When Machines Speak to Machines: The Rise and Risk of Web 3.5

The internet is mutating, again. What was once a system of human-readable pages, hyperlinks, and visible sources has begun to vanish beneath the smooth interface of a chatbot. In its place is emerging something less tangible but more radical: a web where machines no longer index knowledge for users, but reinterpret it, synthesize it, and present it without citation or context. This is not Web … Continue reading When Machines Speak to Machines: The Rise and Risk of Web 3.5

The Cost of Silence: Why Cutting HIV Vaccine Funding Threatens Global Health Equity

In early 2024, a quiet decision in the United States budget office set off alarm bells among global health experts. At a moment when scientific progress against HIV had finally turned a corner, the National Institutes of Health (NIH) abruptly cut $258 million in funding earmarked for some of the most promising vaccine development programmes in decades, including projects led by IAVI and Scripps Research. … Continue reading The Cost of Silence: Why Cutting HIV Vaccine Funding Threatens Global Health Equity

When Science Is Local, Silence Is Global

In recent years, the international scientific community has mobilized swiftly to defend academic freedom when it is under threat in wealthy nations. During the Trump administration, when American climate scientists feared political retaliation, Canadian institutions opened digital repositories and established “climate sanctuaries”. Following Brexit, European funding agencies adapted frameworks to accommodate displaced British researchers. In 2022, Germany’s Alexander von Humboldt Foundation expanded its Philipp Schwartz … Continue reading When Science Is Local, Silence Is Global

Indonesia Just Left WHO’s Southeast Asia Region: Here’s Why That Matters for Global Health

In May 2025, Indonesia formally left the WHO’s South-East Asia Region (SEARO) and joined the Western Pacific Region (WPRO). While the shift was bureaucratically framed, the political and strategic implications are profound. This realignment reshapes Indonesia’s position in global health governance and offers insight into how middle-income countries are rethinking their multilateral engagements. The decision, finalized during the 78th World Health Assembly (see WHO Doc … Continue reading Indonesia Just Left WHO’s Southeast Asia Region: Here’s Why That Matters for Global Health