Today, around 21,000 children died around the world. This daily tragedy, from poverty and other preventable causes, rarely makes headline news.

Latest world news

World

  1. UN’s Proposed Structural Changes Laid Out in a “Strictly Confidential” Internal Document

    - Inter Press Service

    UNITED NATIONS, May 13 (IPS) - A six-page internal document, marked “STRICTLY CONFIDENTIAL” on every single page – indicating restricted access to protect sensitive information-- is one of the most comprehensive “compilation of non-attributable suggestions by the UN80 Task Force” on the proposed restructuring of the world body.

  2. The Indus Water Treaty Suspension: A Wake-Up Call for Asia–Pacific Unity ?

    - Inter Press Service

    May 12 (IPS) - On April 23, India suspended the Indus Water Treaty (IWT), a 65-year-old agreement that had been a rare symbol of cooperation between India and Pakistan despite decades of hostility. The suspension came a day after militants attacked civilians in Jammu and Kashmir, a disputed region, killing 26 people, most of them Indian tourists. India accused Pakistan of supporting “cross-border terrorism” and responded by halting the treaty. Pakistan denied involvement in the attack and called India’s move an “act of war.”

  3. Former Energy Ministers from Saint Lucia and Uruguay Named REN21 Renewable Energy Champions

    - Inter Press Service

    MIAMI, Florida, USA, May 12 (IPS) - The Renewable Energy Policy Network for the 21st Century (REN21), a global network that advances renewable energy through collaboration and knowledge sharing, has named James Fletcher of Saint Lucia and Dr Ramón Méndez Galain of Uruguay as its first Renewable Energy Champions.

  4. World News in Brief: Sudan aid update, child migrant deaths at sea, nursing shortages, invasive pest scourge

    - UN News

    The UN expressed deep concern on Monday over the impact of ongoing drone attacks on civilian infrastructure across Sudan.

  5. UN chief calls for major reforms to cut costs and improve efficiency

    - UN News

    Amid financial strain and growing global challenges, UN Secretary-General António Guterres is pushing for wide-ranging structural reforms to enhance the world body’s effectiveness.

  6. Gaza: Guterres hails hostage release, renews ceasefire call

    - UN News

    UN Secretary-General António Guterres welcomed the release of a hostage held in in Gaza on Monday and renewed his call for a permanent ceasefire and greater humanitarian access to the war-torn enclave.

  7. UN migration agency helping migrants in the US return home voluntarily

    - UN News

    The United States has asked the International Organization for Migration (IOM) to assist undocumented migrants who choose to return to their home countries.

  8. Gaza: Starvation looms for one in five people, say food security experts

    - UN News

    Gazans remain at “critical risk of famine”, UN-backed food security experts warned on Monday, a full 19 months since war began with Israel and 70 days since deliveries stopped of all aid and commercial supplies.

  9. Climate change takes increasingly extreme toll on African countries

    - UN News

    Devastating floods in South Sudan in recent months left thousands of herders without their most precious possessions: goats, cows and cattle. The animals are central to people’s lives and age-old customs including marriage and cultural traditions. All risk being swept away or scorched by the ravages of climate change.

  10. Staff Union Demands Full & Active Participation in Ongoing Negotiations on UN Reforms

    - Inter Press Service

    UNITED NATIONS, May 12 (IPS) - As discussions on the restructuring of the United Nations — including a possible merger of UN agencies and staff lay-offs system-wide — continue at the highest levels of the Secretariat, the Staff Union (UNSU) is demanding an active presence in the ongoing talks.

    A proposed resolution, which is expected to be adopted at the UNSU general meeting on May 14, is very specific in its demands.

  11. More stories…

Climate

  1. The Indus Water Treaty Suspension: A Wake-Up Call for Asia–Pacific Unity ?

    - Inter Press Service

    May 12 (IPS) - On April 23, India suspended the Indus Water Treaty (IWT), a 65-year-old agreement that had been a rare symbol of cooperation between India and Pakistan despite decades of hostility. The suspension came a day after militants attacked civilians in Jammu and Kashmir, a disputed region, killing 26 people, most of them Indian tourists. India accused Pakistan of supporting “cross-border terrorism” and responded by halting the treaty. Pakistan denied involvement in the attack and called India’s move an “act of war.”

