Broadband Spreading Across Africa

By Santosh Anchan*

GlobalNewsHub | IndoAfricaBusiness

NEW DELHI (IDN) - Africa has been the world's fastest growing region over the last decade in terms of mobile penetration. While fixed line penetration has stagnated at 4% in the continent, mobile has grown at an astonishing rate to 45% with North Africa leading at 73%. However broadband is lagging behind considerably when compared to other continents.

UN Carps At Finance-Driven Globalization

By Jaya Ramachandran

GlobalNewsHub | IDN-InDepth NewsReport

GENEVA (IDN) - A top United Nations official has strongly criticised the dominant pattern of international economic relations during the past three decades. In his preface to the Trade and Development Report, UNCTAD Secretary-General Supachai Panitchpakdi also finds fault with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank.

"Financial markets and institutions have become the masters rather than the servants of the real economy, distorting trade and investment, heightening levels of inequality, and posing a systemic threat to economic stability," says Supachai, a Thai national.

Africa Plans Free Trade Area

By Jerome Mwanda

GlobalNewsHub | IDN-InDepth NewsReport

NAIROBI (IDN) - Aware that lack of political will rather than funding is slowing down implementation of vital regional infrastructure projects and standing in the way of intra-African trade, the region's 54 nations have decided to establish a continental free trade area by 2017, speed up infrastructure development and put related policies and laws in place to boost the integration process.

West's Spin On China's Veto Irks Many Asians

By Kalinga Seneviratne

GlobalNewsHub | IDN-InDepth NewsAnalysis

SINGAPORE (IDN) - Ever since China, along with Russia, vetoed a UN Security Council (UNSC) resolution on Syria on February 4 there has been a lot of criticism in the western media of China's role. Several reports are suggesting that China is playing an irresponsible game of self-interest in responding to the Arab uprisings and the issue of Iran's nuclear ambitions.

SANE Act to Cut U.S. Nukes Budget

By Jamshed Baruah

GlobalNewsHub | IDN-InDepth NewsReport

BERLIN (IDN) - If you are 'sane', you are mentally sound. U.S. Congressman Edward J. Markey has lent a new dimension to that word by introducing the Smarter Approach to Nuclear Expenditures (SANE) Act of 2012 that cuts $100 billion over the next decade on outdated nuclear weapons programmes.

Respect Dignity of Life, Convoke Nuke Ban Summit

By Ramesh Jaura

GlobalNewsHub | IDN-InDepth NewsAnalysis

BERLIN | TOKYO (IDN) - In a variation of the legendary slogan "make love, not war", an eminent Buddhist philosopher is calling for a nuclear-free world in which genuine human security, sustainable development and unwavering respect for the dignity of life do not only comprise an ideal but constitute an entrenched reality.

In a 23-page 'peace proposal,' titled 'Human Security and Sustainability: Sharing Reverence for the Dignity of Life,' Buddhist leader Daisaku Ikeda pleads for a nuclear abolition summit in 2015 in Hiroshima and Nagasaki on the 70th anniversary of the atomic bombings of the two cities so that the growing momentum toward elimination of nuclear weapons becomes irreversible.

'Time is Right for the Human Right to Peace'

By Anwarul K. Chowdhury*

GlobalNewsHub | IDN-InDepth NewsViewpoint

No time is more appropriate than now to build the culture of peace. No social responsibility is greater nor task more significant than that of securing peace on our planet on a sustainable foundation. Today's world with its complexities and challenges is becoming increasingly more interdependent and interconnected. The sheer magnitude of these requires all of us to work together. Recognition of the human right to peace by the international community, particularly the United Nations, will surely generate the inspiration in creating the much-needed culture of peace in each one of us.

The Long Slow March to Nuke Abolition

By Jamshed Baruah

GlobalNewsHub | IDN-InDepth NewsAnalysis

BERLIN (IDN) - "We want a nuclear weapons free world." More than 80 percent of people around the globe have expressed this overwhelming desire to authors of a new report. But a close look shows that very little is happening rather slowly in terms of reducing nukes and putting a halt to proliferation. This is cause of profound concern also to atomic scientists.

UN Calls For Halting Land Degradation

By Ramesh Jaura

GlobalNewsHub | IDN-InDepth NewsInterview

BERLIN (IDN) - As the international community heads towards Rio+20 to commemorate the historic Earth Summit in June 1992, a senior United Nations official has called for bold actions to put a halt to poverty-generating land degradation. The UN conference in Brazil stressed the need for tangoing environment and development.

The Rio Summit June 20-22, 2012 should take "bold actions towards setting ambitious but attainable targets" that include a "global Zero Net Rate of Land Degradation", UN's Mohamadou Mansour N'Diaye said in an interview with IDN.

Red Cross Movement Wants Nukes Abolished

By Neena Bhandari

GlobalNewsHub | IDN-InDepth NewsAnalysis

SYDNEY (IDN) - Even as Australia's ruling Labour revoked early December its long standing party policy banning uranium sales to India and Pakistan was swift to stake its claim too, the disarmament movement received a boost with the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement adopting a resolution to work towards a legally binding global convention on nuclear abolition.