By Medea Benjamin* NEW YORK | 13 February 2026 (IDN) — Marta Jiménez, a hairdresser in Cuba’s eastern city of Holguín, covered her face with her hands and broke down in tears when I asked her about Trump’s blockade of the island—especially now that the United States is choking off oil shipments. “You can’t imagine […]
The Democrats Need a Concrete Governing Agenda
By Alon Ben-Meir* NEW YORK | 12 February 2026 (IDN) — Since President Donald Trump reassumed office, the Democratic rank and file have been relentless in criticizing what many view as his unhinged exercise of power. Given Trump’s sweeping challenges to political norms, democratic institutions, and long-established economic and cultural frameworks, there is no shortage […]
Situation Report Horn of Africa: Ethiopia accused of training RSF
Situation in Sudan (per 12 February) There have been multiple recorded drone strikes by the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) in recent days. One on 7 February near Rahad in North Kordofan killed 24 people including 8 children. Another on 11 February killed 2 people and injured 13 in a boarding school. Fighting between the RSF […]
Will Trump Break International Law Over Iran?
By Jonathan Power LUND, Sweden | 10 February 2026 (IDN) — We are heading toward a potential collision between President Donald Trump and international law. Anyone listening carefully to his rhetoric about Iran and its alleged nuclear weapons programme can sense it coming. Trump has spoken in tones I would describe as “fire and brimstone.” That […]
Situation Report Horn of Africa: Ethiopia accusses Eritrea of military agression
Situation in Ethiopia/Eritrea (per 9 February) Ethiopia formally accused Eritrea of military aggression by sending its troops deeper into Ethiopian territory and in the support of armed rebel groups operating along its borders. What appears to be a formal letter was issued on 7 February by Ethiopian Foreign Minister Gedion Timothewos to his Eritrean colleague […]
The New START Treaty Expired — Ending Nuclear Restraint
By Somar Wijayadasa* NEW YORK | 7 February 2026 (IDN) — On 5 February 2026, the New START (Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty)—the last remaining nuclear arms control agreement between the United States and Russia—expired. For the first time since 1972, there are no legally binding limits on strategic nuclear weapons between Washington and Moscow. This marks […]
Human Rights Watch in Disarray Over Palestine
By Jan Servaes The Guardian and Jewish Currents reported on February 3, 2026, that two Human Rights Watch (HRW) staff members had been dismissed, leaving the organisation’s entire Israel and Palestine team. They resigned after HRW leadership blocked a section of a 33-page report that called Israel’s denial of the right of return to Palestinian […]
Situation Report: PM Abiy acknowledges Eritrean troop atrocities
Situation in Ethiopia (per 5 February ) Ethiopian Airlines resumed the flights to and from Tigray on Tuesday, following the suspension of flights due to conflict in western Tigray a week ago. Key private-sector bondholders of Ethiopia’s $1 billion international bond have protested after the Official Creditors Committee, led by China and France, blocked a […]
Will Human Rights Survive a Trumpian World?
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. […]