Since the shocks of last October, the entertainment industry has taken a number of helpful steps to try to stop sexual harassment. Harvey Weinstein is no longer in a position to use his power to allegedly coerce actresses sexually. Time’s…
Category: Op-Ed
Internet Freedom Rapidly Degrading in Southeast Asia
Researchers recently evaluated 65 countries which represent 87 percent of internet users globally. Half of them experienced a decline of internet freedom. China, Syria and Ethiopia are the least free. Estonia, Iceland and Canada enjoy the most freedom online.
Prior to ICESCR review of BD’s rights compliance: HRW
Human Rights Watch has written in advance of your upcoming review of Bangladesh’s compliance with the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (ICESCR). Human Rights Watch has extensively documented human rights violations in Bangladesh relating to neglect in the…
Debt is a determining factor in History
By Eric Toussaint Sovereign debt has been a crucial factor in a series of major historical events. From the early 19th century, in Latin American countries such as Colombia, Mexico and Argentina, struggling for independence,as well as Greece when seeking…
Food, agri orgs building better food system in Washington
Danielle Nierenberg The 4th Annual Washington, D.C. Food Tank Summit is just around the corner, and we’re excited to hear from, collaborate with, and meet our member organizations based in the D.C. area. The U.S. capital is humming with food…
Commonwealth in secret succession plans
By James Landale The Commonwealth has secretly begun considering who might succeed the Queen as its head, the BBC has learned. The issue is hugely sensitive because the role is not hereditary and will not pass automatically to the Prince…
An effortless way to improve your memory
A surprisingly potent technique can boost your short and long-term recall – and it appears to help everyone from students to Alzheimer’s patients. By David Robson When trying to memorise new material, it’s easy to assume that the more work…
Stock market turmoil may expose flaws in global finance
By Martin Khor Penang, Malaysia, Feb 12 (IPS) – Was last week’s global stock market sell-off only a “correction” or does it signify a new period of financial instability, caused by major flaws in the world financial system? The stock…
Pyeongchang Olympics: A new cornerstone for peace, prosperity
By Shamshad Akhtar Bangkok, Thailand, Feb (IPS) – All eyes are on the 23rd Olympic Winter Games and 12th Paralympic Winter Games in PyeongChang this February. Top athletes will carry their national flags in an opening ceremony which has come…
Unique healthcare initiative for journos in Assam
By Nava Thakuria Guwahati, Feb 12 – A unique weekly healthcare initiative has been taken up by a press club in northeast India, where practicing physicians are being invited to the club premises for preliminary free health screening and ensuing…
Falgun is back
Dhaka, Feb 12 – While the flower markets of the country are abuzz with supplies, people are all set to welcome the first day of Spring with the Bengali month of Falgun in a colorful way on Tuesaday.
The fear driving US nuclear strategy
Robert J. Burrowes The United States Department of Defense released its latest ‘Nuclear Posture Review 2018’ (NPR) on 2 February, updating the last one issued in 2010 during the previous administration. See ‘Nuclear Posture Review 2018’. https://admin.govexec.com/media/gbc/docs/pdfs_edit/2018_nuclear_posture_review_- _final_report.pdf The Executive…
18 films about food to inspire, outrage, and Mobilise
Danielle Nierenberg Film is an incredible tool for effecting change in the food system with its unique ability to educate, inspire, and grow the movement for sustainable food and farming. Film can transport viewers to unseen territories, from Colombian coffee-growing…
Garment industry boom in BD leaving workers behind
By Naimul Haq Dhaka, Feb 9 (IPS) – Although Bangladesh has made remarkable recent strides like building green factories and meeting stringent safety standards, garment workers here are still paid one of the lowest minimum wages in the world.
Three opportunities for humanitarians in 2018
By Larissa Fast London, Feb 6 (IPS) – As 2018 begins, the challenges of humanitarian crises are momentous. Humanitarians are responding to large-scale emergencies in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Iraq, Syria and Yemen.
