By Thalif Deen NEW YORK (IDN) — Ethiopia’s decision last week to expel seven UN officials, including senior humanitarian officials from the politically troubled African nation, generated an implicit warning to all 193 member states: do not kick out any UN officials for political reasons or declare them “persona non grata”.
UN Announces Humanitarian Plan to Address ‘Living Nightmare’ in Lebanon
By Radwan Jakeem NEW YORK (IDN) — Lebanon has been assured critical life-saving assistance and protection to some 1.1 million citizens and migrants over the next 12 months. The UN and humanitarian partners have announced an Emergency Response Plan (ERP) worth $383 million. The ERP covers 119 projects in the sectors of education, food security, […]
Hunger Stalks Afghanistan, Healthcare System on Brink of Collapse
By Caroline Mwanga NEW YORK (IDN) — While Afghanistan’s health system is on the brink of collapse, as the head of the World Health Organisation, WHO, has warned, families on the streets of Kabul are suffering from hunger. The fate of the drought-stricken in rural parts of the country is no better.
Without Tourists Thailand’s Famous Massage Industry on The Brink of Collapse
By Pattama Vilailert BANGKOK(IDN) — Thailand’s famous tourist industry has been synonymous with its traditional massage parlours and treatment centres. But the COVID-19 pandemic lockdowns are having a serious impact on the industry and may force foreign takeovers. The continuous lockdowns have impacted savagely on the spa and massage business.
Film Hero from Movie Hotel Rwanda Sentenced to 25 Years in Prison
By Lisa Vives, Global Information Network NEW YORK (IDN) — Hotel Rwanda hero Paul Rusesabagina has been sentenced to 25 years in prison on terror charges despite pleas from human rights watchdogs and other critics of Rwanda’s repressive government to lessen the judgement or cancel it. Rusesabagina was credited with sheltering more than a thousand […]
Nobel Laureate Soyinka’s ‘Searing Political Satire’ Of Nigeria Today
By Lisa Vives, Global Information Network NEW YORK (IDN) — The first Black African laureate of the Nobel Prize in Literature has a precious gift for his place of birth. It’s a new book, his first novel in 50 years, scheduled to land on the 60th anniversary of Nigerian independence. “I wanted this to be […]
New Fortress Energy, Sri Lanka, and Planet Earth
By Dr Asoka Bandarage The writer, a scholar and practitioner, has taught at Yale, Brandeis, Mount Holyoke (where she received tenure), Georgetown, American and other universities and colleges in the U.S. and abroad. COLOMBO (IDN) — On September 17, New Fortress Energy (NFE), a U.S.-based energy infrastructure company, signed a momentous legal agreement with the […]
Sustainable Development Observer – A Promotional Blog
BERLIN | SYDNEY (IDN) — The ‘Sustainable Development Observer’ (SDO) is an associated publication of IDN-InDepthNews, with a selection of articles from SDGsforAll.Net, a joint media project with the Soka Gakkai International. IDN is flagship agency of the non-profit International Press Syndicate. SDO will be a monthly e-magazine published towards the end of each month.
A Climate Awakening Is Urgently Needed to Save The World’s Most Vulnerable
Viewpoint by Georges Rebelo Pinto Chikoti The writer is Secretary-General of the Organisation of African, Caribbean and Pacific States (OACPS). BRUSSELS (IDN) — Time is fast running out for millions of peoples living in situations of high risk where lives, livelihoods and a safe, secure place to live are all at stake. Extreme climate and […]
Tale Of Two Peoples’ Summits – Who Can Help to Feed the World?
By Kalinga Seneviratne SYDNEY (IDN) — There were two “Peoples’ Food Summits” held on September 23, one hosted by the United Nations from New York with some world leaders appearing virtually, while the other was hosted completely virtually with peoples’ movements bringing grassroots voices to the world.