  2. Former Energy Ministers from Saint Lucia and Uruguay Named REN21 Renewable Energy Champions

    - Inter Press Service

    MIAMI, Florida, USA, May 12 (IPS) - The Renewable Energy Policy Network for the 21st Century (REN21), a global network that advances renewable energy through collaboration and knowledge sharing, has named James Fletcher of Saint Lucia and Dr Ramón Méndez Galain of Uruguay as its first Renewable Energy Champions.

  3. Climate change takes increasingly extreme toll on African countries

    - UN News

    Devastating floods in South Sudan in recent months left thousands of herders without their most precious possessions: goats, cows and cattle. The animals are central to people’s lives and age-old customs including marriage and cultural traditions. All risk being swept away or scorched by the ravages of climate change.

  4. Transitioning to a Circular Economy: The Future We Cannot Afford to Delay

    - Inter Press Service

    NEW YORK, May 12 (IPS) - Marcos Neto is UN Assistant Secretary General and Director of UNDP’s Bureau for Policy and Programme Support. From environmental degradation to biodiversity loss and mounting waste, we are facing the dire consequences of a reckless economic model that extracts, consumes, and discards. But there is an urgent alternative—one that is not just possible, but essential.

  5. ‘We can do better’ for pedestrian and cyclist safety worldwide

    - UN News

    A cycling network expanded from 70 kilometres to over 400 kilometres in Fortaleza, Brazil. A project to create a bike lane in every street of Paris. And the longest pedestrian and cycle tunnel in the world, in the Norwegian coastal city of Bergen.

  6. In Zimbabwe, Farmers Are Leading Scientific Research on Conservation Agriculture

    - Inter Press Service

    BULAWAYO, Zimbabwe, May 09 (IPS) - Migren Matanga grew up shying away from small and traditional grains in Rushinga, in northern Zimbabwe.

  7. Rights with No Age Limit: Hopes for a Convention on the Rights of Older People

    - Inter Press Service

    BRUSSELS, Belgium / MONTEVIDEO, Uruguay, May 09 (IPS) - The world’s population is ageing. Global life expectancy has leapt to 73.3 years, up from under 65 in 1995. Around the world, there are now 1.1 billion people aged 60-plus, expected to rise to 1.4 billion by 2030 and 2.1 billion by 2050.

    This demographic shift is a triumph, reflecting public health successes, medical advances and better nutrition. But it brings human rights challenges.

  8. From Pledges to Action: EU Ocean Leadership on the Line

    - Inter Press Service

    PARIS / BRUSSELS, May 09 (IPS) - If one so wished, it would be entirely possible to spend a lifetime travelling from one international environmental conference to the next, without ever returning home. But the relentless pace of these meetings does not always translate into equally rapid action.

  9. Underfunding Threatens Sahrawi Refugees in Algeria

    - Inter Press Service

    UNITED NATIONS, May 07 (IPS) - Since the Western Sahara War in 1975, Sahrawi refugees have resided in a collection of refugee shelters in the Tindouf province of Algeria. For over 50 years, these communities have struggled to develop self-sufficiency and have been solely dependent on humanitarian aid for survival, marking one of the most protracted refugee crises in the world.

  10. Third LDC Future Forum Concludes with Ambitious Plans to Build Resilience in Least Developed Countries

    - Inter Press Service

    LUSAKA, Zambia, May 06 (IPS) - The 3rd LDC Future Forum, held from April 1-3, 2025, in Zambia, brought together global leaders, policymakers, and experts to address the urgent need for resilience in the world’s 44 Least Developed Countries (LDCs).

