On July 24, 2018, the authorities of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) officially declared an end to the outbreak of the deadly Ebola virus that had raged on in the northwestern part of the country since the first case was reported in May 2018. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), 54 cases of
The Asian Development Bank (ADB) sets a broad vision for the future of the Asia and the Pacific with a new long-term corporate strategy. ‘Strategy 2030’ outlines an agenda that considers the multiple challenges and the changing needs of this vast and important region. The highly-anticipated plan aligns with the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals and
Children living in conflict-affected regions are brought up alongside bloodshed, brutalities, oppression and violence causing them to go through traumas, emotional and physical, that no child ever should. Children inhabiting the Gaza strip are living proof of this harsh reality. Their daily lives are miserable. They have little to no access to electricity or clean
In a modern economy, companies finance themselves with equities and debts. If their business gets the degree to which they no longer internally finance with founders’ own assets, they start to seek more financial liquidity through external financing. In return, companies pay dividends to equity holders and interests to debt holders, respectively. With this
Even though the world’s farmers are producing enough calories to feed the entire population plus an additional 1.6 billion people, hunger remains an issue as the calories are not evenly distributed. Innovation in food production has helped feed a growing population. However, in the least developed countries (LDCs), advancements in agricultural technology are lagging behind.
China has emerged as Africa’s largest trading partner, providing a market for the continent’s energy and minerals. This week, the Chinese President Xi Jinping embarked on a four-leg tour of the African continent as part of China’s Belt and Road Initiative. President Xi has scheduled visits to Senegal, Rwanda, South Africa, and Mauritius all in
The “Land Down Under” has experienced huge developments in its energy industry. But despite headlines of a Tesla solar farm and the installation of the biggest lithium-ion battery storage, Australia continues to generate 63 percent of its electricity from coal, making it one of the most coal-dependent nations in the world. (AU Department of Environment and
The Indian Supreme Court, this week, reserved its verdict on the issue of decriminalizing homosexuality. Queer rights activists across the nation are hopeful that this time would prove to be the last time they have to fight to decriminalize homosexual intercourse. To provide a brief background, homosexuality is a criminal offence
In 2015, the United Nations (UN) set the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), which are comprised of 17 global goals to end poverty, protect the planet and ensure that all people enjoy peace and prosperity. Calling for a strong cooperation among countries to effectively deal with looming global challenges, goals are applied to not only developing
Emerging markets (EMs) are considerably new and thus figuring out their path. The term emerging markets was coined in the late 19th century, but by 2016, the heavyweights of EMs accounted for 48% of Global GDP according to a report by Cornell University. Although emerging markets play a significant role in the world economy, developments
In the face of inadequate resources to finance infrastructure and long-term sustainable development in a significant number of the developing countries, Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) has assumed a prominent place as an integral part of an open and effective international economic system and a major catalyst for development. The World Bank defines FDI as a
Trapped in a downward political and economic spiral, the instability in Venezuela caused by a weakening democracy and the spread of violent crime has profound consequences for Latin America and the rest of the world. As Nicolás Maduro enters another presidential term bankrupt and isolated, the deep roots of organized crime that support his government will
The current position taken by British Prime Minister Theresa May on Brexit seeks to preserve uncomplicated goods trade with the European Union, and avoid border checks and tariffs. Supporters of a more radical Brexit policy, fear that May’s new deal may lead to excessive British dependence on the EU, especially in the sphere of trade.
Thanks to the electricity, we can watch our favorite shows on TV, make a phone call to our friend and read books at night before we sleep. Because electricity is a part of almost every aspect of our daily lives, we may feel helpless when a sudden blackout occurs. However, there are still over
With climate changes exceeding most forecasts and communities already suffering, the future of our environment has been difficult to project. The UNHCR states that since 2008, an average of 22.5 million people have been displaced due to climate- and weather-related events. Climate change is expected to create the world’s largest refugee crisis, with tens of
Behind the struggle to address global warming and climate change is the increase in greenhouse gases in our atmosphere. According to a 2017 PBL Netherlands Environmental Assessment Agency report, in 2016, total greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions (excluding those from land use) increased to about 49.3 gigatonnes in CO2 equivalent with carbon dioxide accounting for 72%
In the last week, headlines have been full of devastating news on extreme weather events linked to climate change and sea level rise. A heat wave skyrocketed energy demand on the Los Angeles grid, leaving tens of thousands without power; in addition to wild forest fires due to drier conditions that have once again forced
The Trump administration is preparing to enforce tariffs on $34 billion in Chinese goods, and China has claimed to retaliate with tariffs of an equal amount in U.S. exports. If Trump’s threats turn out to be true, this could mark the beginning of an escalating trade war. Businesses within the European Union are closely watching
Though the world has enjoyed unprecedented economic prosperity, there are looming problems that may hinder further innovation and growth in the future. Especially worrisome is the aging population problem. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), the proportion of a society’s population that is comprised of persons aged 65 or older is called the “aging
The Poverty-Environment Initiative, a global UN enterprise that supports country-led efforts to mainstream poverty-environment linkages, has produced exciting new knowledge drawn from the last ten years of specific UN interventions in 23 countries in Africa, Europe, Latin American and the Caribbean, Asia and the Pacific. The term ‘poverty-environment-development nexus’ refers to the mutually inclusive linkages
Corruption has been identified as the single most significant obstacle to economic and social development; its claws are systematic, enduring and far-reaching and have long been considered a hindrance to good governance. US$1 trillion is paid in bribes annually while an estimated US$2.6 trillion is stolen through corrupt activities – a sum that is equivalent
