By Somar Wijayadasa* NEW YORK (IDN) — President Joe Biden of the United States announced that its war in Afghanistan, the US’s longest war ever, will end on September 11, 2021. A glimpse of Afghanistan’s history—dubbed as “the country where Empires go to die” will help us understand why many empires failed in that country. […]
A Locked Down UN Plans to Gradually Return to Normal
By Razeena Raheem NEW YORK (IDN) — The United Nations, which has remained locked down since March last year because of the COVID-19 pandemic, is planning to make a “phased return to the premises in New York.” Until now, nearly 3,000 UN staffers have been forced to work from home while virtually all meetings, including […]
Optimism Over Progress in Vienna Talks on Iran Nuclear Deal
By Kelsey Davenport, Julia Masterson and Sang-Min Kim While Kelsey Davenport is Director for Nonproliferation Policy and Julia Masterson, Research Associate at the Arms Control Association, Sang-Min Kim is Scoville Fellow. WASHINGTON, D.C. (IDN) — The United States, Iran, and the other parties to the 2015 nuclear deal expressed varying degrees of optimism over the […]
Volunteers Are Helping Venezuela To Rebuild US-Devastated Industry
By Leonardo Flores This article was produced by Globetrotter. Leonardo Flores is a Venezuelan political analyst and peace activist with CODEPINK. He is a Globetrotter/Peoples Dispatch fellow. VENICE, CA (IDN) — “We don’t just repair machines; we repair consciences,” says Sergio Requena of the Productive Workers Army (EPO by its Spanish-language initials) in Venezuela. The […]
World Bank-IMF Pledge Support for Pandemic Affected Countries
By Caroline Mwanga WASHINGTON (IDN) — While planning to rebuild economies after the COVID-19 pandemic, countries would do well to lay the foundation for a green, resilient, and inclusive future. This was the message of the World Bank-International Monetary Fund (IMF) virtual Spring Meetings from April 5 to 11, 2021. World Bank Group President David […]
Can We Feed the Billions?
An Expert Voice NEW YORK (IDN | UNDESA) — With hundreds of millions suffering hunger, a growing population and devastating impacts of agriculture on the environment, many experts are asking themselves: will we have enough food for everyone? Ahead of the 54th session of the UN Commission on Population Development, we ask that question to […]
Lessons of the Bay of Pigs Invasion Followed by the Cuban Missile Crisis
Viewpoint by Jonathan Power* LUND, Sweden (IDN) — The Cuban Missile Crisis of 1962 is well remembered, even by those not yet born when it happened. The word has been passed down the generations and probably always will be. It was the first and only time, say many historians and political scientists, that the world […]
Walking History Through Viet Nam’s Security Council Presidency
By Ramu Damodaran The writer is Chief, United Nations Academic Impact (UNAI) hosted in the Department of Global Communications. This OpEd was first published in #WhyWeCare on April 15. NEW YORK (IDN | UNAI) — If, as Suzanne Nossel writes, “the United Nations remains the closest thing to a system of global governance that the […]
UN Finds French Military Culpable for Deadly Attack on Mali Civilians
By Lisa Vives, Global Information Network NEW YORK (IDN) — Major combat operations by French troops in Mali have drawn fire from local officials who accuse the French military of killing civilians including at a recent wedding. Nineteen wedding guests and three armed men died in the strike in the village of Bounty, central Mali. […]
Genocide Suspect Back in Rwanda After Losing Appeal to Remain in the U.S.
By Lisa Vives, Global Information Network NEW YORK (IDN) — After two unsuccessful appeals in the U.S., a Rwandan woman is back in Kigali where she stands to face prosecution for her active role in the 1994 Rwanda genocide. In an application for political asylum, Beatrice Munyenyezi denied that she had been involved in the […]