By Ambassador Dr Palitha Kohona The writer is Sri Lanka’s Former Ambassador to China, a former Permanent Representative to the UN, a former Foreign Secretary, and a former Head of the UN Treaty Section. The following is extracted from a presentation De Kohona made to the Colombo Port City Rotary Club. COLOMBO | 1 November […]
From A Beacon of Democracy to Authoritarian Rule
There is a growing consensus among many notable political scientists and historians that America is at a perilous crossroads; Trump has chosen the road that leads to disastrous authoritarianism. The question is what it would take to stop Trump from destroying our democracy and replacing it with a dictatorship. By Alon Ben-Meir* NEW YORK | […]
Cuba: International Hotel Chains Allowed to Lease—and Operate—State-Owned Resorts
By Rodrigo Pérez MIAMI, USA | 27 October 2025 (IDN) — In an unexpected step for one of the world’s most tightly managed economies, Cuba has approved a new policy that allows international hotel chains to lease — not merely operate — state-owned hotels. The move marks a historic departure from decades of rigid central control […]
The World Confronts the Genocide Washington Is Trying to Bury
By Medea Benjamin and Nicolas J. S. Davies NEW YORK | 27 October 2025 (IDN) — On 4 October 2025, in an interview with Axios, President Trump stressed that one of the main goals behind his Gaza plan was to restore Israel’s international standing. “Bibi took it very far and Israel lost a lot of support in […]
From Illusion to Real Peace: Trump’s Test in Gaza and Ukraine
By Jeffrey D. Sachs & Sybil Fares This article was originally published on Al Jazeera and is being reproduced with the authors’ permission. NEW YORK | 24 October 2025 (IDN) — United States President Donald Trump styles himself as a peacemaker. In his rhetoric, he claims credit for his efforts to end the wars in […]
From Food Aid to Free Trade: Europe Courts India — With Caveats
Brussels Has Yet to Learn Lessons This article first appeared on https://rjaura.substack.com By Ramesh Jaura BERLIN | 22 October 2025 (IDN) —Since the 1960s, India has prioritised strategic autonomy in its foreign policy, consistently avoiding alliances that could compromise its sovereignty. Western partners often overestimate their influence, overlooking India’s strong commitment to independence. For India, autonomy […]
Trump’s Assault on the UN is Self-Defeating
By Alon Ben-Meir* NEW YORK | October 22 2025 (IDN) — It is hard to imagine that there is not a single adult in Trump’s orbit to tell him that withdrawing from the many UN agencies that provide critical humanitarian services undermines rather than advances the United States’ national interest and global standing. There is […]
Trump’s CIA and Its Practices
By Jonathan Power* LUND, Sweden | 21 October 2025 (IDN) — In Charles Dickens’s novel “A Tale of Two Cities”, set during the French revolution of 1789, he draws the character of Madame Defarge. She along with other members of the Tricoteuse, the knitting women, perch every day next to the guillotine, knitting into hats […]
Latest UN Resolution Puts Sri Lanka’s Commitment To The Test
By A.L.A. Azeez* This article was first published on Daily FT. COLOMBO, Sri Lanka | 19 October 2025 (IDN) — Foreign Minister Vijitha Herath made a statement in Parliament on Thursday, explaining Sri Lanka’s position at the 60th session of the Human Rights Council (HRC). On 8 September 2025, he delivered the country statement during consideration of the comprehensive report […]
How Island Nations Are Rewriting Climate Finance
Caribbean states are pioneering bold financial reforms to survive climate change. This article was first published on https://rjaura.substack.com BERLIN | 18 October 2025 (IDN) — When hurricanes strike the Caribbean, they leave behind more than just destruction. They also leave debt. Small island developing states (SIDS) often have to borrow large sums at high interest […]