NEW YORK (IDN) – With little prior notice from military officials, the U.S. launched a Minuteman III Ballistic Missile on April 25 morning at approximately 5:26 a.m. from Vandenberg Air Force Base. Civilians and residents living near the base, who regularly receive ample notice of missile tests, were left in the dark this time as […]
State of Emergency for Press Freedom in Europe
By ECPMF BERLIN (IDN) – The European Centre for Press and Media Freedom (ECPMF) in Leipzig, Germany, is warning against the dismantlement of freedom rights and the increasing threat against journalists in the EU. “Demagogues and autocrats are fighting the free press because they cannot stand democratic control. Under a corrupt administration the work of an […]
From Nairobi to Brussels with New Impulses for ACP-EU Joint Parliamentary Assembly
By Devendra Kamarajan NAIROBI (ACP-IDN) – Members of the Joint Parliamentary Assembly from the East Africa Region of the ACP Group and their European Parliament counterparts have called for aiming at “stronger South-South and triangular cooperation and maintenance of the ACP Group’s unity and solidarity” in a successor treaty to the Cotonou Agreement that expires […]
Commitment to Renewed ACP-EU Partnership Welcomed
By Robert Johnson BRUSSELS | NAIROBI (ACP-IDN) – The co-presidents of the ACP-EU Joint Parliamentary Assembly (JPA) have welcomed the commitment of the 79-nation African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) Group of States and the 28-nation European Union (EU) to negotiate a successor Agreement to the ACP-EU Cotonou Partnership Agreement. The 15th Regional Meeting of the […]
South African Women Honoured For Anti-Nuclear Effort
By Lisa Vives, Global Information Network NEW YORK (IDN) – Using the knowledge gained in the anti-apartheid struggle, two South African women challenged a secret, multibillion-dollar nuclear deal that would have dotted South Africa with nuclear power plants from Russia. The women, Makoma Lekalakala and Liziwe McDaid, waged a five-year court battle against the plants. […]
‘Fire and Fury’ in Danger of Becoming Trump’s ‘Mantra’
Viewpoint by Jonathan Power* LUND, Sweden (IDN-INPS) – A speech of General George Patton, a famous World War 2 warrior, has an uncanny resemblance to the philosophy of Donald Trump. “All real Americans love the sting and clash of battle. Americans love a winner and will not tolerate a loser – Americans despise cowards. Americans […]
‘Sri Lanka Unites’ Prepares Leaders for Tomorrow
By Jayantha Dhanapala This article was first carried by The Island, a Sri Lankan newspaper, on 21 April 2018. KANDY (IDN-INPS) – On a hot Saturday afternoon, I sat in the Father Mervyn Fernando Auditorium at the Subodhi Institute, Piliyandala to observe the concluding session of the Sri Lanka Unites Leadership Development Program “Let Them […]
Nuclear-Weapon States Leading ‘A New Qualitative Arms Race’
By Izumi Nakamitsu Following are extensive excerpts from a statement by Izumi Nakamitsu, UN Under-Secretary-General and High Representative for Disarmament Affairs to Second Session of the Preparatory Committee for the 2020 NPT Review Conference from 23 April to 4 May 2018 in Geneva. – The Editor GENEVA (IDN-INPS) – Secretary-General Guterres is currently developing his […]
Africa Grapples With Financing Climate Change Programmes
By Justus Wanzala NAIROBI (ACP-IDN) – African countries are faced with the huge challenge of funding climate change mitigation and adaptation programmes to ensure sustainable development. Hard hit by the impacts of climate change manifested in persistent droughts, floods, storms, rising sea levels and other forms of disasters, they are linking actions on tackling climate […]
UN and CTBTO Hail End to Nuclear Testing by North Korea, Denuclearization Remains a Mirage
By Ramesh Jaura BERLIN | VIENNA (IDN) – UN Secretary-General António Guterres and Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty Organization (CTBTO) Executive Secretary Lassina Zerbo have welcomed the announcement by the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK) to halt its nuclear testing programme and to dismantle the test site. The announcement came six days ahead of the DPRK […]