Christian schools in Jerusalem remained closed on 1 September because more than 70 teachers from the West Bank had been denied entry. But what surprised Benoit Lannoo, an Antwerp based expert on Eastern Christians, most of all was that there was no reaction whatsoever from European, Western institutions or from any EU Member State, neither […]
Earthquakes and Japan: Does Preparedness Truly Equal Prevention?
By Kadhija Mohamed TOKYO | 8 September 2026 (IDN) — This past couple of months, our planet has seen a seemingly significant rise in the number of higher magnitude earthquakes in regions near tectonic fault lines all over the world. Last month alone there were devastating earthquakes with a magnitude of five or higher in […]
Beyond the battlefield: Women and girls facing sexual violence in post-Pretoria Tigray, Ethiopia
By Filmon Gebremikael, Daniel Tesfa and Shim Masha ANTWERPEN | Belgium | 22 August 2026 (IDN) — Semhal Hadush was a civil servant in a municipal office in the Central Zone of Tigray. She was forcibly conscripted by the Tigray Defense Force (TDF) from her workplace and taken to the Werie military training center in […]
The Heartbeat of Resistance, Resilience and Kindness, in Today’s World – The Arbaeen Pilgrimage
By Azza Karam* KARBALA, Iraq | 10 August 2026 (IDN) —There are pilgrimages, and then there is Arbaeen. Each year, millions of people converge on the Iraqi city of Karbala in one of the largest annual religious gatherings anywhere in the world. This year, according to the Governor of Karbala, more than 22 million pilgrims […]
Catholicos Garegin II in court
By Benoit Lannoo* YEREVAN, Armenia | 8 August 2026 (IDN) — Do you remember the Investiture Controversy, when medieval emperors tried to take over the pope’s episcopal appointments? Or the difficult issue of the appointment of bishops in the People’s Republic of China? Well, although Armenia is considered a democratic state in Western chancelleries, respectful […]
Governments Must Act Now to Stop the Tobacco Industry Recruiting the Next Generation of Customers
By Gene Gesite Jr., Juan Herrera, Sama Ghozlan, Sarah Rauzana and Winnie Olwal BANGKOK | 8 August 2026 (IDN) — On International Youth Day (12 August), youth advocates around the world are calling on governments to take stronger action to protect young people from nicotine addiction. In Asia, proposals in the Philippines to raise the […]
Rebuilding Before Peace
How Ukraine Is Reshaping Europe and the International Order By Ramesh Jaura This article was first published on https://rjaura.substack.com BERLIN | 4 August 2026 (IDN) — The invasion of Ukraine by Russia has now gone well beyond being just a conflict in a particular region; it has changed Europe’s strategic position, brought deterrence back to […]
Who Will Lead the United Nations?
Leadership, Legitimacy and the Future of Multilateralism By Ramesh Jaura This article was first published on https://rjaura.substack.com/ BERLIN | 27 July 2026 (IDN) — The election of the next United Nations Secretary-General is about far more than choosing the Organisation’s ninth leader. It will test whether the international community still believes dialogue, cooperation and shared […]
Collapse After a Landslide: Starmer’s Fall May Not Be the Last
By Azu Ishiekwene The writer is the Editor-In-Chief of LEADERSHIP and the author of the new book Writing for Media and Monetising It. ABUJA, Nigeria | 25 July 2026 (IDN) — It was painful to watch him outside No.10 on Monday, 20 July. Despite his immaculate suit and well-groomed hair, British Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer […]
Armenian Church Ready for New Clashes with PM Pashinyan
By Benoit Lannoo* ANTWERP, Belgium | 23 July 2026 (IDN) — It was a remarkable meeting at the Vardavar celebration – the 14th Sunday after Easter – in Etchmiadzin. Armenian Apostolic Archbishop Bagrat Galstanyan was blessed by Catholicos Garegin II in the mother-cathedral of this autocephalous (independent) Eastern Church. ‘Blessing with lots of water’ plays a […]