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Photo: Secretary-General António Guterres speaks to the press after addressing the ASEAN Summit in Bangkok, Thailand. (3 November 2019). Credit: UN Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP).

Do Everything Possible to Avert ‘Great Fracture’

Viewpoint by António Guterres

Following are extensive extracts from UN Secretary-General António Guterres’ opening remarks for the 10th ASEAN-UN summit in Bangkok on 3 November 2019. ASEAN is the Association of Southeast Asian Nations comprising ten countries in Southeast Asia – Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam. Thailand is the Chair of ASEAN for 2019 and the theme of its ASEAN Chairmanship is “Advancing Partnership for Sustainability”.

BANGKOK (IDN) – I thank you for your focus at this Summit on ‘Advancing partnership for sustainability’.

: UN Bureau; OPINION; 04 November 2019

Opportunity Beckons as Asia Reemerges as the World’s Dominant Economic Power

Viewpoint by Dr Palitha Kohona

The writer is former Ambassador and Permanent Representative of Sri Lanka to the United Nations, and former Foreign Secretary.

It has been said that in the 19th century, the world was Europeanized. In the 20th century, it was Americanized. Now, it is being Asianized. Sri Lanka has another opportunity, through the astute management of its policies, both internal and external, to be part of the blossoming Asian success story.

: Dr. Palitha Kohona; OPINION; 03 November 2019

Stress Epidemic Now Reaching Global Proportions

By J W Jackie

RENO, Nevada, USA (IDN) – By next year, stress-related mental health conditions will be prevalent across the globe and will be second only to ischemic heart disease in scope of disability, as reported by the World Health Organization. In part, the problem has to do with work.

A survey by business consultancy firm, Regus, found that 50% of all workers worldwide are more stressed than they were a mere 18 months ago, with 59% chalking it down to their job.

: UN Bureau; SUSTAINABILITY; Health & Well Being; 02 November 2019

Photo: Mother in shreds of clothing with child begging on the streets of Calcutta during the Bengal famine of 1943 (left), and a family on the sidewalk in Calcutta during the Bengal famine of 1943 (right). Source: Wikipedia

How Reparations Can Help Eradicate Poverty and Secure SDGs

Viewpoint by Manish Uprety F.R.A.S. and Jainendra Karn *

NEW DELHI (IDN) – Dealing with numbers can take a toll and might make one seek fulfillment in other spheres. No wonder the most influential poet of the last Century penned The Waste Land in 1922 when he was dutifully employed with the foreign transactions department of Lloyd’s, an austere English bank in London.

Another case that one can think of is of Peter Bone, an accountant by training and Conservative party Member of Parliament in England from Wellingborough and Rushden who in November 2018 found glee when he made no bones about how and where the Republic of India should spend its resources. The latter reminds one of the famous aphorism Par Updesh Kushal Bahutere.

: Asia Editor; OPINION; 02 November 2019

More Than $10 Million Raised at Diwali Gala for Medical Equipment, Patient Care Spaces and Research

By Sahana Rangnekar

TORONTO (IDN) – For the 18th year, Trillium Health Partners (THP)’s annual Diwali gala filled with fusion food, dancing and entertainment by Bollywood singing sensation Kanika Kapoor was celebrated in Mississauga, a suburb of Toronto in the Canadian province of Ontario, on October 18, 2019 to raise funds for combating cancer. The annual gala has raised more than $10 million for medical equipment, patient care spaces and research at THP.

: Suresh Jaura; SUSTAINABILITY; Health & Well Being; 01 November 2019

Photo: UNMIK chief Zahir Tanin addressing the Secuirty Council on October 31. Source: unmik.unmissions.org

Kosovo Elections Herald ‘Most Significant Change’ in 12 Years

By Radwan Jakeem

NEW YORK (IDN) – The Security Council has been told that the snap elections held on October 6 in Kosovo had the highest voter turnout since 2010 and represent “the most significant change in the political landscape” there in a dozen years.

These were called during a difficult time of internal political division, disunity in the governing coalition and “most importantly, the public's perception of inability to deliver on promises to the people of Kosovo”.

: Radwan Jakeem; SUSTAINABILITY; Peace & Justice; 31 October 2019

Photo: © Flickr/fibonacciblue. Source: Strategic Culture Foundation.

How the US Regime ‘Justifies’ the ‘Theft’ of Syria’s Oil

Viewpoint by Eric Zuesse *

NEW YORK (IDN-INPS) – On October 26, the New York Times headlined “Keep the Oil’: Trump Revives Charged Slogan for New Syria Troop Mission” and opened by saying that “in recent days, Mr. Trump has settled on Syria’s oil reserves as a new rationale for appearing to reverse course and deploy hundreds of additional troops to the war-ravaged country.”

They closed with a statement from Bruce Riedel, retired from the CIA: “‘Let’s say he does do it,’ Mr. Riedel said. ‘Let’s say we establish the precedent that we are in the Middle East to take the oil. The symbolism is really bad.’”

: UN Bureau; THE WORLD; USA and Canada; 31 October 2019

Photo: Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi with European parliamentarians on October 28, 2019. Source: Countercurrents.

Far-Right European Parliamentarians Visit Kashmir

By Countercurrents Collective

This article is the 9th in a series of joint productions of South Asian Outlook and IDN-InDepthNews, flagship of the International Press Syndicate.

NEW DELHI (IDN) – The 27-member delegation of European Parliament members visited the troubled region of Jammu and Kashmir. It’s the first foreign delegation allowed to visit Kashmir after abrogation of Article 370 on August 5, 2019.

: South Asia Bureau; THE WORLD; Asia-Pacific; 30 October 2019

Photo: Filipe Nyusi, President, Republic of Mozambique at Chatham House on 17 April 2018. Credit: Suzanne Plunkett 2018

Frelimo, Renamo Tear Up Peace Pact After Elections ‘Tarnished by Fraud’

By Lisa Vives, Global Information Network

NEW YORK (IDN) – Hopes for a lasting peace between longtime rivals Frelimo and Renamo are fading fast as a recent vote for president of the southern African nation of Mozambique has been muddied by claims of fraud, unjustified use of state resources, as well as sporadic violence including the murder of an election observer.

"An unlevel playing field was evident throughout the campaign," a member of the European Mission was reported to say.

: Global Information Network; THE WORLD; Africa; 30 October 2019

Photo: Canadian author Margaret Atwood (left) and British author Bernardine Evaristo (right) have split the Booker Prize, after the judging panel ripped up the rule book and refused to name one winner for the prestigious fiction trophy. Source: Screenshot of YouTube of CBC/Radio-Canada.

Anglo-Nigerian Writer Awarded Major Literary Prize

By Lisa Vives, Global Information Network

NEW YORK (IDN) - England’s most prestigious literary prize has been awarded to Bernadine Evaristo, an Anglo-Nigerian writer, for her eighth work of fiction, to be shared with Margaret Atwood, author of “The Testaments” in a surprise double award approved by the judging panel.

Of Nigerian and British parentage, Evaristo is the first black woman to win the Booker Prize, which honors the best novel of the year written in English and published in the UK and Ireland.