By Belen Bianco, UNODA NEW YORK (IDN-INPS) – The United Nations Office for Disarmament Affairs (UNODA) launched its youth outreach initiative on August 16. The first activity organized under this initiative brought together young people from across the New York area to UN Headquarters to join an expert-led discussion on the implications of artificial intelligence […]
Journalists Get to Know the Rich Culture of Kazakhstan
By Yukie Asagiri NUR-SULTAN, Kazakhstan (IDN) – Journalists from Asia and Europe who joined a weeklong cultural press tour of the Central Asian republic of Kazakhstan in August broadly concurred that “this country has something to offer even to the well-travelled tourist”. The week-long press tour was purported to showcase the rich culture and history […]
Mozambique Embraces Russia’s Investment Efforts
By Kester Kenn Klomegah MOSCOW (IDN) – Keen to intensify and widen bilateral relations, Russia and Mozambique have signed several intergovernmental documents as well as business agreements during President Jacinto Filipe Nyusi’s visit here. Its highlights were talks with President Vladimir Putin and the Russian-Mozambican business forum, the first gathering of businesspersons from Russia and […]
Asia-Pacific Faces a Daunting Spectrum of Natural Hazards
New UN Report Warns of Huge Economic Losses By Devinder Kumar NEW DELHI | BANGKOK (IDN) – Vulnerable and marginalized communities are among the hardest hit by natural disasters that occurred in a relentless sequence in Asia and the Pacific in the past two years, beyond what the region had previously experienced or was able […]
How the Kashmir Debate in India Is Being Fuelled by Falsehoods
Viewpoint by A.G. Noorani India’s Union Home Minister Amit Shah claims that if it wasn’t for the country’s first prime minister Jawahar Lal Nehru, Pakistan-occupied Kashmir would have been in India’s possession. The truth is, if Kashmir is a part of India, it is almost entirely because of Nehru, writes A. G. Noorani, an Indian […]
Artificial Intelligence Offers Benefits for Africa
By Hugo Bourhis * NEW YORK (IDN | Africa Renewal) – When some people think of artificial intelligence (AI), they think of humanoid robots turning against their creators in an apocalyptic science fiction movie. In reality, AI is already playing an increasing role in many existing and evolving technologies, from driverless cars to translation software, […]
Nuclear Arms Race Is Here
By Jessica Corbett * MAINE, USA (IDN) – Nuclear experts and disarmament advocates are warning that the world is witnessing a new arms race after the Pentagon tested a new missile August 18 that would have violated a Cold War-era treaty the Trump administration ditched earlier this month. After years of the U.S. government—under both […]
Educating Youth for Achieving the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development
By Jayathma Wickramanayake The writer is UN Secretary-General’s Envoy on Youth. Following are extensive excerpts from her article in July 2019 issue of the UN Chronicle. The views expressed do not necessarily imply official endorsement or acceptance by the United Nations. NEW YORK (IDN-INPS) – At the end of May this year, I visited the Gaza Strip […]
UN Forced to Close Down Life-Saving Aid Operations in Yemen
By Caroline Mwanga NEW YORK (IDN) – Because money pledged by Member States has “failed to materialize”, the United Nations is being forced to cease several relief operations in Yemen, which is embroiled in the worst humanitarian crisis triggered by a long-drawn conflict. “All of us are ashamed by the situation,” Lise Grande, UN Humanitarian […]
‘Green Tickets’ for First Ever UN Youth Climate Summit
UN Chief Urges Young People Worldwide to Join Online and in Local Communities By Santo D. Banerjee NEW YORK (IDN) – In an obvious expression of support for the ‘FridaysforFuture’ movement, whose initiator Greta Thunberg is sailing to New York, United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres is keen to mobilize youth for what he has termed […]