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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 torture and cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment.
By Thalif Deen
UNITED NATIONS (IDN) — At the Stockholm+50 international conference in Sweden in early June, UN Secretary-General António Guterres expressed deep disappointment over the failure of rich nations to provide financing to mitigate the devastating consequences of climate change, including droughts, floods, heat waves, pollution and biodiversity loss worldwide.
The shortfall in funding has also derailed the implementation of the UN’s 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), including poverty and hunger eradication, by 2030.
By Jamshed Baruah
GENEVA (IDN) — World Health Organization (WHO) has launched an updated appeal for US$ 147.5 million, to support Ukraine’s worsening humanitarian need, provide immediate healthcare delivery and help the health system stay resilient for the longer term.
Of this total, US$ 80 million is needed for in-country support, such as distributing medicines and delivering vital healthcare services and a further US$ 67.5 million is required to assist refugee-receiving and hosting countries, including Poland, the Czech Republic, Moldova and Romania.
This article was issued by the Toda Peace Institute and is being republished with their permission.
Viewpoint by Herbert Wulf
A satirical essay that skewers the age of instant experts
BONN (IDN) — A glance at the analyses and conclusions of just about any major newspaper or news website will confirm: the self-proclaimed military experts are in charge, ready to explain to us what "heavy weapons", "no-fly zones", "anti-aircraft guns", "flagships" etc. are. And why not? They’ve been dealing with the matter for quite some time now, a whole two months since February 24, 2022.
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 Card published on May 24 by the UNICEF Office of Research. Gunilla Olsson, Director of the UNICEF Office of Research—Innocenti said the majority of rich countries are in fact failing to provide healthy environments for children within their borders.
Viewpoint by Neil Harrison and Jeffrey D. Sachs
This article was issued by Project Syndicate and is being republished with the authors’ permission.
NEW YORK (IDN) — When US President Joe Biden asked the United States Intelligence Community to determine the origin of COVID-19, its conclusion was remarkably understated but nonetheless shocking. In a one-page summary, the IC made clear that it could not rule out the possibility that SARS-CoV-2 (the virus that causes COVID-19) emerged from a laboratory.
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 at a crucial time as the Earth is in emergency mode, and urgent action is needed to address the triple planetary crisis.
Viewpoint by Sonali Kolhatkar
This article was produced by Economy for All, a project of the Independent Media Institute. Sonali Kolhatkar is the founder, host and executive producer of “Rising Up With Sonali,” a television and radio show that airs on Free Speech TV and Pacifica stations.
LOS ANGELES (IDN) — The World Economic Forum (WEF), which took place this year from May 22 through 26 in Davos, Switzerland, brought together elected officials and corporate executives from all over the world to tackle global problems. The annual meeting was delayed, first by two years due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and then by five more months due to the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
By Thalif Deen
UNITED NATIONS (IDN) — The world’s growing environmental crisis—including climate change, which has resulted in widespread droughts, floods and heatwaves threatening major food crops—is escalating security risks worldwide.
A new policy report by the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI), titled Environment of Peace: Security in a New Era of Risk,‘ points out that between 2010 and 2020 the number of state-based armed conflicts roughly doubled (to 56), as did the number of conflict deaths. At the same time, the number of refugees and other forcibly displaced people also doubled, to 82.4 million.
By Sheryl Lal and Akansha Narayan*
NADI, Fiji (IDN) — Though Fiji Islands was unaffected by the first wave of COVID-19, its tourism sector, the lifeblood of the economy, has been devastated by border closure across the world due to the pandemic in the past two years. Thus, when the Fijian Tourism Expo (FTE) returned after a break of two years, Fiji Tourism’s CEO Brent Hill was in an upbeat mood, especially because they have been able to attract over 500 participants to the Expo in these competitive times for the travel industry. But, having experienced the vulnerabilities, sustainability was very much in focus during presentations at the event here.
IDN-InDepthNews offers news analyses, features, reports and viewpoints that impact the world and its peoples. It has been online since 2009. Its network spans countries around the world.