By Lisa Vives, Global Information Network NEW YORK (IDN) — The coronavirus is spreading fast beyond its China borders, with cases now rising in parts of Europe, Asia and the Middle East. Some 90,000 people have been infected in over 65 countries and 3,000 worldwide have died of Covid-19. As soon as the virus emerged, […]
Women In Malawi In Day of Action for ‘She Decides Day’
By Lisa Vives, Global Information Network NEW YORK (IDN) — It’s a day of action and global solidarity. SheDecides Day takes place annually on March 2 as feminist activism is on the rise in Malawi and around the world. This year, wearing red t-shirts, some 90 young women took to the streets in a silent […]
South Africa Cancels Promised Wage Increase, Angering Unions
By Lisa Vives, Global Information Network NEW YORK (IDN) — Promises promises. I’m all through with promises promises. That’s the Diane Warwick tune South African public servants will be singing bitterly if a three-year wage deal signed in 2018 is headed for the recycling bin. The promised wage hike was due to start next month, […]
US Penalizes Chinese Media While Beijing Expels American Correspondents
By Shanta Roy NEW YORK (IDN) – The Trump administration’s ongoing war of words with China – involving tariffs, naval supremacy in the South China sea, allegations of espionage and support for pro-democracy protesters in Hong Kong – have been further escalated by a decision to designate five Chinese state-run media organizations as “foreign missions”.
Relentless Spread of Coronavirus Obliges Postponing the 2020 NPT Review to 2021
Viewpoint by Tariq Rauf * VIENNA (IDN) — As Spring is in the offing, the days are drawing near when representatives of up to 191 countries will convene at a review conference at the United Nations in New York, from 27 April to 22 May, to celebrate 50 years of the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) […]
The Civil Society Prepared for Intra-Afghan Peace
By Bernhard Schell DOHA | KABUL (IDN) — Women, youth as well as community and religious leaders in Afghanistan have been craving for peace and earnestly preparing for it long before the United States signed a landmark agreement with the Taliban on February 29. The deal sets the stage to end America’s longest war stretching […]
UN Supports Sustainable Development of Kenya’s ‘Last Frontier’
Viewpoint by Mohammed Simba Guleid The writer is the CEO of the Frontier Counties of Kenya and the former Deputy Governor of Isiolo County. NAIROBI (IDN) – The United Nations estimates that Sub-Saharan Africa loses 40 billion hours per year collecting water. In most of Kenya’s water-scarce regions, this invariably involves an already poorly-nourished mother […]
UN Urges Russia and Turkey to Secure ‘Fresh Ceasefire’ in Syria
By J Nastranis NEW YORK (IDN) — The UN has in an emergency session of the Security Council on Syria strongly urged Russia and Turkey “to build on previous agreements to secure a fresh ceasefire” across the war-torn northwest. The meeting was convened on February 28 following the death on the battlefield of dozens of […]
SDG 11 and the Crucible of Sustainable Development Success
Viewpoint by Jaffer Machano The writer is Global Programme Manager, Municipal Investment Finance, United Nations Capital Development Fund. This article first appeared 18 February in UN Chronicle, a digital magazine of the United Nations, produced by the Department of Global Communications. NEW YORK (IDN) — The lexicon of sustainable development includes an oft-used term: market […]
Africa Is Joining the Burgeoning World of Digital Economies
By Yun Shi SAN DIEGO, CA, USA (IDN | Africa Renewal) — Catherine Oshotse, a 27-year-old entrepreneur from Lagos, Nigeria, has the internet to thank for her growing business. Selling hair extensions and women’s handbags online to customers across Africa and abroad has grown her client base from 10 in 2015 to more than 1,000 […]