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By Thalif Deen
UNITED NATIONS (IDN) — As a politically and militarily tense 2022 came to an inglorious end, nuclear threats kept hitting the front pages of newspapers with monotonous regularity last year.
The rising tensions were triggered primarily by threats from Russia, the continuous military rhetoric spilling out of North Korea and Iran's unwillingness to give up its nuclear option—and its increasingly close relationship with two of the world’s major nuclear powers, Russia and China.
By Jaya Ramachandran
GENEVA (IDN) — UN Secretary-General António Guterres announced on 24 May 2018 his Agenda for Disarmament, which outlines a set of practical measures across the entire range of disarmament issues, including weapons of mass destruction, conventional arms and future weapon technologies.
Action 1 for "Securing Our Common Future," the title of the Agenda, aims to "facilitate dialogue for nuclear disarmament". It underlines that disarmament and non-proliferation remain indispensable tools for the creation of a secure environment favourable to human development, as enshrined in the Charter of the United Nations.
By Radwan Jakeem
NEW YORK (IDN) — UN Children's agency UNICEF has pledged to continue to support children and families facing humanitarian crises across the globe in 2023. "Today, there are more children in need of humanitarian assistance than at any other time since the Second World War," says UNICEF.
Worldwide, children and their families are facing a deadly mix of crises, from conflict and displacement to disease outbreaks and soaring rates of malnutrition. Climate change is making these crises worse and unleashing new ones.
Viewpoint by Jonathan Power*
LUND, Sweden (IDN) — The newly appointed prime minister of Israel, Benjamin Netanyahu, makes little pretence of his hatred of Muslim Palestinians. Neither does an overwhelming majority of those who elected him. Yet they never answer the conundrum, how can they expect to live indefinitely cheek-by-jowl with the Palestinians with animus running continuously so near the surface?
By Lisa Vives, Global Information Network
NEW YORK | KAMPALA (IDN) — For years, few expected a financial crisis in Ghana, much less to see Ghana become a debtor nation like some of its more troubled neighbors in West Africa.
“Ghana is a major cocoa and gold exporter, so why is the West African nation battling its worst economic crisis in decades?” asked Kent Mensah, a journalist.
By Lisa Vives, Global Information Network
NEW YORK | KAMPALA (IDN) — A poorly designed shopping mall in Kampala, Uganda, according to visitors, was a disaster waiting to happen.
On New Year’s Eve, that disaster became every parent’s nightmare. After fireworks were exploded outside the Freedom City Mall, families moved towards narrow corridors to exit—and the crowd became a crush separating children from their parents. Nine people died, mostly between 10 and 20 years of age.
By Lisa Vives, Global Information Network
NEW YORK | AMSTERDAM (IDN) — A Dutch court has upheld a payout to residents of the Niger Delta of US$15.9 million for oil spills that contaminated land and waterways in three communities.
In the case brought by Friends of the Earth, Shell’s Nigerian subsidiary was found to be responsible for the spills that occurred between 2004 and 2007.
The payout will benefit the communities of Oruma, Goi and Ikot Ada Udo that were impacted by the four spills.
By Neville de Silva*
This article was issued by Asian Affairs (London).
LONDON (IDN) — Not since the British left in 1948, handing over power to its former colony then known as Ceylon, has Sri Lanka suffered such economic calamity and political turmoil as in the year just ended.
Struggling to survive under ever weightier burdens heaped on them in the budget for 2023 by a mandate-less new president propelled to—curiously—by his long-time political rivals, the people know only too well that last year’s dark days will spill over into 2023 and very probably well beyond, as the country continues to flounder amidst economic and political uncertainty.
Viewpoint by Dr Alon Ben-Meir
Dr Alon Ben-Meir, a retired professor of international relations at the Center for Global Affairs at New York University (NYU), taught courses on international negotiation and Middle Eastern studies for over 20 years.
NEW YORK (IDN) — Words from various officials in the know suggest that, although President Biden stated that the Iran Nuclear deal is “dead,” the President would still like the 2015 deal to be revived. However, several obstacles must first be resolved.
By Kalinga Seneviratne
This article is the 51st in a series of joint productions of Lotus News Features and IDN-InDepthNews, the flagship agency of the Non-profit International Press Syndicate.
BODHGAYA, India (IDN) — The Dalai Lama, Tibet's spiritual leader, has just concluded a three-day speaking engagement here at Bodhgaya, known as the 'land of enlightenment' that has attracted over 100,000 mainly Tibetans from across the world. This huge response surprised the organizers, as the event coincided with the Indian media talking about a new wave of Covid sweeping the country.
IDN-InDepthNews offers news analyses, features, reports and viewpoints that impact the world and its peoples. It has been online since 2009. Its network spans countries around the world.