By Sven Wunder* BARCELONA, Spain. 7 October 2023 (IDN) — Carbon credits from forest conservation have been seen as a promising tool to help mitigate climate change by reducing greenhouse gas emissions in the Global South. They offer a mechanism for companies and individuals to compensate for or offset their own carbon footprint. Carbon credits […]
Religious Leaders Can Help Bring About World Peace
By Kassym-Jomart Tokayev ASTANA. 6 October 2023 (INPSJapan | IDN) — It is not a secret that the world is witnessing rising international tensions and erosion of the global order that has been in place since the establishment of the United Nations. Divisive blocs, which have not been seen since the Cold War, are making […]
The US Should Beware of Fuelling Hostility in Bangladesh
By Salah Uddin Shoaib Choudhury* DHAKA. 5 October 2023 (IDN) — On 24 May 2023, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken announced a “visa policy” on Bangladesh, enacted on 22 September 2023. US Ambassador in Bangladesh Peter Haas has documented that this “visa policy” shall also apply to the media members in Bangladesh. Anyone knowing […]
UN Human Rights Council: Are Inmates Taking over the Asylum?
By Thalif Deen UNITED NATIONS. 5 October 2023 (IDN) — When the 193-member General Assembly (GA) elected some of the so-called “repressive regimes” as members of the UN Human Rights Council (HRC) in a bygone era, US Congressman Dana Rohrabacher remarked: “The inmates have taken over the asylum”. And, as an after-thought, he added: “I […]
Small Island Nations Are at the Forefront of Our Global Crises
By Li Junhua, Under-Secretary-General for Economic and Social Affairs. NEW YORK. 4 October 2023 (IDN) — Over the past six weeks, the United Nations has facilitated an intensive round of consultations and meetings in the three regions of the Small Island Developing States (SIDS) of the world. What struck me while visiting Mauritius, St. Vincent […]
Elected Democrats Are Conformist Enablers of Biden for 2024
By Norman Solomon* SAN FRANCISCO. 4 October 2023 (IDN) — Recent news reports have been filled with results of one poll after another after another showing that President Biden continues to weaken as a candidate for re-election. With an overall approval rating now 21 points underwater, polling shows he has lost support among key demographics that made […]
UN Can Prevent 21st Century Becoming a Tragedy
By Jonathan Power* LUND, Sweden. 3 October 2023 (IDN) — In Ukraine, there is war. The only place where it is happening on a significant scale in the Western hemisphere. Elsewhere in the Middle East, there are only two “live” wars—Syria and Yemen. In Latin America and the Caribbean, zero. In Asia, only in Myanmar. […]
India Refuses to Be Coerced into Dumping Its Independent Foreign Policy
By M K Bhadrakumar * NEW DELHI. 1 October 2023 (IDN) — The sombre mood at the Council on Foreign Affairs in New York during External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar’s talk on 26 September was only to be expected against the backdrop of the India-Canada diplomatic spat over the killing of a Sikh secessionist in […]
Human Rights Activists Facing Threats in 40 Countries for Cooperating with UN
By Thalif Deen UNITED NATIONS, 29 September 2023 (IDN) — Be warned: If you are a human rights activist or an individual cooperating with the UN in revealing abuses, you may be under surveillance or in danger of facing physical threats. A new report from Secretary-General António Guterres says that from 1 May last year […]
Caribbean Moving Against “Killer Robots”
By Peter Richards* DIEGO MARTIN, Trinidad & Tobago. 28 September 2023 (IDN) — Caribbean countries have signalled their intention of moving against autonomous weapons systems (AWS) or “killer robots” developing a common position on the issue that will find favour with the 15-member Caribbean Community (CARICOM) grouping. AWS are weapons systems that use artificial intelligence […]