Global Issues News Headlines for “Free Trade and Globalization”

The Implausible Regime Change in Iran and How the War Affects the World

2026-03-12T07:54:08-07:00

STOCKHOLM, Sweden, March 12 (IPS) - The US/Israeli war on Iran might be like messing with a hornets’ nest, spreading fear and chaos all around. The Israeli government claimed that the war was a “preventive” measure to address an immediate threat of Iran constructing a nuclear bomb. However, this war has obviously been meticulously planned over a long period of time and it now seemed to be the right time to put this plan into action.

Read the full story, “The Implausible Regime Change in Iran and How the War Affects the World”, on globalissues.org →

VENEZUELA: ‘An Economically Stable Authoritarian Model Could Become Entrenched’

2026-03-11T16:27:23-07:00

CIVICUS discusses the situation in Venezuela following US intervention and the ousting of President Nicolás Maduro with Verónica Zubillaga, a Venezuelan sociologist who specialises in urban violence, state repression and community responses to armed violence.

Read the full story, “VENEZUELA: ‘An Economically Stable Authoritarian Model Could Become Entrenched’”, on globalissues.org →

Rubio Seduces Europe with Imperial Nostalgia

2026-03-11T06:25:00-07:00

KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia, March 11 (IPS) - US Secretary of State Marco Rubio’s Munich speech last month seemed to seduce the European elite behind President Trump, against the ‘Rest’, especially the resource-rich Global South.

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UN: Amid Security Risks in Middle East, Humanitarian Work is Underway

2026-03-06T19:57:23-08:00

UNITED NATIONS, March 6 (IPS) - As military fighting breaks out across the Middle East with increasing frequency and intensity, the United Nations promises to ramp up its humanitarian response on the ground.

Read the full story, “UN: Amid Security Risks in Middle East, Humanitarian Work is Underway”, on globalissues.org →

As La Niña Fades, WMO Experts Warn That El Niño Could Set New Global Heat Records

2026-03-06T17:41:20-08:00

UNITED NATIONS, March 6 (IPS) - Earlier this week World Meteorological Organization (WMO) announced that the weakening conditions of La Niña conditions are beginning to fade, with climate conditions transitioning toward ENSO-neutral —a phase in which neither El Niño nor La Niña is present and oceanic and atmospheric conditions in the tropical Pacific remain near average. The agency noted that this shift could lead to the development of El Niño later in the year, a pattern typically associated with rising global temperatures and an increased risk of extreme weather events worldwide.

Read the full story, “As La Niña Fades, WMO Experts Warn That El Niño Could Set New Global Heat Records”, on globalissues.org →

UN calls for fair play in the global race for critical minerals

2026-03-05T04:00:00-08:00

Critical minerals such as lithium and cobalt are central to the transition to a zero-carbon economy. As the Security Council meets on Thursday to discuss “energy, critical minerals and security,” here is some of the work the UN is doing to ensure that the transition is just and equitable.

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Sudan: World’s Worst Humanitarian Crisis

2026-03-04T17:37:24-08:00

BENGALURU, India, March 4 (IPS) - The ordinary sounds of Nahid Ali’s home in Khartoum were completely drowned out by the sound of war which began on April 15 2023. Her baby was just 21 days old. The morning started as any typical day for a mother who had just given birth to her baby and needed to nurse her newborn while she took care of her other children. The gunfire began to erupt. The fighting began when two groups started to battle each other in the streets. The fighting which began in her area developed into a destructive countrywide war in Sudan which spread to her street within moments.

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Imagery, Algorithms, and the Ballot: What Takaichi’s Victory Says About Youth Politics in the Digital Age

2026-03-03T19:33:10-08:00

Sanae Takaichi’s electoral victory in February marks a historic turning point in Japanese politics. As Japan’s first female prime minister and the leader of a commanding parliamentary majority, she represents change in both symbolic and strategic terms.

Read the full story, “Imagery, Algorithms, and the Ballot: What Takaichi’s Victory Says About Youth Politics in the Digital Age”, on globalissues.org →

How AI is already reshaping working conditions

2026-03-03T04:00:00-08:00

From delivery couriers compelled to follow the demands of online platform algorithms to content moderators who confront pornography and death every day while training artificial intelligence (AI) systems, the impact of new technologies on working conditions is becoming increasingly obvious.

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‘The world is looking to you for clarity’, UN chief tells AI experts

2026-03-03T04:00:00-08:00

Secretary-General António Guterres told the inaugural meeting of a new independent group of experts on Artificial Intelligence convened by the UN that they have a huge responsibility to help shape how it is used “for the benefit of humanity”.

Read the full story, “‘The world is looking to you for clarity’, UN chief tells AI experts”, on globalissues.org →