News headlines for “Consumption and Consumerism”, page 22
Asia and the Pacific Preparing for a New Era of Disaster Risks
- Inter Press Service
BANGKOK, Thailand, December 17 (IPS) - Cyclones Ditwah and Senyar are indications of a shifting disaster riskscape, not anomalies. Both storms broke historical patterns: Ditwah tracked unusually south along Sri Lanka’s coast before looping into the Bay of Bengal, dumping over 375 mm of rain in 24 hours and triggering landslides.
At UN, nations pledge people-first digital future, tighter AI safeguards
- UN News
UN Member States on Wednesday pledged to narrow widening digital divides and put stronger safeguards around artificial intelligence (AI), as the General Assembly concluded a major review of how the world manages the Internet and fast-evolving digital technologies.
Refugees Forced to Fill Gaps as Funding, Power and Legal Recognition Move Out of Reach
- Inter Press Service
SRINAGAR, India, December 16 (IPS) - The global refugee system is entering a period of deep strain. The delivery of protection and assistance is undergoing a transformation due to funding cuts, institutional reforms, and shifting donor priorities. Against this backdrop, a new Global Synthesis Report titled From the Ground Up highlights the many issues faced by refugees in the Middle East and Africa.
Millions at Risk in 2026 as Aid Budgets Hit Historic Lows
- Inter Press Service
UNITED NATIONS, December 16 (IPS) - 2025 has been an especially turbulent year for humanitarian aid operations as global aid budgets have experienced record declines in funding. As conflicts, environmental disasters, and economic crises intensify and disproportionately impact the world’s most vulnerable communities, the resources available in global emergency funds are falling far short of rapidly growing needs.
Trump Reboots US National Security Strategy, Foreign Policy
- Inter Press Service
KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia, December 16 (IPS) - The new US National Security Strategy (NSS) repositions the superpower’s role in the world. Hence, foreign policy will be mainly driven by considerations of ‘making America great again’ (MAGA).
UN deal delivers a smoother ride for global trade
- UN News
Moving goods around the world could soon become cheaper, faster and far more flexible, following the adoption of a new United Nations-backed agreement that modernises the paperwork behind global shipping.
Will the Song “White Christmas” Become a Clarion Call for Climate Change Action?
- Inter Press Service
WASHINGTON DC, December 15 (IPS) - As each Christmas approaches, one song permeates the airwaves across the United States and elsewhere: White Christmas. According to the Guiness Book of World Records, “White Christmas” is the #1 selling physical single of all times with over 50 million copies sold.
As Attacks on Women Defenders Intensify, so Must Our Support
- Inter Press Service
MANILA, Philippines, December 15 (IPS) - A global crackdown on civic freedoms is intensifying – and women are on the frontlines of the attack. CIVICUS’s 2025 People Power Under Attack report analyses the extent to which freedoms of association, expression and peaceful assembly are being respected or violated. The report reveals that people in 83 countries now live in conditions where their freedoms are routinely denied, compared to 67 in 2020. In 2020, 13 per cent of the world’s population lived in countries where civic freedoms were broadly respected; now it’s more like 7 per cent. Among the most documented violations in 2025 were detention of human rights defenders, journalists and protesters, and women human rights defenders (WHRDs) were among the most affected.
Venezuela Needs More Local Data To Understand the Impacts of Climate Change
- Inter Press Service
CARACAS, December 15 (IPS) - A group of 55 researchers gathered and analyzed 1,260 bibliographic references to compile the Second Academic Report on Climate Change in Venezuela. Their final conclusion is that more local studies are still needed to record the direct impacts across different Venezuelan regions and, in particular, to provide data to design the adaptation plans necessary to address climate change.
UNDP’s Digital Rights Dashboard: A Conversation Starter on Human Rights in the Digital Age
- Inter Press Service
UNITED NATIONS, December 15 (IPS) - Within a generation, digital systems have changed much of how we learn, work and participate in civic life, especially in more connected regions. This shift is unfolding at different speeds in developing countries, but the direction of travel is unmistakable.
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