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With 41% of global wealth in the hands of less than 1%, elites and citizens agree inequality is a top priority. Over the last few years, inequality has become an increasingly important topic in global debates about economics and politics.

With 41% of global wealth in the hands of less than 1%, elites and citizens agree inequality is a top priority

2014 Corruption Perceptions Index- how the public sector is perceived to be. Middle Easterners See Religious and Ethnic Hatred as Top Global Threat. Europeans and Americans Focus on Inequality as Greatest Danger.

Middle Easterners See Religious and Ethnic Hatred as Top Global Threat

UN seeks to make North Korea answer for 'crimes against humanity' The world’s boldest effort yet to hold North Korea and its leader, Kim Jong-un, accountable for alleged crimes against humanity moved forward on Tuesday at the United Nations, where a Pyongyang envoy threatened further nuclear tests.

UN seeks to make North Korea answer for 'crimes against humanity'

The UN general assembly’s human rights committee approved a resolution that urges the security council to refer the country’s harsh human rights situation to the International Criminal Court. The non-binding resolution now goes to the general assembly for a vote in the coming weeks. China and Russia, which hold veto power on the council, voted against it. The resolution was inspired by a groundbreaking UN commission of inquiry report early this year that declared North Korea’s human rights situation “exceeds all others in duration, intensity and horror”.

How are the US and China seen by other countries? Many in Asia Worry about Conflict with China Revelations about the scope of American electronic surveillance efforts have generated headlines around the world over the past year.

How are the US and China seen by other countries?

And a new Pew Research Center survey finds widespread global opposition to U.S. eavesdropping and a decline in the view that the U.S. respects the personal freedoms of its people. But in most countries there is little evidence this opposition has severely harmed America’s overall image. Explore Global Opinions of U.S. Surveillance In nearly all countries polled, majorities oppose monitoring by the U.S. government of emails and phone calls of foreign leaders or their citizens. Another high-profile aspect of America’s recent national security strategy is also widely unpopular: drones. Catalans vote in symbolic referendum on independence in defiance of Madrid. Polling stations have opened across the north-eastern region of Catalonia for a symbolic vote in defiance of the central government in Madrid and Spain’s constitutional court.

Catalans vote in symbolic referendum on independence in defiance of Madrid

Outside the Jaume I primary school, tucked behind Barcelona’s main railway station, the queues began at 7.30am on Sunday morning. The line had grown to some 100 people by 9am, who applauded as the polling station – one of 1,200 across Catalonia – was officially opened and they were ushered in. “It was really moving,” said volunteer Enrique Sola Campillo of the first few moments of the day. “So many have been waiting for this.” Murder capitals of the world: how runaway urban growth fuels violence. It was relatively quiet in San Pedro Sula last month.

Murder capitals of the world: how runaway urban growth fuels violence

A gunfight between police and a drug gang left a 15-year-old boy dead; the body of a man riddled with bullets was found in a banana plantation; two lawyers were gunned down; a salesman was murdered inside his 4x4; and a father and son were murdered at home after pleading not to be killed. One politician survived an assassination attempt and around a dozen people were found dead in the street. 2014 Global Hunger Index (data) The 2014 Global Hunger Index (GHI), released for the ninth year by the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI), Welthungerhilfe, and Concern Worldwide, examines “hidden hunger”— often hard to detect, but potentially devastating.

2014 Global Hunger Index (data)

Report 2014 Global Hunger IndexThe challenge of hidden hunger October 2014. IFPRI, Welthungerhilfe, and Concern Worldwide.English | Deutsch | Italiano | Français Press Release Two billion people suffering from hidden hunger according to 2014 Global Hunger Index, even as levels of hunger in many developing countries decreaseDownload: English | Français | Chinese | Deutsch Fact Sheets Online event 2014 Global Hunger Index Twitter Chat October 16, 2014, 10:00 am - 11:00 am EDT Video. Surreal Scene of Migrants Atop Spanish Border Fence. Child poverty up in more than half of developed world since 2008. Malala Yousafzai and Kailash Satyarthi win Nobel peace prize 2014. Malala Yousafzai, the Pakistani teenage education campaigner shot on school bus in 2012 by a Taliban gunman, has won the 2014 Nobel peace prize.

Malala Yousafzai and Kailash Satyarthi win Nobel peace prize 2014

Malala won along with Kailash Satyarthi, an Indian children’s rights activist.

On a lighter side...

Scottish independence. MUN procedures. Bad Diplomatic Speeches: Historical and Cultural Allusions. It does not matter much which examples the speechwriter pulls from the bran tub of history.

Bad Diplomatic Speeches: Historical and Cultural Allusions

A couple of the most obvious ones give the audience a warm glow of familiarity. The ambitious speechwriter might also use one or two lesser-known examples to add variety and cast light on contemporary themes. This safe and sure opening tactic accomplished, the speech then trudges through the current agenda. The Dullard's Guide never explains what this formula is meant to achieve other than padding out the speech in a harmless way. Yet it is impressively popular. This formulaic way of starting a speech does have modest advantages.

More often than not, these openings are not done well. We have a fine example of how not to use historical allusions in a speech. "Any British Foreign Secretary visiting Poland is deeply conscious of the history between our two countries. "It goes back a long way. "It goes back a long way. What went wrong here? How to do it properly? Here too, Mr. Mr. Hmm. Conclusion? Le Monde diplomatique - English edition. Latest news from the UN (The Guardian) Welcome to the UN (official)