By Stephen Bryen* This article was issued by Weapons and Strategy and is being republished with their permission. WASHINGTON, D.C. | 6 January 2025 (IDN) — A so-called Ramstein Format Meeting will take place in Germany on January 9. The meeting format addresses Ukraine’s defense needs. Ukrainian President Zelensky will attend, and the US side […]
Liberal Democracy Shrinks in India, Turkey and the US
By Rahul Mukherji and Berk Esen* HEIDELBERG, ISTANBIL | 5 January 2025 (IDN) — The elections in India, Turkey and the US in 2024 point to the rapidly shrinking liberal political space in democracies. Despite the enormity of the threat to a secular and inclusive vision of politics, the elections in India and Turkey, however, […]
Israel’s Attacks Have Devastating Impact on Gaza’s Hospitals
By Volker Türk* GENEVA | 4 January 2025 (IDN) — A human rights catastrophe continues to unfold in Gaza before the eyes of the world. Israel’s means and methods of warfare have killed tens of thousands of people, inflicted vast displacement, and laid waste to the territory. This has raised utmost concerns about compliance with […]
G20 South Africa Presidency: Unique Opportunity for Unlocking Africa’s Vast Potential
By Kester Kenn Klomegah MOSCOW | 3 January 2025 (IDN) — The Group of 20 (G20) is an intergovernmental forum comprising 19 sovereign countries, the European Union (EU), and the African Union (AU). It works to address major issues related to the global economy, such as international financial stability, climate change mitigation and sustainable development, […]
The Climate Crisis: Five Things to Watch Out for in 2025
By Conor Lennon NEW YORK | 2 January 2025 (IDN | UN News) — The Amazonian city of Belém, Brazil, will be the global focus of efforts to tackle the climate crisis in November 2025, when it hosts one of the most significant UN climate conferences in recent years. However, throughout the years there will […]
Jimmy Carter Told Trump How to Put America First. But Will He Do It?
By Medea Benjamin & Nicolas J. S. Davies* NEW YORK | 2 January 2025 (IDN) — With President Jimmy Carter’s passing and Donald Trump about to return to the White House, it’s a good time to recall a phone conversation that Carter had with Trump during his first term. Carter’s advice would serve Trump well […]
Jimmy Carter’s Life Is Not Ending in Failure
By Jonathan Power* LUND, Sweden | 2 January 2025 (IDN) — The lives of all politicians end in failure”. So said Enoch Powell, a maverick former cabinet minister in the British government. Of recent US presidents Jimmy Carter has not been alone in being considered “a failure”. Think of Lyndon Johnson (Vietnam war). George W. […]
New Cold War in South Asia as the BRICS Rise
US Sanctions and Regime Change Aragalaya Protests By Darini Rajasingham-Senanayake* COLOMBO, Sri Lanka | 27 December 2024 (IDN) — There will be no honeymoon for the newly minted National People’s Power (NPP) Government that got a massive people’s mandate for debt justice. The storm blowing from Washington DC across the Indian Ocean World—targeting China to […]
Africa: Too Few Are Interested in Learning the Russian Language
By Kester Kenn Klomegah MOSCOW | 27 December 2024 (IDN) — Russian language study is hitting roadblocks in Africa. For several years after the Soviet collapse, Moscow has been stepping up efforts to strengthen Russian language study and its culture across Africa. However, there have been few tangible results, mainly due to low motivation towards […]
Now It Can Be Told . . . After All the Harm Has Been Done
By Norman Solomon* SAN FRANCISCO, USA | 26 December 2024 (IDN) — This week, the New York Times reported that the U.S. government made war in Afghanistan while helping to “recruit, train and pay for lawless bands of militias that pillaged homes and laid waste to entire communities.” Those militias “tortured civilians, kidnapped for ransom, […]