By Jan Servaes * Bangkok, Thailand| 5 February 2026 (IDN) As is tradition, for the 36th time, Human Rights Watch (HRW) has examined the human rights situation in more than 100 countries in a 529-page World Report 2026. In his introductory essay, titled “Will Human Rights Survive a Trumpian World? Authoritarian Advances Threaten Rules-Based Order,” […]
India–Europe at a Geopolitical Crossroads
Trade, Trust, and the Return of Strategic Memory By Ramesh Jaura This article first appeared on https://rjaura.substack.com BERLIN | 4 February 2025 (IDN) — When India and the European Union finally inked their long-anticipated Free Trade Agreement on January 27, 2026, the fanfare barely masked the unease that had driven both sides to the table. […]
One More Step Towards Nuclear Obliteration?
By Jonathan Power* LUND, Sweden | 3 February 2026 (IDN) — Nuclear arms control is close to collapse. On Wednesday, February 4, the so-called New START Treaty, signed in 2011 by the United States and Russia, expires. It capped long-range strategic nuclear warheads at roughly 1,500 each—a dramatic reduction from Cold War levels. Even so, today’s […]
Democracy in The Age of Disinformation and Digital Capitalism
By Jan Servaes* BRUSSELS | 2 February 2026 (IDN) — President Trump’s second term in office started with a crackdown on immigration, the introduction of sweeping tariffs and efforts to shrink the size of the federal workforce. Hours after taking office, Trump signed executive orders targeting diversity, equity and inclusion programs in business and higher […]
Situation Report Horn of Africa: Details emerging of fighting in Tigray as situation calms
Situation in Ethiopia (per 2 February ) Negotiations are reportedly ongoing between Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed and the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) following the fighting in western Tigray. Flights to and from Tigray are expected to resume soon, and the TPLF has ordered a stop to any fighting, sources state. One person was […]
Sensitive Data Sovereignty Conference commits to African Health and Humanitarian Data Space
Sensitive Data Sovereignty Conference commits to African Health and Humanitarian Data Space A conference on Sensitive Data Sovereignty held at Tangaza University in Nairobi – Kenya adopted a resolution to support the principle of creating an African Health Data Space including sensitive and humanitarian data. The proposal is supported by universities who acknowledge the critical […]
Situation Report Horn of Africa: Fears of escalation as ENDF and TDF clash in Tigray
Situation in Ethiopia (per 29 January) The Ethiopian National Defense Forces (ENDF) and Tigray Defense Forces (TDF) reportedly clashed in Tselemti, western Tigray. The clashes started several days ago and the current situation is unclear. There are reports of military movements in southern Tigray. All flights between Addis Ababa and Tigray have been cancelled. This […]
U.S. Dual-Edged Approach of Military Posturing and Diplomatic Signals to Tehran
By Syafruddin Arsyad* JAKARTA | 28 January 2026 (IDN) — As United States naval forces assemble in the Gulf while Washington simultaneously signals openness to dialogue with Tehran, the U.S. appears to be pursuing a carefully calibrated—but inherently risky—strategy. By pairing visible military pressure with diplomatic outreach, Washington seeks to coerce Iran into concessions without […]
Violent Eritrean smuggler Walid gets maximum sentence of 20 years in Dutch court
On 27 January 2026, the Dutch court in Zwolle delivered a significant verdict in the case against a suspect known as Walid, or Tewelde Goitom, convicting him on nearly all charges related to widespread human rights abuses against refugees in Libya. The court, in a comprehensive ruling totaling around 100 pages, sentenced Walid to the […]
Situation Report Special: Cruel Eritrean smuggler Walid gets the maximum sentence of 20 years in prison
Walid hearing verdict (per 27 January 2026) The judges in the Dutch court in Zwolle found the suspect in the ‘Walid’ case guilty of almost all charges and sentenced him to the maximum of 20 years in prison. The full verdict comprises around 100 pages. The judge presented the main points of the verdict during […]