By Alon Ben-Meir NEW YORK | 23 May 2025 (IDN) — The Trump administration’s pursuit of a negotiated agreement over Iran’s nuclear program is the only sound policy that can prevent a regional conflagration. Beyond that, it offers a unique opportunity that can change the regional security trajectory and potentially usher in long-term peace and […]
Situation Report Horn of Africa: Sudan appoints a new prime minister
Situation in Sudan (per 22 May) Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, the head of Transitional Sovereignty Council, has named Kamil El-Tayeb Idris Abdelhafiz as a new prime minister. Idris served in the past as Sudan’s representative to the UN and held various positions at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The African Union and Intergovernmental Authority on Development […]
Trump’s Hostility Towards China
By Jonathan Power* LUND, Sweden | 20 May 2025 (IDN) — President Donald Trump’s antagonism towards China existed before the Coronavirus. Despite his bonhomie with President Jinping Xi whenever he meets him, he has gone all out with his trade war. He refuses to negotiate an extension of the nuclear weapons reduction agreement with Russia […]
Situation Report Horn of Africa: Suicide bombing kills 13 in Somalia
Situation in Sudan (per 19 May) Shelling of the Abu Shouk displacement camp by the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) killed at least 14 people on Sunday. The local emergency response room stated that the shelling hit a market, mosques, and homes near public facilities. A full assessment of the damage and deaths in Abu Shouk […]
Situation report Horn of Africa: TPLF’s legal status withdrawn by electoral board
Situation in Sudan (per 15 May) Drone strikes by the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) hit two power stations, including Al-Markhiat substation and a distribution station in the city of Omdurman on Wednesday evening. The strike led to significant fires and widespread power outages across Khartoum. Port Sudan has faced renewed drone attacks for twelve consecutive […]
Haiti Situation Report: Gran Grif attack kills 50 in Petite-Rivière
Situation in Haiti The Gran Grif gang launched a new wave of attacks on Petite-Rivière de l’Artibonite on 30 April, following an earlier assault on 28 April. Residents fled across the Artibonite River to escape the violence. At least 50 people were killed, 60 others were injured, and 20 houses were set on fire. The […]
Heading For Nuclear War?
By Jonathan Power* LUND, Sweden | 13 May 2025 (IDN) — Four years ago, US Strategic Command, the part of the military responsible for nuclear weaponry and its use, posted an official Tweet which read, “We must account for the possibility of a conflict leading to conditions which could very rapidly drive an adversary to […]
Situation Report Horn of Africa: US refuses financial support to AUSSOM
Situation in Sudan (per 12 May) Port Sudan, El Fasher in North Darfur, West Kordofan, North Kordofan and West Darfur all saw heavy fighting in the last week. Over a week of drone attacks by the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) on Port Sudan has led to a shortage of water and disruption in electricity. The […]
Tackling global risks: how the financial sector can lead with impact
By Natalia Abril Bonilla and Lisa van den Hoven* AMSTERDAM | 12 May 2025 (IDN) — In 2025, it feels like we are in a period of declining optimism. As the recent World Economic Forum Global Risks Report set out, state-based armed conflict, extreme weather events, ‘fake news’ and falling trust – together with deepening […]
Low Birth Rates and Rising Deaths: What Else Could Reverse Russia’s Declining Population
By Kester Kenn Klomegah* MOSCOW | 12 May 2025 (IDN) — How vital is Thomas Malthus’ population theory today? Malthus, an English cleric and scholar, published this theory in his 1798 writings, An Essay on the Principle of Population. He believed that exponential population growth could lead to unprecedented pressure on the land and create […]