By Sean Buchanan LONDON (IDN) – One of the many challenges facing today’s world is corruption and one sector in which this is particularly evident is that of state-owned enterprises (SOEs). Controlled by national governments, SOEs rank among the largest companies in the world, often serving as some of the biggest employers in their country. […]
Why Putin Will Win Re-election As Russia’s President
Viewpoint by Jonathan Power* LUND, Sweden (IDN-INPS) – The seemingly eternal president of Russia, Vladimir Putin, has an iron grip on his nation and a foreign policy to match. A large majority of Russians give him their support. He will win re-election. Is it his early economic success? Or is it because of a new […]
Sacked Tillerson Cuts Short Long-Awaited Africa Visit
By Lisa Vives, Global Information Network NEW YORK (IDN) – An extended visit to Africa by the U.S. Secretary of State to mend fences after President’ Donald Trump’s crude description of African and the Caribbean countries was cut short March 13 by the dismissal of the embattled Secretary Rex Tillerson. President Trump had announced such […]
The Rise of Donald Trump and the Decline of America
By H. L. D. Mahindapala* “… my administration, I believe, has had the most successful year in the history of the Presidency,” Donald Trump, Conservative Political Action Conference, Maryland, February 23, 2018. MELBOURNE, Australia (IDN) – Since it is generally agreed that one week is a long time in politics, it is time to ask, […]
US Foreign Policy and Trump’s Contradictions – Part 5
Viewpoint by Michele Nobile* This is the fifth of a five-part article looking at US foreign policy in historical context and its global implications under President Donald Trump. BERGAMO, Italy (IDN) – If Trump wanted to be unpredictable, he certainly succeeded. It is the reason for the uncertainty, confusion and variety of assessments about the […]
UN Pushes for Gender Equality in War-Torn Afghanistan
By Devinder Kumar NEW DELHI | KABUL (IDN) – The UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) has documented that, in 2017, 359 women were killed – five per cent more than in the previous year – and 865 injured. Altogether about 10,000 civilians lost their lives or suffered injuries in 2017. It is against this […]
U.S. Undermining the Global Nuclear Testing Taboo
By Ramesh Jaura BERLIN | GENEVA (IDN) – A new document that outlines U.S. nuclear policy, strategy, capabilities and force posture for the next five to ten years proclaims that the Trump Administration does not intend to ratify a global treaty banning nuclear weapons tests. Nor does it rule out resuming such tests. The document, […]
Infrastructural Boom Spreads Across Southern Africa
By Jeffrey Moyo HARARE (IDN) – Waving a red cloth tied to a stick while signalling vehicles to stop, 35-year old Denford Muzvidziwa who dons blue overalls and a white helmet, joyfully busies himself on the Harare-Mutare high way which is still being upgraded. For over a decade after he completed a degree in Social […]
US Foreign Policy and Trump’s Contradictions – Part 4
Viewpoint by Michele Nobile* This is the fourth of a five-part article looking at US foreign policy in historical context and its global implications under President Donald Trump. BERGAMO, Italy (IDN) – All US administrations between the twentieth and twenty-first centuries have experienced considerable fluctuations, both in the face of development of their actions and […]
Structural Reform Needed to Ensure Brazil’s Inclusive Growth
By Sean Buchanan LONDON (IDN) – Brazil is emerging from its long recession and is headed for solid growth in 2018 and 2019 as recent structural reforms start to bear fruit, but the country still has some way to go. The mixed outlook comes in the latest OECD Economic Survey of Brazil which notes that […]