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Global
World hunger facts Global web links
For climate change and other environmental issues see the Hunger Notes special report Global issues: the earth, the environment, and poor people
Raimundo Teixeira de Souza held the residents card of his stepson who was killed, probably in a land dispute. Teixeira de Souza was forced to sell his land for a pittance to more powerful farmers, who roam this Wild West territory with rifles strapped to their backs. Photo: André Vieira/New York Times
Land grabs widespread in lawless Amazon region of Brazil--government now trying to impose greater order Alexi Barrionuevo New York Times December 26, 2009
Esther Chavez, 68: Activist who denounced the brutal slayings of over 100 poor women in the border city of Ciudad Juarez and demanded that the deaths be properly investigated Olivia Torres Associated Press December 26, 2009
Leonel Gómez, 68: Salvadoran activist led probe into killing of 6 Jesuit priests Patricia Sullivan Washington Post December 15, 2009 See Hunger Notes special report: Harmful economic systems
Three accused in 1981 murder of Chilean ex-president by the Chilean government Alexei Barrrionuevo New York Times December 7, 2009 See Hunger Notes special report: Harmful economic systems
Bolivian president Morales reelected with 61 percent of the vote; plans to deepen social revolution James Painter BBC News December 7, 2009 See Hunger Notes special report: Harmful economic systems
The link between undernutrition and climate change IRIN News December 7, 2009
Major economies square off over global trade deal (the WTO Doha round). South Africa calls for immediate cuts in US cotton subsidies that make it impossible for poor African cotton farmers to compete and that are in violation of WTO trade rules Jonathan Lynn and Laura MacInnis Reuters Africa December 1, 2009 African producers may litigate over US cotton subsidies Reuters Africa December 1, 2009 Brazil wins cotton war, but the US cuts no subsidies Ann Crotty Business Report December 2, 2009 Cleaning house at the WTO: the US and other developed countries continue to defend their own interests rather than addressing the development concerns of poorer countries (opinion) Kevin Gallagher and Timothy Wise The Guardian.co.uk December 1, 2009 See Hunger Notes special report Trade and Hunger
Hondurans elect conservative businessman as president. U.S. backs election; other Latin countries call it illegitimate Mary Beth Sheridan Washington Post November 30, 2009
Anti-trust scrutiny for Monsanto: patented seeds are go-to for farmers, who decry their fast-growing price Peter Whoriskey Washington Post November 28, 2009 See Hunger Notes special report: Trade and hunger
World leaders at UN summit vow to aid farmers in bid to help starving [though past record of assistance has been dismal] Richard Owen Times Online November 16, 2009 There has been a record of overall failure of governments to address world hunger. In spite of the 1995 World Food Summit commitment to reduce world hunger by half from 824 billion then to 412 billion by 2015, the number of hungry people has in fact increased to over 1 billion. Two recent studies address this failure: the Right to Food and Nutrition Watch 2009 by Fian International and others and Bridging the Divide by Oxfam. See Hunger Notes special report: Food is a human right--or is it?
A new megafarm in Western Ethiopia, for palm-oil trees, sugar cane, rice and sesame. All through the Rift Valley region, there are new fence posts signifying the recent rush for Ethiopian land. In the old days, farmers rarely bothered with such formal lines of demarcation, but now the countrys earth is in demand. One fence stretched on for a mile or more, very possibly belonging to Sheik Mohammed Al Amoudi, a Saudi Arabia-based oil-and-construction billionaire who was born in Ethiopia and maintains a close relationship with the Ethiopian Prime Minister Meles Zenawis autocratic regime. Photo: Simon Norfolk/New York Times
Is there such a thing as agro-imperialism? Andrew Rice New York Times November 16, 2009 For further information on the takeover of developing country land by developed country investors see the Grain website.
