By Kalinga Seneviratne VIENTIANE, Laos | 15 July 2024 (IDN) — Laos, the land-locked country of 7.5 million people, with scenic mountainous terrain, traversed by the Mekong River that flows through both Vientiane and the UNESCO World Heritage Buddhist city of Luang Prabang, and home to many remote hill tribes is now in the crest […]
China-Built Laos Railway Could Be a Game Changer for Asian Connectivity
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 […]
Hurricane Beryl Reignites Concerns About Climate Change
By Linda Hutchinson-Jafar PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad | 14 July 2024 (IDN) — Hurricane Beryl, a powerful Category 4 storm with sustained winds of 150 mph and torrential rain, swept through the Caribbean in early July, resulting in the tragic loss of seven lives and widespread destruction of homes and infrastructure across several small islands. […]
New Report Faults Deterioration of Civil Rights in India, Urges UN To Interfere
By Jaya Ramachandran GENEVA | 14 July 2024 (IDN) — CIVICUS, World Alliance for Citizen Participation, has documented the use of restrictive legislation against activists, journalists and others critical of the state, along with harassment and attacks. In its report to the UN Human Rights Committee on the state of civic space in India, CIVICUS […]
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 […]
The NATO Declaration Echoes the Deadly Strategy of Neoconservatism
For the sake of America’s security and world peace, the U.S. should immediately abandon the neocon quest for hegemony in favor of diplomacy and peaceful co-existence. By Jeffrey D. Sachs* This article was published in Common Dreams and is being republished with the author’s permission. NEW YORK | 13 July 2024 (IDN) — In 1992, […]
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 […]
BRICS Parliamentary Forum Seeks to Strengthen Multilateralism for Global Security
By Tajul Islam* DHAKA | 12 July 2024 (IDN) — The 10th BRICS Parliamentary Forum convened in St. Petersburg, Russia, on July 11 and 12, 2024, under the theme “The Role of Parliaments in Strengthening Multilateralism for Equitable Global Development and Security.” This year’s plenary session focused on “The BRICS Parliamentary Dimension: Prospects for Strengthening […]
Former UN Humanitarian Affairs Chief Warns of Failing Collective Responsibility
By Kasmira Jefford GENEVA | 12 July 2024 (IDN | Geneva Solutions) — The United Nations’ top aid chief stepped down last month at a time of huge pressure on the humanitarian sector to meet record global needs. In his last briefing with journalists, Martin Griffiths said it would be up to his successor to […]
Is the IAEA Securing Medical Radioactive Sources in Conflict Areas?
By Tariq Rauf* VIENNA | 11 July 2024 (IDN) — On Friday, 12th July 2024, the 35-member Board of Governors of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) will meet in emergency session to discuss the bombing of a children’s hospital in Kyiv and the safety and security of medical radioactive sources in use in the […]