Reduced Inequalities

Photo: Lorie Shaull/Flickr – Xena Goldman, Cadex Herrera, Greta McLain, Niko Alexander and Pablo Hernandez (artists)

Racism and Exceptionalism Are Backbones of Trump Doctrine

Viewpoint by John Scales Avery*

COPENHAGEN (IDN) – Elimination of excessive economic inequality makes societies happier and better, underlines the incontrovertible evidence that a new freely downloadable book presents.

Going back to history, the Age of Reason or the Enlightenment was an intellectual and philosophical movement that dominated the world of ideas during the 17th to 19th centuries. Sir Isaac Newton's rational explanations for cosmic phenomena demonstrated that reason is better than superstition.

: Opinion Editor; OPINION; 06 June 2020

Photo source: Global Voices. Credit: Rajesh Balouria from Pixabay.

Nine Countries' UN Missions Concerned About Impact of COVID-19 on Migrants

A Joint Statement of Solidarity Initiated

By Radwan Jakeem

NEW YORK (IDN) – Nine Permanent Missions to the United Nations in New York have expressed concern about the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on migrants, and initiated a joint statement requesting endorsement by representatives of all other countries accredited to the UN Headquarters. Once finalized, they will transmit the statement to Secretary-General António Guterres and relevant UN agencies, as well as distribute it through social media.

The nine permanent missions accredited to the UN are: Bangladesh, Benin, El Salvador, Fiji, Ireland, Mexico, Morocco, the Philippines and Portugal.

: UN Bureau; SUSTAINABILITY; Reduced Inequalities; 04 June 2020

Caribbean Leaders Urge Global Response to COVID Pandemic

Call for Addressing Inequality, Unsustainable Debt and Socio-Economic Disparities

By Reinhard Jacobsen

BRUSSELS | NAIROBI (IDN) – Caribbean leaders have joined the United Nations in calling for solidarity and increased funding, as some of the world’s most vulnerable countries scale up their efforts to combat the COVID-19 pandemic. At a virtual summit in Kenya's capital city, Nairobi, they have highlighted the need for "a truly global response" to the pandemic which is devastating the economic systems around the world, particularly impacting 79 African, Caribbean and Pacific states. They also are stressed the need to "strengthen the multilateralism for development", and engage "our institutions to consider innovative solutions".

: Reinhard Jacobsen; THE WORLD; Latin America & the Caribbean; 04 June 2020

Photo: A mural of George Floyd by Jonathan Perry adorns the Art Wall in Manette on Monday June 1, 2020. Credit: MEEGAN M. REID / KITSAP SUN

The Unravelling of America: You've Gotta Watch to Cry

Viewpoint by Azu Ishiekwene

The writer is the Managing Director/Editor-In-Chief of The Interview magazine based in Abuja, Nigeria.

ABUJA (IDN) – I first watched the movie in the lockdown. At the beginning, it was funny when the pair was fiddling with their entrée in the restaurant and wondering why they had both avoided each other until now.

A few minutes after they left the restaurant, trouble started. The movie, entitled “Queen & Slim,” is the love story of two black Americans drawn to each other by tragedy even before their love story began.

: Opinion Editor; OPINION; 04 June 2020

Photo: Secretary-General António Guterres speaks online with a former Syrian refugee, cardiologist Dr. Heval Kelli, at the launch of a new policy brief on the impact of COVID-19 on "People on the Move." UN Photo/Eskinder Debebe

"The COVID-19 Crisis Is an Opportunity to Reimagine Human Mobility"

Viewpoint by António Guterres

United Nations Secretary-General launches Policy Brief on the Impact of COVID-19 on Refugees, IDPs and Migrants.

NEW YORK (IDN) COVID-19 continues to devastate lives and livelihoods around the globe — hitting the most vulnerable the hardest.

This is particularly true for millions of people on the move — such as refugees and internally displaced persons who are forced to flee their homes from violence or disaster, or migrants in precarious situations.

: Opinion Editor; OPINION; 03 June 2020

Photo: Woman on the streets of Minneapolis holds #BlackLivesMatter sign. Credit: Breakthrough News

The Murder of George Floyd is Normal in an Abnormal Society

Viewpoint by Vijay Prashad*

This article was originally produced by Globetrotter, a project of the Independent Media Institute.

NORTHAMPTON, Massachusetts (IDN) – There is no need to wonder why George Floyd (age 46) was murdered in broad daylight in Minneapolis, Minnesota, on May 25, 2020. The script of his death is written deep in the ugly drama of US history.

I Can’t Breathe 2020

Officer Derek Chauvin’s knee sat on George Floyd’s neck for eight minutes and 46 seconds. After that time, George Floyd was dead. From the moment Chauvin put his body on an unarmed man, George Floyd said – eleven times – I can’t breathe.

: Phil Harris; OPINION; 03 June 2020

Photo: Collage of images of George Floyd and the video showing four police officers while one is kneeling on the back of Floyd's head and neck. Credit: heavy.com

Leaders and Media Respond to Police Killing of Shackled Black Man

By Lisa Vives, Global Information Network

NEW YORK (IDN) – The murder of George Floyd, a Black man in Minneapolis yanked from his car, shackled and suffocated to death by a police officer aided by at least three other officers, was front-page news in most of the major newspapers in the U.S. It was also covered internationally with many Africans expressing disgust and dismay over the cold-blooded police action. [Watch the video of the Minneapolis chocking an unarmed George Floyd.]

: THE WORLD; USA and Canada; 01 June 2020

UN Launches Strategic Global Initiative to Combat Scourge of Misinformation

By J Nastranis

NEW YORK (IDN)—The United Nations has launched a strategic initiative to combat the growing scourge of COVID-19 misinformation by increasing the volume and reach of trusted, accurate information.

“We cannot cede our virtual spaces to those who traffic in lies, fear and hate,” said UN Secretary-General, António Guterres, who announced the initiative called 'Verified'.

: J Nastranis; UN INSIDER; 21 May 2020

Image: Collage of flags of Australia and China from Wikipedia Commons.

COVID-19 Revives Racism Against Asian-Australians and Threatens Relations with China

Viewpoint by Kalinga Seneviratne

SYDNEY (IDN) – Australia is entering what observers here say could be a deep recession, the first in almost 30 years. It was the rise of China that helped this sparsely populated vast continent to avoid a recession for the past three decades, the most extended period of economic growth in Australian history.

Rather than being thankful to China, Australian Foreign Minister Marise Payne in a local TV interview on April 19 called for an "independent" inquiry into the origins of COVID-19 in Wuhan expressing concerns about transparency from China on the issue.

: Kalinga Seneviratne; OPINION; 21 May 2020

Eritrean Refugees Sue EU for Abetting Forced Labour Back Home

By Dion De Vries*

BRUSSELS (IDN) – A Dutch Foundation of Eritrean refugees, Foundation Human Rights for Eritreans, has filed a lawsuit in the Amsterdam court against the European Union (EU) for its role in financing a road building project in Eritrea that uses forced labour. The Netherlands is host to many Eritrean migrants and pays toward the project as a member of the EU. The Foundation, together with their Dutch Lawyer Emiel Jurjens, demand the EU stops the 80 million euro support to Eritrea.