World cereal production is at its second-highest level ever, yet food prices remain very high. In Asia for example, prices are up 40-70 percent. Photo: Kamila Hyat/IRIN
World hunger increases despite growth in food production IRIN News November 12, 2009 We can have food security, say two new reports IRIN News November 12, 2009 See Hunger Notes special report: The world financial, food and hunger crisis
200 million children under the age of five in the developing world suffer from chronic undernutrition, causing one-third of deaths in children under five, the United Nations Children's Fund says BBC News November 11, 2009 Access UNICEF report and video
Blackouts plague energy-rich Venezuela Simon Romero New York Times November 10, 2009
A grove of huarango trees sits amid the sand dunes at the edge of Ica, Peru. The trees help balance the arid valley, capturing moisture coming from the west. Nonetheless, villagers are cutting down the last remaining trees. Photo: Tomas Munita/New York Times
The ecosystem in Peru is losing a key ally--the huarago tree Simon Romero New York Times November 7, 2009 Cutting down huarango forests caused the collapse of the Nazca civilization 1500 years ago Jody Bourton BBC News November 2, 2009 See Hunger Notes special report: Hunger, the environment and climate change
Paraguay president sacks army head BBC News November 5, 2009
Binding treaty no longer a realistic goal for climate summit, UN chief concedes Ben Webster Times Online November 4, 2009 See Hunger Notes special report: Hunger, the environment and climate change
Key ways in which current farming practices harm the earth
include loss of biodiversity, overuse of chemicals and pesticides, and loss of
plant and animal habitat due to the expansion of farming. The loss of
biodiversity as a result of current farming practices includes an estimated loss
of three-quarters of the genetic diversity in agricultural crops over the
last century. Photo: Jane Some/IRIN
Feeding the world without harming it IRIN November 3, 2009 See Hunger Notes special report: Hunger, the environment and climate change
Gunman kill union leader in Mexico Elisabeth Malkin New York Times November 1, 2009
Slowed funding threatens AIDS fight, group says--recession, other factors causing international donors to pull back Karin Brulliard Washington Post November 5, 2009 See Hunger Notes special report on development assistance
Food experts worry as population and hunger grow Neil MacFarquhar New York Times October 21, 2009 Economy has left 1 billion hungry, UN says Ariel David Associated Press/Boston Globe October 15, 2009 See Hunger Notes special report: the world financial, food and hunger crisis
Deal set to restore ousted Honduran president Ginger Thompson and Elisabeth Malkin New York Times October 25, 2009
Current intellectual property rights, especially those for GMO seeds, threaten poor farmers, food security and the right to food United Nations October 21, 2009 See Hunger Notes special report: Trade and hunger
Fiser's mother wants him to return to school some day. Photo: BBC
Bitter lives of Bolivia's child workers Andres Schipani BBC News October 11, 2009
G-20 to replace G-8 as major economic forum--China, India, Brazil and South Africa will now be included Annys Shin and Michael D. Shear Washington Post September 25, 2009 See Hunger Notes special report: Trade and hunger
G-20 to increase developing country voting power in the International Monetary Fund by about five percent (barely addressing the vast power of developed countries in the IMF) Xinhua September 25, 2009
A mother and daughter, lacking water at home, wash clothes in a nearby spring. Photo: Rodrigo Cruz/Wall Street Journal
Mexico City's water shortage worsens Nicholas Casey Wall Street Journal September 12, 2009 See slideshow (requires Flash) See Hunger Notes special report: Global issues: hunger, the environment, and climate change
Denise de Oliveira, a resident of Santa Cruz, Brazil, receives about $70 a month from the Brazilian government under an innovative program known as Bolsa Familia. Photo: Tyler Bridges/MCT
Countries in Latin America pioneer an anti-poverty program that works--paying poor families a stipend and requiring that school-age children stay in school Tyler Bridges McClatchy Newspapers September 21, 2009 The World Bank description of Brazil's Bolsa Familia program. A United Nations Development Program evaluation of Brazil's Bolsa Familia. See Hunger Notes special report: food is a human right.
