By Bahauddin Foizee DHAKA (IDN) — A historic infrastructure milestone for Bangladesh and now the longest bridge of the country, the newly-built Padma Multipurpose Bridge would now help grow Bangladesh’s GDP by 1.3% annually. The US$ 3.86 billion worth mega-infrastructure was inaugurated on June 25 and is forecast to increase jobs, service sector activity and […]
Can Millions of Lives be Saved by a Plastic Box? We think so.
By Susie Schaefer, CEO, Smile Train and Kris Torgeson, CEO, Lifebox NEW YORK (IDN) — If you’ve ever needed to undergo surgery in your life, chances are you’ve encountered a small but ultimately forgettable device that, unbeknownst to you, played an outsized role in your survival. That tool, which costs less than a pair of […]
Sri Lanka Needs a Balanced Economic and Foreign Policy
Viewpoint by Darini Rajasingham-Senanayake * COLOMBO (IDN) — A shortage of exorbitantly privileged American Dollars, the global reserve fiat currency, which is not backed by gold, silver, oil or drugs, is the purported reason for Sri Lanka’s compounding crisis and the international media narrative of ‘famine’ in the country. The financial crisis that has brought […]
Safeguards — Brazilian Nuclear Submarine
Viewpoint by Sergio Duarte The writer is an Ambassador, former United Nations High Representative for Disarmament Affair, and President of Pugwash Conferences on Science and World Affairs. NEW YORK (IDN) — The public curiosity about the Brazilian nuclear-powered submarine, named “Alvaro Alberto” in honour of a nuclear research pioneer in Brazil, has raised interest in […]
Let’s Eliminate Nuclear Weapons, Before They Eliminate Us
By Thalif Deen UNITED NATIONS (IDN) — When UN Secretary-General António Guterres congratulated States Parties to the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (TPNW) on the successful conclusion of their first meeting in Vienna, his warning was dead on target. “Let’s eliminate these weapons before they eliminate us,” he said pointing out that nuclear […]
The War in Ukraine Triggers a New Order in the Western Balkans
By Aurora Weiss VIENNA (IDN) —Ukraine and Moldova have moved closer to membership of the European Union (EU) much faster than the six countries of the Western Balkans. There has been general agreement that requirements for EU accession candidature are not easy to meet, but Ukraine and Moldova seem to have got that status overnight.
Australian PM Slated for Secret Ukraine Visit Amid Floods Back Home
By Kalinga Seneviratne SYDNEY (IDN) — Australia’s new Labour Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, has been criticised on Twitter and some media for secretly making a trip to Ukraine to meet Volodymyr Zelensky and pledge $100 million of military aid. At the same time, thousands of families across Australia were being evacuated from rising flood waters, […]
It’s High Time for Turkey’s Accession to the EU
Viewpoint by Jonathan Power LUND, Sweden (IDN) — Once again in the European Union, thanks to the conflict between Ukraine and Russia, the discussion about admitting new members is coming to the boil and, once again Turkey, promised membership of the Union over 30 years ago, is not on the list.
Mugabe Supporter to Head Pan-African Parliament
By Lisa Vives, Global Information Network NEW YORK (IDN) — As members of the Pan-African Parliament hotly disputed the election of senator and chief Fortune Charumbira as their next president, a familiar figure could have turned the exercise upside down. The familiar figure was ex-President Robert Mugabe. Charumbira, an unapologetic Mugabe supporter, once faced […]
Ghanaians Take to The Streets Over Intolerable Living Costs
By Lisa Vives, Global Information Network NEW YORK (IDN) — “Mr President, where is our money? The high cost of living will kill us.” Those were the cries that filled the streets of Accra as the usually peaceful people of Ghana could no longer stop their anger and frustration over intolerable living costs, record inflation, […]