By Richard Heydarian* This article is republished courtesy of Internatinal Politics and Society. Read original MANILA | 4 August 2024 (IDN) — Following years of intensive negotiations, the Philippines and Japan have consolidated their military cooperation with a new defence pact. Under the recently signed Reciprocal Access Agreement, the two Asian countries will define procedural […]
Seven-Nation Prisoner Swap Shows How Diplomacy, Not Law, Governs Exchanges
By William E. Butler* This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read original. PENNSYLVANIA | 3 August 2024 (IDN) — Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich and two other Americans were freed from Russia in a prisoner exchange on Aug. 1, 2024. In total, 24 prisoners, including 12 German nationals […]
Kazakhstan and UN to Help Bolster Nuclear-Weapon-Free Zones
By Ramesh Jaura BERLIN | 2 August 2024 (IDN) — As the spectre of a Nuclear Armageddon haunts our planet, the Central Asian republic of Kazakhstan is joining hands with the UN Office for Disarmament Affairs (UNODA) to organize a workshop—first in five years—to bolster the five Nuclear-Weapon-Free Zone (NWFZ) treaties. States-parties to the five […]
US Strengthens Military Bonds with Asia—with 500 million USD to Philippines
By Thalif Deen UNITED NATIONS | 1 August 2024 (IDN) — The US is strengthening its economic and military relationships with Asian allies, including Japan and 10 members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), comprising Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand. Brunei Darussalam, Viet Nam, Laos, Myanmar and Cambodia. As political and military tensions […]
Religious Leaders, Academic Experts, and Tech Leaders Discuss AI Ethics for Peace
By Taro Ichikawa HIROSHIMA | 31 July 2024 (IDN) — Nearly one month ahead of the 79th anniversary of the atomic bombings—by the United States—of the Japanese cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, representatives from 11 of the world’s major religions joined academic experts and tech leaders for an AI Ethics for Peace historic conference in […]
What Sets China Apart from Traditional Mediators as Peace-Broker
By Fiona Raval* This article was originally published by The Institute of Peace and Conflict Studies (IPCS). NEW DELHI | 30 July 2024 (IDN) — Ukrainian President Zelenskyy recently identified China as one of the few global actors with enough power and influence to help terminate the war with Russia. China’s peace proposals have garnered […]
US to Elevate Alliance with Japan to an “Unprecedented Height”
By Thalif Deen UNITED NATIONS | 30 July 2024 (IDN) —The US, responding to a new nuclear alliance comprising Russia, China and North Korea, has reassured Japan protection under its nuclear umbrella and pledged to “elevate the Japan-US alliance to an unprecedented height.” At a July 28 press briefing in Tokyo, US Secretary of State […]
Josh Shapiro Would Be a Dangerous Choice for Harris Running Mate
By Jeff Cohen and Norman Solomon* SAN FRANCISCO | 29 July 2024 (IDN) — Kamala Harris has gained strong support as the presumptive Democratic presidential candidate. Putting Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro on the ticket would likely fracture that support. The most divisive issue among Democrats is the U.S.-enabled Israeli war against the civilian population of […]
Western Powers Betrayed Russia by Expanding NATO Eastward
By Jonathan Power* LUND, Sweden | 29 July 2024 (IDN) — U.S. Secretary of State James Baker’s famous “not one inch eastward” assurance about NATO expansion in his meeting with Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev on February 9, 1990, was part of a cascade of assurances about Soviet security given by Western leaders to Gorbachev and […]
U.S. Defense Secretary Embarks on His Eleventh Trip to Indo-Pacific
By Joseph Clark, DOD News U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III embarked on his 11th trip to the Indo-Pacific on 26 July amid what officials said is a landmark period for U.S. ties throughout the region. WASHINGTON D C | 27 July 2024 (IDN) — The 10-day series of engagements will include stops […]