In poorer nations, energy needs trump climate issues Emily Wax Washington Post September 9, 2009
US halts aid over Honduras coup BBC News September 3, 2009
US-Colombia military base agreement prompts questions in both countries Juan Forero and Mary Beth Sheridan Washington Post August 27, 2009 Alarm at US-Colombia troops plan BBC News August 11, 2009 Increased US military presence in Colombia could pose problems with neighbors Simon Romero New York Times July 23, 2009
European farm subsidies go to more than just farmers Doreen Carvajal and Stephen Castle New York Times July 16, 2009
A boy rested on the mud in a dried-up section of the Euphrates River near Jubaish, Iraq, in June. Photo: Moises Saman for The New York Times
Iraq suffers as the Euphrates river dwindles Campbell Robertson New York Times July 13, 2009
World leaders fail to agree specific target for climate cuts--agree only to 'substantially reduce' global emissions by 2050 Patrick Wintour and Larry Elliott Guardian.co.uk July 8, 2009 Poorer nations reject a target on emission cut Peter Baker New York Times July 8, 2009
Egyptian jailed for three years for writing satirical poem about President Mubarakin Egypt insulting Mubarak brings this sentence BBC News July 14, 2009 See Hunger Notes special report: harmful economic systems and how they oppress people
G8 pledges to increase assistance to developing country agriculture BBC News July 10, 2009 G8 pressured to honor aid pledges--the global recession has helped reduce aid from wealthy nations even as it pushes millions more into poverty Howard LaFranchi Christian Science Monitor July 9, 2009 G8's promise to Africa is likely to be broken--pledge to double aid by 2010 far behind schedule Kathryn Hopkins The Guardian June 11, 2009 See Hunger Notes special report on development assistance
Pope calls for ethical dimension to global capitalism and a new world political authority to help champion "the common good" Riazat Butt Guardian.co.uk July 7, 2009 See the Pope's encyclical Charity in Truth
The Iranian opposition leader, Mir Hussein Moussavi, appeared publicly for the first time in more than two days on Monday. Photo: Behrouz Mehri/Agence France-Presse Getty Images
As Iran calms, a struggle for political power and legitimacy intensifies Michael Slackman New York Times July 7, 2009 Khamenei calls for inquiry as demonstrators protest Iranian election results Robert F. Worth and Nazila Fathi New York Times June 13, 2009
Haiti gets $1.2 billion debt cancellation after long wait EURODAD July 3, 2009
Economic crisis could last years Al Jazeera June 25, 2009 More financial, food, and hunger crisis stories
Ousted Honduran president wins international support Marc Lacey New York Times June 30, 2009 Honduran military ousts President Zelaya William Booth and Juan Forero Washington Post June 29, 2009 Honduran president fires armed forces boss BBC News June 25, 2009 See Hunger Notes special report: harmful economic system stories
One billion people throughout the world suffer from hunger, a figure which has increased by 100 million because of the global financial crisis, UN says BBC News June 19, 2009 More financial, food, and hunger crisis stories
Members of an indigenous group opposed to Perus plans to open large parts of the Amazon to drilling and logging demonstrated Thursday in Iquitos, Peru. Photo: Tomas Munita/New York Times
Peru prime minister to step down over handling of Amazon crisis Reuters July 4, 0009 Protesters gird for long fight over opening Perus Amazon Simon Romero New York Times June 11, 2009 9 hostage officers killed at Peruvian oil facility--Amazonian Indians demand that Peruvian president withdraw decrees that ease the way for companies to carry out major energy and logging projects in the Amazon Simon Romero New York Times June 6, 2009
Using a mix of grass-roots activism, lawsuits and old-fashioned lobbying, Dr. Yuri Melinihi and his organization tackle issues from illegal logging in protected forests and the impact of a growing mining industry to the supply and cleanliness of water. Photo: Peter Morrison / Associated Press
Bullets don't stop Guatemala green activist. Shot 7 times by an unknown assailant, his enemies include drug traffickers, midnight loggers, mining giants and corrupt military men. Ken Ellingwood Los Angeles Times June 11, 2009 More harmful economic system stories
Four months after Israels war against Hamas in Gaza, Suad Khadir and her family are still living in a tent. To escape the heat, they often seek refuge under the rubble. Photo: Ashraf Amra./New York Times
Misery hangs over Gaza despite pledges of help Ethan Bronner New York Times May 28, 2009
Rodrigo Rosenberg's video, made before his death and saying 'if you see this, I will have been murdered', has been shown repeatedly on Guatemalan TV. See the video on YouTube
Video made by Guatemalan lawyer blames his slaying on Guatemalan president William Booth Washington Post May 14, 2009
Gang suspects are arrested in a suburb of San Salvador. Gang violence is one
factor in the countrys homicide rate, one of the worlds highest. Slayings
averaged almost 12 a day in the first three months of this year. Photo Jose
Cabezas / AFP/Getty Images
El Salvador grapples with rising bloodshed--per capita homicide rate is 10 times US Tracy Wilkinson Los Angeles Times May 13, 2009
Election win for Ecuador's Correa BBC News May 2, 2009
Food prices remain high in developing countries Food and Agriculture Organization April 23, 2009
Mexico has ramped up its containment efforts. Photo: BBC
Mexico flu sparks global action BBC News April 23, 2009
A boy stands in parched corn field near Harare, Zimbabwe. Photo: Associated Press
