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
Seeds of Resilience Despite Massive Destruction in Gaza
- Inter Press Service
UNITED NATIONS, Oct 29 (IPS) - It was two weeks before October 7—when Hamas attacked Israel—that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stood behind the rostrum in the United Nations General Assembly hall clutching a crude map of what he called the "new Middle East," a visual that erased the land of Palestine.
The July Revolution in Bangladesh Is Rooted in Meta-Modernist Philosophy
- Inter Press Service
BOSTON / PHILADELPHIA, Oct 28 (IPS) - The students and the common people of Bangladesh dared to do something in 36 days of July-August that was considered simply impossible by most people just days before August 5, 2024. They said ‘enough is enough' to an old order that outraged their humanity, robbed their dignity and the rulers imagined that their citadel of power was simply impenetrable. The revolutionists refused to bow down to the murderous regime that knew no bounds to its cruelty and plundering. They were ready to sacrifice their lives for the freedom of the besieged nation.
Sudanese Civil War Exacerbates Economies in Neighbouring Countries
- Inter Press Service
UNITED NATIONS, Oct 28 (IPS) - Critical levels of nationwide hunger in Sudan has only increased to critical levels since the start of the Sudanese civil war in April 2023. Escalated hostilities between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) have led to limited mobility and repeated blockages of humanitarian aid. This, coupled with the volatile floods and droughts, have decimated crop fields which has only exacerbated famine levels greatly. All of these factors have left nearly 25 million people in Sudan in need of humanitarian assistance in 2024.
Pressure on an Atomic Level
- Inter Press Service
CAIRO, Egypt, Oct 28 (IPS) - Violence in the Middle East has escalated dramatically since the Hamas terrorist attack in October 2023 and the fallout that has since followed. There is tension, if not a state of war, between all the major opponents on the ground.
Over 150 NGOs Urge World Governments to Help End War Crimes in Gaza
- Inter Press Service
UNITED NATIONS, Oct 28 (IPS) - As it continues to leave a mounting trail of death and destruction in Gaza, Israel has come under severe attack from the international community, including the United Nations and its humanitarian agencies, Western allies, the International Criminal Court (ICC) and scores of human rights experts.
Lazzarini: Israeli Knesset vote on UNRWA will deepen Palestinian suffering
- UN News
Monday’s vote by the Israeli Knesset banning the UN Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) contradicts principles of the UN Charter, violates Israel’s obligations under international law, and sets a dangerous precedent, the head of the Agency, Philippe Lazzarini has warned.
France: Hijab ban during sports, ‘discriminatory and must be reversed’ say experts
- UN News
Independent human rights experts on Monday called on France to reverse bans that prevent Muslim women and girls who wear the hijab from participating in sports, citing concerns that these restrictions are discriminatory and violate international human rights obligations.
UN official urges more ambitious, credible climate action plans
- UN News
Proposed actions by countries to mitigate the worsening impacts of climate change “fall miles short of what is needed,” according to a major UN report has revealed on Monday.
Sudan trapped in a ‘nightmare of violence’, UN chief tells Security Council
- UN News
UN Secretary-General António Guterres warned on Monday the people of Sudan are trapped in a “nightmare of violence, hunger, disease and displacement”, as the brutal war between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) continues to rage.
Middle East crisis: Live updates from the Security Council and UN across the region
- UN News
We will be following the latest breaking news over the day, including from UN staff on the ground in the Middle East, dispatches from Gaza, Lebanon and the wider region as well as the emergency Security Council meeting following escalating conflict between Iran and Israel. UN News app users can follow here.
- More stories…
Climate
Seeds of Resilience Despite Massive Destruction in Gaza
- Inter Press Service
UNITED NATIONS, Oct 29 (IPS) - It was two weeks before October 7—when Hamas attacked Israel—that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stood behind the rostrum in the United Nations General Assembly hall clutching a crude map of what he called the "new Middle East," a visual that erased the land of Palestine.
Sudanese Civil War Exacerbates Economies in Neighbouring Countries
- Inter Press Service
UNITED NATIONS, Oct 28 (IPS) - Critical levels of nationwide hunger in Sudan has only increased to critical levels since the start of the Sudanese civil war in April 2023. Escalated hostilities between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) have led to limited mobility and repeated blockages of humanitarian aid. This, coupled with the volatile floods and droughts, have decimated crop fields which has only exacerbated famine levels greatly. All of these factors have left nearly 25 million people in Sudan in need of humanitarian assistance in 2024.
UN official urges more ambitious, credible climate action plans
- UN News
Proposed actions by countries to mitigate the worsening impacts of climate change “fall miles short of what is needed,” according to a major UN report has revealed on Monday.
