By Milena Melnikova* NAYRN, Kyrgyzstan (IDN) – The culture of smoking hookah is becoming popular among young adults in the Central Asian countries of Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan and Tajikistan, because of its affordability as well as due to its being legal as a way to relax and get rid of the accumulated stress, in the absence […]
Democrats Lining Up to Try to Take on President Donald Trump
By Radwan Jakeem WASHINGTON, DC (IDN) – After months of speculation about who might run for president in 2020, the Democratic field appears to be set. That doesn’t mean there aren’t some stragglers who have yet to commit one way or another, but for all intents and purposes it appears we know who’s in the […]
China Thwarts India’s Central Asian Ambitions
By Micha’el Tanchum* TEL AVIV (IDN-INPS) – A recent investigation revealed that Chinese troops are stationed on Tajikistan’s south-eastern border, 30 kilometres from Pakistan-administered Kashmir across Afghanistan’s Wakhan corridor. India has unsuccessfully sought to establish its own military base in Tajikistan for over 15 years. The discovery of Chinese troops constitutes a severe setback to […]
Not Collusion with Russia but Trump’s Confrontational Policies Threaten Peace
Viewpoint by Jonathan Power LUND, Sweden (IDN-INPS) – President Donald Trump has been exonerated of collusion with Russia. As I wrote a while back, I expected this conclusion from the investigation carried out by Robert Mueller. The big clue lay in Trump’s anti-Russian posture. Trump has continued the expansion of NATO which Russia, more than […]
Beyond the U.S.-North Korean Summits in Singapore and Hanoi
By Kelsey Davenport and Alicia Sanders-Zakre The following appeared in Volume 11, Issue 5 of the Issue Brief of the Arms Control Association. Kelsey Davenport is director for nonproliferation policy, and Alicia Sanders-Zakre, research assistant. WASHINGTON, D.C. (IDN-INPS) – The second summit between U.S. President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un ended […]
Kazakh President Quits to Make Room for New Generation
By George D. Gleboff, Aidana Yergaliyeva and Nazira Kozhanova The following is compilation of three articles that appeared on The Astana Times on March 19 and March 21, 2019. ASTANA (IDN-INPS) – Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbayev stunned the nation March 19, announcing during a nationally televised address that he would be resigning the office he […]
Kazakhstan Attracts Foreign Investors with AIFC as the ‘Hub’
By Radwan Jakeem NEW YORK (IDN) – Young and ambitious independent Kazakhstan is well-known for decisions marked by ingenuity and innovation. The creation of the Astana International Financial Center (AIFC) was no exception. In fact it confirmed the long-established tradition. The Center has turned out to be a unique project for the CIS countries. Backed […]
New Report on Arms Control and the Convergence of Biology and Emerging Technologies
By Jaya Ramachandran BERLIN | STOCKHOLM (IDN) – A new report has warned of the risks and challenges posed by the interaction of developments in biotechnology and advances in three emerging technologies: additive manufacturing (AM or so-called 3D printing), artificial intelligence (AI) and robotics. The report from the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) cautions […]
Upsurge in Middle East Arms Imports Amid Upswing in Global Weapons Trade
By Jaya Ramachandran BERLIN | STOCKHOLM (IDN) – Global arms trade is on the upswing with the United States increasing dominance in the group of five largest exporters including Russia, France, Germany and China, which together account for 75 per cent of the total volume of weapons exports in 2014-2018. While the Middle East imports […]
Lessons from Money Laundering Scandals in European Banks
Viewpoint by Maíra Martini and Laure Brillaud This article is reproduced with the permission of Transparency International. Maira Martini is Knowledge Coordinator and Laure Brillaud Senior Policy Officer, Anti-Money Laundering, of Transparency International. Any views expressed do not necessarily reflect those of IDN. LONDON (IDN) – What do all recent major grand corruption scandals have in common? Individuals and companies involved […]