By J C Suresh WASHINGRTON, D.C. (IDN) – The U.S. Department of Defense (DOD) has announced that changing Middle East situation means changes for Israel. In another press release it said, partnerships are key to Space Force delivering warfighting capabilities. In the first release on January 15 it said: in a sign of the changing […]
India Has an Ambitious Agenda as UN Security Council Member
By Devinder Kumar NEW DELHI (IDN) – With the start of the New Year, India joins the 15-member United Nations Security Council (UNSC) as a non-permanent member for the eighth time. Along with Norway, Kenya, Ireland and Mexico, India will have a two-year term: 2021-2022. Of the 15 UNSC members, five occupy a permanent seat. […]
How the U.S. Is Locking Out China from Latin America and the Caribbean
Viewpoint by Vijay Prashad * NORTHAMPTON, Massachusetts (IDN) – On August 20, 2018, El Salvador’s leftist president Salvador Sánchez Cerén announced on national television that El Salvador would break its ties with Taiwan and recognize the People’s Republic of China. This was in accord with international law, said Sánchez Cerén, and it would bring “great […]
India Succeeds Russia as BRICS Chair Amid Rising Challenges
By Kester Kenn Klomegah* MOSCOW (IDN) – India assumes the rotating Chairmanship of BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa) regional association on January 1, 2021. The South Asian nation takes over from Russia under whose leadership the organization managed to achieve progress in the political, economic and humanitarian fields. During the five-nation bloc’s […]
Russia Expanding Its Military Bases in Africa
By Kester Kenn Klomegah* MOSCOW (IDN) – After years of negotiations with Djibouti, Eritrea and Somalia to establish naval bases, Russia has finally signed an agreement with Sudan, signifying further its return to Africa. Sharing a northern border with Egypt, Sudan is located on the strategic Red Sea coastline. Moscow had a naval base in […]
The Five-Nation BRICS Finds Unity in Cultural Diversity
Interview by Kester Kenn Klomegah* MOSCOW (IDN) – Under the Russian Chairmanship of BRICS 2020, Moscow has organised and hosted a series of corporate conferences, business forums and other important events. For example, the Roundtable discussion on the theme “International Cultural Cooperation for Strengthening BRICS Unity” brought high-profiled participants from Brazil, Russia, India, China and […]
US President-Elect Should Talk to Venezuela’s Nicolás Maduro
Viewpoint by Vijay Prashad * This article was produced by Globetrotter. NORTHAMPTON, Massachusetts (IDN) – In June, Joe Biden, who will be the U.S. president in January 2021, sent out a tweet that described Venezuela’s President Nicolás Maduro—and others—as “thugs and dictators.” Maduro won two elections to hold his post—in 2013 and 2018. In 2018, […]
Undeterred by Health Warnings, Russians Begin Flocking to Africa’s Islands
By Kester Kenn Klomegah* MOSCOW (IDN) – Despite the worsening coronavirus situation in Russia, at least during the months of October and November, Russian tourism agencies have briskly been organizing group tours to the Indian Ocean islands of Zanzibar, Seychelles and Mauritius. Obviously, because the islands seem to have the lowest cases of the pandemic […]
U.S. Upsets Election of African Candidate for Top World Trade Post
By Lisa Vives, Global Information Network NEW YORK (IDN) – Backed by an overwhelming number of World Trade Organization (WTO) delegates, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala was on a fast track to become the head of the global trade group. Dr. Okonjo-Iweala was set to become the first woman and first African to lead the global trade […]
Haiti Has a Long History of Being Assaulted by Its Latin American Neighbors
By Lautaro Rivara * PORT-AU-PRINCE (IDN) – Thirteen United Nations peacekeeping missions are underway in various countries in Africa, Asia and the Middle East. Haiti has been the epicenter of the UN peacekeeping missions in Latin America and the Caribbean; there have been eight UN missions since the International Civilian Mission in Haiti (MICIVIH) was […]