By Dr Kumar Mahabir The writer is an anthropologist who has published 12 books on Indo-Caribbean identity. PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad & Tobago (IDN) — In March 2020, Trinidad and Tobago’s (T&T’s) relation with Venezuela shot into the spotlight. It was sparked by a secretive and suspicious meeting by Venezuela’s Vice President Delcy Rodriguez with […]
My Vaccination Story
By Azu Ishiekwene The writer is the Managing Director/Editor-in-Chief of The Interview magazine based in Abuja, Nigeria. ABUJA (IDN) — It wasn’t planned. I was seeing off my neighbour and friend on March 18 evening when one of the officers of our estate residents’ association called out to me. He was in knickers and shirtsleeves, […]
COVID-19 Pushes Millions into Destitution
By Jaya Ramachandran GENEVA (IDN) — A once-in-a-century crisis—a Great Disruption unleashed by the COVID–19 pandemic—hit the world economy in 2020. The pandemic has reached every corner of the globe. Meanwhile, more than 120 million have been infected and close to 2.7 million people killed worldwide. High unemployment and loss of income have pushed millions […]
Development Needs to Come from The People
By Jones Ntaukira KAPITA, Malawi (IDN) — Most development agencies fail because they don’t listen to the people and end up imposing projects on people. This is an important lesson I learned over 10 years working as a development worker here with Empower Malawi. I joined the Empower Malawi team in 2010 as a fresh […]
The Story of China’s Development Miracle
Viewpoint by Siddharth Chatterjee UN Resident Coordinator* in China Siddharth Chatterjee, formerly the Resident Coordinator in Kenya, considers how China’s admirable rise can provide valuable lessons for developing nations looking to improve livelihoods for their citizens. The ‘story’ first appeared on UN News on March 20, 2021. BEIJING | GUANGZHOU (IDN) — Arriving in Guangzhou […]
Congo Opposition Candidate Dies of COVID-19
By Lia Vives, Global Information Network NEW YORK (IDN) — Another African leader has lost the fight for his life—this time in a private hospital in Brazzaville, where he was last seen lifting up his oxygen mask and warning his supporters that he is “fighting death.” Family members of Guy Brice Parfait Kolelas—the leading opposition […]
Stop Arms Sales—Open Markets for Middle East Exports Wider
Viewpoint by Jonathan Power* LUND, Sweden (IDN) — The Middle East is going to hell in a handbasket. Israel is about to hold its fourth election in two years. After having effectively quashed the notion of a two-state solution, the favourite for the premiership is the long-serving Benjamin Netanyahu, the principal living architect of the […]
UN Campaigns to Make Vaccines a Global Public Good
By J Nastranis NEW YORK (IDN) — New research has cautioned against the growing trend towards “vaccine nationalism” where countries prioritize their own vaccine needs. The study warns that in monopolizing the supply of vaccines against the Covid-19 pandemic, wealthy nations are threatening economic destruction which will hit affluent countries nearly as hard as those […]
The US-Russia Relations Hit Rock Bottom
Viewpoint by Somar Wijayadasa* NEW YORK (IDN) — The United States-Russia relations that flourished for decades—even during the Cold War—and benefited both parties have irreversibly damaged. Tensions between the two superpowers escalated over allegations that range from the Russian interference in US elections, the SolarWinds cyberattacks, and Washington’s demands that Russia free the jailed Kremlin […]
Toddler’s Death Highlights Perils of Crossing the Atlantic
By Lisa Vives, Global Information Network NEW YORK (IDN) — The sight of refugees clinging to leaking boats, barely floating in frigid waters, or worse, washing up lifelessly on sandy shores, almost fails to shock after these images repeat over and over, year after year. But consciences were re-awakened when a two-year toddler from Mali […]