By Jamshed Baruah NEW YORK (IDN) – Deeply concerned about the erosion of the disarmament and arms control framework that reaped significant post-cold-war-era gains, the United Nations is keen to ensure the continued viability of the landmark Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT). With an eye on the fiftieth anniversary of the Treaty’s […]
Huge Risks Accompany the Desire for Fair Skin in Africa
By Pavithra Rao* NEW YORK (IDN-INPS) – “I’ve been dark skinned for many years and I wanted to experience the other side. I wanted to see what it would be like to be white and I’m happy,” says South African singer Mshoza, whose real name is Nomasonto Mnisi. Mshoza is famous for her music – […]
New Attempt to Tackle Nuclear Proliferation Threat in the Middle East
By Santo D. Banerjee NEW YORK (IDN) – A conference on the establishment of a Weapons of Mass Destruction-Free Zone (WMDFZ) and a Nuclear Weapons-Free Zone (NWFZ) in the Middle East appeared to have been consigned to oblivion until the First Committee of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) decided in December 2018 “to entrust […]
The Great De(b)terioration in the Offing As Impotent Capital Weds Algorithms
Viewpoint by Jayasri Priyalal The writer is the Regional Director responsible for Finance Sector of UNI Global Union, Asia & Pacific based in Singapore. This article was first published in the Financial Times, Sri Lanka. SINGAPORE (IDN-INPS) – We are now in the era of acceleration termed as the Fourth Industrial Revolution [4IR]. In the […]
Women in Politics: Miles to Go Before Parity Is Achieved
By Zipporah Musau NEW YORK (IDN-INPS) – In the fight for gender equality, women around the world have advanced in small and large ways. Yet for women in Africa, progress is measured in micro steps, and the struggle has a long way to go. The good news is that women’s representation in political decision making […]
North Korea Stays in Focus Amid Talk About Next Summits
By Kelsey Davenport and Alicia Sanders-Zakre* WASHINGTON, D.C. (IDN-INPS) – North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and U.S. President Donald Trump have both said they are willing to meet for a third summit but are looking for certain conditions to be met ahead of any meeting. Kim said the United States must be more flexible […]
Eminent Buddhist Leader Urges Halt to Nuclear Weapons and Killer Robots
By Ramesh Jaura BERLIN | TOKYO (IDN) – In the run-up to the forthcoming round of crucial talks on the non-proliferation of nuclear weapons, Buddhist philosopher, educator and a staunch advocate of nuclear disarmament, Dr. Daisaku Ikeda, has called for easing tensions to halt further escalation of the conflict over nuclear weapons development. Underlining the […]
Ensuring the Future of Coconut, the ‘Tree of Life’
By Josephine Latu-Sanft For the eminent American actor and director Dustin Hoffman sunshine and coconut milk are “the two basic items necessary to sustain life”. The German playwright and poet Bertolt Brecht compared love to a coconut “which is good while it is fresh”. In the Pacific, coconut is king, writes Josephine Latu-Sanft. LONDON | […]
Young Botswana Minister Is Opening Doors for Women and Girls
By Baboki Kayawe* GABORONE (IDN-INPS) – Bogolo Kenewendo describes herself as having been “an ordinary Botswana child with an ordinary upbringing”. Kenewendo, poised and focused beyond her years, is being modest. At 32 she is Botswana’s youngest minister, in charge of investment, trade and industry. She holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees in economics, specializing in […]
Sudanese Demands for a Civilian Government Remain Firm
By Lisa Vives, Global Information Network NEW YORK (IDN) – Protests that began over the skyrocketing price of bread and shortages of food and fuel have accomplished what few people believed was possible in a country ruled by a leader with an iron fist. A Sudanese people’s movement was born on the streets of Khartoum. […]