Viewpoint by Gregory Kulacki The writer researches the cross-cultural aspects of nuclear arms control negotiations between the United States, China and Japan. He is China project manager and senior analyst at the Union of Concerned Scientists (UCS). The following was first published at UCS’s blog on July 24, 2019. CLAREMONT, CA, USA (IDN | UCS) […]
South African Miners Win Compensation for Lung Diseases
By Lisa Vives, Global Information Network NEW YORK | JOHANNESBURG (IDN) – A Johannesburg High Court has approved a pioneering 5 billion rand ($353 million) “class action” settlement on behalf of miners who contracted tuberculosis, silicosis and other chronic lung diseases through their work in the mines. A class action, also known as a class […]
Tea the Invigorating and Sustaining Wine of Life
Dr. K. Mulaffer Chairman, Sri Lanka Land Reclamation and Development Corporation (1990-1992); Chairman, Building Materials Manufacturing Corporation (1992-1994) & Project Director & Coordinator, National Equipment & Machinery Organization (1994-1995) COLOMBO (IDN) – My American friends must understand that choosing tea is like choosing wine. And here is why? The natural flavors of teas are quintessentially different from […]
Unexpected Struggles in The Fight Against Ebola
By Lisa Vives, Global Information Network NEW YORK (IDN) – The battle to knock out the Ebola virus should have its eyes on the goal. Instead, politics and a divisive struggle between two drug makers has interfered. A key health minister in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) has resigned in protest. In his resignation […]
African Media Recall Disturbing Remarks by New British Leader
By Lisa Vives, Global Information Network NEW YORK (IDN) – African media greeted the new British Prime Minister, Boris Johnson, by recalling some of particularly cringe-worthy remarks made during his formative years in politics. The new Conservative Party leader has a history of gaffes involving Kenya and Africa, having once attacked Barack Obama saying the […]
UAE and Russia Eye Geopolitical and Commercial Mileage in Climate Change
By James M. Dorsey* SINGAPORE (IDN) – Climate change, much like war, could prove to be a geopolitical and commercial gold mine. At least, that is the take of DP World, Dubai’s global port operator, and Russia’s sovereign wealth fund. DP World is partnering with the fund, the Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF) to create […]
Forest and Farm Producers Help Boost Viet Nam’s Economy
By Ronald Joshua ROME (IDN) – Forestry and agriculture provide livelihoods for nearly 80 percent of the population in the northern regions of Viet Nam. However, nearly half of all households own less than one hectare of land, which often prevents farmers from earning the income they need. To help smallholder farmers find ways to […]
EU Leaps to Africa’s Rescue with Clean Water
By Jeffrey Moyo BLANTYRE, Malawi (IDN) – In Karonga, a district in the northern region of Malawi, 32-year old Mavis Banda, a mother of three daughters busies herself drawing safe drinking water from a borehole located at the heart of her village. Banda and several other villagers claimed they long abandoned a local well where […]
Scepticism About President Duterte’s New Unit to Protect Overseas Filipinos
By Kalinga Seneviratne MANILA (IDN) – With his approval ratings at an all-time high for a Filipino leader, President Rodrigo Duterte has thrown his weight behind a proposal by his former aide and newly-elected Senator Christopher “Bong’ Go to create a new government department for Overseas Filipino Workers (OFW) who are the major foreign exchange […]
An Aborted University and Squandered Opportunity in Sri Lanka
Viewpoint by Dr. Ameer Ali A modern Muslim university is an absolute need of our time, and it will be a sound first step to reform even the madrasas eventually, writes Dr. Ameer Ali, a lecturer in economics at the School of Business and Governance, Murdoch University, Western Australia. The aborted university project in Punanai, […]