CAPE TOWN, South Africa, Jun 12 (IPS) - From shocking death tolls to widespread job losses, there is no understating the severity of the COVID-19 pandemic's impact on the world's cities.

Health care systems, economies, and social lives have been upended by a virus for which the world was totally unprepared.

BANGKOK, Thailand, Jun 12 (IPS) - The world before COVID-19 looks very attractive right now. In light of the disease, mass unemployment and social distancing, a return to pre-pandemic normality seems appealing. Yet we should remember what normal was.

Washington DC, Jun 11 (IPS) - Exceptional times call for exceptional action. In response to COVID-19, the IMF has moved with unprecedented speed and magnitude of financial assistance to help countries protect lives and livelihoods. Economic stabilization and a sustainable recovery, however, will require more than financial assistance. For recovery to be sustainable, policymakers will need to strengthen economic institutions that enable resilient, inclusive policies.

MBABANE, Jun 11 (IPS) - In its effort to accelerate Rwanda's green growth development initiative, its local businesses encouraged their Italian counterparts to invest in the East African country.

BLANTYRE, Malawi, Jun 11 (IPS) - Malawi remains one of the few nations in the world that has not gone into a coronavirus lockdown as the government rushes to meet the conditions of a court order to implement a cash transfer scheme for the poor before doing so. But as some parts of the world are slowing coming out of their lockdowns, it could be likely this southern African nation won't go into one as the rerun of the country's presidential election nears. 

GENEVA, Jun 11 (IPS) - In the first quarter of 2020, the coronavirus pandemic led to a 3% drop in global trade values. COVID-19 could trigger the biggest economic contraction since World War II, affecting all industries from finance to hospitality.

KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia, Jun 11 (IPS) - Even before Covid-19, the world was facing a care crisis. The plight of often neglected, under-appreciated, under-protected and poorly equipped ‘frontline' health personnel working to contain the pandemic has drawn attention to the tip of the care crisis iceberg.

BUENOS AIRES, Jun 10 (IPS) - Rice farmers in the Argentine province of Entre Rios often look like mechanics. "They're always full of grease, because they haul diesel fuel around all the time, for their water pumps," says local farmer Arturo Deymonnaz. He, however, doesn't have that problem, because he uses solar energy to grow his rice.

NEW YORK and BRUSSELS, Jun 10 (IPS) - After a period of forced silence because of the Covid-19 quarantines, citizens around the world are defying coronavirus restrictions and claiming the streets to fight for real democracy, jobs, living wages, public services, human rights and against corruption, inequality and injustice. We predict an increasing wave of protests all over the world led by different types of people defying the status quo. Unless policies change, clashes in the street are likely to become the new normal.

UNITED NATIONS, Jun 10 (IPS) - The combination of rife insecurity, food insecurity and more than 7.5 million people in need of humanitarian assistance has left the Sahel a region in crisis, with the global coronavirus pandemic expected to exacerbate the situation.