By Lisa Vives, Global Information Network NEW YORK (IDN) — A recently organized party led by a millionaire diamond magnate looks set to win Lesotho’s parliamentary election, having secured enough for a simple majority, according to preliminary results from the election commission. By Sunday afternoon, results from the October 7 vote were in for 49 […]
NASA Study Finds Climate Extremes Affect Landslides in Surprising Ways
A NASA News Feature WASHINGTON, D.C. (IDN) — Climate change is driving more volatile precipitation patterns around the world—very dry stretches punctuated by storms that drop large amounts of rain or snow in a short amount of time. While wetter and drier spells may have certain effects that are easy to predict, such as on […]
UN Expert Calls for Unconditional Support to Victims of Fukushima Disaster
By Jaya Ramachandran GENEVA (IDN) — The Japanese government should give unqualified, human rights and needs-based support to the more than 30,000 people still displaced 11 years after the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear disaster. That approach must also apply to reconstruction in affected areas, said Cecilia Jiménez-Damary, UN Special Rapporteur on the human rights of internally […]
Warmongering Biggest Threat to Achieving SDGs
By Kalinga Seneviratne SYDNEY (IDN) — Welcome to our 13th issue of Sustainable Development Observer, which focuses on warmongering and sustainable development goals, prompted by an event I covered for IDN-InDepthNews from Kazakhstan—the 7th Congress of Leaders of World and Traditional Religions—a gathering of over 300 religious leaders representing the Islamic, Christian, Buddhist, Hindu and […]
Iran Overwhelmed by “Women-Life-Liberty!” Cries
Viewpoint by René Wadlow, President, Association of World Citizens GENEVA (IDN) — The cry “Women-Life-Liberty!” is going up in many different parts of the Islamic Republic of Iran. It is not possible to know in advance how strong the protests will be and what will be specific reforms demanded. However, the Government is worried. On […]
Zimbabwe: Growing Lettuce in Empty Plastic Bottles
By Farai Shawn Matiashe MUTARE, Zimbabwe (IDN) — Ruth Rugeje, 38, monitors plants of cabbages, a pale green leafy vegetable, grown in empty two-litre bottles in the backyard of her home in Mutapa, a high-density suburb in the central Zimbabwean city of Gweru. This innovative farmer picked these plastic bottles from the illegal dumping sites […]
Genocide Suspect Rebuffs International Court Trying Hate Speech Crimes
By Lisa Vives, Global Information Network NEW YORK (IDN) — A Rwandan businessman and alleged genocidaire failed to appear in court, where he is being tried on charges of masterminding and financing the 1994 Rwandan genocide. Felicien Kabuga, 87, is accused of aiding and abetting hit squads who slaughtered ethnic Tutsis and with using a […]
Russia & China Face Draft Resolutions at the UN Rights Council
By A.L.A Azeez GENEVA (IDN) — At the current session ≈ of the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva, in addition to Sri Lanka, both Russia and China are facing a draft resolution and a draft decision, respectively. This must be the first time in HRC (or its predecessor—the Commission on Human Rights) that both […]
Women Leadership Forum Discusses the Significance of Gender Equality
By Aurora Weiss VIENNA (IDN) — The gender pay gap, inequality in access to education and the labour market: These issues remain pertinent in the 21st century. Achieving full gender equality, one of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), could take close to 300 years if the current rate of progress continues, noted a report […]
Nature Contributes to Economic Prosperity and Well-Being
By Ramu Damodaran The author is Senior Fellow at the New Delhi-based Centre for Social and Economic Progress (CSEP). NEW YORK (IDN) — I was in Athens three years ago this week, on what was to be my last trip outside New York, where I am based, before the pandemic; I have not travelled after […]