This spellbinding book takes readers