Article – The News Times

Bangladesh bans polythene sparking hopes for the eco-friendly ‘Sonali Bag’

Article

- Masum Billah - November 27, 2024November 27, 2024

After Bangladesh’s interim government banned polyethene bags, a new sense of hope has emerged for the Sonali bag—a jute-based, eco-friendly alternative developed in 2017 by Bangladeshi scientist Dr. Mubarak Ahmed Khan. Sonali bag, or the golden bag, is named after the golden fiber of jute from which it is made. Despite

US-backed Israel-Hezbollah ceasefire comes into effect

Article

- Naureen Hossain, IPS - November 27, 2024November 27, 2024

A ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah comes into effect early on Wednesday morning (November 27). It is hoped that this will mark an end to a 13-month-long period of hostilities between the two parties in Lebanon. News of the ceasefire came from United States President Joe Biden, who made a televised

Time running out for a treaty to end plastic pollution

Article

- Steve Fletcher - November 26, 2024November 26, 2024

On March 2 2022, delegates to the UN environment assembly adopted an ambitious resolution to develop the text of a new treaty by the end of 2024 to end plastic pollution. With 24 days of formal negotiation between almost 200 countries completed, spread over meetings in Peru, France, Kenya and

Why COP29 outcome is a bad deal for poor, vulnerable nations

Article

- Joyce Chimbi, IPS - November 26, 2024

The culmination of bitter, difficult, and challenging climate negotiations concluded with an announcement from the COP29 Presidency of Azerbaijan of the “agreement of the Baku Finance Goal—a new commitment to channel USD1.3 trillion of climate finance to the developing world each year by 2035.” This is on top of the

60pc of femicides are at the hands of a partner or family

Article

- Naureen Hossain, IPS - November 25, 2024

Every 10 minutes, one woman or girl is killed at the hands of their partner or other family member. This is only scratching the surface on how femicide, one of the most extreme forms of violence against women, persists at high levels around the world. UN-Women and the UN Office of

HRW condemns Israel’s deliberate military offensives in Gaza

Article

- Oritro Karim - November 24, 2024November 24, 2024

A new report from Human Rights Watch (HRW) postulates that Israeli military practices in the Gaza Strip constitutes as war crimes. Released on November 14, the new report details the scale of destruction in the Gaza Strip over a 13-month period, during which time the Israeli Defense Forces’ (IDF) undertook

Plastics crisis now a global human health crisis

Article

- Alden Wicker - November 24, 2024

It’s been clear for some time: We’re in the midst of a rapidly escalating global plastics crisis. More than 11 billion metric tons of virgin plastics were produced worldwide from 1950 to 2022. And the rate of production has soared, with at least 71% of all plastics ever made produced

How women’s basic rights, freedoms being eroded all over the world

Article

- Hind Elhinnawy - November 23, 2024November 23, 2024

From Iraq to Afghanistan to the US, basic freedoms for women are being eroded as governments start rolling back existing laws. Just a few months ago a ban on Afghan women speaking in public was the latest measure introduced by the Taliban, who took back control of the country in 2021.

How COPs move needle towards healthy, liveable planet

Article

- Joyce Chimbi, IPS - November 23, 2024November 23, 2024

Every year, the Conference of the Parties creates a global milestone for the climate movement, setting new standards and advancing action towards a net-zero planet to sustain all life on earth. COPs provide a platform for the global community to agree on what it would take to restore planet Earth

Studies link stronger dengue outbreak in Bangladesh to climate change

- Mohammad Al-Masum Molla - November 22, 2024November 23, 2024

When eight-year-old Samin developed a fever a few days ago, his parents thought it was the seasonal flu. However, in two days, his condition worsened as he began to complain of abdomen pain, fatigue and vomiting. “We saw a drastic change in him. Our once agile child became pale and listless,”