IDN-InDepthNews

Asia-Pacific2012-12-312023-07-10

The Rape and Hypocrisy of Indian Politicians

By Suresh Jaura*
IDN-InDepth NewsAnalysis

NEW DELHI (IDN) – Over the years, there have been cases of step-fathers / uncles / grandfathers, coming from different classes and religions in different countries, raping or molesting the ones who trust them the most. The cases are hidden to protect so-called ‘family honour’. The recent gang-rape of a 23-year student in a moving bus in Delhi has outraged the public who have protested against the inaction of the authorities including the police and transport licensing body.

ECONOMY2012-12-302023-07-10

Zero Interest Loans For The Poor Until 2014

By J C Suresh
IDN-InDepth NewsReport

TORONTO (IDN) – As part of a wider strategy to support concessional lending to poorer countries that are combating the effects of the global economic crisis, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) has approved a two-year extension to the zero interest rates charged on loans to low-income countries

Subsequent to further weakening of global growth and low-income countries’ declining ability to withstand the crisis, the IMF approved a second extension to the exceptional interest waiver on loans under its Poverty Reduction and Growth Trust (PRGT).

Asia-Pacific2012-12-292023-07-10

Lessons From 1962 Sino-Indian War

By S.G.Vombatkere*
IDN-InDepth NewsAnalyis

NEW DELHI (IDN) – Institutions and nations rarely if ever learn from successes, but it is possible and necessary to learn from institutional or national failure. This is particularly true of military operations. On October 20, it was 50 years since India and China went to war, there is vigorous public debate regarding India’s humiliating defeat. It is vital that the “how” and “why” of the failure are brought to light so that India, as a mature democracy, can learn from them. The “who” issue is unimportant since all the principal political, bureaucratic and military actors of the debacle are dead.

GLOBAL ISSUES2012-12-282023-07-10

The Relevance of Steady State Economics

By Brian Czech*
IDN-InDepth NewsViewpoint

ARLINGTON | USA (IDN) – The Center for the Advancement of the Steady State Economy (CASSE) has been the leading organization in advancing the steady state economy as a policy goal for nearly ten years. Maybe that’s not saying much, because CASSE has been the only organization focused on advancing the steady state economy. But times, they are a-changin’.

Others are sure to come on-board as climate change, biodiversity loss, supplies shocks and other formidable problems are all traced back to too much economic growth. Too much production and consumption of goods and services in the aggregate. Too much population and per capita consumption. Too much GDP. Too much economic activity for the planet and its polities to take.

HUMAN DEVELOPMENT2012-12-272023-07-10

Aid Should Focus on Sustainable Development

By Jaya Ramachandran
IDN-InDepth NewsReport

BERLIN (IDN) – For the first time since 1997 the net official development assistance (ODA) to countries in dire need of funds declined by 2.7%, says the Development Assistance Committee (DAC), which comprises 24 industrialised states of the 34-nation Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD).

GLOBAL ISSUES2012-12-252023-07-10

Negotiate with North Korea Sans Illusions

By Daniel Pinkston*
IDN-InDepth NewsAnalysis | Crisis Group’s Blog

SEOUL (IDN) – North Korea has beaten its South Korean rival in the race to place a satellite into earth orbit, becoming the 10th nation to do so. Despite this impressive scientific and engineering achievement, the launch (on December 12) violates UN Security Council resolutions that prohibit all North Korean launches using ballistic technologies. Pyongyang argues that as a signatory to the Outer Space Treaty it has the sovereign right to launch satellites because Article 1 stipulates that “outer space…shall be free for exploration and use by all states without discrimination of any kind…”

Asia-Pacific2012-12-252023-07-10

Negotiate with North Korea Sans Illusions

By Daniel Pinkston*
IDN-InDepth NewsAnalysis | Crisis Group’s Blog

HUMAN RIGHTS2012-12-242023-07-10

Upsurge in Support for Death Penalty Abolition

By J C Suresh | IDN-InDepth NewsReport

TORONTO (IDN) – There are miles and miles to go before capital punishment is at last accepted as a remnant of the gory past and abolished. But indications are that it is slowly on its way out. Amnesty International has welcomed an upsurge in global support for abolition of the death penalty, after the UN General Assembly (UNGA) voted overwhelmingly in favour of a moratorium on the use of the death penalty.

In the vote on December 20, the fourth such vote by the plenary session of the UNGA since 2007, 111 states voted for the resolution – an increase of two from the last vote in 2010. There were 41 votes against, with 34 abstentions.

Europe2012-12-212023-07-10

Close Kyrgyz-Turkish Ties Stall and Sputter

By Bernhard Schell
IDN-InDepth NewsAnalysis

BISHKEK (IDN) – Kyrgyz President Almazbek Sharshenovich Atambayev and Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan are leaving no stone unturned to intensify and deepen cultural, political, economic and military relations between the two countries based on vision of a Turkic peoples’ identity. But both at home and abroad they do not always come across undiluted approval.

“There is quite a cautious and negative attitude towards the Turkish presence and influence in Kyrgyz society,” says Valentin Bogatyriev, co-author of a new study published by the German Friedrich Ebert Foundation (FES) close to the Social Democratic Party. He refers to a recent sociological survey which finds that Turkey comes last among the countries cooperation with which is considered important for the national interests of Kyrgyzstan.

GLOBAL ISSUES2012-12-212023-07-10

‘The Global Challenge is Already Upon Us’

By J. Brian Atwood*
IDN-InDepth NewsViewpoint

PARIS (IDN | OECD) – The 20th century American environmentalist John Muir said, “Everything is connected to everything else”. Yet while this is true in the natural world, it is sadly still not true in the policy world, which is subject to a diversity of views, objectives and competing agendas – particularly when it comes to environmental issues. If we are to achieve the common goal of “sustainable development”, more policy convergence is essential.

This year’s Development Co-operation Report (DCR) explores the ideas and orientations of leaders, thinkers and pioneers in diverse public policy areas and disciplines who are contributing to connecting everything to everything else in this sphere as well.