IDN-InDepthNews

ARMAMENTS2015-07-222023-07-10

Pacific Island Countries Want a World Without Nuclear Weapons

By Neena Bhandari | IDN-InDepthNews Analysis

SYDNEY (IDN) – As political conflicts magnify in the Middle East and North Africa with the spectre of brutal violence from terrorist organisations like ISIS, and the Ukraine crisis reignites the Cold War between the United States, its NATO [North Atlantic Treaty Organisation] allies and Russia; it is imperative that nuclear-armed and non-nuclear states together work for total elimination of nuclear weapons. The risk of use of nuclear weapons, by deliberation or accident, leading to total annihilation looms large more than ever before.

Asia-Pacific2015-07-142023-07-10

India Confronts Reality at Shanghai Summit

By Shastri Ramachandran* | IDN-InDepthNews Analysis

CHENNAI, India (IDN) – The Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) is a regional forum where India may not be able to have its way against Pakistan. To the contrary, Pakistan – which also became a full member of the SCO along with India on July 10 in Ufa (Russia) – may be better placed in the six-member regional grouping dominated by China and Russia.

ARMAMENTS2015-06-302023-07-10

Perfecting Detection of the Bomb

By Ramesh Jaura | IDN-InDepthNews Analysis*

VIENNA (IDN | IPS) – An international conference has highlighted advances made in detecting nuclear explosions,tracking storms or clouds of volcanic ash, locating epicentres of earthquakes, monitoring the drift of huge icebergs, observing the movements of marine mammals, and detecting plane crashes.

GLOBAL ISSUES2015-06-202023-07-10

Japan-US Bonds of Peace and Friendship Bequeathed To Future Generations

By Katsuhiro Asagiri | IDN-InDepthNews Special Report

ISE | TOKYO (IDN) – When Noelle Mary Verhelst, the 67th United States Cherry Blossom Queen, paid a courtesy call on Prime Minister Shinzo Abe in Tokyo on June 4, she said in fluent Japanese: “During my trip to Ise City, I was impressed with the beauty of Japan, people’s warmhearted kindness and the legacy of Ozaki Yukio. Japan and the U.S. are good friends.”

GLOBAL ISSUES2015-06-092023-07-10

Unveiling the Mystery of Global Citizenship

By Jaya Ramachandran | IDN-InDepthNews Analysis

BRUSSELS (IDN) – While mystery shrouds the concept of ‘global citizenship’ for wide sections of the general public, a growing number of civil society organisations, enlightened governments and the United Nations are undertaking concerted efforts to lift the veil of enigma.

GLOBAL ISSUES2015-06-092023-07-10

UN Commission Reports Severe Human Rights Violations in Eritrea

By Mirjam van Reisen* and Klara Smits | IDN-InDepthNews Report

BRUSSELS (IDN) – The UN Commission of Inquiry on Human Rights in Eritrea has released a damning report about the situation in the country in the Horn of Africa. “It is not law that rules in Eritrea – but fear,” states the report. Some of the violations described in the report may constitute crimes against humanity.

The report was made public on June 8. The “systematic, widespread and gross human rights violations” – for which the Eritrean government is responsible – are extensive and varied. “We seldom see human rights violations of the scope and scale we see in Eritrea today,” said Sheila B. Keetharuth from Mauritius, one of the three members of the Commission, in a press conference on June 8.

GLOBAL ISSUES2015-06-082023-07-10

Fostering Satellite Connectivity Through Public-Private Partnerships

By Klara Smits | IDN-InDepthNews Report

BRUSSELS (IDN) – Though not on top of the international agenda, the importance of connectivity for promoting development in Africa drew the focus at a discussion event during the June 2-3 European Development Days (EDD), designed as a flagship event of the European Year for Development (EYD).

ARMAMENTS2015-05-292023-07-10

Nuclear Weapons Free World No Lost Cause

By Jamshed Baruah | IDN-InDepthNews Analysis

BERLIN | NEW YORK (IDN) – The forthcoming 70th anniversary of the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki in August is an appropriate occasion to start developing a legally binding instrument prohibiting nuclear weapons. This, according to experts, is the distinct message emerging from the four-week long United Nations conference, which ended without an outcome document on May 22.

GLOBAL ISSUES2015-05-282023-07-10

Conference Calls for Quality Education to Promote Global Citizenship

By Shin Mee | IDN-InDepthNews Analysis

SEOUL (IDN) – In run-up to the UN High-Level Summit in September in New York, a milestone United Nations conference in South Korea has highlighted the need for a new vision for education, which it aims to realise by 2030 with a view to fostering global citizenship by inclusive and equitable quality education and lifelong learning for all.

ARTS & CULTURE2015-05-182023-07-10

Mapping India-China Cultural Links Crucial For Asia’s Emergence

NEW DELHI (IDN) – When Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrived on May 14 in the historic city of Xian, at the start of his three-day visit to China, he was almost immediately taken by Chinese President Xi Jinping to the Wild Goose Pagoda that symbolise the two countries’ umbilical cultural ties, thus setting the tone for the important visit. Xian is where the ancient Silk Route began.