COVID-19 : Exposes fragile world order, thin veneer of civilization (PRIV)
(Chakravarthi Raghavan, Geneva)
It is nearly four months since the SARS-CoV-2 virus and the highly infectious upper respiratory COVID-19 disease it spawned, made its appearance and rapidly spread across the world, resulting in world-wide lock-downs, quarantines and isolation of individuals and families.

United Nations : Releases report on socioeconomic effects of coronavirus (PRIV)
(IPS, New York)
As the number of coronavirus cases continues to grow, concerns are simultaneously growing about the current and long-term effects this will have on certain demographics -specifically, women, the youth, migrant workers, and many employees around the world.

Latin America : Has weak defences against the pandemic (PRIV)
(IPS, Caracas)
Health systems in Latin America, already falling short in their capacity to serve the population, especially the poor, are in a weak position and face serious risks when it comes to addressing the COVID-19 pandemic.

Opinion : Pandemic crisis may trigger societal restructuring (PRIV)
(IPS, Penang/Singapore)
The Chinese word for crisis consists of two characters - "wei ji". Wei means danger and ji means opportunity.

Opinion : Dangers and lessons of present multiple crises (PRIV)
(IPS, Penang/Singapore)
The Covid-19 pandemic, erupting in the background of a lethargic global economy, could turn out to be the singular biggest crisis in a century.

Opinion : Coronavirus worsens Yemen's long tale of woe (PRIV)
(IPS, Sana'a)
In every room in Yemen's Al-Saba'een hospital, patients in critical condition waited on chairs, and still others laid on the bare ground. I saw women and girls sharing beds in pairs, and children laying close together being treated.