By Thalif Deen UNITED NATIONS (IDN) — The UN’s 17 heavily-promoted Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) have long been undermined by the three-year-old Covid-19 pandemic and the devastation caused to the world economy by the after-effects of the Russian invasion of Ukraine on February 24. But now a third factor is threatening to derail the implementation […]
Conflict Zones as Magnets for Synthetic Drug Production
Growing Capacity to Manufacture Amphetamine in Ukraine By Aurora Weiss VIENNA (IDN) — Nearly 284 million people aged 15-64 used drugs worldwide in 2020, a 26 per cent increase over the previous decade. Young people are using more drugs, with use levels today in many countries higher than those of the previous generation, notes the […]
War in Ukraine Raises Global Shipping Costs, Stifles Trade
Jaya Ramachandran with UNCTAD Report GENEVA (IDN) — UN Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) says the war in Ukraine is stifling trade and logistics of the country and the Black Sea region, increasing global vessel demand and the cost of shipping around the world. In a report entitled “Maritime trade disrupted: The war in […]
Reports Reveal Horrific Attacks Against People with Albinism
By Lisa Vives, Global Information Network NEW YORK (IDN) — On Dec. 18, 2014, the UN General Assembly adopted a resolution proclaiming June 13 as International Albinism Awareness Day, designed to protect and preserve the rights of persons with albinism to life, dignity and security, as well as their right not to be subject to […]
SGI Supports Launch of “Immoral Code” Film
Call for New International Law on Autonomy in Weapons Systems By Kyodo JBN This press release was issued by Soka Gakkai International (SGI) on May 25, 2022, and is being re-published with their permission. TOKYO — Immoral Code, a 23-minute documentary that raises important questions about how far we are prepared to let machines make […]
UNICEF Blames World’s Richest Countries for Damaging Child Health Worldwide
By J Nastranis NEW YORK (IDN) — The UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has faulted the majority of wealthy countries for creating unhealthy, dangerous and noxious conditions for children across the world. These include Finland, Iceland, the Netherlands and Norway, which are otherwise providing healthier environments for children within their borders. According to the latest Report […]
A Double Veto Against US Resolution on DPRK Reflects New Cold War At UN
By Thalif Deen UNITED NATIONS (IDN) — A US-sponsored resolution to impose additional sanctions on North Korea for its multiple missile tests since January this year failed to get off the ground because of two vetoes by China and Russia. The double vetoes reflected a growing new Cold War in international politics—and in the UN […]
Stockholm Conference to Help Achieve the Sustainable Development Goals
By Devendra Lamarajan NAIROBI (IDN) — An international meeting to drive action towards a healthy planet for the prosperity of all will take place on June 2 and June 3 in Stockholm, Sweden. Participants will be world leaders and representatives from government, business, international organizations, civil society and youth. The significance of the event comes […]
Ukraine War Constraints UN To Revise Global Growth Estimates
By J Nastranis NEW YORK (IDN) — The latest United Nations forecast warns that growth prospects have weakened significantly amid the war in Ukraine, upending the fragile economic recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic, triggering a devastating humanitarian crisis in Europe, increasing food and commodity prices and exacerbating inflationary pressures worldwide.
Security Council to Hold Emergency Session on World Food Security
By Thalif Deen UNITED NATIONS (IDN) — The United States, which is holding the rotating presidency of the UN Security Council this month, has summoned an “emergency session” of the Council on May 19 to focus largely on world food security in the context of the Russian invasion of Ukraine. US Secretary of State Antony […]