  11. More stories…

Health

  1. Rights with No Age Limit: Hopes for a Convention on the Rights of Older People

    - Inter Press Service

    BRUSSELS, Belgium / MONTEVIDEO, Uruguay, May 09 (IPS) - The world’s population is ageing. Global life expectancy has leapt to 73.3 years, up from under 65 in 1995. Around the world, there are now 1.1 billion people aged 60-plus, expected to rise to 1.4 billion by 2030 and 2.1 billion by 2050.

    This demographic shift is a triumph, reflecting public health successes, medical advances and better nutrition. But it brings human rights challenges.

  2. Armed Gangs Expand Their Control in the Centre Department of Haiti

    - Inter Press Service

    UNITED NATIONS, May 08 (IPS) - Following a series of brutal altercations in the communes of Mirebalais and Saut d’Eau in Haiti back in late March, local gangs have taken over both communes, spurring heightened displacement and insecurity. This is indicative of the continuing deterioration of the humanitarian situation in Haiti as these armed gangs expand their control beyond Port-au-Prince.

  3. ‘She cries in her sleep’: Deeper crisis looms beneath devastation from Myanmar quake

    - UN News

    An estimated 3,800 people have died as a result of the devastating earthquakes that struck Myanmar on 28 March. Six weeks on, the situation in Myanmar remains dire, with whole communities still traumatised and vulnerable.

  4. Speaking Out for SRHR: Why Lived Experiences Must Shape Policy and Practice 

    - Inter Press Service

    NAIROBI, May 07 (IPS) - Just a month ago, I found myself in a hospital, anxiously waiting for my son to be attended to. As we sat quietly in one of the waiting rooms, an emergency case was wheeled in — a young woman, barely out of her teens. Her face contorted in visible pain. Her dress was soaked with blood, which had begun to pool beneath the wheelchair and trickle onto the floor.

  5. Life and Death in the United States: A Costly Anomaly

    - Inter Press Service

    PORTLAND, USA, May 06 (IPS) - On the crucial matters of life and death, the United States is a costly anomaly. Simply stated, women and men in the US pay more? for health but get less? life.

  6. Lawyer-Turned-Activist Bhuwan Ribhu Honored for Leading a Campaign to End Child Marriage

    - Inter Press Service

    NEW DELHI, May 06 (IPS) - Bhuwan Ribhu didn’t plan to become a child rights activist. But when he saw how many children in India were being trafficked, abused, and forced into marriage, he knew he couldn’t stay silent.

  7. Lives of pregnant women and newborns at risk as funding cuts impact midwifery support

    - UN News

    Midwives are vital frontline workers who can provide up to 90 per cent of essential sexual, reproductive, maternal, and newborn health services – from safely delivering babies to caring for survivors of sexual violence.

  8. Hospital bombing deepens bleak situation for war-weary South Sudanese

    - UN News

    Aid teams in South Sudan warned on Tuesday that repeated attacks on healthcare including the bombing of a hospital in eastern Jonglei state at the weekend are just the latest of the “multiple vulnerabilities” the country’s people face.

  9. More than 30-year difference in life expectancy highlights health inequities

    - UN News

    The underlying causes of poor health often stem from factors such as lack of quality housing, education and job opportunities, according to a new report on the social determinants of health equity.

  10. Uncertainty Looms for Kenya Following Tense IMF/World Bank Spring Meetings

    - Inter Press Service

    NAIROBI, Kenya, May 05 (IPS) - Reflecting on this year’s IMF/World Bank Spring Meetings, one word lingers in my mind: uncertainty. The shifting global geopolitical landscape loomed large—none more so than the US administration’s initial threat to withdraw from the Bretton Woods institutions.

  11. More stories…

Economy

  1. Former Energy Ministers from Saint Lucia and Uruguay Named REN21 Renewable Energy Champions

    - Inter Press Service

    MIAMI, Florida, USA, May 12 (IPS) - The Renewable Energy Policy Network for the 21st Century (REN21), a global network that advances renewable energy through collaboration and knowledge sharing, has named James Fletcher of Saint Lucia and Dr Ramón Méndez Galain of Uruguay as its first Renewable Energy Champions.

