Viewpoint by Jonathan Power* LUND, Sweden (IDN) — History and events have not been kind to Russia. Napoleon’s invasion, revolution, two world wars, Hitler’s invasion, Stalin’s communism and, most recently, the expansion of NATO, have shattered the Russian people’s equilibrium and self-regard time and time again. At the end of the Cold War and with […]
COVID-19 Bares Chronic Development Fault Lines in Asia-Pacific
Viewpoint by Armida Salsiah Alisjahbana The writer is United Nations-Under-Secretary-General and Executive Secretary of the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and Pacific (ESCAP). BANGKOK (IDN) — The world is emerging from the biggest social and economic shock in living memory, but it will be a long time before the deep scars of […]
Internal Conflict Over Carbon Neutral China by 2060
Viewpoint by Alexander Kallweit Last year, President Xi Jinping announced ambitious climate targets. But China’s reluctant state apparatus struggles to reconcile high growth and climate policy, writes Dr Alexander Kallweit, who heads the office of the Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung in Beijing. Previously, he led the foundation’s International Dialogue Department in Berlin. This article first appeared in the […]
Fire Through Sierra Leone Leaves Thousands Without Shelter
By Lisa Vives, Global Information Network NEW YORK (IDN) — A scorching blaze that turned a crowded neighbourhood of Sierra Leone’s capital city into rubble and ashes has left an estimated 4,500 residents homeless with many searching for missing family. The inferno which broke out on March 24 between 7 and 10 p.m. in Susan’s […]
Extremist Groups’ Attacks on Civilians in Niger Condemned
By Lisa Vives, Global Information Network NEW YORK (IDN) — “Multiple senseless attacks” on civilian populations by armed groups in the Tahoua and Tilabery regions of Niger were condemned by world leaders and the International Rescue Committee (IRC) which noted the recent killings of some 200 civilians including children in the violence. In the last […]
Relaxed Public Health Measures Trigger New Wave of COVID-19 in Africa
By Lisa Vives, Global Information Network NEW YORK (IDN) — Africa is experiencing a second coronavirus wave more severe than the first, according to a worrying new study published on March 24 by the medical journal The Lancet. The Lancet said one reason for the rise was that some countries were implementing fewer public health […]
The World Must Stand with Tibet
Viewpoint by Lobsang Sangay The author is President of the Tibetan-government-in-exile, called as Central Tibetan Administration. DARJEELING, India (IDN) — Tibet, famously called the roof of the world, a state in the Himalayas neighbored by India and China has for long been in a state of the tussle with Beijing. China lays the claim over […]
UN Condemns ‘Shameful, Cowardly’ Attacks on Peaceful Protesters in Myanmar
By J Nastranis NEW YORK (IDN) — UN Secretary-General António Guterres has condemned in the strongest terms, the killing of dozens of civilians, including children and young people, by security forces in Myanmar on March 27. In a statement issued by Deputy Spokesman Farhan Haq, the UN chief said, “the continuing military crackdown…is unacceptable and […]
Make Peace with Nature — India’s COVID-19 Vaccines for UN Helmets — UNDP Preparing for Disaster in Nepal
By Radwan Jakeem NEW YORK (IDN) — Earth Hour, India’s donation of 200,000 vaccines to protect UN blue helmets against the coronavirus, and the UN is scaling up its efforts to help Nepal, which faces numerous natural threats, are some of the notable events in the last days. On March 27, the world began to […]
The NPT – From Promise to Reality
Viewpoint by Sergio Duarte The writer is Ambassador, former High Representative of the United Nations for Disarmament Affairs and current President of Pugwash Conferences on Science and World Affairs NEW YORK (IDN) — “How can we—the non-nuclear-weapon States—be expected to enter into an interminable obligation to remain non-nuclear if the nuclear-weapon States are engaged in […]