international affairs | Harbingers' Magazine

November 03, 2023

Presidential election showed how hard Singapore’s ‘balancing act’ is in midst of US-China tensions

Singapore’s ‘neutral’ geo-political stance between the United States and China has become increasingly precarious in the face of rising tensions between the two global giants and escalating Sino-US tensions

17 year-old Jinn Ong on Singapore’s repositioning in the Asia-Pacific theatre

October 27, 2023

Kosovo War – understanding the unresolved conflict

The conflict that was supposed to be resolved decades ago is making headlines in world news again, with the media asking ‘Are Kosovo and Serbia on the brink of war?’

17 year-old Mykyta Yaremenko explains the failure of peace process in Kosovo

September 30, 2023

Flowers for the Future enables Afghan students to “bloom”

Amidst challenges posed by the Taliban’s restrictions, the support from individuals around the world and organisations like FFF are “a source of inspiration”

16 year-old Sofiya Suleimanova interviews the student-run organisation that supports the ‘rights of students across the world to education’

September 22, 2023

Mass destruction of Ukrainian nature will have a huge impact on the future

The consequences of war have not only ruined lives and negatively impacted the mental health of Ukrainian civilians, but it will also result in long-term ecosphere damage

17 year-old Sofia Radysh interviews UAnimals on the environmental crisis

September 08, 2023

Trump administration disregard Ruth Bader Ginsburg’s last words

"My most fervent wish is that I will not be replaced until a new president is installed” - the final words of Ruth Bader Ginsburg to her granddaughter, has seen the former justice’s worst fear brought into reality

17 year-old Aleksandra Lasek on the notions of progress

September 01, 2023

Understanding Poland’s economic transformation would enable Sri Lanka to learn from Warsaw’s errors

Many experts fear that in light of the recent economic crisis, the Lankan government’s sole focus will be debt disposal, hence the introduction of reforms may occur in a haphazard way, jeopardising the country’s security

17 year-old Nadia Diakowska speaks with economic experts Marcin Zielinski, Professor Adam Bodnar, and Filip Konopczyński

August 18, 2023

Meet nine Harbingers’ student journalists from Nepal’s ‘earthquake generation’

The people in Nepal are even better than the county’s stunning views. At the Mountain Children's House, an orphanage of 32 minors, I spoke to young people who eagerly shared their bold hopes and dreams

16 year-old Jefferson He introduces the newest Harbingers' project

August 13, 2023

Contested artefacts from the British Museum: 7 things you need to know

In recent years, many countries where these artefacts originated have become more vocal in calling for their return, arguing that the objects were taken unethically and without consent

16 year-old Justin Sau outlines the appeals for repatriation

August 12, 2023

Sri Lanka’s restructure of State-Owned Enterprises may pose a threat to the safety of the country

Following the 2022 bankruptcy, the Sri Lankan government has been implementing tough reforms to improve the economy. It appears as though the government is too focused on paying off debts to acknowledge the possibility of compromising safety

17 year-old Nadia Diakowska outlines deficiencies in the government’s decision-making

August 06, 2023

Russian athletes are once again showing disrespect and officials are doing nothing about it

Disrespect towards Ukrainians from Russians is an everyday occurrence everywhere in the world and this time it was present at an international sports arena

17 year-old Sofiya Tkachenko on the politics of sportsmanship

August 04, 2023

Greek newspaper Migratory Birds helps refugee teenagers ‘fly high’

It was the initiative of 15 Afghan teenage girls and one Greek girl, who decided it was time for the refugee population to be truly heard. The project’s aim is to introduce young refugees to the principles of journalism and media while helping them to integrate into the Greek community

16 year-old Sofiya Suleimenova interviews experts at youth magazine Migratory Birds

July 21, 2023

Days that marked Afghan girls’ lives

There are days in everyone’s lives that they mark the most regardless of being good or bad. Five students of the journalism learning project at Harbingers’ Magazine – Shanhaza (17), Swita (16), Zainab (13), Naziya (13) and Zohra (17) – interviewed each other to find out about the days that impacted them the most

13-17 year-old OXSFJ and LEARN Afghan students share their life experiences

July 07, 2023

Meet five Afghan girls who dream big for their future

After the Taliban seized power in August 2021, they banned girls from receiving a high school education. Despite these hardships, they are still determined to achieve their goals

