By Alon Ben-Meir* NEW YORK | 12 February 2026 (IDN) — Since President Donald Trump reassumed office, the Democratic rank and file have been relentless in criticizing what many view as his unhinged exercise of power. Given Trump’s sweeping challenges to political norms, democratic institutions, and long-established economic and cultural frameworks, there is no shortage […]
Can We Quench the Fire That Might Start in Mali?
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 | 6 February 2026 (IDN) — Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger—three rogue states that have formed an Alliance of Sahelian States (AES) to resist external pressure from ECOWAS on military rule— […]
A Shaky International System gets Shakier
By James E. Jennings* ATLANTA, USA | 4 February 2026 (IDN) — While UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres’ recent speech brilliantly described the world as it is in 2026—growing in population, war, starvation, and conflict, there are no solutions as yet that anybody can see. No easy fix exists for the widespread unrest that may eventually […]
When the Centre No Longer Holds
The UN’s failure and the rise of the Board of Peace By Ramesh Jaura* This article was first published on https://rjaura.substack.com/p/when-the-centre-no-longer-holds BERLIN | 29 January 2026 (IDN) — As the Canadian prime minister concluded his speech at the World Economic Forum in Davos on 20 January 2026, the applause lingered, stretching just beyond the ordinary. […]
Situation Report Horn of Africa: Intensified fighting across South Sudan
Situation in South Sudan (per 22 January) Intensified fighting attacking military posts has been reported across South Sudan in the largest offensives by various coalitions of opposition forces since 2017. The heaviest fighting is occurring in Jonglei state, and Equatoria region, with battles raging in reportedly in all but two states, especially in old hotspots […]
The Turkish Kurds: Erdoğan’s Folly on Full Display
By Alon Ben-Meir NEW YORK | 22 January 2026 (IDN) — Nearly a decade after Turkey’s failed coup attempt of July 2016, the country’s political landscape has been transformed beyond recognition. What began as a night of grave uncertainty for the Turkish state has become the long day of Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s consolidation of power—an authoritarian restructuring that […]
How the EU’s Initiated Crackdown on Human Smuggling Will Impact Migration Systems for the Better or the Worse.
BRUSSELS. Belgium | 21 January 2026 (IDN) — “We Europeans, decide who comes to Europe and crosses our borders, and under what circumstances, and not the smugglers and traffickers” was the message in European Commission President Ursula Von Der Leyen’s speech, kicking off the Global Alliance to Counter Migrant Smuggling conference on 10 December in […]
Situation Report Horn of Africa: Ammunition seized in Amhara
Situation in Sudan (per 19 January) At least 103 civilians were killed, 88 injured and 18,000 families displaced between 22 December – 16 January by Rapid Support Forces (RSF) attacks in the Um Baru, Tina and Kornoy areas, North Darfur, as fighting near the Chad border intensified over the past days, reports the Tina local […]
Only The Rising of The People Can Stop Trump
By Dr. Alon Ben-Meir* NEW YORK | 19 January 2026 (IDN) — When a government violates democratic principles, large-scale peaceful demonstrations can send a strong message. It’s a way for people to collectively demonstrate their commitment to democratic values and advocate for change without resorting to violence. The massive protests that followed the killing of Renee […]
A World Adrift
How the U.S. Retreat Is Reshaping the Global Economy By Ramesh Jaura* This article was first published on https://rjaura.substack.com/ BERLIN | 12 January 2026 (IDN) — For most of the last eighty years, the world economy—unequal, quarrelsome, and often unfair—rested on a stubborn assumption: when the system came under strain, the United States would still […]