Global Crisis Watch 394 & 395
Putin rejects key terms in US-backed deal as fighting continues in Pokrovsk Five hours of talks in Moscow between Russian President Vladimir Putin, US envoy Steve Witkoff and US Presidential adviser Jared Kushner did not deliver a breakthrough toward ending the war in Ukraine. Kremlin officials described the meeting as “constructive”, but Russia still rejects […]
GCW 392 & 393 – Insights from the UK COVID-19 Inquiry on Pandemic Lessons
This Friday, Global Crisis Watch will take an in-depth look at the long-term societal and policy impacts of COVID-19, guided by the findings of the newly released UK COVID-19 Inquiry report. Chaired by former senior judge Baroness Heather Hallett, the 800-page report provides a critical assessment of how the UK and devolved governments responded during the early […]
Global Crisis Watch 390 & 391
Floods Deepen Gaza’s Humanitarian Crisis as Trump-Backed Resolution Advances The UN Security Council has approved a US-drafted resolution endorsing President Donald Trump’s 20-point plan for Gaza , including the creation of an International Stabilisation Force (ISF) and a transitional governance body, the Board of Peace (BoP). The ISF is intended to work with Israel, Egypt […]
Global Crisis Watch 388 & 389 – Green Gold Gone: The Global Risk of Deforestation
Deforestation remains one of the world’s most pressing global risks — a challenge that cuts across environmental, political and economic dimensions. Despite ambitious global pledges to end deforestation and restore degraded forests by 2030, recent data show that the goal remains far from reach. At the 2021 UN Climate Conference (COP26) in Glasgow, more than […]
Global Crisis Watch 386 & 387
El-Fasher Falls as Sudan Faces Echoes of Genocide The fall of El-Fasher in early November 2025 marks one of the darkest chapters in Sudan’s civil war. The city, the last stronghold of the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) in Darfur, was seized by the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) after an 18-month siege. Its capture triggered mass […]
Global Crisis Watch 384 & 385 – The Fragility of Modern Agriculture
Modern agriculture stands at a crossroads, balancing the need to feed an expanding global population with the vulnerabilities of an increasingly unstable world. Once seen as a symbol of progress and abundance, today’s agricultural systems reveal deep structural fragilities – exposed by economic pressures, climate disruptions, disease outbreaks and the complexity of global supply chains […]
Global Crisis Watch 382 & 383
Vance’s Israel Visit and EU Sanctions Pause Highlight Strains in Gaza Peace Effort US Vice President JD Vance’s visit to Israel highlighted the fragility of the recently negotiated Gaza ceasefire and the intense international oversight surrounding it. Arriving just a week after President Trump, Vance sought to reinforce Washington’s supervision of the agreement, which has […]
Global Crisis Watch 380 & 381 – The New Geopolitics of Critical Minerals
The global competition for critical minerals – essential for clean energy, defense and advanced technology – is rapidly becoming a major geopolitical hotspot. China, already dominant in rare earth production and refining, is tightening its control over supply chains and export routes, reshaping global power dynamics. In October 2025, Beijing expanded export controls on several […]
Global Crisis Watch 378 & 379
Israel and Hamas Move Toward Ceasefire Two Years After 7 October Negotiations to finalize a Gaza ceasefire based on US President Donald Trump’s peace plan are underway in Egypt, with sources reporting progress between Israel and Hamas. US Special Envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner are expected to join the talks alongside Israeli Minister Ron […]
Global Crisis Watch 376 & 377 – Water Security
Water is life. Yet in the twenty-first century, access to adequate, safe and reliable water is increasingly at risk. Whether for drinking, irrigation, industry, energy or ecosystems, water underpins nearly every aspect of human security. Climate change, population growth, pollution, inequitable governance and aging infrastructure are placing this vital resource under unprecedented strain. Water insecurity […]