Viewpoint by Jonathan Power LUND, Sweden (IDN) — George Orwell, the author of “Animal Farm”, the satire on how a dictatorship can slowly but steadily evolve in a democratic society, and “1984”, a novel about a future dystopian dictatorship, was the first person to use the phrase “Cold War” in a 1945 newspaper article, written […]
With a Rise in Infections, UN Advises Staffers to Work Remotely—and Return to their Homes
By Thalif Deen UNITED NATIONS (IDN) — The United Nations, which temporarily dropped its defences and partially lifted its 20-month-old lockdown last month, has reacted swiftly to the rise in COVID-19 infections in New York city by suspending its “flexible working arrangements” and advising staffers to work remotely—from their homes beginning December 20. The new […]
Major New York Buyer of Looted Antiquities Ordered to Return Some Pieces but No Prosecution
By Lisa Vives, Global Information Network NEW YORK (IDN) — A golden bowl, a ceremonial libations vessel, a marble statue and a small chest for human remains were among the 180 reputedly stolen antiquities that decorated the homes and offices of a Brooklyn billionaire whose collection of the ancient artefacts was valued at $80 million. […]
A Book Fair Blossoms in Mogadishu
By Lisa Vives, Global Information Network NEW YORK | MOGADISHU (IDN) — A Book Fair is flowering in Mogadishu, bringing the world of literature and other areas of learning to a region challenged by the coronavirus pandemic and political tension linked to disagreements over the ongoing parliamentary elections in the country. The event had been […]
Kenya’s Nomads Hit by Longest Dry Spell in Memory
By Lisa Vives, Global Information Network NEW YORK | NAIROBI (IDN) — Kenya’s crucial rainy season came up short this year with only a few showers, wiping out livestock and putting millions of people at risk. Photographs from Wajir County, near the border with Somalia, show dying and dead cows in a desert dotted with […]
UN Concerned About Afghans Facing Hunger and Economy in “Free Fall”
By Radwan Jakeem NEW YORK | ISLAMABAD (IDN) — A senior UN official has painted a grim picture of Afghanistan with 23 million people facing hunger; malnourished children overflowing in health facilities; 70 per cent of teachers working without salaries; and millions of students—who are the country’s future—out of school. The UN’s Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian […]
In A World of Choices, ‘Let Us Choose Peace’, Urges UN Chief
By UN News NEW YORK (IDN) — Secretary-General António Guterres received the Lamp of Peace award on December 18, a major honour from the Catholic Church, which he said recognizes the work of UN personnel “striving for peace around the world”. Reminding that after the horrors of World War in the 20th Century, “the UN […]
Russia Studying the Impact of a New Edition of US Triangular Diplomacy
By Kester Kenn Klomegah* MOSCOW (IDN) — Russian policy experts and academic researchers have been upbeat with heated reactions, especially in the local media on the current state of affairs between the United States, Europe and Russia, and the prospects of moving forward. The focus has been on the key questions dealing with the North […]
EU Countries Might Be Failing To Protect Whistleblowers
By Marie Terracol and Ida Nowers BERLIN (IDN | Transparency International) — Whistleblowing is one of the most effective ways to detect and prevent harm. Still, only 47 per cent of European citizens feel they can safely report corruption, with 45 per cent fearing reprisals for speaking up. Far too often, those who witness malpractice […]
Mayors for Peace Say the Danger of Nuclear War Is Real and Growing
By Mayors for Peace The following is the text of an Open Letter Issued by Mayors for Peace to NPT States Parties. HIROSHIMA (IDN) — On behalf of Mayors for Peace, a global non-governmental organization with 8,059 member cities, we are writing to express our views prior to the NPT Review Conference that will open […]