Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo is President of the Republic of Ghana and Co-chair of the UN Secretary-General’s Eminent Group of Advocates for the SDGs and Erna Solberg is Prime Minister of Norway and Co-chair of the UN Secretary-General’s Eminent Group of Advocates for the SDGs

The post Amid Coronavirus Pandemic, SDGs are Even More Relevant Today Than Ever Before appeared first on Inter Press Service.

Nearly 400 Rohingya refugees have been rescued in Bangladesh after being at sea for two months.  Bangladesh coast guards reported rescuing 382 Rohingyas, including many women and children, who were starving and stuck on a boat as they were trying to reach Malaysia, the BBC reported on Thursday.  Coast guard spokesman Lt Shah Zia Rahman […]

The post Concerns for the Nearly 400 Rohingya Refugees Rescued off the Coast of Bangladesh appeared first on Inter Press Service.

Ambassador Anwarul K. Chowdhury is a former Under-Secretary-General and High Representative of the UN (2002-2007), Permanent Representative of Bangladesh to UN (1996-2001) and Chairman of the UN General Assembly’s Administrative and Budgetary Committee (1997-1998)

The post UN Faces Financial & Liquidity Crisis as Global Pandemic Rages appeared first on Inter Press Service.

United Nations Secretary General António Guterres on Thursday pleaded with global leaders and families to ensure the protection of the world’s children, millions of whom he says are vulnerable to a myriad of threats as a result of the shutdown arising from the global coronavirus pandemic.  While children are at a significantly lower health risk […]

The post Global Leaders Must Prioritise Children’s Wellbeing amid Coronavirus Pandemic – UN appeared first on Inter Press Service.

With much of the global economy stalled amid an unprecedented lockdown of nations grappling to contain the COVID-19 pandemic, the author of a new United Nations report on the disease’s impact on poverty told IPS that hundreds of millions more could be pushed into poverty and we can expect to see social unrest. “A lockdown […]

The post Q&A: Continued Social Distancing and Hundreds of Millions More in Poverty – A New Normal for the World? appeared first on Inter Press Service.

The oil slump, global recession and uncertainty about the magnitude of the COVID-19 pandemic will fuel the appetite for cheaper fossil fuel energy and delay investments in renewables, affecting the targets of the Paris Agreement on climate change and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The countries of the developing South, and in particular oil exporters, […]

The post The Crises of 2020 Will Delay the Transition to Clean Energy appeared first on Inter Press Service.

Jay Collins is Vice Chairman Banking, Capital Markets and Advisory, Citigroup*

The post Only Sustainable Investment & Global Cooperation Can Counter COVID’s Blow to SDGs appeared first on Inter Press Service.

A little over half of women across the globe are able to freely make choices about their sexual and reproductive health, according to a latest report based on data from 57 countries.  However, as much of the world has gone into lockdown because of the coronavirus pandemic, with countries implementing social distancing and restricting the […]

The post **Correction**How the COVID-19 Pandemic is Affecting Women’s Sexual and Reproductive Health appeared first on Inter Press Service.

As of April 8, there have been 1.5 million reported cases of coronavirus and over 83,000 deaths. Most of these deaths are of men. Italy, for example, has so far had 71 percent of all case deaths attributed to men while Spain, another major global hotspot, has seen 65 percent of all deaths being men. […]

The post Gender and COVID-19: Where Can Research Help? appeared first on Inter Press Service.

In 1991, the share of seats held by women in the Ethiopian parliament was under 3 percent. Today it stands at 38 percent, almost twice the ratio of women in the United States Congress. Experts say when women are better represented in government office, the gains are likely to spill down and improve the lives of all women.

The post A Gender-equal Ethiopian Parliament can Improve the Lives of all Women appeared first on Inter Press Service.

Women in the South Pacific island nation of Vanuatu are dealing with six crises currently – COVID 19, drought, scarcity of potable water, and volcanic ash, acid rain and sulphur gas as there are several active volcanoes on the island. But global women’s rights organisations are collaborating with regional alliances in supporting local women.

The post How Some Pacific Women are Responding to Climate Change and Natural Disasters appeared first on Inter Press Service.

Feminist responses to COVID-19 have been swift, insightful, and numerous. There have been webinars (so.many.webinars), twitter threads, illustrations, press releases and policy recommendations, and online house parties. Analysis pieces cover everything from the gendered impacts of COVID-19 to how to work remotely to the role of neoliberal capitalism. Most strikingly, feminists have mobilized on a […]

The post Autonomous Resourcing: the Engine Room of Feminist Work Amid a Global Pandemic appeared first on Inter Press Service.

The Hürriyet newspaper's jury of experts has created the "Pearly Gastronomy Guide" to rank Turkey's best restaurants. Click through for the top 20 restaurants in Istanbul, according to the 2018 guide...

A street lamp has fallen on the head of a passerby in Istanbul, injuring the man.

The district of Kadıköy on Istanbul’s Asian side has been hailed as one of the top 50 coolest neighborhoods in the world by Time Out magazine. Click through for the story in photos...

Ebru Ünsal, who has been described as the most popular Turkish pilot on social media, has switched jobs. Click through for the story in photos...

The mayor of the western Turkish town of İznik, which is a key venue in the history of Christianity, has launched a campaign against those who paint the historic city walls with graffiti despite repeated warnings. Click through for the story in photos...

Music and dance lovers can find something interesting for themselves this year, whether they like jazz or rock, latin or folk and whether they go to western or eastern Turkey... Click through for the 2018-2019 calendar for music and dance festivals in Turkey...

