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The report addresses the definitional ambiguity of 'systemic risks' in the Digital Services Act (DSA) by proposing a structured research agenda. This framework operationalises risk assessment through six dimensions: severity (scale, scope, and remediability) and likelihood (platform characteristics, historical patterns, and contextual factors). Using asymmetric amplification of political content during elections as a case study, the authors demonstrate how a plurality of observational and experimental methods is necessary to generate the evidence required for regulatory decisions. The report concludes that current data access constraints, including limited API functionality and restrictive Virtual Computing Environments, hinder the ability of researchers to fulfill their legally recognised role under the DSA.

The report identifies three primary typologies of online hate speech in Jordan: gender-based abuse, religious hate speech (primarily targeting Shia communities), and exclusionary nationalist discourse. It highlights how regional conflicts in Gaza and Syria act as trigger events for spikes in hostility and notes that users exploit 'Arabizi' to bypass inadequate Arabic-language moderation. The study also criticizes the 2023 Cybercrime Law for lacking precise definitions, leading to potential over-criminalization of expression.

The research paper argues that hybrid threats—combining hostile state operations with extremist violence—require a 'whole-of-society' prevention approach. It suggests adopting a 'public health' model of prevention, categorised into primary (building resilience), secondary (targeted vulnerability efforts), and tertiary (minimising acute harm) interventions. The authors emphasize the need to break down government silos between domestic and foreign security, avoid the over-securitisation of communities, and integrate gender and intersectional analysis into threat assessments.

The report forecasts that COVID-19 will significantly hinder Africa's progress toward the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals, particularly in eliminating extreme poverty. Depending on the recovery scenario (V, U, or L), the number of Africans living in extreme poverty by 2030 is projected to increase to between 607 million and 640 million. The analysis highlights a severe short-term shock in 2020, with an additional 14 million people falling below the US$1.90 poverty threshold. Economic consequences include an expected increase in debt by 5 to 9 percentage points of GDP and a heightened dependence on international aid due to domestic economic contraction. The most negatively affected countries are identified as Nigeria, the DR Congo, Ethiopia, Niger, and Tanzania. Other SDG targets, including undernutrition, infant mortality, and education completion rates, are also expected to deteriorate or miss targets further.

The report highlights severe education deficits in the Horn of Africa, where conflict, gender inequality, and poor infrastructure hinder progress. It projects that by 2040, average years of education for adults will remain significantly lower than both the African and global averages, with primary school enrolment acting as a critical bottleneck for most countries except Ethiopia.

The document outlines the purpose and scope of a special report on Tunisia's potential development pathways to 2040. Using the International Futures (IFs) forecasting platform, the analysis establishes a 'Current Path' and compares it against three policy-driven scenarios: growth, sustainability and equality, and leapfrogging. The report emphasizes that governance reform is a necessary foundation for all three scenarios. For comparative analysis, Tunisia is categorized as a lower middle-income economy, and the report utilizes global lower middle-income groups and regions such as sub-Saharan Africa for benchmarking.

The report assesses Algeria's development trajectory to 2040, identifying governance and the resulting economic policy framework as the primary drivers of the country's challenges. It utilizes the International Futures modelling platform to contrast a 'Current Path' forecast with a prospective 'Algerian Dream' scenario characterized by a democratic government and equitable prosperity. For comparative analysis, the report benchmarks Algeria against other lower middle-income economies in Africa and global upper middle-income groups.

The document outlines three alternative development scenarios for Tunisia—Going for Growth, Leapfrogging, and Sustainability & Equality—to contrast with a 'Current Path' forecast. It identifies five foundational reforms essential for progress across all scenarios: improved business regulation, increased economic freedom, reduced corruption, better primary and secondary education, and the reduction of subsidies for wealthier households.

This policy brief argues that water and sanitation are strategic assets essential for Africa's peace, energy transition, and food security. It advocates for a Water-Energy-Food (WEF) nexus approach and Strategic Asset Management (SAM) to address a $1 trillion infrastructure investment gap by 2040 and mitigate the 'threat multiplier' effect of climate change. The brief recommends integrating water governance into the African Peace and Security Architecture (APSA) and strengthening transboundary cooperation across the continent's 63 shared river and lake basins to prevent conflict and promote regional stability.

The NAP Global Network's 2025 report details its efforts to move developing countries from adaptation planning to implementation. Key achievements include supporting 18 countries in this transition, delivering 24 short-term technical assistance requests via the Country Support Hub, and managing 13 long-term In-Country Support Programs. The Network emphasizes the importance of monitoring, evaluation, and learning (MEL), gender equality and social inclusion (GESI), and the integration of nature-based solutions. A new strategic plan to 2030 prioritizes Least Developed Countries (LDCs) and Small Island Developing States (SIDS), with a focus on accountability, civil society engagement, and the alignment of adaptation planning with peacebuilding and the Global Goal on Adaptation.

