By Jonathan Power LUND, Sweden | 11 March 2025 (IDN) — In the New York Times, columnist Roger Cohen argued that anyone who queries the Jewish right to Israel is anti-Semitic. More than that, he accuses us of being racist, even though many of us fought against South African apartheid. He accuses us of “pursuing […]
Is This the Beginning or the End of a New Cold War?
By Medea Benjamin and Nicolas J. S. Davies* NEW YORK | 10 March 2025 (IDN) — When European Union leaders met in Brussels on 6 March to discuss the war in Ukraine, French President Emmanuel Macron called this time “a turning point in history.” Western leaders agree that this is an historic moment when decisive […]
EU Leaders Miss Chance at Emergency Defense Summit
By Simone Galimberti* KATHMANDU, Nepal | 10 March 2025 (IDN) — Was the emergency meeting of the European Council, held on the 6 March in Brussels, a real “watershed” moment for Europe? The President of European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen defined it as a day in which “history has been written”. Considering the chaos […]
A Momentous Occasion for Humanity
By Ambassador Anwarul K. Chowdhury* NEW YORK | 9 March 2025 (IDN) — This year’s International Women’s Day has been celebrated by the world as we observe two major anniversaries — the 30th for the Beijing Platform for Action adopted in 1995 and the 25th for the UN Security Council Resolution 1325 adopted in 2000. […]
A Gender-equal World Free of Discrimination Remains a Pipedream
By Ramesh Jaura BERLIN, NEW YORK | 9 March 2025 (IDN) — In an inspiring song “Imagine” from his 1971 album, British musician John Lennon encouraged listeners to imagine a world of peace, without materialism, borders separating nations and religion. Much to our chagrin, that world has remained a pipedream. So has a gender-equal world […]
Entrenched Patriarchal Structures Hindering Women’s Political Participation’
Joseph Kayira interviews Oxfam Malawi country director, Lingalireni Mihowa LILONGWE, Malawi | 9 March 2025 (IDN) — The persistent challenge in increasing women’s participation in politics, decision-making, and the broader economy in Malawi stems from deeply entrenched patriarchal structures that have not been effectively dismantled, despite the existence of progressive policies and legal frameworks, said […]
IN LIGHTER VEIN — At the UN: from the Sublime to the Hilarious
By Thalif Deen* UNITED NATIONS | 8 March 2025 (IDN) — The primary mandate of the United Nations is to maintain international peace and security, but the world body is also a rich source of political anecdotes — from the sublime to the hilarious. The debates and resolutions in the 15-member Security Council, the UN’s most […]
India: Buddhist Administration of Mahabodhi Temple Will Lend Credence to ‘Buddhist’ Diplomacy
Viewpoint by Bhikkhu Sanghasena* LEH, Ladakh, India | 8 March 2025 (IDN) — The ongoing debates surrounding the management of the most sacred place for the Buddhist world, the Mahabodhi Temple in Bodh Gaya, underscore a deeper issue of religious representation and governance in multi-religious India, as the government of Prime Minister Narendra Modi promotes […]
National Youth Council of Pakistan: By the Youth, for the Youth
By Bisma Qamar* NEW YORK | ISLAMABAD | 8 March 2025 (IDN) — “The world belongs to those bold enough to shape it. No matter how uncertain the path, progress lies in perseverance. There is a thin line between doing wonders and remaining stagnant, it’s the courage to dream that turns possibilities into reality. Youth […]
Kosovo Faces Unprecedented Challenges Under Trump
By Dr. Alon Ben-Meir* NEW YORK | 7 March 2025 (IDN) — Kosovo should expect to face many new, daunting challenges during the next four years. A strong and visionary leader will be needed to tackle the shifting political landscape in the European theater and the alarming implications of Trump’s return to the presidency. Not […]