By Matthew Wittenstein, Kieran Clarke and Yejin Ha* BANGKOK | 16 July 2025 (IDN) — The ASEAN Power Grid (APG) is a key cornerstone of Southeast Asia’s strategy for greater regional integration, energy security economic growth and achieving a sustainable, low-carbon future. With the region’s energy demand projected to more than double by 2050 and […]
Russia’s Real Power Is Not Weapons, It’s Culture
By Jonathan Power* LUND, Sweden | 16 July 2025 (IDN) — Observers say that what drives President Vladimir Putin is to make Russia respected. However, perhaps Putin overestimates the extent of Russia’s existing power. He has overlooked which trumpets to blow — it is not his “hang tough” militaristic policies in international affairs, especially vis-à-vis […]
Again, Trump’s Way or the Highway
By Azu Ishiekwene The writer is the Editor-In-Chief of LEADERSHIP and the author of the new book Writing for Media and Monetising It. ABUJA, Nigeria | 10 July 2025 (IDN) — It’s hard not to love US President Donald Trump. He is the world’s most powerful president and wears his preeminence on his sleeve. Not for him […]
Reflections on Cuba, BRICS and Geopolitics
By Dr. Asoka Bandarage* COLOMBO, Sri Lanka | 9 April 2025 (IDN) — I returned to the U.S. from Cuba just a few hours before Donald Trump signed a memorandum on June 30, 2025, tightening the long-standing U.S. economic blockade against Cuba. The memorandum includes a statutory ban on U.S. tourism to the neighbouring island. […]
UN80 Restructuring: Sacrificing Expertise on the Altar of Expediency
By Naïma Abdellaoui The writer, who describes herself as a concerned international civil servant, is a staff representative and member of the UN Office of Geneva (UNOG) Staff Union Executive Bureau. GENEVA | 9 July 2025 (IDN) — Budget cuts should not justify mass job cuts. This violates international administrative law and sound management practices. […]
Forward To the Future In 2255
By Jonathan Power* Note: In this column, I will primarily focus on the culture of the Western world. LUND, Sweden | 8 July 2025 (IDN) — In 1776, Adam Smith published his “Wealth of Nations”, which has guided economists and political thinkers ever since. It marks the beginning of the Industrial Revolution, which originated in […]
Kosovo’s Leadership Failure: A Dangerous Hijacking of Democracy
By Alon Ben-Meir* NEW YORK | 8 July 2025 (IDN) — It is hard to imagine how a small country experiencing significant economic hardship and in constant conflict with its neighbour is still under a caretaker government four months after the national elections. Prime Minister Kurti must end the deadlock, as it does not bode […]
Why Not a World Parliament to Govern Planet Earth?
By P. Soma Palan* COLOMBO, Sri Lanka | 7 July 2025 (IDN) — The current world situation poses an existential crisis for the Planet Earth. The Israel and Palestine war has expanded into a three-nation war with Iran’s entry and Air strikes on Israel, and Israel’s counterattacks. The further escalation and enlargement of this war […]
Unable To Move On Gaza, UN’s Human Rights Body Revives Its Bullying Of Sri Lanka
By Kalinga Seneviratne 7 July 2025 (IDN) — Intimidated by the United States, the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) has been a hapless spectator while the genocide of Palestinians in Gaza has been happening in broad daylight, in front of cameras. During a four-day visit to Sri Lanka from 26 to 29 June, UNHRC’s […]
Billionaires’ Anger and Efforts to Prevent Zohran Mamdani from Becoming New York’s Mayor
By Norman Solomon* SAN FRANCISCO, USA | 2 July 2025 (IDN) — The Supreme Court’s first chief justice, John Jay, would have empathized with the billionaires who’ve been freaking out ever since Zohran Mamdani won the Democratic primary for mayor of New York last Tuesday. “Those who own the country ought to govern it,” Jay insisted. […]