Global Issues

UNITED NATIONS, April 15 (IPS) - The United Nations faces two crucial elections later this year: the election of a new Secretary General, with no confirmed date for polling, and the election of a new President (PGA), scheduled for June 2, for the upcoming 81st session of the General Assembly. Read the full story, “The Day the General Assembly Moved to Geneva– to Provide a Platform to a PLO Leader…”, on globalissues.org →

NAIROBI, April 14 (IPS) - Over 800 households in Ikolomani Constituency in Kakamega County, Western Kenya, fear eviction to pave the way for a British firm, Shanta Gold Limited, to begin extracting gold valued at Sh683 billion ($5.29 billion) on an estimated 337 acres of residential and agricultural land. Read the full story, “Civil Society Launch a Campaign Against Extractive Industry Exploitation and Land Grabs”, on globalissues.org →

COX’S BAZAR, Bangladesh, April 14 (IPS) - While global attention right now is on escalating geopolitical tensions involving the United States, Israel, and Iran, another crisis continues quietly in Bangladesh. Read the full story, “Why the Rohingya Refugees in Bangladesh Need Work, Not Just Rations”, on globalissues.org →

KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia, April 14 (IPS) - Trump 2.0 has been marked by the blatantly aggressive exercise of power to secure US interests as defined by him. While many recent trends even predate his first term, his reduced use of ‘soft power’ has exposed his bullying, extortionary use of US power. Read the full story, “Trump Rips off Velvet Glove from Mailed Fist”, on globalissues.org →

On the outskirts of the Ugandan town of Biale, tents are scattered along dirt roads that give way to open fields. The Kriandongo camp sits between a shattered past and a life tentatively being rebuilt. Here, the story does not end with fleeing war. Another phase begins, one where days are measured not in hours, but in the weight of loss and the effort to carry on.Read the full story, “Fleeing Sudan's war, refugees rebuild their lives in Uganda”, on globalissues.org →

The world of football met the world of diplomacy this week as Brazilian World Cup legend Zico touched down at UN Headquarters in New York. Read the full story, “Why the ‘beautiful game’ is joining the fight for a better world”, on globalissues.org →

The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Türk, has described reparatory justice for colonialism, enslavement and the trade in enslaved Africans as “key to dismantling systemic racism.”Read the full story, “Reparations ‘key to dismantling systemic racism’: UN rights chief”, on globalissues.org →

As the war in the Middle East continues, the United Nations Secretary-General issued a passionate call for “serious negotiations” between the US and Iran to resume, warning that respect for international law “is being trampled” underfoot. Read the full story, “‘Time for diplomacy over escalation’ in Middle East war: Guterres”, on globalissues.org →

Yemen must not be drawn into the escalating conflict in the Middle East, the Security Council heard on Tuesday, stressing the need for de-escalation, political progress and urgent humanitarian funding for beleaguered civilians battered by years of grinding war. Read the full story, “Yemenis are ‘hanging by a thread’ top aid official warns Security Council”, on globalissues.org →

Sudan remains the world’ s largest humanitarian and displacement crisis, UN agencies and partners said on Tuesday, calling for an end to the war between rival militaries on the eve of the three-year mark. Read the full story, “World failing Sudan as war enters a fourth year, UN relief chief warns”, on globalissues.org →