Dhaka, Jun 30 – By 2060, around 1.4 bn people could be climate refugees, driven from low-lying coastal cities by sea level rise, says a new study.
Category: Perspectives
Iranian city soars to record 53.7°C: Near hottest on Earth
A city in southwest Iran posted the country’s hottest temperature ever recorded Thursday afternoon, and may have tied the world record for the most extreme high temperature.
Southeast Asia model: From miracle to debacle
By Jomo Kwame Sundaram Kuala Lumpur, Jun (IPS) – The World Bank and other influential international financial institutions and development agencies have been touting Southeast Asian (SEA) newly industrializing countries as models for emulation, especially by African developing countries seeking…
5 surprising ways green products are trying to trick you
You’re standing at the store, a bottle of shampoo in each hand. Your gaze circles from one label to the other, and your mind runs 10 simultaneous comparisons to decide which bottle you’ll bring home. Blue is, after all, your…
Expart finds EIA on Rampal power plant inappropriate
Dhaka, June 10 – The government’s report on the possible impacts of Rampal Power Plant Project on the environment did not properly evaluate its potential risks, said a National Committee report on Saturday.
What future for 700 million Arab and Asian youth?
By Baher Kamal Rome, Jun 8 (IPS) – With a combined population of around 400 million inhabitants, 22 Arab countries are home to nearly 300 million youth. Meantime, there are 400 million youth living in Asia and the Pacific. In…
Continuing the climate battle without the US
By Martin Khor With President Trump pulling the United States from the Paris agreement, the US has lost not only leadership but membership of the community of nations that subscribe to humanity’s fight for survival against climate change So in…
Bangladesh suspends Chinese-Taiwanese Bonsai ficus planting
The government has suspended a decision to plant imported 500 Chinese and Taiwanese bonsai Ficus (Bot) as part of the beautification along the six-km stretch of road between Banani Level Crossing and airport intersection after criticism by naturalists.
Youth sued for violating schoolgirl; rapist held in Magura
Magura, June 04 – A case was filed against a young man for raping a schoolgirl in Ghoshpur village of Mohammadpur upazila in the district on Saturday.
FoE to oppose any trade deal with US if Trump pulls out of Paris
Reacting to reports today (31 May) that Donald Trump will pull the US out of the Paris Climate Agreement, Craig Bennett, Friends of the Earth CEO said: “Friends of the Earth will campaign vigorously against any trade deal with the…
COP23 discusses facilitation of Paris Agreement execution
Kuala Lumpur, 30 May (Jade Chiang) – Following a rich discussion, Parties to the UNFCCC’s Ad Hoc Working Group on the Paris Agreement (APA) agreed to the call for focused submissions and a round table to promote further understanding of…
Alert! Lethal virus affecting popular tilapia fish
By IPS World Desk ROME, May 29 2017 (IPS) – A highly contagious disease is spreading among farmed and wild tilapia, one of the world’s most important fish for human consumption, the United Nations warns, adding that though not a…
Democracy under stress
by Thorvaldur Gylfason Freedom House recently demoted the United States from top rank among the world´s democracies. The reasons given include ‘the cumulative impact of flaws in the electoral system, a disturbing increase in the role of private money in…
PM deeply shocked at Manchester terror attack
Dhaka – Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has expressed deep shock at the horrific attack in the northern English city of Manchester, which killed 22 people and injured dozens more. UNB news reported
Bangladesh judiciary-executive verbal duel deepens
Dhaka – Chief Justice Surendra Kumar Sinha on Tuesday observed that the state is trying to tighten its grip on the apex court after keeping the lower courts under its strong control. “You’ve taken the lower courts under your clutch…
Fakhrul bemoans culture of ‘controlling polls’ by ruling class
Thakurgaon – Mentioning that a political culture of controlling the election process by the ruling class has developed in Bangladesh, BNP secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir on Friday said it is more applicable to Awami League. UNB news reported
Agony of mother earth: Unstoppable destruction of forests
By Baher Kamal ROME, May 18 2017 (IPS) – The world’s forests are being degraded and lost at a staggering rate of 3.3 million hectares per year. While their steady destruction in many Asian countries continues apace, deforestation of the…
Climate change has changed geography of Honduras
By Thelma Mejía Balfate, Honduras, May 15 (IPS) – In Balfate, a rural municipality that includes fishing villages and small farms along Honduras’ Caribbean coast, the effects of climate change are already felt on its famous scenery and beaches. The…
Paris deal shouldn’t be renegotiated – developing nations
Bonn, 9 May (T Ajit) -As climate change talks under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) convened in Bonn on 8 May, developing countries conveyed unequivocally that the Paris Agreement (PA) must not be renegotiated, nor its…
A river in Canada vanished in 4 days for climate change
Gopal Krishna A vast river flowing from one Canada’s largest glaciers vanished in just four days last year, due to the glacier’s meltdown propelled by climate change.
Green growth opens ‘new horizon’ in Bangladesh, Denmark relations
Cooperation in the area of green growth will open up a “new horizon of partnership” between Bangladesh and Denmark, the state minister for foreign affairs has said. “I am quite sanguine about that,” Md Shahriar Alam said on Wednesday while…
Mind the Earth: A New Perspective
Dhaka – Having reached out to global audiences in Copenhagen, Paris and Marrakech, international photo exhibition ‘Mind the Earth: A New Perspective’ has arrived here with its founder and curator Kasper Brejnholt Bak. UNB news agency reported
Indigenous peoples – Best allies or worst enemies?
By Baher Kamal Rome, Apr 25 (IPS) – It all happened on the very same day—4 April. That day, indigenous peoples were simultaneously characterised as fundamental allies in the world’s war on hunger and poverty, while being declared as collective…
Snowfall at springtime in Germany
Stutgurt, Germany – As the first spring rays of sun come out the German people like to soaking up the sun in the gardens, parks and outdoor cafes and enjoying eagerly anticipated beginning of the warm season. But Polar air…
Malala Yousafzai becomes UN’s youngest messenger of peace
By Tharanga Yakupitiyage UN, Apr 10 (IPS) – Pakistani education activist Malala Yousafzai has become the youngest UN Messenger of Peace with a special focus on girls’ education. During a designation ceremony, UN Secretary-General António Guterres selected and honoured Yousafzai…
Tomatoes, limes and sex-selective abortions
By Lyndal Rowlands The United States is withdrawing all of its funding from the UN Population Fund (UNFPA) after claiming without evidence that the agency supports coercive abortions in China. UNFPA, which does not provide support for abortions anywhere, says…
Can the SDGs be financed?
By Anis Chowdhury and Jomo Kwame Sundaram Sydney and Kuala Lumpur, Mar (IPS) – Investment in the least developed countries (LDCs) will need to rise by at least 11 per cent annually through 2030, a little more than the 8.9…
Dredging fails to restore Ganges distributary in BD
M Mamun Sagor & Rafiqul Islam Dhaka, Apr 2 – The Gorai River Restoration Project (Phase-II), initiated in 2009 in Bangladesh part of the Ganges under Kushtia district, has failed to restore the natural flow of the distributary river and…
Illegal buildings on St Martin’s: HC issues contempt rule
Dhaka – The High Court on Tuesday issued a contempt rule against 11 government officials including four secretaries for not complying with its 2011 order asking to demolish illegal structures at St Martin’s Island.
Can India and Pakistan bridge differences over river pact?
By Juliet Perry and Sugam Pokharel, CNN (CNN)For years, it’s been held up as a rare diplomatic success story between rivals India and Pakistan. But last year a long-standing river pact that governs how the two countries share crucial water…