News headlines for “Democracy”, page 51
The Largest Multi-Billion Dollar Deal in US History – & a Potential 51st American State?
- Inter Press Service

UNITED NATIONS, May 23 (IPS) - When US President Donald Trump offered to declare neighboring Canada as America’s 51st state, the Canadians vehemently rejected the proposal.
“We don’t want to be part of America,” was the rallying cry. And the short-lived offer was shot down in flames.
The #ChurchToo Movement: A Wake-Up Call for the Modern Church
- Inter Press Service

May 22 (IPS) - I was researching the role of the church in addressing contemporary issues such as gender-based violence, climate change, and social justice when I came across the #ChurchToo movement—and I got really excited. Not because the stories were easy to read (they weren’t), but because this movement was a bold, necessary conversation that faith communities could no longer ignore.
Using AI as an Ally: What the latest UNDP Human Development Report Means for Latin America, Caribbean
- Inter Press Service

DOMINICA, May 22 (IPS) - The 2025 Human Development Report warns of slowing human development progress, with disparities between rich and poor nations widening. It’s highlighting both the challenges and immense potential of artificial intelligence to improve lives.The United Nations Development Programme’s 2025 Human Development Report (HDR) says crises such as the Covid-19 pandemic have contributed to ‘the flatlining of decades of progress in the Human Development Index,’ with Latin America and the Caribbean facing unique challenges and opportunities.
A New Pope at a Pivotal Moment: Civil Society’s Hopes for Leo XIV
- Inter Press Service

LONDON, May 22 (IPS) - The new pope, the latest in a line dating back almost 2,000 years, was quickly subjected to a very modern phenomenon: no sooner had Pope Leo XIV delivered his first address than people started trawling his social media history for clues about his views. In the context of an ongoing culture war, the fact that far-right grievance entrepreneurs were quick to decry the new pope as ‘woke’ seemed reason enough for progressives to welcome him. But for civil society and the global human rights community, it’s how Leo acts that matters.
The True Cost of America's Retreat: How USAID Cuts Threaten Millions of Lives
- Inter Press Service

NEW YORK, May 22 (IPS) - In January 2025, President Trump signed an executive order that upended humanitarian efforts globally, leaving millions of vulnerable people without lifesaving services. The administration's decision to slash American international aid by 83% is creating daily tragedies in the world's most fragile regions.
UN Reform – Once Again?
- Inter Press Service

COLOMBO, Sri Lanka, May 22 (IPS) - The UN is going through another exercise in reforming itself under immense pressure from the US, its main funder. This time US President Donald Trump has expressed himself much more forcefully and seems determined to pare down US contributions and demand further curtailing of UN expenses, while some other donors, reluctant to show their own hands, are quietly cheering on the US.
Agenda for Nuclear Non-Proliferation Review Conference Still Unclear
- Inter Press Service

NEW YORK, May 21 (IPS) - The Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons must not be allowed to collapse under the weight of geopolitical cynicism, the preparatory committee at the UN heard.
Civilians Face Humanitarian Disaster in Great Lakes, Horn of Africa Conflicts
- Inter Press Service

KAMPALA, May 21 (IPS) - Political instability and conflicts in the Great Lakes, the Horn of Africa, Sudan, and South Sudan have led to massive displacements and civilian suffering, and because the whole region is in crisis, the civilian population has few places to find refuge.
Malnutrition Plagues Children and Pregnant Women in Afghanistan
- Inter Press Service

MARJA DISTRICT, HELMAND PROVINCE, Afghanistan, May 20 (IPS) - Bibi Gul, a pregnant woman from Helmand’s Marja District, walked two hours to reach the nearest health center in search of treatment for her moderate malnutrition.
Fostering Dialogue for Disarmament Ahead of Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons Review Conference
- Inter Press Service

UNITED NATIONS, May 20 (IPS) - The argument for nuclear disarmament is perhaps more relevant than it has been since the end of World War II, especially in a world where there is a growing gulf between nuclear states and between nuclear states and those who don't have the weapons.

