THE WORLD – Page 201 – IDN-InDepthNews

Europe2015-10-212023-07-10

Minor Compromises Are Worthwhile For Better EU-Turkey Relations

By Michael Leigh* | IDN-InDepthNews Viewpoint

Sir Michael Leigh is a Senior Advisor at the German Marshall Fund of the United States.

WASHINGTON (IDN | GMF) – German Chancellor Angela Merkel’s dash to Istanbul on October 18 was a gift to Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan. Erdoğan is hoping that his Justice and Development Party (AKP) will regain its majority in the November 1 general election, after a setback last June, enabling him to call a referendum to strengthen the president’s constitutional powers.

The outcome of the general election could, therefore, settle Turkey’s political fate for years to come, and accentuate the country’s drift toward authoritarian, sectarian rule.

The chancellor’s visit, in the midst of the refugee crisis and after Turkey’s most lethal terrorist attack in decades, was intended to win the Turkish president’s support for a joint action plan to stem refugee flows that are undermining the EU’s internal open borders policy. Merkel’s trip followed the postponement of the European Commission’s annual report on Turkey until after the Turkish election. Insiders claim that the delay occurred for internal procedural reasons.

Europe2015-10-192023-07-10

EU Gives Additional Funds to Promote Entry into Force of Nuclear Test Ban Treaty

By Ramesh Jaura | IDN-InDepthNews Report

BERLIN (IDN) – With a view to promoting entry-into-force of the nuclear test ban treaty, the European Union (EU) has decided to increase its support to the Preparatory Commission of the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty Organisation (CTBTO) by contributing an additional amount of 3 million euros (about 3.9 million dollars). This brings the bloc’s voluntary financial contributions since 2006 to a total of some 19 million euros (nearly 21.5 million dollars).

Africa2015-10-152023-07-10

Japan Spreads Development Wings Across Zimbabwe

By Jeffrey Moyo | IDN-InDepthNews Feature

HARARE (IDN) – As the battle to attain the Sustainable Development Goals hits up across the globe, the government of Japan through its development organisation, the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) has covered a myriad of development areas in this Southern African nation.

Asia-Pacific2015-10-052023-07-10

Pacific Islanders Debating ‘Oceanian’ and Global Citizenship

By Shailendra Singh* | IDN-InDepthNews Analysis

SUVA, Fiji (IDN) – Discussions about the concept of ‘Global Citizenship’ are gaining momentum in various international forums, but remain largely unexplored in the Pacific Islands.

According to Ron Israel, co-founder of The Global Citizens’ Initiative, Global Citizens think beyond communities based on shared group identities, and see themselves as part of a larger, emerging world community.

In the Pacific, the late Tongan academic and philosopher, Professor Epeli Hau’ofa, had gone as far as proposing a common regional identify he called the “new Oceania”, comprising of people with a common Pacific heritage and commitment, rather than as members of diverse nationalities and races.

Europe2015-10-022023-07-10

France Pumps Up Climate Change Volume to Avert Failure

By A.D. McKenzie | IDN-InDepthNews Analysis

PARIS (IDN) – Tourists and locals walking along the River Seine, near the famed Musée d’Orsay, are currently able to charge their mobile phones at three unlikely installations: solar-powered street lamps.

Asia-Pacific2015-10-012023-07-10

U.S.-India-Japan Seek Asia-Pacific Rebalance

By J Nastranis | IDN-InDepthNews Analysis

NEW YORK (IDN) – As part of the U.S. “rebalance to the Pacific”, the growing convergence of their respective countries’ interests in the Indo-Pacific region, and with an eye on China’s increasing assertiveness in the South China Sea, Washington has initiated a trilateral dialogue involving both India and Japan.

Africa2015-09-272023-07-10

Europe Targets World’s Major Uranium Producer Niger

By Robert Johnson | IDN-InDepthNews Analysis

BRUSSELS (IDN) – The 28-nation European Union (EU) has decided to strengthen relations through “high level dialogues” with the world’s fourth largest uranium producer Niger during the EU foreign and security affairs chief Federica Mogherini’s first visit to Sub-Saharan Africa. Uranium is of critical importance for both civilian and military purposes.

Middle East2015-09-082023-07-10

How Israel Contributes to Global Citizenship

By Mel Frykberg | IDN-InDepthNews Feature

HAIFA (IDN) – Israel has contributed to Global Citizenship in a number of ways including assisting students from developing countries to tackle development challenges, using the Jewish state’s experience in emergency situations to provide assistance and emergency relief around the world.

Asia-Pacific2015-09-062023-07-10

Japan Will Never Be ‘Belligerent’ Overseas

By Isamu Ueda* | IDN-InDepthNews Viewpoint

The author is New Komeito Party member of Japan’s House of Representatives and Chairman of the party’s International Committee. In a brief and exclusive opinion article, he says: “Japan’s ‘Peace and Security legislation’ has not changed its exclusively defence-oriented posture.”

TOKYO (IDN) – In Japan, “Peace and Security Legislation” has been a main focus of deliberations in the Diet this year. How Japan could ensure the country’s security in response to the changing security environment has been discussed.

Debate has also focused on the extent to which Japan should contribute to the peace of the international community. Following meetings between the ruling parties over one year, the Japanese government submitted this legislation to the current Diet session.

Africa2015-08-092023-07-10

International Criminal Court Urged to Intervene in Libya

By Jutta Wolf | IDN-InDepthNews Report

BERLIN (IDN) – Amnesty International has appealed to the international community to increase its support to the International Criminal Court (ICC) to investigate war crimes and crimes against humanity in Libya.