EDITORIAL:

UN’s new goals: realistic or idealistic?

The UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), which replace the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), have now been agreed by international leaders at a summit in New York and will take effect next year (see page 28). But the new goals are far more ambitious in their range and targets than the...
INBOX: INBOX

New Women’s Forum launched in Malta

A brand new Women’s Forum was launched in the run up to November’s Commonwealth Heads...

Earthquake survivors reunite online

Google has set up an app called Person Finder in response to October’s earthquake in...

Human Phonograph wins 2015 Short Story Prize

Jonathan Tel has won the 2015 Commonwealth Short Story Prize for his story, The Human...

Durban to host 2022 Games

The hosting of the 2022 Commonwealth Games has been awarded to Durban in South Africa,...

Virtual currencies ‘need regulation’

The likelihood of crimes based around virtual currencies may be increased by the lack of...

Voting for New Zealand’s new flag design begins

New Zealanders are choosing between five designs for a prospective new flag in a postal...

Election Watch

Sri Lanka Sri Lanka’s presidential elections were held in January – two years ahead of...

Energy Watch

Norwegian hydroelectricity to expand its reach Hydroelectric plants in Norway could potentially offer up to...
GLOBAL INSIGHT: CLIMATE

COP21: combating global warming

In November, France will be hosting the 21st session of the Conference of the Parties...
SPOTLIGHT: LESOTHO

Rocky road: Lesotho’s political turmoil

KATIE SILVESTER
The country has its second coalition government in three years, but the political uncertainty has...

A blanket look at Basotho culture

KATE BYSTROVA
The country that rejected an offer to become part of South Africa in 1910 and...

Interview: Lesotho Prime Minister Bethuel Pakalitha Mosisili

Prime Minister Bethuel Pakalitha Mosisili answers Global’s questions on Lesotho’s politics, the country’s economic growth...

Lesotho: Ups and downs of a mountain economy

AMBER TRIPT
Despite having a flourishing diamond mining industry, many of Lesotho’s citizens live in poverty in...
GLOBAL ARENA: BOOKS

Undressing the garment industry

KATE BYSTROVA
The Song of the Shirt: The High Price of Cheap Garments, from Blackburn to Bangladesh...
GLOBAL ARENA: TALKING POINTS

From US posting to permanent residency

WILLIAM DIAZ
Immigration to the USA for representatives and employees of foreign national governments is now more...

Tightening the borders

JENNIFER STEVENS
The UK is introducing an additional hurdle for visa applicants – the requirement for proof...

Skin deep: the ancient art of body decoration

KATE BYSTROVA
From large, dramatic tattoos that signify status or coming-of-age to face painting for war or...

The Syrian refugee crisis: Finding a place to call home

KATIE SILVESTER
The Syrian conflict shows no signs of abating and half of the country’s population is...

Assisted deaths: Making a quick exit

BARNABY BAYSWATER
Assisted dying has always been controversial. The UK has just voted against legalising it, while...

Crisis in development

SAMUEL COHN & RAE LESSER BLUMBERG
There has been unprecedented human development in the world over the last few decades. But...

What Europe can learn from India

AMIT S. MUKHERJEE
Commentators often point to the USA as a model for Europe. They should be looking...
IN FOCUS: AUSTRALIA

Australia’s fast moving premiers

Australia has just sworn in its fourth prime minister in just over two years, thanks...

Australia: Challenging times for commodities-based economy

ROWAN SNOW
Australia has the planet’s largest reserves of lead, nickel, uranium and zinc, and is amongst...

Australia arts: Dreaming and droving

KATIE SILVESTER
When the centenary of the opening of an iconic droving route through Western Australia’s desert...
IN FOCUS: FIJI

Exploring Fiji’s cultural side: Clans, ceremonies and kava

KATIE SILVESTER
Fiji’s most celebrated drink is a mouth-numbing root-based preparation that is drunk ceremonially to welcome...

Fiji: Ballot box brings government new legitimacy

TERRY LESS
Having initially seized power in a coup, Frank Bainimarama has reinvented himself as civilian politician...

Sweet success of islands’ agricultural economy

YVETTE BATTENBERG
Sugar cane farming, fishing, tourism and gold mining are the mainstays of Fiji’s economy, but...
COMMONWEALTH NETWORK: CLOSE-UP

Royal Victoria League for Commonwealth Friendship

The League provides subsidised accommodation in London and raises money for charitable causes in the...
COMMONWEALTH NETWORK: COLLOQUIA

CHOGM votes on a new SG

BOB VERNOY
Heads of government will be voting on the Commonwealth’s sixth Secretary-General in November   The...

CHOGM: putting reform on the agenda

VIJAY KRISHNARAYAN
Civil society needs more opportunities to engage with foreign ministers during CHOGM if the Commonwealth...

Forming a trading bloc

CHAD BLACKMAN
Commonwealth member countries share similar legal systems and could offer potential new markets  to each...
COMMONWEALTH NETWORK: COMMONWEALTH IN ACTION

Calculating the value of open resources

ALICIA SWINAMER
Many of the open learning resources available online are failing to help learners. The Commonwealth...

Conference sees launch of Education Hub

  The Commonwealth Secretariat launched a knowledge-sharing network at the 19th Conference of Commonwealth Education...
COMMONWEALTH NETWORK: INBOX

Inbox

One in three young people not in work or education Young people make up 40...
COMMONWEALTH NETWORK: POSTSCRIPT

Gender agenda

DR JOSEPHINE OJIAMBO
The Commonwealth is a leader in initiatives aimed at achieving gender mainstreaming and women’s empowerment...
COMMONWEALTH NETWORK: THE LONG VIEW

‘There is no international organisation like the Commonwealth’

Commonwealth Secretary-General Kamalesh Sharma retires at the start of next year, having completed two terms...

Educationalists flock to The Bahamas for 19CCEM

ANNIE FOX
The 19th Conference of Commonwealth Education Ministers saw ministers looking at post-2015 targets for education,...
Amnesty International