The International Space Station on 8 November, 2021. (Credit: NASA)

Keeping space at peace. Countries will gather this week at Palais des Nations in UN Geneva headquarters to discuss how to address the growing risk of conflict in space. With over 25,000 satellites sent into space in the last 65 years, it is starting to become quite cluttered up there. This and the rapid militarisation of space by the likes of Russia, China and the United States has sparked worries that a clash, whether from a direct attack or a simple misunderstanding, is just waiting to happen. Experts say that existing international rules are far from being enough to ensure space stability.

The talks are aimed at finding some common ground on what responsible behaviour countries should adopt in space. With geopolitical tensions running at an all-time high, the war in Ukraine will most likely spill over into the discussions and make it harder for delegates to reach some consensus. Hellmut Lagos, chair of the group meeting this week, told Geneva Solutions that he has asked delegations to limit their statements about the war in Ukraine in time so that it doesn't end up monopolising the debate and sidelining space security issues.

Ukrainian flag on the window of a store in Riga. (Credit: Anastasia Kashirskaya)

Should I stay or should I go? Thoughts of a Moscow journalist who fled for Riga. Russian journalist Anastasia Kashirskaya tells us how censorship and repression of independent media forced her to leave Russia.

From book editor to warming people up with tea and sandwiches. In times of peace, Bohdana Romantsova edited books and gave lectures. But the war forced her to leave her hometown, Kiev, and move to Lviv, where she volunteers to help new migrants from the war zones.

📌 10-11 May | GIS for a Sustainable World Conference. A two-day conference on how Geographic Information System (GIS) could maximise the impact of the humanitarian community and its efforts to achieve a more sustainable and resilient future for our planet.

📌 12 May | Lombard Odier Award Ceremony. The CHF 3,000 prize will reward PhD work on the challenges of multilateralism and emerging topics in Geneva’s multilateral diplomacy. Swiss private banker Patrick Odier will present the prize to the winner at the ceremony, which will be followed by a debate on public health policies in Africa.