By Jonathan Power* LUND, Sweden | 17 September 2024 (IDN) — So far in the US electoral contest there has not been a significant difference between Donald Trump and Kamala Harris on nuclear armaments—unlike in the fight in 1960 between John F. Kennedy and Richard Nixon. Indeed, many observers have considered that the right-winger, Nixon, […]
Youths in Nepal Pushing the Government to take Biodiversity Preservation Seriously
By Simone Galimberti KATHMANDU, Nepal | 16 September 2024 (IDN) — With the upcoming COP 16 on Biodiversity that is scheduled to be held in Colombia, October 21-November 1—the first after the introduction of the Kunming Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework—it is imperative that Nepal presents an ambitious updated version of its National Biodiversity Strategy and […]
Ukraine War: UN Concerned about Prohibited Weapons Transfers
By J Nastranis NEW YORK | 15 September 2024 (IDN| UN News) — UN’s top disarmament and legal officials have warned of continued prohibited weapons transfers to Ukraine and Russia. Parties to the conflict war should abide by international law and protect civilians. Ms. Izumi Nakamitsu, High Representative for Disarmament Affairs at the United Nations […]
Where do UN Diplomats Hide During Politically-Sensitive Voting?
By Thalif Deen* When the UN’s four high-level summit meetings take place September 22-30, over 150 world leaders, including Presidents and Prime Ministers, are expected to address the gatherings. Besides the annual high-level General Debate, the focus will also be on the Summit of the Future, Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), Sea-Level Rise, and on Anti-microbial […]
Land Grabs Target Tamils and Muslims in Sri Lanka
By Rodney Reynolds NEW YORK, 12 September 2024 (IDN) — As the 57th session of the Geneva-based UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC) addresses the human rights situation in Sri Lanka next week, a new report from the Oakland Institute, Trincomalee Under Siege: Land Grabs Target the Tamil Homeland in Sri Lanka uncovers the rapidly escalating colonization […]
Haiti: Despite Kenyan Presence, Security in the Country Has Not Improved
By Pablo Meriguet* QUITO, Ecuador | 11 September 2024 (IDN | Peoples Dispatch) — On June 25, hundreds of Kenyan police officers landed in Haiti as part of the United Nations’ Multinational Security Support Mission. Thousands of other members of security forces are expected to be deployed to the Caribbean nation from other parts of […]
Undebatable: What Harris and Trump Could Not Say About Israel and Gaza
By Norman Solomon* SAN FRANCISCO | 11 September 2024 (IDN) — Kamala Harris won the debate. People being bombed in Gaza did not. The banner headline across the top of the New York Times home page—“Harris Puts Trump on Defensive in Fierce Debate”— was accurate enough. But despite the good news for people understandably eager for […]
How US Foreign Policy Affected Relations with Russia
By Jonathan Power* LUND, Sweden | 10 September 2024 (IDN) — Two mistakes, committed on President Barack Obama’s watch, were the triggers for the end of the long post-Cold War period of good relations with Russia. They were the attack on Libya by the US, France and the UK and the subsequent killing of its […]
Pursuing Transitional Justice in the Aftermath of Peace in Nepal
By Simone Galimberti* KATHMANDU, Nepal | 9 September 2024 (IDN) — Ending a civil conflict is always an incredibly daunting task but ensuring a permanent peace that would enable the peace dividend to trickle down can often prove to be even more challenging. The unbalanced power dynamics and the inequities at the foundation of the […]
Kazakhstan Proposes a Digital Solutions Centre for Sustainable Development
By Aar Jay BERLIN | ASTANA | 6 September 2024 (IDN) — The Central Asian republic of Kazakhstan has proposed the establishment of a Digital Solutions Centre for Sustainable Development at a high-level conference organized by the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP) and the Government of Kazakhstan. The […]