By Kalinga Seneviratne VIENTIANE, Laos | 14 July 2024 (IDN) — A direct train service between the Thai capital Bangkok and Laotian capital Vientiane will begin on July 19 according to Thai Railway sources, that could herald a game changer for the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) connectivity, making the dream of a pan-Asian […]
Discredited ‘Ostpolitik’ of Willy Brandt Remains Pertinent
By Hans Kundnani* LONDON | 13 July 2024 (IDN) — The conventional wisdom in Germany is that Ostpolitik—which is usually taken to mean a policy based on the idea of peaceful co-existence with Russia going back to the approach taken by Willy Brandt as chancellor—is now completely discredited. Even those who admit that it was […]
Tonga: Ancestral Fishing Methods Could Help Out of the Crisis
By Marc ‘Ake* NUKU’ALOFA, Tonga | 12 July 2024 (IDN | Wansolwara) — With Climate Change and overfishing amongst the biggest contributions to the degradation of the marine environment in Tonga, the government has cracked down on overfishing by devising certain timeframes in the year for the fishing and harvest of certain endangered marine species.There […]
Gaza’s War and US Arms Call for Investigation of Complicity in Genocide
By P I Gomes The writer is former Ambassador of the Cooperative Republic of Guyana to the European Union and ACP Group of States, Brussels. PORT OF SPAIN | 10 July 2024 (IDN) —The relentless bombardment of Gaza, the slaughter of Palestinian civilians, mainly women and children, in Rafah continued at an intensified level by […]
Doubts On the Origins of World War II, On The 80th Anniversary of D-Day
By Jonathan Power* LUND, Sweden | 9 July 2024 (IDN) — It is a common trait in mankind to apply to ourselves a generosity of interpretation which we do not extend to others. We find proofs of wickedness, using evidence that we would not use against our own. We play down the sins of ourselves, […]
Cooperating With Iran’s President-elect Pezeshkian Will Far Outweigh the Risks
By Alon Ben-Meir* NEW YORK | 9 July 2024 (IDN) — The election of the reformist Masoud Pezeshkian as Iran’s president augurs well for the Iranian people and for relations between the West and Iran. With the best intentions, Pezeshkian may not be able to deliver on all his foreign and domestic agenda; nevertheless, it […]
Financing Africa: Where Is the Money? – A New Report
By Lisa Vives, Global Information Network NEW YORK | 9 July 2024 (IDN) — “Don’t take Africa for granted.” Those are the words of Mohamed “Mo” Ibrahim, head of the Mo Ibrahim Foundation that provides an African voice on current global challenges. Founded in 2006, with headquarters in London and Dakar, Senegal, the foundation works […]
South African Parliamentarian Stripped of Post Over Taped Racist Rant
By Lisa Vives, Global Information Network NEW YORK | 8 July 2024 (IDN) — A recently sworn-in member of the South African parliament has been suspended for using racist language against Black people. The suspension of Renaldo Gouws of the white-led Democratic Alliance (DA) highlights the uneasy alliance between the DA and its governing coalition […]
LGBTQ+ Activists Win Landmark Judgment from Namibian High Court
By Lisa Vives, Global Information Network NEW YORK | 8 July 2024 (IDN) — Namibia’s high court has overturned a law that criminalized gay sex. The ruling is a victory for LGBTQ+ activists after a number of setbacks in the battle for rights in African countries in recent years. Namibia inherited a law banning sodomy […]
Mauritanian Security Forces Linked to Post-Election Fatalities
By Lisa Vives, Global Information Network NEW YORK | 8 July 2024 (IDN) — Mauritanian security forces were linked to post-election violence and at least three deaths after the victory of incumbent Mohamed Ould Cheikh El Ghazouani this past weekend. According to the Interior Ministry, rioting, looting and vandalism broke out in southern Mauritania after […]