13-17 year-old students of the OXSFJ | LEARN Afghan Project share their aspirations

July 07, 2023

Youth revolted in France after police shot 17 year-old boy

Over the course of last week, violent riots have wreaked havoc in Paris and its suburbs. The protesters burned cars, vandalised police stations and even let animals from the Paris Zoo out. Rioters have torched 2,000 vehicles since the start of the unrest

17 year-old Sofiya Tkachenko reports on French protests against police brutality

July 07, 2023

Turkey’s economy: Could the re-election of Erdogan pose a threat?

Despite actions made for economic recovery, there are 4 reasons explaining why the prosperity of Turkey’s economy may be under threat

17 year-old Timur Boranbayev analyses the election repercussions

May 05, 2023

Single currency for East Africa: 7 things you need to know

A single African currency for East Africa is targeted to be instituted by the African Central Bank by 2028 to create an ‘economic and monetary union’. Harbingers’ Magazine has created this explainer to outline the details of the plans

17 year-old Timur Boranbayev breaks down the economic implications

March 17, 2023

Ukrainian ‘grains of truth’. One year of farming under Russian missiles

As the Russian invasion of Ukraine hits its first anniversary, Ukrainian farmers are facing a new set of challenges for keeping the title of the ‘breadbasket of the world’

Sophie Abromaviciute on the impact the war has on Ukrainian agriculture

March 10, 2023

UN reached an agreement to protect 30 percent of high seas. Talks took almost 20 years

The new treaty includes territory protective measures on marine reserves and environmental impact assessments concerning human activity on the high seas, which the UN immediately described as ‘historic’. The new convention, however, has yet to be formally adopted and ratified by at least sixty states in order to come into force.

17 year-old Flora Lodd reports on breaking climate news

March 09, 2023

Are the Peranakans a part of Singapore’s past or a heritage shaping my life choices?

As I deepened my research into Peranakans, I began to realise that my ancestors far exceed their reputation as creators of imaginative cuisine and eclectic architecture. In fact, the culture not only shapes the Singapore we see today but has largely influenced the choices I have made in life

16 year-old Jinn Ong inquires whether and how it is possible to be Peranakan in the 21st century

March 03, 2023

‘Girls go missing, schools are closed down, teachers persecuted’. Fight for education in Taliban-ruled Afghanistan

Pashtana Dorani is the founder of an organisation running 'illegal' underground schools for girls in Afghanistan. She knows first-hand the struggles girls and those teaching them face since the US and their allies withdrew and the Taliban regained control of the country

16 year-old Sofiya Suleimenova interviews Afghan human rights activist

February 09, 2023

Lessons have not been learnt, international law is not stopping Russia

The notions of genocide and crimes against humanity are two essential building blocks for international law and vital parts of the efforts to protect human rights. In his 2016 book East West Street, British writer and lawyer Philippe Sands explains the origins of these notions

Aleksandra Lasek on the constraints of the international criminal law system

December 18, 2022

Italy’s direct help for Ukrainian refugees is rooted in its EU membership

A question arises: does Italy have double standards and treat people differently depending on where they come from? Or is there a reasonable explanation for the difference in attitudes towards the two groups of refugees?

17 year-old Marco Morchio on difference in Italy's approach to conflicts in Syria and Ukraine

December 02, 2022

Young people will pay the price for Putin’s push to re-enact the Cold War

Restoration of the Cold War is the last thing we need in the face of the climate crisis. Now more than ever, what we need is more cooperation between countries

16 year-old Sufiya Suleimenova explores the NATO expansion and climate change concerns

September 18, 2022

Art of humanity. Why Lithuanian Jews took part in the fight against apartheid in South Africa

Once kindness becomes prevalent, it appears to be spreading. Human relations develop as we experience the inevitability of life - whether it is peace or war, core human values remain the same. A formation of a crystal – I think of an artwork I saw in Kaunas, depicting the bonding of ions and atoms which make the crystal grow - is parallel to how human relations develop.

17 year-old Sophie Abromaviciute on the lesson from an art festival in Kaunas, Lithuania