Viewpoint by Vijay Prashad and Manuel Bertoldi * This article was produced by Globetrotter, a project of the Independent Media Institute. NORTHAMPTON, Massachusetts (IDN) – On November 10, 2019, President Evo Morales Ayma of Bolivia announced his resignation from the presidency. Morales had been elected in 2014 to a third presidential term, which should have […]
Nonviolent Protests in Belarus Have More Chance Than Any Violent Activities
Viewpoint by Jonathan Power* LUND, Sweden (IDN) – There have never been such massive crowds of anti-government protestors in the countries of the ex-Soviet Union as there are this week. In Minsk, the capital of Belarus and in other major cities they stretch as far as the television cameras can see. Not even the protestors […]
COVID-19 Derails Education in Southern Africa
By Jeffrey Moyo MUSINA, South Africa (IDN) – His three teenage children play home-made paper ball on the dusty streets of Musina, exercise books scattered on the veranda of their rented home in the South African border town with Zimbabwe. Yet Gerald Gava, the children’s 47-year old father, lies on a reed mat spread on […]
Feminism in The Spotlight at South African Book Fair 2020
By Lisa Vives, Global Information Network NEW YORK (IDN) – “Feminism: Our Bodies, Our Truths” will take centre stage at the upcoming South African Book Fair taking place virtually from September 11-13 at the culmination of South Africa’s National Book Week. Featured speakers include Mishumo Maduma, Terry-Ann Adams, Jen Thorpe and Anelile Gibixego in discussion […]
Cameroon Decides to Save Last Intact Forest in Central Africa
By Lisa Vives, Global Information Network NEW YORK (IDN) – Good news is rare for those toiling to save the environment, but environmentalists could finally share the excitement of hard-won success. The government of Cameroon announced on August 14 it was cancelling plans to log some 170,000 acres of the Ebo Forest, home to hundreds […]
Russian Influence in Southeast Asia Will Struggle to Be More Than Marginal
Viewpoint by Joshua Bernard B Espeña, UP Diliman * DILIMAN, Quezon City, Philippines (IDN) – The Russian people have voted in favour of constitutional reforms that give President Vladimir Putin the potential to stay in power until 2036 through a landslide victory in a national referendum on 2 July 2020. While critics complain about voting […]
Media and Artists Join UN in Fighting COVID-19 Fake News
By Franck Kuwonu * NEW YORK (IDN) – Aissata Diop, a Senegalese mother of four, living in Pikine on the outskirts of the capital city Dakar, had long heard that consuming garlic and lemon could have health benefits. So, when her friend, Ramatou, displayed a message on her phone saying that drinking a daily bowl […]
Bells Toll for India’s Diversity and Democracy
Viewpoint by Shastri Ramachandaran * NEW DELHI (IDN) – August is a month of memories for India with memorable dates redolent of history, freedom and politics. August 15, with that unforgettably evocative ‘Tryst with Destiny’ speech of first Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru, is, doubtless, the most important of the dates observed. Inextricably linked to that […]
Chronic Underfunding of Public Health and Racist Policies Responsible for the Impact of COVID-19 in the US
Viewpoint by Marshall Auerback The writer is a market analyst and commentator. This article was produced by Economy for All, a project of the Independent Media Institute. NEW YORK (IDN) – It is understandably tempting to drop all the blame for America’s catastrophic response to COVID-19 on the big desk in the Oval Office. But […]
Media Outlets Focusing on Perspectives of Peace and Security in South Asia
News briefs compiled by Suresh Jaura* TORONTO | NEW DELHI (IDN) – The focus of media outlets on South Asia in the month of July has been on the perspectives of peace and human security in a region marked by skirmishes between India and the emerging global power China as well as nuclear rivals India […]