Category: Global Citizen

South African prosecutors allege that Russia helped finance an attempted escape by Kemi Séba, a social media influencer wanted in Benin over an alleged coup attempt. Court papers claim Séba worked with Bittereinders leader Francois van der Merwe to cross the Limpopo River into Zimbabwe before Hawks officers, posing as private security, arrested both men…

As wildfire smoke drifts across one of the world’s most celebrated wine regions, a troubling question hangs over Bordeaux’s 2026 vintage: will the grapes carry the scars of the fires? Drawing on conversations with sommeliers, winemakers and wine experts, this fascinating exploration uncorks the science of smoke taint, the delicate art of winemaking and the…

Around 60,000 people crossed from Morocco into Spain’s Ceuta enclave in one of the largest mass border breaches in recent European history, overwhelming a city of 80,000 residents. The crisis has revived Morocco’s long standing claim that Ceuta is a colonial era holdover, and raised uncomfortable questions for Madrid, which has been a vocal advocate…

Europe’s insurers, reinsurers and brokers say the wildfires tearing through Spain, France, Greece and even the UK aren’t a one-off shock but a long-term shift in the continent’s catastrophe risk. Axa, Allianz and Aon all warn that rising temperatures, now climbing twice as fast as the global average, are driving bigger losses and higher premiums,…

New data compiled by The Economist across roughly 7,000 billionaires over 25 years shows a striking shift: for the first time, half of all billionaire wealth now comes from competitive, self-made ventures rather than “uncompetitive” sectors like mining, construction, gambling and inheritance. Post-Soviet oligarchs and property tycoons have lost ground, while founders in tech, finance,…

Yale economist Pinelopi Goldberg – a former World Bank chief economist – argues that Washington’s new student-visa rule marks a quiet retreat from America’s defining promise as a land of opportunity. From 15 September 2026, F-1 and J visa holders will be admitted for a fixed term capped at four years, replacing the open-ended “duration…

Ilan Preskovsky argues that Wikipedia’s entries on Zionism and Gaza have been shaped by a small, organised group of editors pushing an anti-Israel framing, citing investigative journalist Ashley Rindsberg’s research into the platform’s editing culture. It’s relevant to South African readers because the piece explicitly names the ANC’s genocide case against Israel at the International…

Fresh revelations from the Epstein files have intensified scrutiny of former Prince Andrew, raising questions about alleged misuse of royal influence, confidential information and powerful global connections. The controversy highlights broader concerns about accountability, privilege and whether influential figures face the same standards as ordinary citizens. For South Africa, the scandal resonates amid ongoing debates…

Andy Burnham entered Downing Street on July 20th promising Britons “start to believe again,” but Britain’s new prime minister has offered more mood music than a plan. His cabinet purge was ruthless — sacking Rachel Reeves and Sir Keir Starmer’s economic team wholesale — yet the substance behind it is thin: a “ten-year plan” delayed…

There’s a South African thread to the story that’s got the UK buzzing: Reform UK’s fortunes have long been entangled with Elon Musk, the Pretoria-born billionaire who once considered bankrolling the party before a public falling-out with Farage over leadership and tactics. Musk’s on-off flirtation with Reform UK exposed the same fragility Count Binface’s candidacy…