Viewpoint by M.K. Bhadrakumar * This article was produced in partnership by Indian Punchline and Globetrotter. M.K. Bhadrakumar is a former Indian diplomat. Source: Globetrotter NEW DELHI (IDN) — The information war is so intense nowadays that unsung melodies are often more alluring that the sung ones. The lines from English poet Shelley’s famous ode […]
Humanitarian Catastrophe on The Belarus/Polish Border Is Not A ‘Migrant Crisis’
Viewpoint by Jonathan Power LUND, Sweden (IDN) — It’s always sad to see migrants up against it, whether it be the deadly waves of the Mediterranean and the Aegean seas, the slow churning processes of the US/Mexican border and, in the case now in the news, of 4,000 or so mainly Kurdish migrants trapped on […]
A Private Funeral to Be Held for Last of The Apartheid-Era Presidents
By Lisa Vives, Global Information Network NEW YORK (IDN) — There will be no state funeral for South Africa’s last white president, Frederick Willem de Klerk, his foundation said in a published statement. Instead, Mr. de Klerk will have a private burial following cremation on November 21 for family members that will be closed to […]
UNESCO Marks Its 75th Anniversary with An African Spotlight
By Lisa Vives, Global Information Network NEW YORK (IDN) — The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) marked its 75th anniversary with a star-studded cast of artists and world leaders. Among the participants was American actor Forest Whitaker, a UNESCO Goodwill Ambassador for Peace and Reconciliation since 2011. His organization, the Whitaker Peace […]
Four Shot Over Gold Mining in the DR Congo As COP26 Opened
By Lisa Vives. Global Information Network NEW YORK (IDN) — “Gold mining is one (of the) most destructive industries in the world. It can displace communities, contaminate drinking water, hurt workers, and destroy pristine environments. It pollutes water and land with mercury and cyanide, endangering the health of people and ecosystems.” Those factors alone, cited […]
COP26: Final Communiqué Fails To Address Climate Change Impact On Food Security
Viewpoint by Kalinga Seneviratne SYDNEY (IDN) — About a third of global gas emissions come from agriculture and land use, yet, the final communiqué of COP26 failed to make any direct reference to the relationship between climate action and the world’s food systems. This is at a time, when the World Food Program (WFP) has […]
Universal Birth Registration in Asia-Pacific Significant for Realizing Human Rights and Equality
viewpoint by Armida Salsiah Alisjahbana and Gillian Triggs While Armida Salsiah Alisjahbana is Executive Secretary of ESCAP, Gillian Triggs is Assistant High Commissioner for Protection, UNHCR. BANGKOK (IDN) — Most countries in the Asia-Pacific region are on track to reach universal birth registration by 2030: an incredible achievement and a significant milestone in realizing human […]
Russia Agrees to Strengthen Military Regime in Mali
By Kester Kenn Klomegah MOSCOW (IDN) — During his first official visit to Moscow under the military rule in Mali, Abdoulaye Diop, Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, held extensive discussions with his counterpart, Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov. The discussions on November focussed on increasing bilateral cooperation in economic sectors. But particularly significant was […]
Indian Ocean Maritime Security and Regional Cooperation
Viewpoint by Sugeeswara Senadhira* COLOMBO (IDN) —Considering that half of the world’s container ships, one third of the world’s bulk cargo traffic and two thirds of the world’s oil shipments traverse through the Indian Ocean, the importance of the peace and security of the ocean cannot be overestimated. Furthermore, maritime transport and logistics are a […]
Oil and Water – Testing G20’s Faith in Private Creditors
By Alexander Kozul-Wright Alexander Kozul-Wright is a consultant for the Third World Network (TWN) based in Penang, Malaysia. GENEVA (IDN) — At the end of October, Glencore—the world’s largest commodities trader—revealed that core earnings were on course to top $3.2bn, eclipsing the company’s guidance expectations. For context, last year’s trading profits of US $3bn (before […]