The Nuclear Threat From Space | Bill Hennigan
Global Dispatches -- World News That Matters
Release Date: 05/19/2025
How to Solve the "Trust Deficit" in Africa | Future of Africa, Episode 4
Global Dispatches -- World News That Matters
When people don’t trust their institutions, the social fabric of a society is weakened. But that “trust deficit” can — and must — be closed. In this episode of our series, we explore innovative and practical approaches to enhancing trust and cooperation between people and their institutions -- from grassroots communities to global multilateral forums. Featuring , a renowned advocate for electoral integrity and youth participation in Nigeria; , CEO of Afrobarometer; , Minister of Information and Civic Education from Sierra Leone; and , a member of the African Union’s Panel of the...
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A Major Study Finds Giving Pregnant Women Cash Massively Improves Children's Health
Global Dispatches -- World News That Matters
A new study out of Kenya shows that one of the most impactful ways to reduce infant and child mortality is to provide cash—no strings attached—to pregnant women. A randomized controlled trial by economists from UC Berkeley and Oxford University found that unconditional cash transfers reduced infant mortality by 48% and under-5 child mortality by 45% in rural Kenya. These results suggest that this intervention is as impactful for improving child health as the provision of vaccines or antimalarial drugs. I'm joined today by Dr. Miriam Laker-Oketta, Senior Research Advisor at GiveDirectly,...
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How Global Development Finance Deals Can Actually Drive Local Impact | Future of Africa Episode 3
Global Dispatches -- World News That Matters
Making promises on financing for development is the easy part. Following through on them is hard. Ambassador Chola Milambo speaks frankly about turning global financing commitments into tangible benefits for African communities. Chidi Okpala highlights the role of innovative private-sector partnerships, while Tumi Mkhizi Malebo offers a youth perspective on making finance work for the next generation and Nabila Ageule emphasizes the particularly important role of young women. Together, they map out what it takes to bridge the gap between conference promises and action on the ground, from...
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Can a Series of Global AI Summits Actually Shape the Rules that will Govern the World’s most Powerful Technology?
Global Dispatches -- World News That Matters
In 2023, the United Kingdom hosted the world’s first major international summit on the risks of advanced artificial intelligence. That Bletchley Park gathering kicked off a series of high-profile summits — in Seoul in 2024, in Paris earlier this year, and with India set to host the next in 2026. But here’s the big question: are these summits actually building the guardrails the world needs to keep AI safe — or are they falling short? My guest today, Robert F. Trager, says the answer depends on whether this summit series is reformed. Trager is Co-Director of the Oxford Martin AI...
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The Climate, Peace & Security Nexus | Future of Africa Episode 2
Global Dispatches -- World News That Matters
What does it mean to make peace with nature — and why could that be the key to lasting peace between people? Former Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos shares the extraordinary indigenous mandate that shaped his leadership, while Hindou Oumarou Ibrahim explains how climate shocks in Africa are driving conflict and migration. Khouloud Ben Mansour brings in the youth, peace, and security lens, stressing that climate justice must include women and young leaders at the table. Across the conversation, you’ll hear why African knowledge systems are vital to global climate solutions, and how...
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What We Can Expect from the Putin-Trump Alaska Summit
Global Dispatches -- World News That Matters
The past week has seen a frenzy of diplomatic activity on Ukraine, culminating in Donald Trump’s extraordinary announcement that he will host Vladimir Putin in Alaska for talks on the war. Setting aside the propriety of Putin visiting the United States (he launched this war of aggression and is wanted by the ICC for the systematic abduction of Ukrainian children) what could such a summit actually achieve? Would Ukraine really be willing to trade land for a ceasefire? And would Putin simply use a pause in hostilities to regroup? I put these questions and more to , a longtime Ukraine...
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Africa's Role on the Global Stage | Introducing: The "Future of Africa" Podcast Series
Global Dispatches -- World News That Matters
Africa is the world’s youngest continent — and its future is everyone’s future. By 2030, 70% of sub-Saharan Africa’s population will be under the age of 30. By century’s end, one in three people on the planet will be African. What happens in Africa will shape the course of the 21st century. That’s why Global Dispatches is proud to launch a bold new podcast series: The Future of Africa. Produced in partnership with the African Union, The Elders, and the United Nations Foundation, this series explores how Africa’s rising generation is transforming the world—and how global leaders...
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Famine in Gaza — A Political and Humanitarian Tipping Point?
Global Dispatches -- World News That Matters
“The worst-case scenario of famine is currently playing out in the Gaza Strip.” That was the conclusion of a July 29 report by the leading global authority on food security, the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC). The report found that more than one in three people in Gaza (39 percent) are now going days at a time without eating. More than 500,000 people—nearly a quarter of the population—are enduring famine-like conditions. Malnutrition rates are skyrocketing, and deaths from acute malnutrition are mounting. This is the direct result of Israel’s policy of preventing...
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The Stark Demise of the Era of NGOs
Global Dispatches -- World News That Matters
In 1997, Jessica Matthews' landmark Foreign Affairs essay “Power Shift” captured the growing influence of NGOs and other non-state actors in shaping global affairs. But nearly three decades later, that tide has turned. A provocative new piece in Foreign Affairs argues that the age of NGOs is over—and states are reasserting dominance. Joining me to unpack this shift is Jennifer Hadden, co-author of the new article and Associate Professor at Brown University. We discuss the heyday of NGOs in the 1990s, what led to their decline, and what this reversal means for the future of human rights,...
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A New Study Shows that Sanctions Kill As Many People As War
Global Dispatches -- World News That Matters
A groundbreaking new study published in the British medical journal The Lancet Global Health finds that unilateral economic sanctions—most of which are imposed by the United States—lead to approximately 564,000 excess deaths worldwide each year. Up to half of these deaths are children. While sanctions are often touted as an alternative to military force, this research shows they can devastate public health, cause severe food and medicine shortages, and drive mortality rates to levels comparable to those seen in armed conflicts. In fact, the findings suggest that sanctions are about as...
info_outlineWhat would actually happen if a nuclear weapon were detonated in space?
This isn't just the stuff of science fiction — it's a scenario that researchers have studied closely, and the implications are deeply unsettling. From disrupting satellite a nuclear detonation in space would have immediate, global consequences — even without a single casualty on the ground.
In today’s episode, we’re exploring how our growing dependence on space-based infrastructure — for communications, surveillance, and national security — is changing the conventional calculus around nuclear deterrence.
How are major nuclear powers, including Russia, responding to this shifting landscape? Are we on the verge of a space-based nuclear arms race? And what can be done now to preserve space as a peaceful domain?
My guest is Bill Hennigan, author of the At the Brink series, which We recorded this conversation live at the Carnegie International Nuclear Policy Conference — and it’s a fascinating look into how the nuclear order may be evolving in ways that are still underappreciated.