By Shanta Roy NEW YORK (IDN) – A group of Sri Lankan academics teaching in educational institutions abroad – and numbering about 50 – has written to condemn ongoing violence against Sri Lanka’s Muslim community, especially the “brutal attacks” perpetrated early March. In a letter published by ‘Groundviews‘, they say: “We are outraged that the […]
Reflections on Turkey: From Mustafa Kemal To Recep Erdoğan
Viewpoint by Pier Francesco Zarcone* ROME (IDN) – Has Turkey changed under Erdoğan? The question may seem absurd due to the habit of considering Turkey a secular and Westernised country before Recep Erdoğan came to power. However, this consolidated image turns out to be false. There has been a change, but not in substance: what […]
G20 Urged to Root Out Corruption in State-Owned Enterprises
By Sean Buchanan LONDON (IDN) – One of the many challenges facing today’s world is corruption and one sector in which this is particularly evident is that of state-owned enterprises (SOEs). Controlled by national governments, SOEs rank among the largest companies in the world, often serving as some of the biggest employers in their country. […]
Why Putin Will Win Re-election As Russia’s President
Viewpoint by Jonathan Power* LUND, Sweden (IDN-INPS) – The seemingly eternal president of Russia, Vladimir Putin, has an iron grip on his nation and a foreign policy to match. A large majority of Russians give him their support. He will win re-election. Is it his early economic success? Or is it because of a new […]
Sacked Tillerson Cuts Short Long-Awaited Africa Visit
By Lisa Vives, Global Information Network NEW YORK (IDN) – An extended visit to Africa by the U.S. Secretary of State to mend fences after President’ Donald Trump’s crude description of African and the Caribbean countries was cut short March 13 by the dismissal of the embattled Secretary Rex Tillerson. President Trump had announced such […]
The Rise of Donald Trump and the Decline of America
By H. L. D. Mahindapala* “… my administration, I believe, has had the most successful year in the history of the Presidency,” Donald Trump, Conservative Political Action Conference, Maryland, February 23, 2018. MELBOURNE, Australia (IDN) – Since it is generally agreed that one week is a long time in politics, it is time to ask, […]
US Foreign Policy and Trump’s Contradictions – Part 5
Viewpoint by Michele Nobile* This is the fifth of a five-part article looking at US foreign policy in historical context and its global implications under President Donald Trump. BERGAMO, Italy (IDN) – If Trump wanted to be unpredictable, he certainly succeeded. It is the reason for the uncertainty, confusion and variety of assessments about the […]
UN Pushes for Gender Equality in War-Torn Afghanistan
By Devinder Kumar NEW DELHI | KABUL (IDN) – The UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) has documented that, in 2017, 359 women were killed – five per cent more than in the previous year – and 865 injured. Altogether about 10,000 civilians lost their lives or suffered injuries in 2017. It is against this […]
U.S. Undermining the Global Nuclear Testing Taboo
By Ramesh Jaura BERLIN | GENEVA (IDN) – A new document that outlines U.S. nuclear policy, strategy, capabilities and force posture for the next five to ten years proclaims that the Trump Administration does not intend to ratify a global treaty banning nuclear weapons tests. Nor does it rule out resuming such tests. The document, […]
Infrastructural Boom Spreads Across Southern Africa
By Jeffrey Moyo HARARE (IDN) – Waving a red cloth tied to a stick while signalling vehicles to stop, 35-year old Denford Muzvidziwa who dons blue overalls and a white helmet, joyfully busies himself on the Harare-Mutare high way which is still being upgraded. For over a decade after he completed a degree in Social […]