By Thalif Deen UNITED NATIONS (IDN) — The flow of weapons to battle-scarred Ukraine has been “non-stop”, says Rear Admiral Duke Heinz, the European Union’s chief logistician, as the fighting continues uninterruptedly ever since the Russian invasion last February. And US Defense Secretary Lloyd J. Austin III was quoted as saying: “Ukraine needs the firepower […]
Sri Lanka’s Dance, Music, Crafts on Global Stage
By Nandasiri (Nandi) Jasentuliyana * LOS ANGELES (IDN) — A Sri Lanka-themed virtual Global Celebration will be launched in the United States on the Sri Lanka Foundation International platform providing an opportunity for a worldwide audience to go shopping in Sri Lanka’s premier outlets while being entertained by cultural performances in the comfort of one’s […]
A Nuclear Review Conference Amidst Loud War Drums
By Thalif Deen UNITED NATIONS (IDN) — The Tenth Review Conference of the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT), which runs from August 1-26, takes place amidst a raging battle: a nuclear Russia vs a non-nuclear Ukraine and potential military conflicts on the horizon, including a nuclear China vs a non-nuclear Taiwan, a […]
Nancy Pelosi Could Get Us All Killed
By Norman Solomon SAN FRANCISO (IDN) — The arrogance of power is especially ominous and despicable when a government leader risks huge numbers of lives in order to make a provocative move on the world’s geopolitical chessboard. Nancy Pelosi’s plan to visit Taiwan is in that category. Thanks to her, the chances of a military […]
Nuclear Weapons Policies of Japan and South Korea Challenged
By Jaya Ramachandran GENEVA (IDN) — The Basel Peace Office, in cooperation with other civil society organisations, has challenged the nuclear weapons policies of Japan and South Korea in the UN Human Rights Council, maintaining that these violate the Right to Life, a right enshrined in Article 6 of the International Covenant on Civil and […]
CIA Whistleblower Reflects on the Persecution of Julian Assange
Viewpoint by Jeffrey Sterling* WASHINGTON, D.C. (IDN) — It is difficult to talk about happenings in the world other than the continued, appalling Russian invasion of Ukraine and the recent mass shootings in Buffalo, Uvalde, Chicagoland, and elsewhere. Then, there is the Supreme Court which continues down a judicial road of eroding personal rights and […]
Time for New Solutions for Sri Lanka
Viewpoint by Charith Gunawardena Fight for Private Creditor Debt Cancellation The writer is a former Local Councillor for London Borough of Enfield in the United Kingdom representing the Green Party and a member of the Sri Lankan diaspora. LONDON (IDN) — With the whole world watching the deteriorating political, economic and humanitarian situation unfolding in […]
The US Provides a Hefty $8.2 billion to Ukraine Battling a Superpower
By Thalif Deen UNITED NATIONS (IDN) — The five largest recipients of US weapons have traditionally included Saudi Arabia, Australia, South Korea, Japan and Qatar. Ukraine, which was ranked as the 50th largest importer of US arms, according to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI), is now set to make a giant leap upwards. […]
Climate Change and COVID-19 Playing Havoc in Latin America and the Caribbean
Viewpoint by Mario Cimoli The writer is the Deputy Executive Secretary of the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC). SANTIAGO, Chile (IDN) — The Latin America and the Caribbean region is home to some of the widest biodiversity on the planet. From Caribbean marine and coastal oases to the Amazon rainforest and […]
Sri Lanka Crisis: A Poetic Perspective
The following poem is by H.A. Azeez. It accompanies a drawing by Imadh Azeez. ‘Aragalaya’ is the Sinhalese for ‘struggle’, now synonymous with the movement that led to the fall of the government in Sri Lanka.