By Thalif Deen UNITED NATIONS | 13 February 2024 (IDN) — The US is perhaps the only country in the world with more than 750 military bases in over 80 nations, mostly in Western Europe, the Middle East and Asia, plus in some of the still-existing colonies and self-governing territories. But the only full-fledged US […]
The EU Should Take Over Most of NATO’s Role
By Jonathan Power LUND, Sweden | 13 February 2024 (IDN) — So what does ex-President Donald Trump think about NATO? Twice during his previous presidential campaign, he rubbished it publicly, saying it was “obsolete”. Yet when a little later he met the UK’s prime minister, Therese May, it was all hunkydory. He told her he […]
World’s Migratory Species of Animals are in Decline, Says UN Report
By Rita Joshi BONN | SAMARKAND, Uzbekistan | 12 February 2024 (IDN) — Unsustainable human activities are jeopardizing the future of migratory species, warns the first-ever State of the World’s Migratory Species report. Migratory species play an essential role in maintaining the world’s ecosystems, and provide vital benefits, by pollinating plants, transporting key nutrients, preying […]
Bangladesh Farmers Are Protecting Paddy Cultivation from Climate Risks
By Rafiqul Islam Montu SHYAMNAGAR (SATKHIRA), Bangladesh | 11 February 2024 (IDN) — The new variety of paddy is ‘Charulata’. This paddy is salinity tolerant, can withstand normal winds, and yields well without fertilisers and pesticides. It is effortless to save seeds from this paddy. Due to these reasons, ‘Charulata’ paddy spreads quickly from one […]
Diplomacy and Neutrality—Not More Killing—Is the Answer to Ukraine’s Security
By Jeffrey D. Sachs* This article was published in Common Dreams and is being republished with the author’s permission. NEW YORK | 9 February 2024 (IDN) — President Joe Biden is refusing to fold a losing hand as he bets with Ukrainian lives and U.S. taxpayer money. Biden and Democratic Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer […]
The Anatomy of Default and the IMF in Sri Lanka: Of Elections, Bond Scams, and Money Politics
By Darini Rajasingham-Senanayake COLOMBO, Sri Lanka | 7 February 2024 (IDN) — With the wisdom of hindsight, the Root Causes of Sri Lanka’s first-ever Sovereign Default, staged three years ago on the eve of 75 years of ‘Independence’ from the British Raj are clear. When the Default happened in March 2021, there was too much […]
Russia Refuses Talks Though New START Expires in Two Years
By Libby Flatoff and Shizuka Kuramitsu The writers are program and research assistants at the Arms Control Association (ACA). This article first appeared in ‘Arms Control Now’ of the ACA and is being reproduced with their permission. WASHIGNTON, D.C. | 7 February 2024 (IDN) — With less than two years to go before the expiration […]
The US Should Have Persuaded Newcomers to Renounce Nuclear Weapons
By Jonathan Power LUND, Sweden | 6 February 2024 (IDN) —There are 29 states which have, at one time or another, set about becoming nuclear weapons powers or have explored the possibility. Most have failed or drawn back. Only the US, Russia, France, UK, China, India, Israel, Pakistan and North Korea have crossed the threshold. […]
Small Arms Trigger 45 Percent of Violent Deaths, Says UN
By Thalif Deen UNITED NATIONS | 6 February 2024 (IDN) —The weapons used in some of the world’s ongoing military conflicts—including Russia vs Ukraine, Israel vs Hamas and US vs Houthis—are mostly sophisticated fighter planes, combat helicopters, air-to-surface missiles, battle tanks, armoured personnel carriers (APCs) and drones. But in scores of civil wars, mostly in […]
U.S. Millions For Angola, Hunger in Ethiopia
By Lisa Vives, Global Information Network NEW YORK | 5 February 2024 (IDN) — Winding up his four-nation tour of Africa, Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken announced a super generous gift of close to a billion dollars for our new ally, Angola, to fund a solar energy project and upgrade a rail corridor. These […]