  2. In Zimbabwe, Farmers Are Leading Scientific Research on Conservation Agriculture

    - Inter Press Service

    BULAWAYO, Zimbabwe, May 09 (IPS) - Migren Matanga grew up shying away from small and traditional grains in Rushinga, in northern Zimbabwe.

  3. UN warns copper shortage risks slowing global energy and technology shift

    - UN News

    A looming global copper shortage could stall the world’s transition to clean energy and digital technologies unless smarter trade and investment strategies are adopted, the UN’s trade and development body, UNCTAD, has warned.

  4. ‘Trump Is Advancing a 21st-century US Variant of Fascism, Backed by a White Nationalist Ideology’

    - Inter Press Service

    May 07 (IPS) - CIVICUS speaks about democratic decline in the USA with humanitarian and civil society activist Samuel Worthington, former president of the US civil society alliance InterAction and author of a new book, Prisoners of Hope: Global Action and the Evolving Roles of US NGOs.

  5. A Premium is What Africa Pays for Poor Credit Perception

    - Inter Press Service

    BULAWAYO, May 06 (IPS) - Many African countries are perceived as a credit and investment risk. As a result, they are paying higher borrowing costs than developed countries.

  6. ‘Alarming’ slowdown in human development - could AI provide answers?

    - UN News

    The progress of human development – as measured by people’s freedoms and well-being – has remained sluggish since the major shock of the COVID-19 pandemic. A UN study released on Tuesday finds that used in the right way, artificial intelligence could be a powerful tool to improve millions of lives.

  7. Trump Accord Sows Discord in US Empire

    - Inter Press Service

    KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia, May 06 (IPS) - US President Donald Trump has deliberately sown discord worldwide in attempting to remake the world to serve supposed American interests better. He will not cede influence, let alone power and control, to other nations, let alone people.

  8. World Immunization Week Highlights the Urgency of Global Vaccine Access

    - Inter Press Service

    UNITED NATIONS, Apr 30 (IPS) - For 2025, the theme of World Health Immunization Week (24-30 April), “Immunization for All is Humanly Possible”, emphasizes the need to eradicate disparities in access to vaccines, particularly for children. By encouraging governments to implement vaccination programs at the local and national levels, the World Health Organization (WHO) seeks t0 ensure worldwide access to life-saving vaccines.

  9. The World Bank, at 80, and the True Goals of Multilateral Cooperation and Global Development

    - Inter Press Service

    MANILA / LONDON, Apr 30 (IPS) - The Rogun Dam in the mountains of Southern Tajikistan, if ever completed, would be the tallest dam in the world. Late last year, the World Bank committed almost $3 billion to finance its development, claiming the project would benefit locals.

  10. Sights Set on Highest Ambition as World Rows Through Toughest Ocean Crisis

    - Inter Press Service

    BUSAN, Korea, Apr 30 (IPS) - Participants from over 100 countries will leave the 10th Our Oceans Conference in Busan, the Republic of Korea, with stark reminders that with sea levels rising dangerously, coastal regions and low-lying areas globally, particularly densely populated areas, are threatened.

  11. More stories…

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Issues in depth

Latest

Action on climate change is cheaper than inaction

Many are afraid that tackling climate change is going to be too costly. But increasingly, studies are showing action will not just be cheaper than inaction, but could actually result in economic, environmental and even health benefits, while improving sustainability.

Read “Action on climate change is cheaper than inaction” to learn more.

Climate Change and Global Warming Introduction

The climate is changing. The earth is warming up, and there is now overwhelming scientific consensus that it is happening, and human-induced. With global warming on the increase and species and their habitats on the decrease, chances for ecosystems to adapt naturally are diminishing.

Many are agreed that climate change may be one of the greatest threats facing the planet. Recent years show increasing temperatures in various regions, and/or increasing extremities in weather patterns.

This section looks at what causes climate change, what the impacts are and where scientific consensus currently is.

