By Lisa Vives, Global Information Network NEW YORK | 27 May 2024 (IDN) — As South Africa’s democracy turns 30, Nelson Mandela’s ANC party faces its toughest election yet. While the streets may be plastered with campaign posters of smiling politicians promising “A Job In Every Home” or to “Rescue South Africa”, many things have […]
Biden Defunds Uganda Programs Over Punitive Gay Laws
By Lisa Vives, Global Information Network NEW YORK | 27 May 2024 (IDN) — Uganda, which expected to receive $18 million from the U.S. for peace efforts in Sudan, Somalia and other countries, is said to be shocked that President Biden has now pledged the money to Kenya. This was announced during a bilateral meeting […]
Wealth of Nations and the Poverty of Theory: Debt Restructuring as Rocket Science
By Darini Rajasingham-Senanayake* COLOMBO | 26 May 2024 (IDN) — Calls for divestment from BlackRock and other International Sovereign Bonds (ISB), have echoed across Columbia, Yale and many non-Ivy League universities in the United States recently. BlackRock is heavily invested in weapons companies fueling a genocidal war in Palestine. However, the International Monetary Fund’s (IMF), […]
One Year of Bola Ahmed Tinubu as the President of Nigeria
By Azu Ishiekwene The writer is the Managing Director/Editor-in-Chief of LEADERSHIP newspaper based in Abuja, Nigeria. ABUJA | 26 May 2024 (IDN) — It wasn’t five months after President Bola Ahmed Tinubu took office when folks started asking, how far? In middle class and elite social circles in Nigeria, that question, or its variant—how market?—is […]
Economic Recolonisation Bill Tabled in Sri Lanka Parliament
By Dr. Dayan Jayatilleka* COLOMBO | 25 May 2023 (IDN) — A bill named the ‘Economic Transformation Bill’ (ETB) was tabled in parliament this month by President Ranil Wickremesinghe while the country is debating whether Parliamentary or Presidential elections should be held first. Both are due within the next 12 months. In Parliament in August […]
Vesak at the United Nations: Still not a UN Holiday?
By Dr Palitha Kohona (Former) Ambassador of Sri Lanka to China and (former) Ambassador and Permanent Representative of Sri Lanka to the United Nations, COLOMBO | 25 May 2024 (IDN) — Sri Lanka celebrated the Vesak day 2024 last week with much pomp and ceremony in historic Matale where the Buddha’s teachings were first formally […]
Buddhists Keen to Build Global Partnerships But Cautious to Launch Peace Movement
A Lotus Communication Network Feature by Kalinga Seneviratne BANGKOK | 24 May 2024 (IDN | LCN) — At this year’s United National Day of Vesak event in Bangkok on 19 and 20 May, over a thousand Buddhist delegates from across Asia, Europe and even South America and Africa, discussed the value of the Buddhist philosophy […]
UN Expert Calls for Probe on Allegations of Torturing Palestinians
By Rodney Reynolds UNITED NATIONS | 24 May 2024 (IDN) — The UN Special Rapporteur on Torture, Alice Jill Edwards, has urged the Government of Israel to investigate multiple allegations of torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment against detained Palestinians since 7 October 2023. “Persons deprived of liberty must always be treated humanely,” […]
The Automated Fortress Europe: No Place For Human Rights
By Fabio Chiusi* The writer is a Research Associate at the AlgorithmWatch NGO TURIN, Italy | 24 May 2024 (IDN) — 29,000 people have died in the Mediterranean over the past ten years while trying to reach the EU. You would think that the EU wanted this tragedy to stop and scientists across Europe were […]
Low-Income Countries Face Worst Debt Crisis Ever, says New Report
By Thalif Deen UNITED NATIONS | 23 May 2024 (IDN) — A new report on global economic governance says low-income countries are faced with the worst debt crisis they have ever encountered. Currently, debt service eats up over 50 per cent of public revenue in Kenya; over 60 per cent in Morocco and over 70 […]