Showing 1 - 10 of 107
Preparing for AI-enabled bioweapons
Oped, Sania Nishtar, Published on 11/03/2026
» We don't know when the next epidemic or pandemic will hit, or where the next infectious threat will emerge. But we do know that the nature of the threat is constantly evolving. One of the most sobering takeaways from this year's Munich Security Conference was that AI-enabled gene editing has radically lowered the barrier to developing genetically engineered bioweapons. We must prepare to live with even deeper uncertainty about whether emerging infectious threats are natural or man-made, and whether they have been accidentally or deliberately released.
Women can lead push for growth
Oped, Anisha Chugh, Laura Leonelli Morey & Teresa Zapeta Mendoza, Published on 09/03/2026
» Across the Global South, painful austerity measures such as benefit caps, pay freezes and subsidy cuts have followed donor governments' recent cuts to foreign aid. The policy pivot has had an especially dramatic impact on women -- costing them jobs, services and protections -- and is causing widespread economic hardship in many developing countries.
Rethinking global health finance
Oped, Walter O Ochieng & Tom Achoki, Published on 06/02/2026
» For the past half-century, the economics of global health were straightforward. Under the so-called "grant-based" approach, rich countries donate to poor countries, which use the funds to meet their populations' health needs. Success was measured by services provided or lives saved, rather than by balance sheets. While this model was far from perfect, the latest approach replacing it -- focused on using tools like guarantees and blended finance to crowd in private capital -- threatens to produce even worse outcomes.
Efficiency over pomp
Oped, Editorial, Published on 04/02/2026
» The video of Bangkok governor Chadchart Sittipunt opening the new Phran Nok-Phutthamonthon Sai 4 Road lasts only a few seconds, yet it has gone viral for that exact reason. In an era of elaborate ceremonies, the footage is a testament to bureaucratic restraint -- proving that when leaders prioritise pragmatism over pageantry, the public wins.
Syria's tragic saga a long way from being over
Oped, John J Metzler, Published on 12/12/2025
» Just one year ago Syria's brutal and seemingly eternal Assad family dictatorship was toppled.
Rethinking finance beyond aid
Oped, Justin Yifu Lin & Yan Wang, Published on 06/11/2025
» Traditional donors have sharply scaled back their aid commitments to developing countries over the past year. Some, like the United States, have virtually eliminated their aid programmes. According to the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), official development assistance (ODA) from member countries declined by 7.1% in 2024, its first annual drop in six years.
Timor-Leste's long road to Asean
Oped, Ronny P Sasmita, Published on 22/10/2025
» This Sunday, when Timor-Leste finally joins Asean as its 11th member, it will mark a diplomatic triumph for one of Asia's smallest states and a moral test for the region's most enduring organisation. For Dili, this long-awaited step is not about prestige; it is about survival, legitimacy, and opportunity. For the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean), welcoming Timor-Leste completes the Southeast Asian map but also exposes the limits of its inclusivity.
SMEs need ecosystems, not donors
Oped, Chakorn Loetnithat, Yos Vajragupta & Tan Chaimadee, Published on 08/10/2025
» In today's fast-changing economy, small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) matter more than in the past.
Donors must still beware
Oped, Editorial, Published on 21/08/2025
» The Revenue Department's decision to require Buddhist temples to adopt an e-donation system, beginning in January, is a welcome development -- if long overdue.
Why aid workers need protection
Oped, Pio Smith, Published on 20/08/2025
» From flood-hit villages in Nepal to conflict-affected areas in Myanmar, midwives, doctors and community responders save lives. These humanitarians are the first to arrive and the last to leave when a crisis strikes. They work in conflict zones, climate disaster areas and displacement camps, often with scarce resources and under constant threat of violence.