By Jim Garamone This article was issued by the U.S. Department of Defence and is being republished courtesy of them. WASHINGTON, D.C. (IDN) — Representatives from more than 50 nations pledged to get more military capabilities into the hands of Ukrainian forces battling Russian invaders, Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III said on June […]
Prince Charles Critical of Planned Deportation of Rwandans
By Lisa Vives, Global Information Network NEW YORK | LONDON (IDN) — As the United Kingdom moves ahead with the planned deportation of asylum seekers to the faraway nation of Rwanda, Prince Charles has privately described the plans as “appalling”, according to two media reports. The first flight taking refugees to the East African country […]
U.S. Urged to Intensify Diplomacy to Restore Iran Nuclear Deal
By J.C. Suresh WASHINGTON, D.C. (IDN) — Arms Control experts are strongly urging President Joseph Biden to immediately redouble efforts to break the stalemate on talks to restore compliance with the 2015 Iran nuclear deal, known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA). International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Director-General Rafael Mariano Grossi, for example, […]
South Pacific Plans Coordinated Action at UN Ocean Conference
By Kalinga Seneviratne SUVA, Fiji (IDN) — This week, to coincide with the World Ocean Day (WOD) on June 8, South Pacific’s experts and stakeholders on the Oceans met here to plan coordinated action at the United Nations Oceans Conference starting in Lisbon on June 28. Speaking at a WOD event here on June 8, […]
A $100 Billion Pledge to Battle Climate Change Fails to Materialize
By Thalif Deen UNITED NATIONS (IDN) — At the Stockholm+50 international conference in Sweden in early June, UN Secretary-General António Guterres expressed deep disappointment over the failure of rich nations to provide financing to mitigate the devastating consequences of climate change, including droughts, floods, heat waves, pollution and biodiversity loss worldwide. The shortfall in funding […]
War Has Put Ukraine’s Health System Under Severe Pressure
By Jamshed Baruah GENEVA (IDN) — World Health Organization (WHO) has launched an updated appeal for US$ 147.5 million, to support Ukraine’s worsening humanitarian need, provide immediate healthcare delivery and help the health system stay resilient for the longer term. Of this total, US$ 80 million is needed for in-country support, such as distributing medicines […]
Achieving SDGs by 2030 in Peril
By Kalinga Seneviratne SYDNEY (IDN) — After two issues focusing mainly on the impact of the Ukraine-Russia war on the achievement of SDGs, this month we wanted to shift the focus, but it was not as easy as reflected in the articles published here. The United Nations has revised its global growth estimates due to […]
Environmental Lawyer Bags Award for Niger Delta Legal Win
By Lisa Vives, Global Information Network NEW YORK (IDN) — A Nigerian lawyer who took up the cause for delta communities harmed by a subsidiary of the oil conglomerate Royal Dutch Shell will be recognized this year with a “Nobel Prize for grassroots advocacy to protect the environment,” formally known as the Goldman Environmental Prize […]
Global Forum Explores Circular Electronics
By Reinhard Jacobsen VIENNA (IDN) — How to enhance decision-making for sustainable e-waste management systems while fostering cooperation at the national, regional and global levels? This was the theme of a four-day event, which over 340 participants and a wide range of international experts explored from May 23 to 26. [E-waste are discarded products or […]
Talk of Expanding BRICS Ahead of the June Summit
By Kestér Kenn Klomegâh MOSCOW | SHANGHAI (IDN) — Under the rotating chairmanship of China, BRICS—an informal intergovernmental union comprising Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa—has held a series of high-level virtual meetings on existing significant regional and international issues, one of which focuses on the organization’s expansion proposed by China.