Global Issues News Headlines for “Trade, Economy, & Related Issues”

Grand Planetary Challenges Need a Grand Coalition to Solve Them

2026-08-26T06:11:49-07:00

NAIROBI, Kenya, August 26 (IPS) - Several coalitions exist today to defend the territories in which people live and work. Global leaders have long understood the importance of shared responsibility for collective security and have invested significant time in establishing networks, partnerships and alliances. In 2025, global spending on defense reached a record $2.9 trillion.

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A Divided Vote for the UN’s Human Rights Chief

2026-08-26T05:06:41-07:00

BRUSSELS, Belgium, August 26 (IPS) - On 24 July, the United Nations (UN) General Assembly reappointed Volker Türk as High Commissioner for Human Rights for a further four years. Only 10 states – among them Israel, Russia and the USA – opposed the decision.

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Colombia Declares State of Emergency Following Deadly Earthquake

2026-08-25T08:23:47-07:00

UNITED NATIONS, August 25 (IPS) - Over the past week, the humanitarian crisis in Colombia has deteriorated significantly following the Mw 7.4–7.5 earthquake that struck the Chocó department on August 10. With the Colombian government declaring a State of Emergency across 15 departments, the nation continues to struggle with massive civilian casualties, immense damage to critical infrastructure, and the disruption of basic services. The national government and the humanitarian community continue to coordinate lifesaving responses and monitor conditions as they evolve.

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South Africa’s Anti-Immigrant Violence Slows SDG Goals, Rips Apart Africans’ Free Movement Call

2026-08-25T05:48:21-07:00

BLANTYRE, Malawi, August 25 (IPS) - When the Malawian government announced the conclusion of the repatriation of its citizens trapped in anti-immigrant violence against foreign Africans in South Africa on August 12, 2026, it had brought home 56,723 nationals, according to data from the Department of Disaster Management Affairs.

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The Plastics Treaty Process Needs Greatly Improved Observer Participation at this Critical Point in the Negotiations and Beyond

2026-08-24T15:55:53-07:00

GENEVA, August 24 (IPS) - In 2022, the United Nations Environment Assembly mandated an Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee (INC) to develop a global, legally binding instrument addressing the full life cycle of plastics, from production and product design to disposal. After the resumed fifth session adjourned without consensus in Geneva in August 2025, the divided process moved into informal consultations before INC-5.4 in March 2027.

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GEF Proposes $140 Million Program to Strengthen Drought Resilience

2026-08-24T09:53:51-07:00

DAR ES SALAAM, Tanzania, August 24 (IPS) - For pastoralists in Arvaikheer — a village in Mongolia’s dry central plains — rain can determine whether there is enough grass for cattle to roam, whether waterholes are replenished and whether families make it through another dry season. But as climate change makes rainfall increasingly unpredictable, even a wet season may no longer provide water and pasture needed to sustain people and livestock.

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ECUADOR: ‘Criminalisation Serves as a Deterrent, Seeking to Discipline Others’

2026-08-24T04:03:06-07:00

CIVICUS discusses the rapid erosion of civic space in Ecuador with Gabriela Panchana, an activist, communicator and founder of the En Voz Alta and Rumbo Plural digital platforms.

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New Emergency Care Skills Help Tanzania’s Frontline Doctors Save Lives

2026-08-21T08:58:41-07:00

DAR ES SALAAM, Tanzania, August 21 (IPS) - The 14-year-old girl arrived at the hospital fighting for her life. After a tragic hit-and-run car accident, she was rushed into the emergency department with serious abdominal injuries. Every passing minute brought her closer to death.

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Cockroach Insult Unleashes Biggest Challenge yet to Modi’s Repressive Rule

2026-08-21T05:52:41-07:00

LONDON, August 21 (IPS) - India’s strongman leader, Narendra Modi, has just been forced to do the thing he likes least: making concessions in response to protests.

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UNAIDS Framework Pushes for the Protection and Integration of HIV Care

2026-08-21T05:25:34-07:00

UNITED NATIONS, August 21 (IPS) - As the global HIV response shifts toward sustainable, nationally led, and rights-based care, a new UNAIDS framework published this week argues that integration must start with a country’s readiness.

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