By Shastri Ramachandaran* NEW DELHI (IDN) – The coming together of Nepal’s two communist parties – Unified Marxist-Leninist and Maoist Centre – which are already in office as the Left Alliance is a landmark development signifying a decisive political turn in the Himalayan country. The unified Nepal Communist Party (NCP) is South Asia’s largest communist […]
Amnesty Finds Troubles Brewing in Cameroon
By Lisa Vives, Global Information Network NEW YORK (IDN) – In a new 37-page report, the rights watchdog Amnesty International has documented “unlawful killings, destruction of private property, arbitrary arrests and torture” in two restive regions in Cameroon tied to a power struggle pitting French- against English speaking Cameroonians. In the Amnesty report titled, A […]
Young Ugandan Wins Major Prize For Malaria Detector
By Lisa Vives, Global Information Network NEW YORK (IDN) – Ugandan inventor Brian Gitta, 24, has scooped a major prize for his device that detects tell-tale signs of malaria – the leading cause of death in his country. In fact, Gitta developed the device, called “Matibabu” after blood tests failed to diagnose his own malaria. […]
SPECIAL REPORT: India-Nepal Ties on Uncharted Terrain
By Shastri Ramachandaran* NEW DELHI (IDN) – As Nepalese Prime Minister K. P. Sharma Oli embarks on a six-day visit to China on June 19, his effort to assign the northern neighbour a larger role in Nepal’s infrastructure development would be watched with immense interest in New Delhi and several world capitals. The visit, although […]
Karzai Blames U.S., Pakistan For Afghanistan Chaos
By Kalinga Seneviratne BONN (IDN) – Former Afghanistan President Hamid Karzai has blamed the United States and Pakistan for the chaos created in his country over the past two decades. He firmly believes that the West, including Germany, should admit to their failures in his war-torn country. He followed up on this argument, initially advanced […]
Campaign Frees Famous Cartoonist In Equatorial Guinea Prison
By Lisa Vives Global Information Network NEW YORK (GIN) – If you’ve ever received a request to step up for a jailed author, artist or journalist, you might have wondered later: Was he ever freed? In the case of Ramon Nse Esono Ebale – he certainly was and he thanks you. In a moving letter […]
UN Chief Lauds India for Deepening South-South Cooperation
By Santo D. Banerjee NEW YORK (IDN) – UN Secretary‑General António Guterres has commended India’s “very important role in shaping the Sustainable Development Goals“. He was speaking at an event marking the first anniversary of the India‑United Nations Development Partnership Fund in New York. The Fund aims at supporting sustainable development for low-income nations with […]
Security Council Backs Dutch Sanctions Against Eritrean and Libyan Traffickers
By Ramesh Jaura BERLIN | NEW YORK (IDN) – For the first time ever, the UN Security Council has put human traffickers on an international sanctions list by imposing sanctions on six leaders operating networks in Libya. Four are Libyans, including the head of a regional coast guard unit, and two Eritrean nationals. By resolution 1970 […]
Ivory Coast President’s Agenda 2030 Evokes Protests
By Lisa Vives, Global Information Network NEW YOK (IDN) – In a recent interview with a French magazine, Ivory Coast President Alassane Ouattara revealed his vision of two more terms in office despite having repeatedly said he would step down at the end of his second term in 2020. The news throws cold water on […]
Infighting Delays a ‘New Dawn’ in South Africa
By Lisa Vives, Global Information Network NEW YORK (IDN) – South Africa’s former leader Jacob Zuma is among those said to be impeding efforts by his successor, President Cyril Ramaphosa, to create a “new dawn” for citizens and foreign investors – free of corruption and cronyism which became associated with the Zuma regime. Zuma was […]