Greenhouse gases surged to new highs in 2023, warns UN weather agency
- UN News
New data released by the UN on Monday indicating that greenhouse gases have hit a record high shows once again that urgent action and not words is needed from the world’s major polluters to protect us all from climate change, the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) insisted.
By Choosing What We Eat, We Choose the World We Want To Live In
- Inter Press Service
CALI, Columbia & BULAWAYO, Zimbabwe, Oct 28 (IPS) - "How we prepare and eat food should not be at the expense of our biodiversity," says 3-Michelin-starred chef Mauro Colagreco, who is on a mission to change our relationship with food and what we choose to eat.
At COP16, Biodiversity Credits Raising Hopes and Protests
- Inter Press Service
CALI, Columbia, Oct 26 (IPS) - At the end of the first week at the 16th Conference of Parties on Biodiversity (COP16), finance emerges as the biggest issue but also shrouded in controversies.
IMF isn’t doing enough to support Africa: billions could be made available through special drawing rights
- Inter Press Service
BOSTON, USA & CAPE TOWN, South Africa, Oct 25 (IPS) - At the 2021 UN Climate Summit, Barbados prime minister Mia Mottley called for more and better use of special drawing rights (SDRs)the International Monetary Fund's reserve asset.
The Impact of Media Literacy for Meat Production
- Inter Press Service
UNITED NATIONS, Oct 25 (IPS) - With the emergence of generative artificial intelligence (AI) and social media, the dissemination of public information moves at a faster speed than ever before. Social media platforms have become an integral tool for users of younger generations to access the news. Although this shift has led to public news being more accessible to younger users, it has also led to an overall decline in media literacy.
Without Accelerated Action, We Will Miss the Chance to Limit Warming to 1.5°C, Says UNEY Chief Climate Advisor
- Inter Press Service
COPENHAGEN & SRINAGAR, Oct 24 (IPS) - Anne Olhoff, Chief Climate Advisor at UNEP, underlined the urgent need for accelerated climate action ahead of COP29 in an exclusive interview with IPS. "The next six years are crucial—without accelerated action, we will miss the chance to limit warming to 1.5°C," she warned.
UNEP’s 2024 Emissions Gap Report Warns: “No More Hot Air, Please”
- Inter Press Service
COPENHAGEN, Oct 24 2024 (IPS) - The United Nations Environment Programme’s (UNEP) Emissions Gap Report 2024 delivered a stark reminder that the world is still far from meeting its climate commitments.
- More stories…
Health
The Impact of Media Literacy for Meat Production
- Inter Press Service
UNITED NATIONS, Oct 25 (IPS) - With the emergence of generative artificial intelligence (AI) and social media, the dissemination of public information moves at a faster speed than ever before. Social media platforms have become an integral tool for users of younger generations to access the news. Although this shift has led to public news being more accessible to younger users, it has also led to an overall decline in media literacy.
Raid on North Gaza hospital ‘deeply disturbing’: WHO chief
- UN News
Reports of Israeli troops storming one of the last functioning hospitals in northern Gaza are deeply concerning, while ongoing hostilities are hampering polio vaccination in the area, the World Health Organization (WHO) said on Friday.
Gaza: Palestinians are dying amid lethal evacuation delays
- UN News
Children and disabled people are facing ever more horrific conditions in war-torn Gaza, with some dying as they wait for medical evacuations, as the year-long war grinds on, UN officials and rights experts said on Friday.
Biden’s Middle East Endgame Spells a Death Sentence for Thousands More Palestinians and the Israeli Hostages
- Inter Press Service
PARIS, Oct 24 (IPS) - Nobody should be fooled by President Biden's recent warning to Israel that the U.S. may level consequences if it doesn't do more to surge humanitarian aid into Gaza within the next 30 days. Biden's warning, along with Anthony Blinken's 11th trip to Israel and the region to try and revive ceasefire talks, is nothing more than cynical double talk designed to appease domestic audiences and buy time for Israel to deepen its genocidal aims against the Palestinian people and brutally punish those who support their liberation.
Israel Escalates Offensives on Lebanon
- Inter Press Service
Oct 24 (IPS) - Attacks on Lebanon over the past two months, as instigated by the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) have been increasingly indiscriminate. The Disaster Risk Management Unit at the Lebanese Council of Ministers confirmed that the death toll of Lebanese civilians has risen to over 2,530. Furthermore, Israel's hostilities have led to casualties among United Nations (UN) personnel, which has been described as "violations of international law".
Egyptian Parliament Moves to Strengthen Support for People with Disabilities and the Elderly
- Inter Press Service
CAIRO, Oct 24 (IPS) - In a significant move to address the challenges faced by people with disabilities and the elderly, six Egyptian parliamentary committees met in Cairo on October 12 to discuss national strategies and legislative efforts.
