COVID-19

The Covid Endgame and Digital Colonialism: Cyber War Simulacra in An Upside-Down World

Viewpoint by Darini Rajasingham-Senanayake

The writer, Dr Darini Rajasingham-Senanayake, is a Sociocultural and Medical Anthropologist based in Colombo. Her latest publication is 'Multi-religiosity on Contemporary Sri Lanka: Innovation, Shared Spaces, Contestation".(Routledge 2022.

COLOMBO (IDN) — The greatest transfer of wealth in human history took place during Covid-19 lockdowns with Covid masks and Personal Protection Equipment. The rest of the world was impoverished.[i] But the tipping point is here now: Two years of Covid 'panicdemic' and WHO staged ‘Permanent Emergency’ has shown us that 'the Emperor has no clothes', comprehensively.

: Opinion Editor; OPINION; 28 January 2022

Coronavirus Cases Are Shooting Up Across Africa

By Jeffrey Moyo

HARARE (INPS) — There are over 228 000 coronavirus cases in Zimbabwe, with more than 5000 deaths while north of this country stands Zambia laden with over 300 000 coronavirus cases and more than 3000 COVID-related deaths and not to be left out, is Mozambique east of Zimbabwe, contending with more than 200 000 coronavirus cases, this with over 2000 deaths related to the feared pandemic.

As this happens, health experts like Malawi’s Joseph Banda have said for Africa as a whole, there is no respite as coronavirus cases continue to rise, getting out of hand in the process.

: Jeffrey Moyo; SUSTAINABILITY; Health & Well Being; 27 January 2022

Photo: A family visit the grave of their mother who worked at a popular restaurant in Indonesia where she likely contracted COVID-19. © UNICEF/Jiro Ose

'Coronavirus Is Here to Stay'

By Caroline Mwanga

NEW YORK (IDN) — It is "dangerous to assume that Omicron will be the last variant, or that we are in the endgame" of the pandemic. "On the contrary, globally, the conditions are ideal for more variants to emerge," exactly two years and a day since he declared the deadly virus a public health emergency of international concern, says Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director-General of the UN's World Health Organization (WHO).

: Caroline Mwanga; SUSTAINABILITY; Health & Well Being; 25 January 2022

Photo: A boy sits amid scenes of destruction in Macomia town after it was hit by tropical cyclone Kenneth, which made landfall in Cabo Delgado province in Northern Mozambique, on 25th April 2019. Credit: Tommy Trenchard/Oxfam

Over 100 Millionaires Call for Wealth Taxes on The Richest

By Rodney Reynolds

NEW YORK (IDN) — A group of over 100 millionaires and billionaires from nine countries published an open letter January 19 to government and business leaders, calling for permanent annual wealth taxes on the very richest to help reduce extreme inequality and raise revenue for sustained, long-term increases in public services like healthcare.

: Rodney Reynolds; SUSTAINABILITY; Poverty; 19 January 2022

Photo: An employee arranges vegetables in a supermarket in Indonesia. © ILO/Feri Latief

Global Pandemic Halts Economic Recovery, Says UN Report

By Radwan Jakeem

NEW YORK (IDN) — A new United Nations report shows that the rapid spread of the Omicron COVID-19 variant has halted a rapid recovery, countering signs of solid growth at the end of 2021. The report titled, 2022 World Economic Situation and Prospects (WESP) by the UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs (DESA) cites problems contributing to the slowing down of the economy: new waves of COVID-19 infections, persistent labour market and lingering supply-chain challenges, as well as rising inflationary pressures.

: Radwan Jakeem; SUSTAINABILITY; Poverty; 16 January 2022

Sustainable Development Observer Issue 4 Focuses on Global Health Crisis

By Kalinga Seneviratne

SYDNEY (IDN) — This fourth issue of Sustainable Development Observer focuses on the global health crisis that has been exposed by the COVID-19 pandemic and pharmaceutical industry’s greed—at the cost of peoples' health. While the world’s media has gone berserk about a new "Omicron" variant of the COVID virus, the World Trade Organisation has quietly postponed a ministerial conference that had as its main agenda item, an Indian and South African initiative supported by over 100 countries to waive patents on COVID vaccines and other medical testing systems and equipment.

: Kalinga Seneviratne; SUSTAINABILITY; Peace & Justice; 07 January 2022

UN Report Concerned About Hunger and Food Insecurity in Latin America and the Caribbean

By Jaya Ramachandran

ROME (IDN) — The rise in hunger and food insecurity levels that have been occurring in Latin America and the Caribbean since 2015, were exacerbated by the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. The region is now even further off-track to achieve Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) target 2.1 to end hunger and achieve food security, according to the latest Regional Overview of Food Security and Nutrition.

: Jaya Ramachandran; SUSTAINABILITY; Health & Well Being; 06 January 2022

Image: Map of the South Pacific Island region with the participating countries circled. Source: Sabera Turkmani | ResearchGate

'Secret plots', sovereignty and Climate Change Challenges face Pacific in the New Year

Analysis by David Robie

Dr David Robie is a retired professor of journalism and founding director of AUT University’s Pacific Media Centre.

AUCKLAND (IDN) — In the South Pacific, the year 2021 has closed with mounting tensions over sovereignty and self-determination issues and growing stress over the ravages of the COVID-19 pandemic in a region that was largely virus-free in 2020. Pacific leaders are also raising their voices globally on the devastation brought about by climate change on their islands.

: Kalinga Seneviratne; THE WORLD; Asia-Pacific; 03 January 2022

Omicron To the Rescue: NPT Review Conference Postponed—Again!

Viewpoint by Tariq Rauf*

"The Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty is an essential pillar of international peace and security, and the heart of the nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation regime. Its unique status is based on its near-universal membership, legally-binding obligations on disarmament, verifiable non-proliferation safeguards regime, and commitment to the peaceful use of nuclear energy". UN Secretary-General António Guterres on the Fiftieth Anniversary of the NPT’s opening for signature, 24 May 2018, Geneva.

: Opinion Editor; OPINION; 02 January 2022

UN Committee Rewards Countries for Protecting Human Rights Despite COVID-19

By Jamshed Baruah

GENEVA (IDN) — The Human Rights Committee periodically scrutinizes the implementation of the legal obligations of countries that have ratified the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. Despite the challenges to its work brought on by the global COVID-19 pandemic, the Committee was able to hold online follow-up reviews of 12 countries during its three regular sessions in 2021.

To date, 173 countries have ratified the Covenant. An additional six countries have signed the Covenant but have yet to ratify it, while 18 have taken no action.