Initially he was a rock star then an event organizer and now the audiences know him as a talented actor. He is A B Siddik.
Category: Op-Ed
Why our freedom is in danger – how to save it
The world is in turmoil. From Russia, Turkey, and Egypt to the United States, authoritarian populists have seized power. As a result, democracy itself may now be at risk.
UN cracks down on peacekeeping forces for HR
The United Nations, whose peacekeepers have come under increased scrutiny because of widespread charges of sexual abuse and human rights violations, claims it is now committed to ensuring that all personnel serving with the UN meet the “highest standards of…
On the hunt for the photo that could change our future
Dear Mostafa, This photo above was taken as I perched on the edge of a Zodiac boat while on an expedition to Antarctica last month. While I tried to absorb the scale and beauty of these icebergs, it was also…
Why some cancers are ‘born to be bad’
By James Gallagher Health and science correspondent, BBC News A groundbreaking study has uncovered why some patients’ cancers are more deadly than others, despite appearing identical. Francis Crick Institute scientists developed a way of analysing cancer’s history to predict its…
Europe: PPPs show ‘widespread shortcomings, limited benefits’
Geneva, 11 Apr (Chakravarthi Raghavan) – While Public-Private Partnership s (PPPs) have the potential to achieve faster policy implementation and ensure good maintenance standards, an audit of such projects in the European Union show s “widespread shortcomings and limited benefits”,…
Martin Luther King Jr was a radical. Don’t change his legacy
If King were alive today, his words would threaten most of those who now sing his praises By Cornel West The major threat of Martin Luther King Jr to us is a spiritual and moral one. King’s courageous and compassionate…
Old is gold: A tale of olive trees
Monowara Begum Moni from Stuttgart, Germany As usual the Stuttgart Fair was held from 5-8 April 2018. A part of this fair was “Garden Show”. It was an appropriate fair at the beginning of Spring. In summer The Europeans like…
Palestinians denied the right to development: Untad
Geneva, 5 Apr (Kanaga Raja) – A number of practices by Israel with regard to the Occupied Palestinian Territory have imposed economic costs on the Palestinian people, either by obstructing their economic activity or impeding economic advancement and development, a…
For many migrants no land sweeter than home
Most migrants to Europe, Australia and the United States from Rangpur in northern Bangladesh leave home at a young age and return when they have just passed middle age.
Safety nets saved one-third very poor from extreme poverty
The State of Social Safety Nets 2018: Safety nets protect vulnerable households from impacts of economic shocks, natural disasters, and other crises • An estimated 36 percent of the very poor escaped extreme poverty because of social safety nets, providing…
UN SDGs cannot be achieved if bombs keep falling from sky
By Miroslav Lajčák Baku, Azerbaijan, Apr 6 (IPS) – I am honoured to pay a visit to the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) to address this Ministerial Meeting. I would like to use this opportunity to commend the role of the Non-Aligned…
How corruption impedes universal health coverage
Sania Nishtar Islamabad – Half of the planet cannot access essential health services. For many people, paying to see a doctor, obtaining medications, seeking family-planning advice, or even getting immunized against common illnesses is a choice between staying healthy and…
Sustaining progress in transition countries
Cihan Sultanoğlu New York – In the World Bank’s most recent “Doing Business” report, half of the Eastern European and Central Asian countries included in the global ranking were among the top 50. As a measure of economic maturity, the…
Saudi activist behind bars for social media work
Long Jail Terms for Peaceful Critics on Spurious Charges Beirut – The prominent Saudi human rights activist Fahad al-Fahad has served two years in prison since his April 2016 arrest and subsequent conviction on charges tied solely to his peaceful…
Yemen – World’s worst humanitarian crisis: UN chief
Thank you all for being here today to show your solidarity with the women, men, girls and boys of Yemen. And I want to thank my co-chairs, the Governments of Sweden and Switzerland, for hosting this conference for the second…
Why we must protect traditional grains and foods
Danielle Nierenberg This week, I’m attending the U.N. Food and Agriculture Organization’s (FAO) Second International Symposium on Agroecology. Yesterday, I was honored to speak on a panel discussing “Innovative Markets, Food Systems, and Cities.” I have met so many inspiring…
Let’s celebrate 40th anniversary of reforms
By Martin Jacques As momentous historic events go, China’s reform period was relatively unheralded. Little did anyone realize at the time -probably no one, in fact – that 1978 would enter the history books as one of the most important…
Media blackout: fugitives and shields at the Kim-Xi Summit
Beijing took great pains to protect the North Korean leader and ensure talks went smoothly Adam Cathcart When information is scarce and risks are high, even responsible stakeholders can start to act like fugitives. Chinese officials burned plenty of energy…
Needs of families living with autism spectrum disorder
By Saima Wazed Hossain Dhaka, Mar 29 (IPS) – Shuchona Foundation is a not-for-profit policy advocacy, research, and capacity-building organization specializing in neurodevelopmental disorders (NDDs) and mental health. It is the culmination of the efforts to coordinate and mainstream policies…
Women’s Economic Inclusion: Legal barriers still widespread
Washington, March 29 – Governments in 65 economies took steps to improve women’s economic inclusion, enacting 87 legal reforms in the past two years, says the World Bank Group’s Women, Business and Law 2018 report, released today.
Changing the laws that keep women out of work
Kristalina Georgieva We all celebrate the progress that women are making in the world and the workplace, but would it not be even better if these strides towards equality were not always propelled by dramatic moments that force changes to…
Interstitium – new organ discovered in human body
Scientists have claimed of identifying a new human organ hiding in plain sight, in a discovery they hope could help them understand the spread of cancer within the body.
Conflicts force up global hunger levels
Largely driven by conflict, the number of hungry people has dramatically increased around the world, reversing decades of progress, according to a new report.
Celebrations herald new set of hurdles for Bangladesh
Bangladesh’s great strides in human development were widely celebrated this month, although they come at the potential cost of Western trade benefits that have helped underpin the nation’s export success for decades.
Poland Sues Argentine Newspaper Under New Holocaust Law
Can an official historical truth be universally imposed in defense of a nation’s reputation? Poland believes that it can, and launched a crusade against those who accuse the Polish State or citizens of complicity with the Holocaust. An Argentine newspaper…
Ecuador endangered
By John Seed The tropical Andes of Ecuador are at the top of the world list of biodiversity hotspots in terms of vertebrate species, endemic vertebrates, and endemic plants Ecuador has more orchid and hummingbird species than Brazil, which is…
Decade-long makeover of King Tut’s tomb nearly complete
Los Angeles, Mar 28 (AP/UNB) — A nearly decade-long makeover of King Tut’s tomb aimed at preserving one of Egypt’s most important archaeological sites and also one of its most popular tourist attractions is close to complete, the Getty Conservation…
New platform to support youth projects on water and climate
By Mario Osava Brasilia, Mar 23 (IPS) – Young people around the globe with good ideas on how to deal with water and climate challenges now have a platform to show their projects to the world and attract funding and…
Ending TB epidemic among youths: Key to achieving SDGs
By David Bryden Washington DC, Mar 22 (IPS) – A good education for every child is an urgent global imperative, but what if entering schools puts children at serious health risks? Tuberculosis (TB), the single biggest infectious disease killer, poses…