By Rameen Siddiqui* – Modern Diplomacy A lifetime after its founding, the United Nations remains a monument to idealism. But monuments, too, can crumble. The 80th session of the United Nations General Assembly commenced this week not with a triumphant fanfare, but with a quiet, procedural hum: a fitting prelude to an institution struggling with its own identity. With UN leadership commemorating eight decades of multilateralism with a gathering on “the path ahead for a more inclusive and r...| Other News - Voices against the tide
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By Nick Turse* – The Intercept The State Department’s new reports whitewash the records of some of the world’s most notorious nations and targets Trump’s enemies. The State Department released its annual reports on human rights around the world on Tuesday, and revealed an administration set on whitewashing the records of some of the world’s worst violators of human rights. The hollowed-out reports on roughly 200 countries and territories omit references to LGBTQ+ discrimination...| Other News - Voices against the tide
By Richard Falk* – Daniel Falcone* – CounterPunch In contemporary conflict the “weaponization of information” or “targeting of journalists” shows a pattern of squashing dissent. Analysts like Martin Libicki and John Arquilla argue how information itself becomes a battlefield in what they call noopolitik. The U.S. and Israel are historically accustomed to exploiting land, sea and air. Manipulating the information space is also nothing new. +972 Magazine’s Yuval Abraham i...| Other News - Voices against the tide
By Dahlia Scheindlin* – Foreign Affairs Despite Misgivings About Netanyahu’s Gaza Plans, Most Israelis Support His Approach to the Palestinians As the Israeli government prepares for the military takeover of Gaza City and, many fear, lay the groundwork for full seizure and occupation of Gaza, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has stirred anger at home and abroad. Overwhelming evidence that large numbers of Gazans are starving has left Israeli leaders facing worldwide condemnation, the thr...| Other News - Voices against the tide
Lee Schlenker* – Responsible Statecraft Historian Greg Grandin’s new book shows how the Western Hemisphere, not Europe, can explain America’s role in the world For much of the Washington D.C. foreign policy apparatus, Latin America — a region plagued by economic instability, political upheaval, and social calamity — represents little more than a headache or an after-thought. Not for Greg Grandin. The Pulitzer Prize-winning author, Peter V. and C. Vann Woodward Professor of History...| Other News - Voices against the tide
By Oritro Karim* – Inter Press Service (IPS) Although the advancement of artificial intelligence (AI) yields numerous opportunities for progress—such as improved efficiency, enhanced decision-making, and innovative tools for climate reform—it also poses new risks for Indigenous peoples. With AI rapidly transforming the world, it is imperative that there are ethical and equitable frameworks that prioritize inclusivity and work to narrow the gaps in the digital divide. On August 8, the U...| Other News - Voices against the tide
By Jan Mortier* – Article sent to Other News by the author The founding fathers of the European project had a vision, that vision was born in the context of the total devastation of World War II caused to the European continent, the twenty million people killed in the war, the devastation of the markets of all European countries, most of their industrial bases and most peoples’ lives and families were affected with catastrophic loss of their loved ones, their […]| Other News - Voices against the tide
By Stephen Prager* – Pearls and Irritations “There is a purpose to this war, and it’s a criminal one,” wrote Israeli journalist Gideon Levy in Haaretz this past weekend. The Israeli Knesset hosted a conference on Tuesday in which far-right politicians and settlers openly discussed a “proposed plan” to cleanse the Gaza Strip of Palestinians and annex it for Israel. At the conference, titled “The Gaza Riviera–from vision to reality,” Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel...| Other News - Voices against the tide
By Charles A. Ray* – Foreign Policy Research Institute (FPRI) The current war raging in Sudan began on April 15, 2023, with violent clashes between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF). Two years later, the conflict shows no signs of abating, primarily due to the involvement of international actors supporting both factions. A country with a turbulent history, Sudan has long been plagued by internal strife and civil wars. The roots of the current […]| Other News - Voices against the tide