Read “Climate Change and Global Warming Introduction” to learn more.

COP20—Lima Climate Conference

An overview of the Climate Change Conference (also known as COP 20), held in Lima, Peru in December 2014.

While it seemed like it was a successful meeting, because developing nations were committed to drawing up their own plans for emissions reductions for the first time, a number of important issues were left undecided such as how financing would work.

This page is an overview of the Lima Climate conference.

Read “COP20—Lima Climate Conference” to learn more.

Ebola Outbreak in West Africa

An overview of the Ebola virus outbreak in West Africa that has been described by the World Health Organization as the largest, most severe and most complex outbreak in the history of the disease.

The epidemic began at the end of 2013, in Guinea. From there it spread to Liberia, Sierra Leone, Nigeria and Senegal. Many of the affected countries face enormous challenges in stopping its spread and providing care for all patients.

Thousands of people have died and many are at risk as the fatality rate from this virus is very high. As the crisis worsens, as well as the enormous health challenges involved, the social and economic consequences may set these countries back, reversing some gains a number of these countries have made in recent years.

Read “Ebola Outbreak in West Africa” to learn more.

Foreign Aid for Development Assistance

In 1970, the world’s rich countries agreed to give 0.7% of their gross national income as official international development aid, annually.

Since that time, billions have certainly been given each year, but rarely have the rich nations actually met their promised target.

For example, the US is often the largest donor in dollar terms, but ranks amongst the lowest in terms of meeting the stated 0.7% target.

Net ODA in dollars and percent of GNI

Furthermore, aid has often come with a price of its own for the developing nations. Common criticisms, for many years, of foreign aid, have included the following:

  • Aid is often wasted on conditions that the recipient must use overpriced goods and services from donor countries
  • Most aid does not actually go to the poorest who would need it the most
  • Aid amounts are dwarfed by rich country protectionism that denies market access for poor country products while rich nations use aid as a lever to open poor country markets to their products
  • Large projects or massive grand strategies often fail to help the vulnerable; money can often be embezzled away.

This article explores who has benefited most from this aid, the recipients or the donors.

Read “Foreign Aid for Development Assistance” to learn more.

Nature and Animal Conservation

Preserving species and their habitats is important for ecosystems to self-sustain themselves.

Yet, the pressures to destroy habitat for logging, illegal hunting, and other challenges are making conservation a struggle.

Read “Nature and Animal Conservation” to learn more.

More updates

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Poverty Facts and Stats

Most of humanity lives on just a few dollars a day. Whether you live in the wealthiest nations in the world or the poorest, you will see high levels of inequality.

80% of the world population lived on less than $10 a day in 2005

The poorest people will also have less access to health, education and other services. Problems of hunger, malnutrition and disease afflict the poorest in society. The poorest are also typically marginalized from society and have little representation or voice in public and political debates, making it even harder to escape poverty.

By contrast, the wealthier you are, the more likely you are to benefit from economic or political policies. The amount the world spends on military, financial bailouts and other areas that benefit the wealthy, compared to the amount spent to address the daily crisis of poverty and related problems are often staggering.

Some facts and figures on poverty presented in this page are eye-openers, to say the least.

Read “Poverty Facts and Stats” to learn more.

Global Financial Crisis

Following a period of economic boom, a financial bubble — global in scope — burst, even causing some of the world’s largest financial institutions have collapsed. With the resulting recession, many governments of the wealthiest nations in the world have resorted to extensive bail-out and rescue packages for the remaining large banks and financial institutions while imposing harsh austerity measures on themselves.

Some of the bail-outs have also led to charges of hypocrisy due to the apparent socializing of the costs while privatizing the profits. Furthermore, the institutions being rescued are typically the ones got the world into this trouble in the first place. For smaller businesses and poorer people, such options for bail out and rescue are rarely available when they find themselves in crisis.

Plummeting stock markets at one point wiped out 33% of the value of companies, $14.5 trillion. Taxpayers bailed out their banks and financial institutions with large amounts of money. US taxpayers alone have spent some $9.7 trillion in bailout packages and plans. The UK and other European countries have also spent some $2 trillion on rescues and bailout packages. More is expected. Much more.