Meet The Young Women Arrested for Fighting Corruption in Uganda
- Inter Press Service
KAMPALA, Oct 24 (IPS) - Until recently, Margaret Natabi would never have dreamed of taking her anti-corruption fight on the streets of Uganda's capital, Kampala.
Hunger Is Ravaging the Bodies of Syrian Children, Stunting Their Growth
- Inter Press Service
IDLIB, Syria, Oct 23 (IPS) - Children in northern Syria are suffering from hunger, illness, and malnutrition as a result of poverty, poor living conditions for most families, and the collapse of purchasing power amid the soaring prices of all essential food commodities. Displacement and a lack of job opportunities make this worse.
85 percent of children affected by polio in 2023 lived in fragile and conflict-affected areas: UNICEF
- UN News
Countries facing conflict, natural disasters and humanitarian crises are struggling to provide routine childhood immunisations leaving many children vulnerable to the resurgence of polio, the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) warned in new report.
Gaza: Israeli strikes delay polio vaccine campaign in the north
- UN News
Intense bombardments, mass displacements and lack of access in northern Gaza have forced the postponement of a polio vaccination campaign, the World Health Organization (WHO) warned on Wednesday.
- More stories…
Economy
Sudanese Civil War Exacerbates Economies in Neighbouring Countries
- Inter Press Service
UNITED NATIONS, Oct 28 (IPS) - Critical levels of nationwide hunger in Sudan has only increased to critical levels since the start of the Sudanese civil war in April 2023. Escalated hostilities between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) have led to limited mobility and repeated blockages of humanitarian aid. This, coupled with the volatile floods and droughts, have decimated crop fields which has only exacerbated famine levels greatly. All of these factors have left nearly 25 million people in Sudan in need of humanitarian assistance in 2024.
IMF isn’t doing enough to support Africa: billions could be made available through special drawing rights
- Inter Press Service
BOSTON, USA & CAPE TOWN, South Africa, Oct 25 (IPS) - At the 2021 UN Climate Summit, Barbados prime minister Mia Mottley called for more and better use of special drawing rights (SDRs)the International Monetary Fund's reserve asset.
The Impact of Global Megatrends on Poverty in Asia & the Pacific
- Inter Press Service
BANGKOK, Thailand, Oct 25 (IPS) - In the coming decades, the Asia-Pacific region faces a series of challenges that threaten to exacerbate poverty. Among these, climate change, demographic shifts, particularly population ageing and the rise of digital technologies stand out as three interconnected global megatrends.
Between Harris and Trump, More Doubts Than Certainties for Latin America
- Inter Press Service
CARACAS, Oct 24 (IPS) - Migration, trade, the defence of democracy, the confrontation with China and the collapse of multilateralism are issues that shed more doubts than certainties on Latin America's expectations of the imminent presidential elections in the United States.
‘Climate crunch time is here,’ new UN report warns
- UN News
Annual greenhouse gas emissions are at an all-time high, and urgent action must be taken to prevent catastrophic spikes in temperature and avoid the worst impact of climate change, according to a new report released on Thursday by the UN Environment Programme (UNEP).
With God on Our Side: Netanyahu, Trump, and Putin
- Inter Press Service
STOCKHOLM, Sweden, Oct 23 (IPS) - Bronisław Malinowski (1884 – 1942) did for several years conduct socio-anthropological research in the Trobriand Islands. Returning to England after World War I, he wrote several ground breaking books, among them Magic, Science, and Religion in which he assumed that people's feelings and motives are crucial for understanding the way their society functions. Malinowski considered society to be intimately interlinked with individuality – i.e. an individual's ideas and behaviour are created and formulated within the social circles s/he lives and vice versa. Consequently, an individual's personality might influence an entire society, depending on the leading role s/he is granted.
The IMF Just Made the Case for its Own Irrelevance
- Inter Press Service
WASHINGTON DC, Oct 23 (IPS) - On Friday the 11th, the IMF announced policy changes that will save developing countries $1.2 billion per year. Despite the self-congratulations and fanfare, these reforms are only a tiny fraction of what campaigners had been asking for — and an even smaller share of what the Global South needs.
Another Nobel for Anglocentric Neoliberal Institutional Economics
- Inter Press Service
KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia, Oct 22 (IPS) - New institutional economics (NIE) has received another so-called Nobel prizeostensibly for again claiming that good institutions and democratic governance ensure growth, development, equity and democracy.
Gaza: War has set Palestine’s development back nearly 70 years
- UN News
The impact of the year-long war in Gaza and escalations in the West Bank has set development in the State of Palestine back by about 69 years, according to a new UN report released on Tuesday.
Capacity Building Is Key to Africa’s Digital Sequencing Success Story
- Inter Press Service
BULAWAYO, Oct 22 (IPS) - Christian Tiambo has always wished to uplift local farmers' communities through cutting-edge science.
- More stories…
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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.
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.
Most Popular
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
“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