Love the outdoors and exploring on foot? Here are some of the best hiking trails in near Istanbul!

Only one percent of the ancient city of Aigai in the Yunuslar district of the western Turkish province of Manisa has been unearthed so far in the excavations that started back in 2004. Click through for the story in photos...

Whether it is the gorgeous Bosphorus or the biblical River Euphrates, Turkey provides many options for those who would like to dine at a waterfront venue. Click through for the top 10 waterfront restaurants in Turkey selected by Hürriyet Travel’s jury of experts.

Hamam, or Turkish bath, is one of the defining features of Turkish culture. A culture passed down over history, the baths, besides being a place to get pampered, is a spot for socializing and entertainment. Hürriyet’s jury have chosen the best traditional Roman and Ottoman baths of Turkey. Click through for the full list...

Discoveries at Boncuklu Tarla in the southeastern province of Mardin are around 1,000 years older than those in Göbeklitepe

As 2020 was declared the Year of Patara, interest increased in the ancient city, located between the resort districts of Kaş and Fethiye

For lovers of adrenaline sports and wildlife activities, Turkey presents a number of breathtaking options. Click through for the full list with a bonus in the end...

The Princes’ Islands in the Marmara Sea present a unique opportunity for a short escape from Istanbul. Our jury has picked nine awesome activities that you can do on the islands. Click through for the story in photos...

Street food is one of the most delicious ways to get to know a country and its culture. Hürriyet’s Gastronomy Jury has ranked the best street food venues in Turkey. Click through for the best of the best...

Being the capital of three empires, Istanbul hosts 82 different museums. The Hürriyet jury, composed of eminent historians, travelers and journalists, has picked the top 10 museums in Istanbul. Click through for the full list...

With the winter approaching, the demand for seats on the Eastern Express, a train service that links the capital Ankara with the eastern province of Kars, has surged again, as the number of tickets sold so far for the winter months reached 10,000. Click through for the story in photos...

Aizanoi, located in the western province of Kütahya’s Çavdarhisar district and on the UNESCO Tentative List of World Heritage, is home to the best-protected temple in Anatolia: The Temple of Zeus. (Photos: Alamy)

A sheet of paper bearing Paul McCartney's handwritten lyrics to "Hey Jude" sold for $910,000 in an online auction held on April 10 to mark the 50th anniversary of the Beatles' historic split.    

The Konya Tropical Butterfly Garden is the only place in Turkey where one can observe every phase of metamorphosis, from small larvae to colorful butterflies.

Istanbul presents unique experiences for those who want to escape from the intense week day into the weekend in the world’s only intercontinental city. Click through for the top five suggestions from Hürriyet Travel:

Turkish cuisine is one of the richest in the world when it comes to soups. Most Turks prefer to begin their lunches and dinners with soup, which is why you can find an incredible variety and depth in this culinary area. Click through for the top 10 soup restaurants across Turkey, selected by the Hürriyet jury of gourmets and food researchers...

Visitors snap photos of massive stone heads that stare down on them from the summit of Mount Nemrut. (Source: The Associated Press)

Adnan Çelebi, who has been a craftsman for 30 years in Avanos district of Cappadocia, has been making the world’s smallest jugs for 15 years.

Stockbreeders are seen with their flock at a countryside following snowfall during winter season in Van, Turkey on Jan. 27. (Source: Anadolu Agency)

Istanbul enchants visitors and residents with its mesmerizing sights during sunrise. (DHA Photo)

The Mental Health Association, a Turkish-based non-governmental organization, has found the Maiden Tower in Istanbul is where the users of a smartphone application found the most romantic place in Istanbul, Turkey’s largest city.

Anatolia is home to a rich array of natural attractions, including unique geography, climate, location and biodiversity, to explore. Here are nine natural wonders to add to your Turkey must-see bucket list

World's second deepest canyon located in Turkey's Black Sea province of Kastamonu attracts visitors. (Source: Anadolu Agency)

Turkey, with its abundant cultural heritage, was home to many ancient and archaic civilizations and empires. The patterns and remains of this rich history and culture are still evident in the ancient sites of Anatolian lands. Click through this photo gallery for the most mesmerizing and mystical ancient cities in Turkey, as compiled by İnci Hazal Özcan:

Canyons around the Euphrates River in eastern Malatya province are becoming favorite destinations for nature lovers.  (Source: Anadolu Agency)

The southern province of Adana's Tuzla Wildlife Field welcomes again a rare black flamingo. (İHA Photo)

Domestic and international tourists will not be able to witness the beauty of the tulip gardens, which hosts the splash of all colors and is visited by thousands of people every year in the Central Anatolian province of Karaman's Kazımkarabekir district, due to the strict measures to tackle the coronavirus pandemic.

A full moon is seen over Galata Tower at the morning hours in Istanbul, Turkey on May 6. (AA Photo)

The U.S. is pulling two Patriot missile batteries and some fighter aircraft out of Saudi Arabia, an American official said on May 7, amid tensions between the kingdom and the Trump administration over oil production.

U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres called on May 8 for an "all-out effort" to end the "tsunami of hate and xenophobia" sparked by the novel coronavirus pandemic, without naming specific countries.

The European Commission on May 8 proposed extending restrictions on travel to the EU until June 15.

Turkey has blocked three foreign banks- BNP Paribas, Citibank, and UBS- from doing foreign exchange transactions with the Turkish lira, the nation’s banking watchdog announced on May 7.