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Photo: UN Under-Secretary-General and Special Adviser on Africa Ms. Bience Gawanas. Source: OSAA Website.

COVID-19: Strong Global Partnerships Key To Bolstering Africa's Response

Viewpoint by Bience Gawanas

The author is UN Under-Secretary-General and Special Adviser on Africa, OSAA. The following is the text of the statement by Ms. Gawanas from the OSAA website*.

NEW YORK (IDN) – If there ever was a time for full-scale global solidarity and cooperation to fight for health rights that time is now because no one country would ever be able to prevent or fully control the COVID-19 pandemic on its own. We are faced with an unprecedented situation brought about by the emergence and rapid spread of COVID-19, the biggest public health emergency of our time.

: Opinion Editor; OPINION; 22 May 2020

Photo: A three-year-old girl receives a vaccine shot at a community health centre in Beijing. Credit: UNICEF/Zhang Yuwei

COVID-19 Endangers 80 Million Children by Disrupting Vaccination Efforts

UN Agencies Call for a Joint Effort to Safely Deliver Routine Immunization

By Jaya Ramachandran

GENEVA | NEW YORK (IDN) – Ahead of the virtual Global Vaccine Summit on June 4 in London, the World Health Organization WHO), UNICEF and Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, have warned that COVID 19 is disrupting life-saving immunization services around the world. Consequently, millions of children – in rich and poor countries alike – are faced with the risk of diseases like diphtheria, measles and polio.

: Jaya Ramachandran; SUSTAINABILITY; Health & Well Being; 22 May 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

Photo: Indian PM Narendra Modi and Nepal's PM KP Sharma Oli. Credit: ANI

Strain in Relations Between India and South Asian Neighbours

News briefs compiled by Suresh Jaura*

TORONTO | NEW DELHI (IDN) – While India-Nepal territorial dispute escalated into a diplomatic crisis, Pakistan Prime Minister has been locked in a Twitter war with India on the long-drawn Kashmir conflict. At the same time, Pakistan has opened key border crossings with Afghanistan for trade.

Celebrating the 11th anniversary of the end of the over three-decade-long civil war against the LTTE, Sri Lanka has threatened to withdraw from any International Forum if 'War Heroes' (the country's military) are targeted.

: Suresh Jaura; THE WORLD; Asia-Pacific; 21 May 2020

Photo: The Madagascar president drinking COVID Organics (CVO), an organic herbal beverage, he claims could pre vent or cure the virus.

Racial Prejudice in Quest of Cure for COVID-19 Pandemic?

Madagascar President Proposes Use of Herbal Tea

Viewpoint by Azu Ishiekwene

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

ABUJA (IDN) – In the fight against COVID-19, the war between biology and economics has just expanded to the nationalist front, spilling over with the ferociousness of a zero-sum game.

Madagascar President, Andry Rajoelina, believes that the reason why the world is not giving his country’s miracle herbal formula the accolade it deserves is because of its African origin.

: Opinion Editor; OPINION; 20 May 2020

Photo: PM Narendra Modi | Praveen Jain | ThePrint

Spanning India and the U.S. Amid COVD-19 Crisis and Beyond

News briefs compiled by Suresh Jaura*

TORONTO | NEW DELHI (IDN) – The U.S. on May 19 included the India unit of Huawei along with its other foreign subsidiaries in its Entity List, as part of efforts to prevent the Chinese telecom company from doing business in America.

The Trump administration in recent months has increased its action against Huawei, preventing it from doing business in the U.S., as it believes the company known for its technological advancement in 5G is being used by the Chinese leadership in Beijing to serve their interest.

: Suresh Jaura; THE WORLD; Asia-Pacific; 20 May 2020

COVID-19 Pandemic Provides Opportunity to Revive the Oceans

Sustainable Actions Will Stimulate Fisheries and Tourism

Viewpoint by Dr Palitha Kohona

The author is Former Permanent Representative of Sri Lanka to the United Nations, Former Chair of the UNGA Sixth Committee and the Former Co-Chair of the UN Ad Hoc Committee on BBNJ.

COLOMBO (IDN) – The well-being of oceans in the Asia-Pacific region is edging closer to a tipping point due to the unprecedented pace of marine pollution, overfishing and climate change in recent years. However, a new report released May 13 by the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP) suggests that "the temporary shutdown of activities as well as reduced human mobility and resource demands due to the COVID-19 pandemic may provide marine environments the much-needed breathing space for them to recover".

: Dr. Palitha Kohona; OPINION; 20 May 2020

Photo: Donald Trump poses with Xi Jinping for a photo after a joint press conference at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing in 2017. Source: IndiaTVNews

U.S. Attacks on China Threaten World Peace

Viewpoint by Jonathan Power

LUND, Sweden (IDN) – The world is supposed to be pulling together to defeat the Coronavirus and to some extent it is. Earlier on Russia sent special equipment to the U.S. and recently the U.S. has sent some to Russia. China has aided Italy and Africa with doctors and equipment. Tiny Cuba, with its deep pool of doctors, has also helped Africa.

Around the world there is a sense of "we are all in this together" and that this is a bigger problem than the ones the world has faced since World War II. The last two days the World Health Organization (WHO) has brought all the world’s countries together to discuss how to go forward.

: Jonathan Power; OPINION; 19 May 2020

Tackle Indoor Air Pollution Amid COVID-19 Crisis

By J W Jackie

RENO, Nevada, USA (IDN) – Covid-19 has had an immense impact on the world ever since the first case was confirmed in China in November 2019. Since then, Americans have been instructed to avoid any non-essential travel and gatherings of more than ten people until the end of April. Spain has asked its residents to remain in hibernation. The Italian medical system cannot keep up with the number of confirmed cases. A lockdown was enforced in South Africa, forcing millions of people to isolate themselves in their own homes.