Viewpoint by John Scales Avery* COPENHAGEN (IDN) – The Industrial Revolution marked the start of a massive human use of fossil fuels. The stored energy from several hundred years of plant growth began to be used at roughly a million times the rate at which it had been formed. The effect on human society was […]
Bullish on Trilateral Arms Control and Bearish on New START
By Kingston Reif and Shannon Bugos While Kingston Reif is director for disarmament and threat reduction policy, Shannon Bugos is research assistant at the Arms Control Association. WASHINGTON, D.C. (IDN) – President Donald Trump said recently that he is open to meeting with the other heads of state of the five permanent members of the […]
Interconnected Dangers to Civilization
Viewpoint by John Scales Avery* COPENHAGEN (IDN) – Cultural evolution depends on the non-genetic storage, transmission, diffusion and utilization of information. The development of human speech, the invention of writing, the development of paper and printing, and finally, in modern times, computers and the Internet: all these have been crucial steps in society’s explosive accumulation […]
Five Nuclear Weapon States Pledge Commitment to NPT
By J C Suresh WASHINGTON, DC (IDN) — Five permanent members (P5) of the UN Security Council – USA, China, France, Russia and Britain – who together possess an overwhelming majority of 13,865 nuclear weapons have pledged “unstinting commitment to preserving and deepening … for future generations” the legacy of the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation […]
Veteran Mental Health Charity Leaves Thousands at Risk
By J W Jackie RENO, Nevada, USA (IDN) – A UK-based mental health charity that provides treatment to around 2,000 military veterans every year has announced that it will no longer be accepting new referrals. Combat Stress has helped veterans for more than 100 years but says that a lack of funding means that they […]
Committee on Teaching About the UN Demands ‘War No More’
By Narin B. Stassis The writer currently serves as the Vice Chair of the Committee on Teaching About the UN. She is a former Director of Curriculum and Instruction, a lifelong Educator, and holds a Master’s degree in International Education from Lesley University. NEW YORK (IDN) – The United Nations was created with a determination […]
25 Years on From Beijing, COVID-19 Highlights Profound Interconnectedness & Persisting Inequalities
Viewpoint by Anita Nayar and Aishu Balaji Anita Nayar is Director and Aishu Balaji Program Coordinator of Regions Refocus. This article is based on the civil society statement delivered at the opening of CSW64/Beijing+25 by Anita Nayar, also Co-Chair of the Gender and Trade Coalition. NEW YORK (IDN) – On March 9, 2020, New York-based […]
Amnesty Accuses Facebook, Google of Harming Human Rights
By J W Jackie RENO, Nevada, USA (IDN) – Facebook and Google play an important role in the lives of people across the globe – too big a role, according to Amnesty International. The pro-human rights organization recently published a report entitled, Surveillance Giants, which critiques the “insidious” surveillance exercised by these two digital giants.
New Laws Allow Zimbabwe to Fine or Jail to Keep Kids in School
By Lisa Vives, Global Information Network NEW YORK (IDN) — Zimbabwe is experimenting with a bold attempt to make parents prioritize education and bring down drop-out rates. Harare has amended its laws to make the first 12 years of schooling compulsory. Children are now required by law to stay in school for an extra five […]
Too Few Women in Power 25 Years After Beijing Declaration
By UN Women GENEVA | NEW YORK (IDN) — Women’s representation in political decision-making continues to increase but at a dragging pace, with three-quarters of parliamentary seats still held by men, according to new data presented in the 2020 edition of the IPU‑UN Women map of Women in Politics. The data’s publication coincides with the […]