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Afghanistan's Destination Is Unknown Yet

Viewpoint by Farooque Chowdhury*

DHAKA (IDN) — Unknown is Afghanistan’s trajectory of developments. None of the players, external and internal, knows the highly-contested land’s flight path. All of the players are unsure of the possible impact of each of the tactical moves being taken by each of them. So, there’re compromises or postures to compromise, and contest—cold and hot.

Already an empire has experienced, as has been admitted, strategic failure in that land. At least one faction in the Empire is telling: War in Afghanistan isn’t over. At least two forces within that landlocked land are getting prepared to carry on their bloody fight while at least one force, faction-ridden, is rifle-ready to counter all counter-forces.

: Asia Editor; OPINION; 02 December 2021

Photo: Soil salinization and sodification are among the most important problems at a global level for agricultural production, food security and sustainability in arid and semi-arid regions. Credit: International Rice Research Institute (IRRI).

Food Systems Transformation Must Be Grounded in Healthy Soil

Viewpoint by Leigh Ann Winowiecki, Research Theme Leader, Soil and Land Health, World Agroforestry (ICRAF)

LONDON (IDN) — A world without healthy soil is a world in which little grows. Yet, for those who live in the roughly 25 to 40 per cent of the Earth’s surface that is degraded, this is what the future could hold.

Healthy soil stands at the centre of all our pressing global challenges and will be crucial in achieving the aims of the UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration, launched in June this year.

: Opinion Editor; OPINION; 01 December 2021

Image: A photo of the US Army's new MQ-1C Warrior UAV. Courtesy of US Army | Wikimedia Commons

It Is High Time to End Reliance on Nuclear Armaments

Viewpoint by Jonathan Power

LUND, Sweden (IDN) — It's almost twenty-five years since General George Lee Butler made his confessional statement before the National Press Club in Washington—that as commander in chief of the US Strategic Command, which controls all army, navy and air force nuclear weapons, he'd had moral qualms and profound doubts about America's possession of nuclear weapons.

The speech triggered an avalanche of supportive phone calls and letters from all over the world. This led General Butler to conclude that he could "discern the makings of an emerging global consensus that the risks posed by nuclear weapons far outweigh the presumed benefits".

: Jonathan Power; OPINION; 30 November 2021

Photo: Ambassador Gustavo Zlauvinen, President-designate of the Tenth NPT Review Conference, addresses the opening of the regional meeting on November 13-14.

The NPT Will Probably Endure, But Its Longevity May Be at Stake

Viewpoint by Sergio Duarte

The writer is President of Pugwash Conferences on Science and World Affairs and former UN High Representative for Disarmament Affairs.

NEW YORK (IDN) — The NPT turned 50 in 2020. The anniversary should have coincided with the Tenth Review Conference, but unfortunately it had to be postponed due to the COVID 19 pandemic. President-designate Gustavo Zlauvinen wisely used the delay to deepen his consultations with states parties in an effort to ensure the success of the Conference.

: Sergio Duarte; OPINION; 30 November 2021

Photo: Botswana President Mokgweetsi Masisi. Source: New African

Dirty Coal to Replace Africa's 'Fancy Blue Diamond' As Part of a New Initiative

By Lisa Vives, Global Information Network

NEW YORK | GABORONE (IDN) — There may be a lump of coal in Botswana’s Christmas stocking if the southern African country goes through with plans to wind down its famed diamond industry and replace it with unsustainable dirty coal.

President Mokgweetsi Masisi, at the Investing in African Mining Indaba, unveiled the country’s new direction acknowledging an abysmal year for the diamond market which hurt government revenue. It is “more imperative than ever”, he said, “to diversify into other commodities and curb the nation’s overdependence on precious stones".

: Global Information Network; SUSTAINABILITY; Sustainable Industrialisation; 30 November 2021

Photo: South Africa President Cyril Ramaphosa. Source: Mail & Guardian

African Countries Rage at New Travel Bans by Vaccine Hoarding Countries

By Lisa Vives, Global Information Network

NEW YORK | CAPE TOWN (IDN) — Southern African countries are facing new travel restrictions after the discovery of a handful of coronavirus variants, first found in Botswana. For some African leaders, it’s the classic case of shutting the stable door after the horse has bolted.

“Despite the repeated warnings of health leaders,” declared former British prime minister Gordon Brown, “our failure to put vaccines into the arms of people in the developing world is now coming back to haunt us. We were forewarned—and yet here we are.”

: Global Information Network; SUSTAINABILITY; Health & Well Being; 29 November 2021

Cape Town University Students Cited for Innovative Business Ideas

By Lisa Vives, Global Information Network

NEW YORK | CAPE TOWN (IDN) — Three female students at the University of Cape Town won intervarsity recognition as top student entrepreneurs after a two-day national final in Johannesburg in November.

Among the winners was Zimbabwe-born Chido Dzinotyiwei, founder of Vambo Academy, an educational technology platform that uses digital resources to offer language learning, translation and knowledge services.

: Global Information Network; SUSTAINABILITY; Quality Education; 29 November 2021

The Outbreak of Omicron: Scientists and Leaders Call for Collaboration with Africa

By Reinhard Jacobsen

BRUSSELS (IDN) — International scientists and leaders have urged a "global response of collaboration with Africa on COVID-19 following Omicron outbreak". Over a hundred academics and leaders from Europe, Africa, the US among others say in a joint letter to the European Commission and the World Health Organization (WHO) that they are "concerned with the lack of action for vaccination in Africa and solidarity with Africa".

There is no way that isolation of Africa could be the solution to this problem, says the letter. "We ask that the response is based on science."

: Reinhard Jacobsen; SUSTAINABILITY; Health & Well Being; 29 November 2021

Photo: Dubai must be one of the most unusual places in the world. It is one of the seven emirates that comprise the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Source: tribuneindia.com

Prosperous Dubai and Its Paradoxes

Viewpoint by Rahul Singh

The writer is a veteran journalist. This article first appeared in The Tribune, the largest selling English daily in North India.

DUBAI, UAE (IDN) — Dubai must be one of the most unusual places in the world. It is one of the seven emirates that comprise the United Arab Emirates (UAE), which is about to celebrate its 50th anniversary as an independent, united country. Contrary to what people imagine, Dubai has little oil (Abu Dhabi, the largest emirate, is the oil-rich one). Its prosperity is largely based on trade and commerce, the communications infrastructure there being among the world’s best.

: Asia Editor; OPINION; 28 November 2021

Photo: U.S. Ambassador to Mozambique Dennis W. Hearne with Mozambique Health Minister Armindo Tiago and COVAX Initiative partners. Credit: U.S. Embassy in Maputo, Mozambique

Argentina, United States Donate Vaccines to Mozambique

By Kester Kenn Klomegah

MOSCOW l MAPUTO (IDN) — The United States and Argentina Embassies in Maputo have donated large quantities of vaccines to the Government of the Republic of Mozambique. As their tremendous and recognizable contributions to help fight the spread of coronavirus, the United States offered 840,000 doses of the Johnson & Johnson vaccines while Argentina gave 450,000 doses of the AstraZeneca.