By Kalinga Seneviratne SINGAPORE (IDN) – U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo cancelled a scheduled visit to Sri Lanka on June 27 as part of his ‘Indo-Pacific’ tour citing “unavoidable scheduling conflicts”, according to the United States Embassy in Colombo. But they might more precisely have said, the visit was dropped “due to unavoidable opposition to U.S. […]
Ethics Essential to Developing Global Smart Tech, Say Experts
By David Robie* This feature is moved in association with the Pacific Media Centre in New Zealand. BANGKOK (IDN) – Addressing the annual conference of Asian communication scholars, a leading cyber security expert has called on universities to play a more active role in implementing ethics and legal frameworks for communications smart technology to save […]
Tunisia Forces Bangladeshi Migrants to Return Home
By Lisa Vives, Global Information Network New York (IDN) – A shipload of desperate Bangladeshi migrants was told to turn the boat around and go home by Tunisian officials or be deprived of food, water and medicines. The migrants, trapped on a merchant ship off Tunisia for three weeks, were sent back to their home […]
Ethiopian Old Guard Rejects Prime Minister’s Sweeping Reforms
By Lisa Vives, Global Information Network NEW YORK | ASMARA (IDN) – Since becoming prime minister of Ethiopia in April 2018, Abiy Ahmed has launched a wide-ranging programme of political and economic reforms, not all of which have met with favour by supporters of the federalism-based constitution and system of the land-locked country on the […]
Continuous Influx of Eritrean Refugees Challenges Ethiopia
Viewpoint by Kristina Melicherová BRUSSELS (IDN) – Refugee and host communities in Ethiopia came together on June 20 to commemorate World Refugee Day through various cultural activities, organized within refugee camps as well as urban settings. But the reality behind the festivities is that hundreds of Eritrean refugees continue to cross the border between Eritrea […]
The Pillaging of Mineral Resources Leaves Behind Poverty Holes for Africans
By Jeffrey Moyo HARARE (IDN) – More than a decade ago, he lost his home as diamond miners from China razed it to the ground searching for the gems. Still, today, 74-year old Tobias Mukwada lives with his family in shanty thatched huts they erected hoping that perhaps one day the Chinese diamond merchants would […]
Speculations about Ousted Egyptian President’s Death in Court Hearing
By Lisa Vives, Global Information Network NEW YORK (IDN) – Egyptian ex-president Mohammed Morsi, persecuted by the current military regime according to rights activists, collapsed on the stand and died after giving testimony in his trial, the state TV reported. Morsi, 67, had been speaking from the glass “cage” where he was confined during sessions. […]
Orthodox Church in Ethiopia Blocks Gay Group Planning Tour
By Lisa Vives, Global Information Network NEW YORK (IDN) – Pride parades, gay friendly diners, movies, books and fashion. The gay life style is coming to town but the welcome mat is still far from ubiquitous. Ethiopia, home to Abiy Ahmed, the “hugging president”, has yet to come to terms with LGBT or Q. In […]
African Cocoa Growers Demand Better Prices or No Sale!
By Lisa Vives, Global Information Network NEW YORK (IDN) – Strike! That’s the sound of the world’s top two producers of cocoa who say they are suspending their sales for better prices. The governments of Ivory Coast and Ghana are trying this time-honored strategy to address the imbalance between farmers’ income and money made by […]
Russia, Mali to Strengthen Economic and Military Cooperation
By Kester Kenn Klomegah MOSCOW (IDN) – As Russia and Mali prepare to mark their 60th anniversary of diplomatic relations next year, Moscow has reaffirmed its unreserved preparedness to strengthen economic cooperation and provide support in bringing political stability to Mali and other African countries threatened by or gripped in conflicts. “Over these decades, we […]