Could food shortages bring down civilization? The biggest threat to global stability is the potential for food crises in poor countries to cause government collapse. Lester Brown Scientific American May 2009 Climate change resulting in drought, population growth, and neglect of developing country agriculture will cause billion-person famines in next 40 years, US scientist says Lewis Smith Times Online March 23, 2009 See Hunger Notes special report Global issues: the earth, the environment, and poor people
Mexico flu sparks global action BBC News April 23, 2009
The police archives with information on the disappeared and the Guatemalan government's role in their disappearance might have been destroyed had it not been for Police Officer Ana Corado who refused an order to destroy the records before they were identified and secured by human rights activists. Photo Ann Marie O'Connor/Washington Post
The emerging secrets of Guatemala's disappeared Anne-Marie O'Connor Washington Post April 11, 2009
Wife of Guatemalan human rights activist kidnapped, tortured, as her husband was about to release a key human rights report Manuel Roig-Franzia Washington Post April 11, 2009
Impoverished Haiti slips further as remittances dry up Mary Beth Sheridan Washington Post April 17, 2009
Hernando Renteria is among the farmers who returned to his land in Choco to find it planted with African palm oil trees, one of which he's hacking down. Photo: Juan Forero/Washington Post
Colombia orders return of stolen farmland. Illegal militias forced hundreds of poor black farmers off their land, which politically connected businessmen then seized and turned into lucrative palm oil plantations. US pact is motivation for move, critics say. Juan Forero Washington Post March 23, 2009
Mauricio Funes greeted his supporters in San Salvador on Sunday night after winning El Salvadors presidential election. Photo: Luis Romero/Associated Press
Salvadoran vows moderate rule: president-elect promises to improve economy, help poor William Booth Washington Post March 17, 2009 El Salvador elects first left president Blake Schmidt and Elisabeth Malkin New York Times March 16, 2009 In El Salvador vote, the Farabundo Marti National Liberation Front (FMLN), the revolutionary group-turned-mainstream political party, seems poised for victory William Booth Washington Post March 9, 2009
Bolivian leader redistributes thousands of acres of land from large-scale owners BBC News March 15, 2009
Pipelines to mines siphon water from some of the driest towns on earth, in northern Chile. Photo: Tomas Munita/New York Times
Chilean town withers in free market for water Alexi Barrionuevo New York Times March 14, 2009
Job candidates tussle for enrollment forms at a career fair in India, where more than half a million jobs vanished in the last three months of 2008, according to the World Bank. Photo: Mahesh Kumar/Associated Press
US downturn dragging world into recession Anthony Faiola Washington Post March 9, 2009
Soldiers moved into Ciudad Juarez to try to regain control of a city in which more than 2,000 people have been murdered over the past year. Officials say they intend to have 7,000 troops and police in position by the end of the week. Photo: Associated Press
US Defense department: Mexico's two most deadly drug cartels have more than 100,000 foot soldiers--an army that rivals Mexico's armed forces Sara A. Carter Washington Times March 3, 2009 Mexico troops enter drug war city BBC News March 2, 2009
CIA adds global financial crisis to daily threat updates for President Obama: growing CIA belief that economic meltdown is now principal security threat Joby Warrick Washington Post February 26, 2009
Chávez wins removal of term limits Juan Forero Washington Post February 16, 2009
Lebanon: Climate change and politics threaten water wars in Bekaa IRIN February 1, 2009 Arabic language version
First salvos of trade wars as worldwide recession deepens Anthony Faiola Washington Post February 1, 2009 Downturn accelerates as it circles the globe--economies worse off than predicted just weeks ago Anthony Faiola Washington Post January 24, 2009 A stimulus plan with dual goals: reform and recovery David E. Sanger New York Times January 31, 2009 Biden to lead task force on 'middle class' issues with goal to raise standard of living for working families Anne E. Kornblut and Anthony Faiola Washington Post January 31, 2009
An Aymara Indian voted Sunday at a polling station in El Alto, Bolivia, a city of slums on the outskirts of the capital, La Paz Enrique Castro-Mendivil/Reuters
Bolivians ratify new constitution Simon Romero New York Times January 26, 2009 As Bolivia votes on new constitution, opposition finds itself divided Joshua Partlow Washington Post January 25, 2009
Access to maternity care helps save lives. Photo BBC
Women in poor nations are 300 times more likely to die in childbirth or from pregnancy complications than those in the developed world, UNICEF warns BBC News January 15, 2009
Worldwide measles eradication target unlikely to be reached--European nations major part of the problem BBC News January 7, 2008
UN and Red Cross add to outcry on Gaza war Ethan Bronner New York Times January 9, 2007 100 survivors rescued in Gaza from ruins blocked by Israelis Craig Whitlock and Reyham Ardel Kareem Washington Post January 6, 2008
To rid slums of drug gangs, police in Rio try war tactics Joshua Partlow Washington Post January 6, 2009
Wealthy countries seek land in Cambodia, Madagascar, and Brazil David Montero Christian Science Monitor December 22, 2008
Number of children immunized has been inflated for years David Brown Washington Post December 9, 2008