Global Issues

All Global Issues

Half as many women die during pregnancy, childbirth as in 1990

Worldwide, maternal mortality has been cut in half in the past 20 years, says a new UN-World Bank report. India and Nigeria accounted for about one-third of the 287,000 deaths in 2010 attributed to problems during pregnancy or childbirth.
College rankings: Which countries have the best education systems?

A new higher education ranking focuses on evaluating quality by countries as a whole, rather than specific academic institutions. Here are some of the findings:
Briefing
Gay marriage laws around the globe

There is no national gay marriage legislation in the pipeline in the US, however, numerous countries around the globe already recognize same-sex marriage or the right to civil unions. Here’s the breakdown by region.
Briefing
Five things to know about Freedom House's latest global rankings

A look at the 2012 Freedom House ranking of 197 countries according to their relative freedom.
10 of TIME's 100 'most influential'

What does it mean to be influential today? TIME Magazine may not have a scientific answer, but they identified scores of people in their 2012 “100 Most Influential People in the World” list, released this week. Here is a sampling of 10 people from around the world who made the cut.
Censored: 5 plays and novels banned around the globe

Censorship of the arts has a long history, from ancient Greece to present-day Thailand. Here is a list of five plays and novels banned, for a variety of reasons, in regions across the globe.
Falklands War 30th Anniversary: 5 British and Argentine papers react

April 2, 2012 marks the 30th anniversary of the Falklands War, which lasted less than three months but claimed the lives of more than 900 soldiers. Here are five reactions from Argentine and British newspapers on the anniversary of the Falkland Islands War:
Murdoch empire faces new scandal, potentially far more damaging

Three major reports this week detail an alleged satellite TV hacking scandal by Rupert Murdoch's News Corp that reportedly cost its rivals tens of millions of dollars.
Look who's saving the world: BRICS pump up foreign aid

The so-called BRICS — Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa — are upping their foreign assistance by leaps and bounds at a time when traditional donors’ aid budgets are frozen.
World rankings: top 10 universities around the globe

Britain's leading higher education publication, The Times Higher Education, today released its 2012 reputation rankings for universities worldwide. Here is a list of the top 10.
6 men alleged to be LulzSec hackers

Tuesday saw the news that the FBI had identified and charged six men allegedly behind the hacktivist group LulzSec. Who are the men that the FBI says are behind LulzSec's mayhem?
International Women's Day: How it's celebrated around the globe

International Women's Day has served for more than a century as a day to honor the achievements of women globally. Here are some ways people are celebrating:
Pwned: FBI infiltrates hacktivist group LulzSec

The FBI charged five alleged leaders of LulzSec, an offshoot of Anonymous, after flipping another leader last June.
Women's history month: 10 women making history today

March is known as Women's History month, meant to recognize the contributions and progress of women across history and around the world. Women today are playing some significant roles, from making peace to crafting economic policy in the midst of a crisis. Here are 10 women who are making history, today.
Helpers in a hostile world: the risk of aid work grows

Some 242 aid workers were killed in 2010, up from 91 a decade before. Is 'humanitarian space' shrinking, or are aid groups spreading out to more conflict zones than before?
Why all the attention on the Falklands? Five key questions.

April 2 is the 30-year anniversary of the Falkland Islands War. Argentina and Britain have been at odds over sovereignty of the Falkland Islands for decades, and tensions kicked up when Britain deployed some of its modern warships to the islands, as well as Prince William, as a pilot.
Kim Dotcom: Are such Internet sensations pirates or hactivists?

Copyright law and its enforcement have dominated the news lately, first with the Internet blackout protests against SOPA, and more recently with the arrest of Kim Dotcom in New Zealand. Here are five international file-share players who have been targets of copyright enforcement.
5 countries with the longest ongoing US sanctions

Sanctions are once again leading the news with trade embargoes tightening around Iran and debates over whether to loosen US restrictions on Cuba and Myanmar.
Roe v. Wade anniversary: Study says 'unsafe' abortions on rise

Roe v. Wade, the landmark legislation legalizing abortion in the United States, marks its 39th year this week. As Americans debate abortion rights in the midst of an election year, a new study indicates abortion rates are steadying worldwide, though the frequency of dangerous abortions is rising. Here are the answers to five questions related to abortion laws globally, and their effects on women.
Costa Concordia: Did the captain break any law in abandoning ship?

Costa Concordia Captain Francesco Schettino has been widely criticized for leaving the ship before ensuring the safety of his passengers. Here are four questions about how a captain should act in a crisis.