Such numbers, made quickly available, are enough to wipe many individual’s mortgages, or clear out third world debt many times over. Even the high military spending figures are dwarfed by the bailout plans to date.

Taxpayers are paying for some of the largests costs in history

This problem could have been averted (in theory) as people had been pointing to these issues for decades. However, during boom, very few want to hear such pessimism. Does this crisis spell an end to the careless forms of banking and finance and will it herald a better economic age, or are we just doomed to keep forgetting history and repeat these mistakes in the future? Signs are not encouraging as rich nations are resisting meaningful reform…

Read “Global Financial Crisis” to learn more.

Causes of Poverty

Poverty is the state for the majority of the world’s people and nations. Why is this? Is it enough to blame poor people for their own predicament? Have they been lazy, made poor decisions, and been solely responsible for their plight? What about their governments? Have they pursued policies that actually harm successful development? Such causes of poverty and inequality are no doubt real. But deeper and more global causes of poverty are often less discussed.

Read “Causes of Poverty” to learn more.

Climate Change and Global Warming

The climate is changing. The earth is warming up, and there is now overwhelming scientific consensus that it is happening, and human-induced. With global warming on the increase and species and their habitats on the decrease, chances for ecosystems to adapt naturally are diminishing. Many are agreed that climate change may be one of the greatest threats facing the planet. Recent years show increasing temperatures in various regions, and/or increasing extremities in weather patterns.

This section explores some of the effects of climate change. It also attempts to provide insights into what governments, companies, international institutions, and other organizations are attempting to do about this issue, as well as the challenges they face. Some of the major conferences in recent years are also discussed.

Read “Climate Change and Global Warming” to learn more.

Environmental Issues

Environmental issues are also a major global issue. Humans depend on a sustainable and healthy environment, and yet we have damaged the environment in numerous ways. This section introduces other issues including biodiversity, climate change, animal and nature conservation, population, genetically modified food, sustainable development, and more.

Read “Environmental Issues” to learn more.

Racism

Racism is the belief that characteristics and abilities can be attributed to people simply on the basis of their race and that some racial groups are superior to others. Racism and discrimination have been used as powerful weapons encouraging fear or hatred of others in times of conflict and war, and even during economic downturns. This article explores racism from around the world.

Read “Racism” to learn more.

More articles

Topical

Global Financial Crisis

Following a period of economic boom, a financial bubble — global in scope — burst, even causing some of the world’s largest financial institutions have collapsed. With the resulting recession, many governments of the wealthiest nations in the world have resorted to extensive bail-out and rescue packages for the remaining large banks and financial institutions while imposing harsh austerity measures on themselves.

Some of the bail-outs have also led to charges of hypocrisy due to the apparent socializing of the costs while privatizing the profits. Furthermore, the institutions being rescued are typically the ones got the world into this trouble in the first place. For smaller businesses and poorer people, such options for bail out and rescue are rarely available when they find themselves in crisis.

Plummeting stock markets at one point wiped out 33% of the value of companies, $14.5 trillion. Taxpayers bailed out their banks and financial institutions with large amounts of money. US taxpayers alone have spent some $9.7 trillion in bailout packages and plans. The UK and other European countries have also spent some $2 trillion on rescues and bailout packages. More is expected. Much more.

Such numbers, made quickly available, are enough to wipe many individual’s mortgages, or clear out third world debt many times over. Even the high military spending figures are dwarfed by the bailout plans to date.

Taxpayers are paying for some of the largests costs in history

This problem could have been averted (in theory) as people had been pointing to these issues for decades. However, during boom, very few want to hear such pessimism. Does this crisis spell an end to the careless forms of banking and finance and will it herald a better economic age, or are we just doomed to keep forgetting history and repeat these mistakes in the future? Signs are not encouraging as rich nations are resisting meaningful reform…

Read “Global Financial Crisis” to learn more.