The Empire’s ‘Lefty Intellectuals’ call for regime change.
By Michel Chossudovsky What is now unfolding in both North America and Western Europe is fake social activism, controlled and funded by the corporate establishment. This manipulated process precludes the formation of a real mass movement against war, racism and…
Testing a low-tech pesticide alternative: Flowers
To make sure more beneficial bugs come to their fields to feed on pests, farmers are planting them homes in the middle of their fields. (Extra bonus: It looks beautiful.) By Adele Peters On a farm near the town of…
Climate change hurting children most: How to protect them
By Esther Ngumbi and Sam Dindi Feb (IPS) – In the United States, the 21 young people who are plaintiffs in the case Juliana v. United States will soon make their case against the government for failing to take action…
Survival of indigenous tribes in BD starts at school
By Rafiqul Islam Sarker Chatra (Bangladesh) Feb 5 (IPS) – Just before sundown on Jan. 30, a group of women day labourers from the Shantal indigenous community are in a rush to wind up their work harvesting potatoes in a…
Create ‘sponge cities’ to tackle worsening floods
Penang, Malaysia (Martin Khor) – With floods now causing more damage more frequently around the world, it is time to counter their effects by turning our towns into “Sponge Cities”, a recent trend popularised by China to absorb rainwater through…
Suu Kyi for democracy or Buddhist fascism?
By Maung Zarni Truths and totalitarianism are irreconcilable. They have never co-existed, they do not coexist, and they never will. Whatever the exterior – fascist, corporatocracy (government of, for and by corporations), military, communist, or theocratic – the regimes of…
Populist hoax: Getting the far right and post fascism wrong
During my latest stay in the UK, I met some of my friends, who, surprisingly, told me that they felt the pro-Brexit campaign was very similar to the anti-semitic campaigns of the 1930s in Europe, and especially in Nazi Germany.…
Beware the #MeToo backlash—It masks ugly lies about women
Liesl Gerntholtz The backlash against #MeToo is gathering steam, with a chorus of voices raising concerns about “overreactions” to “minor” transgressions and citing threats to sexual freedom.
Sexual harassment: At least 2 billion women
By Joseph Chamie New York, Feb 1 (IPS) – Most of the world’s women have experienced sexual harassment. Based on available country surveys, it is estimated that no less than 75 percent of the world’s 2.7 billion women aged 18…
Respect your elders—plants!
Danielle Nierenberg I had a very unique opportunity this week to join a group of entrepreneurs, chefs, scientists, advocates, writers, policymakers (including the very inspiring President of Mauritius, Ameenah Gurib), and other food and agriculture experts to attend a luncheon…
Questioning the food – farming research agenda for change
A collection of articles by international experts compiled by the Food Ethics Council, UK, addresses key questions about how the research agenda is set in food and farming, unmasks and challenges the dominant research paradigm, and highlights inclusive alternatives to…
Preparing for a democratic spring at work
Every day, when workers enter their companies and organizations, they experience a significant decrease in their rights. From being citizens with fundamental rights like freedom of speech and voting, they become employees in a company ruled by authority rather than…
USA Gymnastics doctor ‘abused 265 girls’
The number of known sexual abuse victims of former USA Gymnastics doctor Larry Nassar has grown to 265, a Michigan judge has said. At least 65 victims are set to confront Nassar, 54, in court this week in the last…
Climate-related disasters cost nearly $400 billion in 2017
By Amina J. Mohammed UN, Jan 31 (IPS) – I am pleased to be with you at this important and timely summit on climate risk and to discuss the opportunities that are there for us to seize through decisive climate…
Tackling inequality talk is easy
By Anis Chowdhury and Jomo Kwame Sundaram Sydney & Kuala Lumpur, Jan 30 (IPS) – At this year’s Davos World Economic Forum (WEF), Canada’s Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau warned the world’s business leaders and fellow politicians, “tackle inequality or risk…