By Devendra Kamarajan NAIROBI | 12 May 2025 (IDN) — ‘Meaningful participation’ and ‘inclusion’ were the catchwords at a two-day UN conference in Nairobi, Kenya, ahead of the Summit of the Future, which will bring delegations from all over the globe to the UN Headquarters in New York in September. The first-ever UN civil society […]
Latin America: Several Countries Look to Combat Gang Violence by Fighting Fire
By Amalendu Misra The writer is a Professor of International Politics, Lancaster University. This article was issued by The Conversation. LANCASTER, UK (IDN) — Gangs have an enduring presence in Latin America. They have existed as power brokers, illicit economic actors and spoilers in the developmental processes of several countries. And yet, despite their power […]
When Nuclear Waste is an Asset, not a Burden
By Lucy Ashton This article was issued by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). VIENNA | 10 May 2024 (IDN) — What if the high-level nuclear waste generated by nuclear power plants could fuel a circular economy in the energy sector? Fast neutron reactors operating in a closed fuel cycle could make that happen. Fast […]
EU Does Not Always Walk the Talk but the Commission Head Deserves Praise
By Simone Galimberti* KATHMANDU, Nepal | 10 May 2024 (IDN) — As Europe Day was commemorated on 9 May, many lingering questions remain: Does this really matter if you live outside Europe? Or even if you are part of an EU member state, will there be much of a celebration? This is a mistake because […]
War Culture Hates the Ethical Passion of the Young
By Norman Solomon* SAN FRANCISCO | 9 May 2024 (IDN) — Persisting in his support for an unpopular war, the Democrat in the White House has helped spark a rebellion close to home. Young people—least inclined to deference, most inclined to moral outrage—are leading public opposition to the ongoing slaughter in Gaza. The campus upheaval […]
Germany-European Elections: Will Lowering the Voting Age to 16 Benefit the Right Extremists?
By Gabriele Abels* The Conversation issued this article. TÜBINGEN, Germany | 9 May 2024 (IDN) — Ahead of the European Parliament elections on 6 June, Germany has lowered the age limit on participation to 16. This makes it the largest of just a handful of states in the EU to allow people under the age […]
Is China Grabbing the South China Sea?
By Jonathan Power* LUND, Sweden | 8 May 2024 (IDN) — Napoleon warned us that China was a sleeping giant best left, undisturbed. No longer. As is clear from the visit of President Xi Jinping to France this week, the giant is well awake, even happy to pay a ceremonial visit to Napoleon’s tomb, affirming […]
The Palestinian Case: Applying to be a Member of the UN
UN Security Council Report BERLIN | NEW YORK | 8 May 2024 (IDN) — On 18 April, the US vetoed a draft Security Council resolution that would have recommended that “the State of Palestine be admitted to membership in the United Nations”. Twelve Council members voted in favour of the draft resolution, while two abstained […]
Africa: A New Study May Warn of Future Climate Tipping Points
By Martin H. Trauth, Asfawossen Asrat, and Mark Maslin* LONDON | ADDIS ABABA | 8 May 2024 (IDN) — Around five and half millennia ago, northern Africa went through a dramatic transformation. The Sahara desert expanded and grasslands, forests and lakes favoured by humans disappeared. Humans were forced to retreat to the mountains, the oases, […]
UNODC Launches New Action to Combat Human Trafficking and Migrant Smuggling
By Aurora Weiss VIENNA | 8 May 2024 (IDN) — Human trafficking and migrant smuggling are multi-billion-dollar businesses that have changed dramatically in recent years. Financial crises, armed conflicts, and forced displacement, catalysed by the pandemic, have strained justice systems, significantly reducing investigations, prosecutions, victim identification, and protection. In 2020 alone, the number of detected […]