Climate Change and Global Warming

The climate is changing. The earth is warming up, and there is now overwhelming scientific consensus that it is happening, and human-induced. With global warming on the increase and species and their habitats on the decrease, chances for ecosystems to adapt naturally are diminishing. Many are agreed that climate change may be one of the greatest threats facing the planet. Recent years show increasing temperatures in various regions, and/or increasing extremities in weather patterns.

This section explores some of the effects of climate change. It also attempts to provide insights into what governments, companies, international institutions, and other organizations are attempting to do about this issue, as well as the challenges they face. Some of the major conferences in recent years are also discussed.

Read “Climate Change and Global Warming” to learn more.

Food and Agriculture Issues

Food and agriculture goes to the heart of our civilizations. Religions, cultures and even modern civilization have food and agriculture at their core. For an issue that goes to the heart of humanity it also has its ugly side.

This issue explores topics ranging from the global food crisis of 2008, to issues of food aid, world hunger, food dumping and wasteful agriculture such as growing tobacco, sugar, beef, and more.

Read “Food and Agriculture Issues” to learn more.

Foreign Aid for Development Assistance

In 1970, the world’s rich countries agreed to give 0.7% of their gross national income as official international development aid, annually.

Since that time, billions have certainly been given each year, but rarely have the rich nations actually met their promised target.

For example, the US is often the largest donor in dollar terms, but ranks amongst the lowest in terms of meeting the stated 0.7% target.

Net ODA in dollars and percent of GNI

Furthermore, aid has often come with a price of its own for the developing nations. Common criticisms, for many years, of foreign aid, have included the following:

  • Aid is often wasted on conditions that the recipient must use overpriced goods and services from donor countries
  • Most aid does not actually go to the poorest who would need it the most
  • Aid amounts are dwarfed by rich country protectionism that denies market access for poor country products while rich nations use aid as a lever to open poor country markets to their products
  • Large projects or massive grand strategies often fail to help the vulnerable; money can often be embezzled away.

This article explores who has benefited most from this aid, the recipients or the donors.

Read “Foreign Aid for Development Assistance” to learn more.

Tax Avoidance and Tax Havens; Undermining Democracy

Through tax havens, transfer pricing and many other policies — both legal and illegal — billions of dollars of tax are avoided. The much-needed money would helped developing (and developed) countries provide important social services for their populations.

Some tax avoidance, regardless of how morally objectionable it may be to some people, is perfectly legal, and the global super elite are able to hide away trillions of dollars, resulting in massive losses of tax revenues for cash-strapped governments who then burden ordinary citizens further with austerity measures during economic crisis, for example. Yet these super elite are often very influential in politics and business. In effect, they are able to undermine democracy and capitalism at the same time.

As the global financial crisis has affected many countries, tackling tax avoidance would help target those more likely to have contributed to the problem while avoid many unnecessary austerity measures that hit the poorest so hard. But despite rhetoric stating otherwise, it does not seem to high on the agenda of many governments as you might think.

Read “Tax Avoidance and Tax Havens; Undermining Democracy” to learn more.

World Military Spending

World military spending had reduced since the Cold War ended, but a few nations such as the US retain high level spending.

In recent years, global military expenditure has increased again and is now comparable to Cold War levels. Recent data shows global spending at over $1.7 trillion. 2012 saw the first dip in spending — only slightly —since 1998, in an otherwise rising trend.

After a decline following the end of the Cold War, recent years have seen military spending increase

The highest military spender is the US accounting for almost two-fifths of the world’s spending, more than the rest of the G7 (most economically advanced countries) combined, and more than all its potential enemies, combined.

Read “World Military Spending” to learn more.

More issues

“If a man is offered a fact which goes against his instincts, he will scrutinize it closely, and unless the evidence is overwhelming, he will refuse to believe it. If, on the other hand, he is offered something which affords a reason for acting in accordance to his instincts, he will accept it even on the slightest evidence.” — Bertrand Russell, Roads to Freedom