By Maria Papageorgiou, Newcastle University (The Conversation) – The US president, Donald Trump, claimed he was able to secure deals totalling more than US$2 trillion (£1.5 trillion) for the US on his tour of the Gulf states in May. Trump said “there has never been anything like” the amount of jobs and money these agreements […]
Trump’s justifications for the latest Travel Ban aren’t supported by the Data on Immigration and Terrorism
By Charles Kurzman, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (The Conversation) – The Trump administration on June 4, 2025, announced travel restrictions targeting 19 countries in Africa and Asia, including many of the world’s poorest nations. All travel is banned from 12 of these countries, with partial restrictions on travel from the rest. The […]
A Two-State Solution is gaining Momentum again for Israel and the Palestinians. Does it have a chance of success?
By Andrew Thomas, Deakin University (The Conversation) – As Israel’s devastating war in Gaza has ground on, the two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict was thought to be “dead”. Now, it is showing signs of life again. French President Emmanuel Macron is reportedly pressing other European nations to jointly recognise a Palestinian state at a […]
Lethal “Humanitarianism:” why Violence at Gaza aid Centers should not come as a Surprise
By Irit Katz, University of Cambridge (The Conversation) – At least 27 Palestinians were reported to have been killed on the morning of June 3 amid chaotic scenes at an aid distribution centre in the southern Gaza Strip. This follows a similar incident on June 1 when around 30 civilians were reportedly killed as people […]
Solar Panels’ Shade helps boost Colorado grassland Productivity in dry Years
By Matthew Sturchio, Colorado State University (The Conversation) – Grasses growing in the shade of a solar array were only a little less productive than those growing nearby in open grassland during years of average and above-average rainfall – but in a dry year, the shaded plants grew much better than those growing in full […]
Earth is Heading for nearly 5ºF Heating this Century — Unprecedented Peril, But We’ve Made Progress
By Sven Teske, University of Technology Sydney (The Conversation) – Is climate action a lost cause? The United States is withdrawing from the Paris Agreement for the second time, while heat records over land and sea have toppled and extreme weather events have multiplied. In late 2015, nations agreed through the Paris Agreement to try […]
IDF firing ‘Warning Shots’ near Diplomats sets an unacceptable Precedent in International Relations
By Andrew Forde, Dublin City University (The Conversation) – The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) appears to have “crossed the Rubicon” in the West Bank town of Jenin, when it opened fire in the vicinity of a group of visiting diplomats on May 21 – in flagrant violation of international law. The group of diplomats representing […]
What Malnutrition is doing to Gaza’s Starving Babies in their 1st 1000 Days of Life
By Nina Sivertsen, Flinders University; Annette Briley, Flinders University, and Tahlia Johnson, Flinders University (The Conversation) – Last week, the United Nations warned more than 14,000 babies would die of malnutrition in 48 hours if Israel continued to block aid from entering Gaza. After the figure was widely reported, that timeline has been walked back, […]
For many Island Species, the next Tropical Cyclone may be their Last
By Simon Valle, Bangor University and David Jorge Pereira, University of Birmingham (The Conversation) – When a major cyclone tears through an island nation, all efforts rightly focus on saving human lives and restoring livelihoods. However, these storms have permanent consequences for other species that are often forgotten. As the world continues to heat, cyclones […]