Part of the beauty of travel is coming to the realisation that we are all citizens of the world. Look past the cultural differences and language barriers, and it is evident that people across countries and continents are the same. TripAdvisor is banking on that sentiment to aid refugees in crisis. And the travel search site - through its TripAdvisor Charitable Foundation - is calling on travellers to join its relief efforts.

Germany's Marshall Plan with Africa received a lot of praise but also criticism [...] The so-called "Marshall Plan” - drawing a direct parallel to the huge United States program that kick-started the ravaged German economy after World War Two - talks about a new level of development cooperation. The plan foresees a complete restructuring of the German economic cooperation with Africa.

Sam Geall, the executive editor of China Dialogue, a bilingual website on the environment, said Beijing viewed having a climate change denying US president as a rare and unexpected opportunity to boost Chinese soft power by positioning itself as the world’s premier climate change fighter.

In addition to being the world’s leading donor of humanitarian aid, we have worked to ensure the rights of conflict victims – including women and girls, the elderly, the disabled, minorities, and LGBTI persons – are respected. We have also backed efforts to use both humanitarian and development resources to help societies that host large numbers of refugees so their citizens do not suffer from overburdened hospitals and overcrowded classroom

So, ‘global Britain’ eh? This, we are told, will be the leitmotif for Theresa May’s Brexit speech tomorrow and, indeed, for her approach to international affairs more generally. And who could disagree with any of that? The argument will, of course, be couched in economic terms. The spirit of Britannia will be unleashed to sail the world’s oceans. Britain is back, you know. 

Singapore’s lifelong ambition to become the smartest city in the world has been supported by its government’s proactive efforts to transform a country with limited resources into one of the most innovative, sustainable and tech-savvy cities in the world. Internet of Things (IoT)-related applications to improve the quality of life, such as behavioural monitoring for smoking, smart parking, CCTV and transport systems are already at mature stages.

As the Obamas get ready to leave the White House on January 20th, their legacy has become a topic of interest nationally and internationally. Michelle Obama, the United States’ first black First Lady, has spearheaded and organized numerous successful initiatives in the past eight years [...] While the First Lady’s initiatives domestically should not be understated, it is her most recent program that has, and will continue to have, the largest global impact.

China's Foreign Minister Wang Yi is currently on a tour across Africa, where he is busy shaking hands with dignitaries and posing for photo ops, . Wang's New Year's visits to the African continent are almost a tradition, this time he is in Madagascar, Tanzania, Zambia, Congo and Nigeria. Zambia wants to become a transport and logistics hub in southern Africa and Wang has promised help. [...] China is investing heavily in Africa.