Viewpoint by Somar Wijayadasa* “Every gun that is made, every warship launched, every rocket fired signifies, in the final sense, a theft from those who hunger and are not fed, those who are cold and are not clothed.” – U.S. President Dwight Eisenhower in ‘The Chance for Peace’ address in April 1953. NEW YORK (IDN) […]
Blue Water Navy Plays an Important Role in Russian Diplomacy
By Mark Thomas-Patterson* WASHINGTON, DC (IDN) – July 28 marked Russia’s Naval Day, one of the series of military holidays celebrated in the country. The highlight of this year’s festivities was the first national fleet review in seven years, with President Vladimir Putin present at the main parade in St. Petersburg while Prime Minister Dmytry […]
Russia Prepares for Africa Summit to Elevate Economic Profile
By Kester Kenn Klomegah MOSCOW (IDN) – As Russia prepares to strengthen its overall corporate economic profile during the African leaders’ summit in Sochi in October, policy experts are questioning agreements that were signed – many of them largely unfulfilled and forgotten – at least in the past decade with African countries. Experts, such as […]
Costly City Housing Threatens Farming in Southern Kazakhstan
By Milena Melnikova* CHOLDALA, Southern Kazakhstan (IDN) – “I work six days a week, like my wife. I can sometimes take extra hours, and she takes work home. We don’t have time to grow something or raise cattle,” says Andrei Pan, who has been living in Choldala about 580 miles (or 933 km) south of the […]
Growing Concern about US-Russian Disarmament Treaties
By Jamshed Baruah NEW YORK (IDN) – In his agenda for disarmament, Securing Our Common Future, the United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres calls for reinvigorated dialogue, serious negotiations and a return to a common vision leading towards nuclear disarmament. Next year, over 190 States Parties will gather in New York for the 2020 Review Conference […]
Everglades in Florida See Hope for Renewal Through Ecotourism
By J W Jackie RENO, Nevada, USA (IDN) – A massive ecosystem of lakes, rivers and marshes known as the Everglades dominates the southern portion of Florida. The aqueous territory once spanned a great length down the state, but extensive damage to the environment has reduced the wetland’s size in half. As young environmentalists around […]
NATO Chief Should Urge USA to Work with Russia For Arms Control
Viewpoint by Daryl G. Kimball The writer is Executive Director of the Arms Control Association. This article first appeared on July 15 on the organization’s website. WASHINGTO, DC (IDN-INPS) – Russian pursuit of the 9M729 intermediate-range missile, which is banned under the 1987 Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces (INF) Treaty, is unacceptable and merits a strong response. […]
Russia-Côte d’Ivoire Agree to Elevate Bilateral Relations
By Kester Kenn Klomegah MOSCOW (IDN) – The ways and means of invigorating bilateral relations in political, trade, economic, educational and humanitarian areas were the centrepiece of the first diplomatic encounter between Foreign Minister Marcel Amon-Tanoh of Côte d’Ivoire, also known as Ivory Coast, and his counterpart Sergey Lavrov of Russia, in Moscow. The two […]
Afghani Teenager in Kyrgyzstan Plunges into Learning
By Bagymdat Atabaeva* NARYN, Kyrgyzstan (IDN) – Turganbay Abdulbhakhidov is a 16-year-old teenager from Afghanistan who immigrated into Naryn region two years ago. His family used to make a living through cattle breeding in the Pamir mountains. Without electricity, proper medical services, educational institutions, and sustainable housing, these people live on the roof top of […]
New Report Warns of Resurfacing Nuclear Risks
By Jaya Ramachandran NEW YORK (IDN) – In the run-up to the 50th anniversary of the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty (NPT) in 2020, arms control experts have warned that “the risk of nuclear use is increasing and … critical nonproliferation and disarmament norms are eroding”. Assessing Progress on Nuclear Nonproliferation and Disarmament in 2016-2019, the Arms […]