By Lisa Vives, Global Information Network NEW YORK (IDN) – A law adopted on June 21 but still awaiting presidential approval would send writers to jail for up to 10 years’ jail for “demoralizing the defense and security forces of Burkina Faso.” A fine of up to $3,500 would be imposed for publishing what the […]
West Africa Inequality Crisis Called Extreme in New Report
By Lisa Vives, Global Information Network NEW YORK (IDN) – “Inequality has reached extreme levels in West Africa, and today the wealthiest 1 per cent of West Africans own more than everyone else in the region combined.” That was the finding in a new report published by Oxfam and Development Finance International (DFI). According to […]
Russia Keen to Boost Economic and Trade Relations with Africa
By Kester Kenn Klomegah MOSCOW (IDN) – Chairman of the State Duma, Viacheslav Volodin, has urged African leaders to use the untapped enormous natural resources to vigorously pursue sustainable development goals as the best way through which to escape underdevelopment, economic dependency syndrome and neo-colonialism. In order to achieve this, Russia, he said, was prepared […]
Moulding Muslim Culture in Sri Lanka Echoes Chinese Uighur Experiment
Viewpoint by Dr Ameer Ali The writer is a lecturer in economics at the School of Business and Governance, Murdoch University, Western Australia. PERTH (IDN) – The July 7 ‘Rally of the Un-Enlightened‘, that fizzled out without the expected turnout of 10,000 Buddhist monks, was the most emphatic demonstration yet by the majority Sinhala Buddhists […]
Tanzanian Environmentalists Turning Plastic into Paving
By Kizito Makoye with Goodhope Amani DAR ES SALAAM (IDN) – It is a typically hot and humid afternoon in Gongo la Mboto on the outskirts of Dar es Salaam and Abdullah Nyambi is busy shoving plastic waste into a giant metal kiln with an iron rod ready to make pavement slabs. With a shiny […]
Online Lending Firms Leave Digital Footprints in East Africa
By Kizito Makoye DAR ES SALAAM (IDN) – When Monica Makona failed to obtain the bank loan, she badly needed to grow her business two years ago, she did not lose hope. Armed with her android smartphone, Makona tapped into TALA – a popular lending app she had previously downloaded – and within minutes she […]
A Colonial-Era Law Banning Same-Sex Relations Is Defeated
By Lisa Vives, Global Information Network NEW YORK (IDN) – If a democratic society is characterized by “tolerance, diversity and open-mindedness,” three countries in Africa have now reached that pinnacle. Botswana joined Angola and Mozambique in de-criminalizing same-sex relations in June 2019. High Court Justice Michael Lebruru, in his defining decision, added: “human dignity is […]
Nigeria Restores the Study of History in Public Schools
By Lisa Vives, Global Information Network NEW YORK (IDN) – The government of Muhammadu Buhari is bringing back the teaching of history in all basic and secondary schools – ending a decade in which departments of history were dismantled or merged into other programs as having little earnings potential for the high school graduates. In […]
Palestinians Reject The 50 Billion Dollar ‘Deal of The Century’
Viewpoint by Somar Wijayadasa* NEW YORK (IDN) – A workshop entitled ‘Peace for Prosperity’ to introduce the United States President Donald Trump’s Peace Plan (also known as the ‘Deal of the Century’) for the Palestinians, was held in Bahrain on June 25-26 – hosted by Trump’s son-in-law and adviser, Jared Kushner. According to Kushner, the […]
Too Many Taboos Hinder Progress of Young Pakistani Women
By Sehar Naz Janani KARACHI (IDN) – “Girls have the right to take important decisions of their lives, and only education can help them to stand on their feet and fight for themselves”, says Rabia, a Pakistani mother from rural Sindh. Pakistani mothers are so dedicated to educating their daughters to ensure that they would […]