IDN-InDepthNews

Asia-Pacific2016-08-092023-07-10

The Return of Australian Firebrand Pauline Hanson

Analysis by Kalinga Seneviratne*

SYDNEY (IDN) – The return of the firebrand anti-immigration politician of the 1990s Pauline Hanson along with three others from his One Nation Party (ONP) to the federal parliament after a 20-year absence has triggered debate in the Australian media about racism coming to the surface again in Australian politics and the failure of multiculturalism.

But a more intelligent analysis of the election results would show that the impressive showing of her ONP has more to do with socio-economic issues and average White Australians’ disillusionment with mainstream political parties.

UN INSIDER2016-08-092023-07-10

Ban Counts on Argentina’s Support ‘in Critical Years Ahead’

By J C Suresh

TORONTO (IDN) – United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has applauded Argentina for its strong partnership with the UN and its cooperation with and support to other countries.

“You are a standard bearer for United Nations values and principles,” said Ban in his remarks to the Argentine Council for International Relations on August 8.

“I count on Argentina’s support in the critical years ahead as we work together to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and provide peace and prosperity for all on a healthy planet,” he added.

USA and Canada2016-08-092023-07-10

Strategic Dialogue Needed to Avert New Cold War

Viewpoint by Jonathan Power

LUND, Sweden (IDN-INPS) – Nearly everyone I talk politics to says the world is in a mess. But I live in a student town and most of them have nothing to measure their opinions against. They know not much about the Cold War, the Cuban missile crisis, Watergate or the great famines in Africa and India.

In many ways most of us live in the best of times, on better incomes than our parents, with longevity increasing all over the world, not least in the poorer countries and helped by inventions that our parents never dreamt were possible.

Africa2016-08-092023-07-10

Mandela’s Political Heirs Get a Beating from Voters

PRETORIA (IDN | GIN) – It was a long night for the African National Congress (ANC) party faithful as a popular revolt in the cities of Tshwane (Pretoria) and Port Elizabeth upended its long-held power base in those two key municipalities.

The ANC was beaten in working-class “black township” areas such as Mamelodi in Tshwane, and Motherwell in Port Elizabeth.

Africa2016-08-092023-07-10

Ugandan Police Attack LGBTI Pride Event

KAMPALA (IDN | GIN) – Police are resuming their attacks on Uganda’s mostly underground LGBTI community – raiding nightclubs and making arrests.

The renewed police activity comes as gays and rights activists mark the day and month in which a law requiring homosexuals to be jailed for life was overturned.

During the latest crackdown on August 4, police unlawfully raided a pageant in Kampala’s Club Venom to crown Mr/Ms/Mx Uganda Pride, according to a release by a coalition of activist gay rights groups including Human Rights Watch.

ARMAMENTS2016-08-082023-07-10

Geneva Conference Moves Ahead to Ban the Bomb

By Jamshed Baruah

GENEVA (IDN-INPS) – The final session of the UN nuclear disarmament working group (OEWG) opened in Geneva on August 5, as nuclear abolition campaigners around the world were gearing up for Hiroshima and Nagasaki Day actions.

Governments will meet from August 16 to19 to discuss the OEWG draft report, with the aim to adopt the final report on August 19 for submission to the UN General Assembly. They will follow up on the substantive work it undertook in February and May 2016.

The focus in February and May was on the legal measures required to achieve a nuclear-weapon-free world, and to prepare recommendations on reducing nuclear risks, enhancing transparency, and building further awareness about the humanitarian impact of nuclear weapons.

UN INSIDER2016-08-082023-07-10

World Humanitarian Day to Focus on ‘One Humanity’

NEW YORK (IDN-INPS) – Under the overarching theme of ‘One Humanity’, the World Humanitarian Day (WHD) to be held – as every year – on August 19, will explain how the world came together in Istanbul around the Agenda for Humanity.

It will also stimulate how the commitments made at the WHD from May 23 to 24 in Istanbul will help the 130 million people around the world who need humanitarian assistance to survive.

One Humanity speaks about shared human experiences bind us across divides, and create a common responsibility to demand action for the most vulnerable and at risk of being left behind.

ARMAMENTS2016-08-082023-07-10

Nuclear War a Potentially Deadly Issue in US Elections

By Rodney Reynolds

NEW YORK (IDN) – As the U.S. presidential elections gather political momentum, one of the key issues that has triggered a provocative debate revolves round the very survival of humanity: the looming threat of an intended or unintended nuclear war.

Come November 8, the U.S. will be making a choice between two contenders: former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, a candidate of the Democratic Party; and Donald Trump, a self-proclaimed billionaire businessman from New York, a candidate of the Republican Party.

Asia-Pacific2016-08-072023-07-10

Sri Lanka: Multiculturalism May Hinder Reconciliation

Viewpoint by Shenali Waduge *

COLOMBO (IDN-INPS) – Since the fall of the Mahinda Rajapaksa government in January 2015, reconciliation has propelled to the top of the political agenda with Western governments pushing Sri Lanka to be accountable for alleged war crimes committed at the end of the 30-year war with terror group Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE).

The new government led by President Maithripala Sirisena and Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe has been currying favour with its new allies in the West and has been uncritically entertaining their demands for accountability, even to the extent of possibly allowing foreign (i.e. Western) judges to sit in judgement of war crime cases that may be brought against Sri Lanka’s war heroes in the army and the former government.

Africa2016-08-062023-07-10

Africa’s Great Green Wall a New World Wonder in the Making

By Rodrigo Pérez

RIO DE JANEIRO (IDN-INPS) – Beneath the glitz and glamour, the Samba and Rio’s Carnival-like atmosphere, this year’s Olympic Games Opening Ceremony showcased the most impossible sounding dream of all – Africa’s Great Green Wall.

The initiative started a decade ago. Once completed it will be the largest man-made structure on Earth and a new Wonder of the World.

The progress made shows that land restoration efforts on a mass scale are both possible and offer hope. Senegal has already planted 12 million trees, Ethiopia has restored 15 million hectares of degraded land and Nigeria has created 20,000 jobs in rural areas.