insert_link Business / Economics Moody’s affirms South Africa’s Ba2 rating with a stable outlook Moody's has affirmed South Africa's long-term debt ratings at "Ba2" with a stable outlook. The agency cited the country's strong institutions, like the judiciary and central bank, as credit strengths. However, persistent inequalities continue to hinder reforms and pose social risks, according to Moody's. todayDecember 4, 2024 8
insert_link South Africa Gun Free South Africa calls for urgent reforms Gun Free South Africa director Adèle Kirsten has raised concerns over the weekend mass shooting of 18 people in Lusikisiki. Statistics show that 34 gun-related fatalities are reported daily, with 24 guns lost. Speaking to Newzroom Afrika, Kirsten is advocating for stricter gun reforms. todayOctober 1, 2024 30
insert_link Opinion Pieces World Leaders Must Re-boot Global Cooperation for Today and Tomorrow By the United Nations Secretary-General Final negotiations are underway in New York for this month’s Summit of the Future, where Heads of State will agree on reforms to the building blocks of global cooperation. The United Nations has convened this unique Summit because of a stark fact: global problems are moving faster than the institutions designed to solve them. We see this all around us. Ferocious conflicts and […] todaySeptember 9, 2024 9
insert_link World Israel parliament revives bill on ultra-Orthodox conscription Israel's parliament voted Tuesday to revive a controversial bill to conscript ultra-Orthodox Jews, which is backed by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu but has been criticised by his defence minister. Lawmakers voted 63 to 57 to press ahead with the draft law, which foresees a gradual but limited increase in the number of ultra-Orthodox Jews doing military service. The majority of Israeli Jewish men must serve in […] todayJune 11, 2024 14
insert_link World Small Countries Are Crucial for the UN’s Long-Term Survival, and Singapore Leads the Way Burhan Gafoor, ambassador of Singapore to the United Nations, photographed at the country’s mission, Feb. 12, 2024. Gafoor has over decades corralled resources and knowledge for small countries “to use their voice and UN votes effectively,” the author writes. The coalition is now poised to assert itself vigorously in negotiations leading to the Summit of the Future in September. The goal of that gathering, at the UN, is to revitalize […] todayFebruary 28, 2024 13
insert_link Business / Economics Cooperation only path to protecting humanity from ongoing crises, Commonwealth Secretary-General tells Non-Aligned Movement Summit The Commonwealth Secretary-General, the Rt Hon Patricia Scotland KC, addressed leaders from 121 Non-Aligned Movement countries, calling for greater cooperation to protect all humanity from overlapping economic, environmental and security challenges. She was speaking at the 19th Summit of Heads of State and Government of the Non-Aligned Movement in Kampala, Uganda, on 20 January 2024. Addressing leaders, foreign affairs ministers and strategic partners as an official observer, the […] todayJanuary 22, 2024 5