By Alon Ben-Meier* A war launched to reshape the Middle East has instead exposed the limits of force—and the cost of misunderstanding a nation that has spent millennia learning how to endure. NEW YORK | 22 June 2026 (IDN) — The Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) that was finally unveiled a few days ago only reaffirmed […]
Gulf Security: The Case for Regional Ownership
By Tariq Rauf The writer is a former Head of Verification and Security Policy Coordination, Coordinator IAEA Forum on a Middle East Nuclear-Weapon-Free Zone, International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). Below are his personal comments. VIENNA| 23 June 2026 (IDN) — The Gulf’s security order is broken. Four decades of foreign military guarantees, more than one […]
Solomon Islands – Climate Change: Perils Of Losing Our Home
By Cheryl Bera Honiara, Solomon Islands, 20 June 2026 (IDN/Wansolwara) — The relocation of the A’ama tribe due to the impact of climate change reflects the perils of loosing one’s treasured homes. In April 2014, after over two weeks of slow moving tropical depression, that later became Cyclone Ita, Solomon Islands experienced flash […]
EEPA reports on mobilisation around El Obeid sparks concern
BRUSSELS | 22 June 2026 (IDN | EEPA) — The following are the situation reports on Sudan, Ethiopia, US visa restrictions on TPLF members and the mandate of the Special Rapporteur and the HRC. Situation in Sudan (per 22 June) A drone strike launched by the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) targeting a fuel station in […]
Palestinian Workers Find Strong Support at Chicago Gathering
By Kim Scipes* Editor’s Note: This article deliberately follows US English spelling conventions. WESTVILLE, Indiana, USA | 17 June 2026 (IDN) — Strong support for Palestine and Palestinian workers was obvious at the recently concluded Labor Notes conference in Chicago. This bi-annual conference of labor activists took place on June 12-14 at the Hyatt Regency […]
Energy Transition Only Works If Development Works
By Shuvojit Banerjee and Weiwen Qi* BANGKOK, Thailand | 16 June 2026 (IDN) — The energy transition is reshaping economic structures across Asia and the Pacific. When managed well, it can unlock new economic growth opportunities. Where it is not, it can trigger inflation and political backlash that stalls reform. The difference lies in whether […]
Germany, Japan and the Return of Military Power (Part I)
From Defeat to Dependence Eighty years after World War II, Germany and Japan—once defined by constitutional restraints on military power—are rebuilding their armed forces as the international order grows increasingly uncertain. Their transformation is reviving old debates about war, memory, nuclear weapons and the fragile foundations of global stability. By Ramesh Jaura This article was […]
Is Quad’s Port Development in Fiji Really Development Assistance?
By Kalinga Seneviratne SYDNEY, Australia | 9 June 2026 (IDN) — At the Foreign Ministers’ meeting of the QUAD (Quadrilateral Security Dialogue) in New Delhi late May, a grand “aid” scheme to develop ports in the South Pacific was announced, starting with the Fiji Islands. As QUAD looks for relevance in an environment in Asia […]
EEPA Reports On 19.5 million People in Sudan Facing Food Insecurity
BRUSSELS | 9 June 2026 (IDN | EEPA) — The following are the situation reports on Ethiopia, Sudan, South Sudan and Eritrea elected for Vice-Presidency of UN GA. Situation in Ethiopia (per 9 June) Drone strikes targeting Gemehalo and Tekemati localities just outside of Sheraro town, Tigray, hit units of Army 13 of the Tigray […]
Skyward Haven: A Thoughtful Novel for an Uncertain Age
By Jaya Ramachandran NEW YORK | 7 June 2026 (IDN) — Every generation produces books that capture the anxieties of its time. Some do so through realism, others through satire, and still others through speculative imagination. Skyward Haven belongs firmly in the latter category. Yet unlike many works of speculative fiction that rely on dramatic […]