The document defines the education sector's role in climate adaptation, identifying its vulnerability and its potential to build community resilience. It details the components of a climate-resilient education system, focusing on resilient infrastructure, integrated teaching and learning, and school safety and continuity management.

The document outlines the benefits of the National Adaptation Plan (NAP) process for the education sector, specifically how it elevates priorities in national decision-making and strengthens the case for financing. It details the relevance of four NAP stages—Impact, Vulnerability, and Risk Assessment (IVRA); Planning; Implementation; and Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning (MEL)—and provides ten specific actions for education ministries to ensure climate risks to schools, students, and teachers are addressed.

Palau is developing its first stand-alone national adaptation plan (NAP), expected in 2026, to address critical vulnerabilities including sea level rise, coastal erosion, and saltwater intrusion. The process, led by the Office of Climate Change (OCC) and supported by the Green Climate Fund, employs a "whole-of-society approach" across 10 priority sectors. Adaptation strategies combine high-tech monitoring—such as LiDAR and drones—with traditional ecological knowledge and community-led initiatives. Key actions include nature-based coastal protection via mangrove conservation and reforestation, the use of climate-resilient taro varieties in agriculture, and community-organized sea wall repairs in Melekeok State. The framework emphasizes that durable resilience must be rooted in local stewardship and the intergenerational transmission of environmental knowledge.

The Private Equity Stakeholder Project outlines five categories of climate standards for private markets investors: alignment with science-based targets, disclosure of fossil fuel exposure and emissions, the requirement for portfolio-wide energy transition plans, integration of environmental justice and community protections, and transparency regarding political spending and climate lobbying. The framework recommends specific timelines, such as phasing out coal power by 2030 and achieving a 4:1 ratio of low-carbon energy supply investments relative to fossil fuel investments by 2030.

The document analyzes the evolution of the Women, Peace and Security (WPS) agenda in the UN Security Council, noting a shift from consensus-based norm expansion to a period of 'backlash' and 'pushback' since 2019. It identifies specific threats to norms regarding sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) and women's civil society participation, often driven by actors like Russia, China, and the US (under the Trump administration). Despite these challenges, the authors highlight the role of elected members (E10) in maintaining progress through 'shared commitments' and the integration of WPS language into day-to-day Council decisions. The paper argues that while the Council's overall legitimacy is declining due to stalemates over conflicts in Ukraine and Gaza, it remains a critical arena for defending women's rights against global authoritarian trends.

The report analyzes the role of Ukrainian grassroots initiatives, NGOs, and local self-governments (hromadas) in humanitarian response, arguing that while local actors are more agile and cost-efficient, they face systemic barriers in funding and decision-making. It identifies a critical lack of systematic evidence on the relative cost-effectiveness of locally-led versus internationally-led responses, though it notes that local NGOs in Ukraine deliver programs 15.5% more cost-efficiently due to lower overheads. The document recommends a shift toward equitable partnerships characterized by mutual financial transparency, shared leadership, and the provision of flexible, multi-year 'quality funding' to ensure the sustainability of local responders operating under high insecurity.

The analysis of 44 media channels across four countries identified 815 cases of climate disinformation, with 85% occurring in private media. France experienced the highest volume of disinformation (665 cases), while Spain had the lowest (20 cases). In Europe, disinformation focuses heavily on renewable energy, often linked to anti-EU sentiment and perceived industrial decline, particularly in Poland. In Brazil, disinformation is tied to pro-agribusiness narratives and climate change denial. Peaks in disinformation correlate with environmental policy debates, international events, extreme weather, and statements by influential figures like Donald Trump.

The analysis of 44 media channels across four countries identified 815 cases of climate disinformation, with 85% occurring in private media. France showed the highest volume of cases, while Spain had the lowest. The report finds a negative correlation between the volume of climate coverage and the prevalence of disinformation, noting that disinformation often aligns with specific national narratives: pro-agribusiness in Brazil, anti-EU sentiment and industrial decline in Poland, and renewable energy skepticism in France.

The ARE Energy Access Investment Forum 2026 brought together 1,400 participants from 87 countries to discuss renewable electrification. Key outcomes included the launch of the USD 25m ASCENT Project Preparation Facility by COMESA and a GDP 14m contribution from the UK's FCDO to the Sustainable Energy Fund for Africa in the DRC. The forum highlighted systemic gaps in capital allocation for small African-led firms and the need to shift from supply-led to demand-led skills training for the green transition.

The South African Journal of International Affairs Style Guide 2026 outlines the technical and editorial requirements for academic submissions. It specifies a B5 trim size, the use of UK English, and a strict adherence to the Chicago (notes) referencing style using endnotes rather than a bibliography. The guide details formatting for various source types—including books, journal articles, and institutional reports—and establishes rules for gender-neutral language, the avoidance of jargon, and the mandatory disclosure of generative AI tools used for content creation.