By Alon Ben-Meir* NEW YORK, 27 April 2026 (IDN) — Trump’s threats and maximalist demands ignore Iran’s history, security fears, and distrust of Washington. A durable agreement requires time, restraint, and professional diplomacy—not bombast, coercion, and calls for unconditional surrender that guarantee only resistance. Iran is not a transient power that can be coerced into […]
Conflict-ridden Sahel at the Crossroads
The Impact of the Iran War on West African Power and Conflict By Ramesh Jaura This article was first published on rjaura.substack.com BERLIN | 25 April 2026 (IDN) — The war involving Iran, Israel, and the United States is centred in the Middle East, but its effects are quickly changing geopolitical boundaries far beyond that […]
Situation Report: SAF carries out strikes on South Kordofan
Situation in Sudan (per 23 April) The Sudanese army resumed heavy aircraft operations over Kordofan for the first time in months, with MiG fighter jets carrying out strikes on RSF positions around Dilling in South Kordofan. A senior Rapid Support Forces (RSF) commander, Major General al-Nour Adam known as “Qubba,” defected to the Sudanese army […]
Situation Report: PLF aims to reinstate pre-war administration
Situation in Ethiopia (per 20 April) The Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) reportedly decided to reinstate the pre-war status quo where the regional council elected in 2020 would take charge, rejecting the Tigray Interim Regional Administration arrangement under the Pretoria Cessation of Hostilities Agreement. The decision was adopted during a TPLF’s central committee meeting in […]
Bringing Together China and America
By Jonathan Power LUND, Sweden | 16 April 2026 (IDN) — The widespread perception that China is, or soon will become, an aggressive and expansionist power is simply wrong. It is propaganda rather than fact—a kind of right-wing agitprop. Far from being an aggressive power, China is fundamentally a defensive one, and long has been […]
A Fool Threw a Stone into a Well…
By James E. Jennings* ATLANTA, Georgia, USA | 15 April 2026 (IDN) — An Arab proverb says, “A fool threw a stone into a well—a hundred wise men could not get it out.” By thumbing his nose at the Constitution, bypassing Congress, and zeroing out 349 million US citizens kept in the dark about launching […]
Trump and Netanyahu: Twin Autocrats Leading the War on Iran
By Alon Ben-Meir* Donald Trump and Benjamin Netanyahu—mirror images of arrogance and deceit—have subverted democratic norms in pursuit of personal power. Their malignant narcissism, contempt for law, and appetite for conflict led to the horrific war with Iran NEW YORK | 14 April 2026 (IDN) — Donald Trump and Benjamin Netanyahu are criminal leaders whose […]
Situation Report: International conference on Sudan to take place in Berlin
Situation in Sudan (per 13 April) The International Ministerial Conference on Sudan will take place on 15 April in Berlin, Germany. The conference is hosted by the German government together with France, UK, US, EU and AU, on the day which marks the 3rd anniversary of the outbreak of Sudan’s conflict. Foreign ministers from key […]
Situation Report: Alleged human trafficker arrested in Ethiopia
Situation in Ethiopia (per 9 April) Ethiopian police arrested Yetbarek Dawit in Shire, Tigray region, accused of running a multi-million-dollar human trafficking network since 2018, along with nine alleged accomplices, following a cross-border investigation. The network allegedly operated five detention warehouses in Libya where victims were tortured and forced to call their relatives to pay […]
While Distancing from AIPAC, Most 2028 Democratic Hopefuls Are Still Embracing Israel
By Norman Solomon* SAN FRANCISCO, USA | 9 April 2026 (IDN) — After decades of bipartisan deference to the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC), the likely contenders for the next Democratic presidential nomination have been distancing themselves from the powerful organization. The shift is significant. But disavowing AIPAC has become a box-checking exercise, useful […]