By J Nastranis NEW YORK (IDN) – Hundreds of thousands of Haitians lost their lives, including 102 UN personnel, and millions were gravely affected by the devastating earthquake that struck the Caribbean nation ten years ago on January 12. The incident ranks among the top 10 deadliest earthquakes in human history, according to a recent […]
The Future of New START and NPT Hangs in the Balance
Viewpoint by Daryl G. Kimball The writer is Executive Director of the Arms Control Association. The following is the text of his article published in January/February 2020 issue of Arms Control Today. WASHINGTON, DC (IDN) – This year, the world will mark the 75th anniversary of the catastrophic atomic bombings of the cities of Hiroshima […]
The G20 Should Have Nuclear Disarmament on Their Agenda
Viewpoint by Herbert Wulf* BONN (IDN) – Right now, two critical developments are literally threatening the very existence of humankind: the climate crisis and the possibility of nuclear war. There is a broad consensus when it comes to the severity of climate change, even if there is still absolutely no sign of a solution despite […]
Iran Discards the Last Key Component of Nuclear Deal Operational Limitations
Viewpoint by Kelsey Davenport and Julia Masterson* WASHINGTON, DC (IDN | Arms Control Association) – Iran announced its fifth breach of the 2015 nuclear deal January 5, stating that it “discards the last key component of its operational limitations” put in place by agreement. In the January 5 statement Iran said its nuclear program “no […]
The US-Iran War Continues Though Current Crisis Is Averted
Viewpoint by John Feffer The writer is the director of Foreign Policy In Focus, which first carried it on 8 January. He is the author of several books and numerous articles. He has been an Open Society Foundation Fellow and a PanTech fellow in Korean Studies at Stanford University. He is a former associate editor […]
Rebuilding Albania After The 6.4 Magnitude Earthquake
By UN Development Programme TIRANA (IDN-INPS) – A mother of three was found under the rubble hugging her three children. A 24-year-old student’s dream of becoming a dermatologist was cut short. A family of eight was found under their collapsed four-storey concrete home. The youngest was two. There was only one survivor from that family […]
Liberians Rejoice Over A Promised Path to U.S. Citizenship
By Lisa Vives, Global Information Network NEW YORK (IDN) – As the Trump administration turns down an ever-growing number of applications for asylum, it surprised many that some 5,000 Liberians in the United States have been granted a path to citizenship. In fact, it was the product of decades of effort by the Liberian community […]
The Significance of Taiwan’s Forthcoming Election
Viewpoint by Jonathan Power LUND, Sweden (IDN) – In the Chinese government’s eyes it has three rebellious parts of China on its plate – Tibet, Hong Kong and Taiwan. In Tibet, protestors from time to time have clashed with police and soldiers. In Hong Kong, the reform and freedom demonstrations are now in their eighth […]
Bank Accounts of Angola’s Pampered Rich Frozen
By Lisa Vives, Global Information Network NEW YORK (IDN) – Some called her Princess. Others labeled her the beautiful face of the dictatorship – always beaming from the pages of Fortune, Forbes and other high-finance magazines which flattered her as Africa’s “First Woman Billionaire”. Today, the daughter of Angola’s ex-president is in a messy fight […]
Guterres Calls For De-escalating ‘Dangerous’ Geopolitical Tensions
Iran Ambassador Meets With UNESCO Chief Amid Trump Threats By Ramesh Jaura BERLIN | NEW YORK | PARIS (IDN) – “Stop escalation. Exercise maximum restraint. Re-start dialogue. Renew international cooperation.” This is the four-point message of UN Secretary-General António Guterres spelling out what needs to happen now, in capitals across the world, to de-escalate geopolitical […]