‘There will have to be a reckoning’: Venezuela’s natural disaster meets a collapsing infrastructure

Delano D’Souza is pleased to welcome Christopher Sabatini, Senior Research Fellow for Latin America, the US and the Americas program at Chatham House. Sabatini argues that Venezuela’s earthquake is not simply a natural catastrophe but a political and institutional one. He contends that the scale of the disaster reflects decades of state erosion, corruption, economic … Read more

Grammy-nominated singer Acantha Lang on using soul music as a means of connection

For Acantha Lang, soul music is “honest” and “moving”. The Grammy-nominated singer-songwriter told FRANCE 24 that she believes “when people really connect with soul music, there’s a kind of magic that happens”. Born in New Orleans, Lang says she was “always around” the sounds of soul, jazz and blues, adding: “no matter where I am, … Read more

Thousands march in South Africa demanding illegal migrants leave

Tens of thousands of people marched on June 30th South Africa’s largest cities, following a call from around 20 organizations demanding that South Africa tighten its immigration policy. The day was largely peaceful, despite a few arrests for attempted looting. Clashes between South Africans and immigrants have left at least four people dead in recent … Read more

How barbers help Kenya’s largest mental health hospital, one haircut at a time

In Kenya, mental health workers are trying to get men to take their psychological wellbeing more seriously. It can be a huge uphill battle, particularly when people feel like they have to suffer in silence. However, doing small things intentionally is a powerful start. The country’s largest psychiatric referral hospital is welcoming back a former … Read more

‘Cloak of secrecy’ surrounds plane that crashed into Beijing skyscraper

PRESS REVIEW – Wednesday, July 1: Papers discuss a story from China that has flown under the radar: a plane crashed into the tallest building in Beijing in unclear circumstances. Next: why was “controversial figure” Vadim Ermolaev targeted in Monaco? Also: could Ireland become the next summer holiday hotspot? Finally, yodlers in Basel didn’t get … Read more

Arrests of activists increase in Türkiye ahead of major NATO summit

The Turkish capital, Ankara, is busy preparing for the NATO summit on July 7 and 8. The high-profile meeting is taking place amid international tensions, fueled by US President Donald Trump’s statements against the trans-Atlantic security alliance. Nevertheless, the summit is particularly important for Turkey because it has NATO’s second-largest army and plays a central … Read more