By Kalinga Seneviratne As Buddhists across the world celebrate the triple anniversary of Vesak on May 26 that marks the birth, enlightenment, and death of the Buddha, this IDN-Lotus News special feature by Kalinga Seneviratne—46th in a series—focuses on a landmark project in the dissemination of the Buddha’s teachings. Click here for previous reports.
An Effective Global Health Architecture Needs Investment in Pandemic Prevention
By Martien van Nieuwkoop and Monique Eloit The text below is from the World Bank blogs ‘Voices’. Martien van Nieuwkoop is Global Director, Agriculture and Food Global Practice, World Bank and Monique Eloit is Director-General of the World Organization for Animal Health. WASHINGTON, D.C. (IDN) — In the case of pandemics, billions of dollars in […]
Only ‘No First Use’ Policy Can Defuse Tension
Viewpoint by Ramesh Thakur * The article was first published in International Politics and Society Journal. on May 20, 2021, by Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung’s Brussels office. CANBERRA (IDN | IPS-Joural.EU) — A ‘no first use’ (NFU) policy is an official commitment by a nuclear-armed state that it will not be the first to use nuclear weapons against […]
Palestinian Refugees in a Critical Situation
By J Nastranis NEW YORK | GAZA (IDN) — The UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) has welcomed the ceasefire agreed in the Occupied Palestinian Territory and Israel on May 21 after more than ten days of rocket fire and airstrike exchanges between the warring parties that have killed more than 250 […]
Rivers Are Crucial for Restoring Biodiversity Worldwide
Viewpoint by Alessandra Korap Munduruku*, Darryl Knudsen** and Irikefe V. Dafe *** This article was produced by Earth | Food | Life, a project of the Independent Media Institute. ITAITUBA, Brazil | OAKLAND, USA | ADDIS ABABA | Ethiopia (IDN) — In October 2021, the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) will meet in China to […]
Russia’s Trade Growing with Africa
Interview by Kester Kenn Klomegah* In this interview, Alisa Andreevna Prokhorova, Managing Director for International Activities and Interaction with Business Councils, and Group of companies of the Russian Export Center offers in-depth information and statistics about Russia’s trade with Africa. MOSCOW (IDN) — First Russia–Africa Summit held on October 23-24, 2019 in Sochi, Russia, set […]
A Situation Report on the Horn of Africa
Europe External Programme with Africa (EEPA) is a Belgium-based Centre of Expertise with in-depth knowledge, publications, and networks, specialised in issues of peacebuilding, refugee protection, and resilience in the Horn of Africa. Go to https://www.eepa.be/?page_id=4237 for weekly for all situation reports. BRUSSELS (IDN) — Doctors told CNN that Ethiopian soldiers armed with machine guns, sniper […]
DON’T QUOTE ME: Israel, Battling Palestinians, also Targets a Hostile Media
By Thalif Deen* NEW YORK (IDN) — The destruction of a 12-storeyed building in Gaza City on May 15—which was home to several news organizations including the Associated Press (AP) and Al-Jazeera—has triggered a loaded question: was it a deliberate Israeli airstrike to silence the media or was it an avoidable accident? Norman Solomon, Executive […]
From Battlefield to Fighting COVID — Sri Lankan Armed Forces Fight Invincible Terrorism
Viewpoint By Sugeeswara Senadhira COLOMBO (IDN) — Today marks an important landmark in Sri Lankan history. Twelve years ago, when the three-decade-old conflict with the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) was brought to an end, the members of the Armed Forces were widely respected and honoured for the valiant role they played in defeating […]
Khoi Leaders Consider Amazon’s Planned HQ in South Africa as Desecration of ‘Ancestral Land’
By Lisa Vives, Global Information Network NEW YORK (IDN) — Controversy is dogging the latest project of the world’s largest online retailer, Amazon, as it prepares to set up its African headquarters in Cape Town, South Africa. Amazon would be the anchor tenant of the River Club—a nine-story business and residential complex with a hotel, […]