Happy Martin Luther King Day! To honor his legacy we support Save the Children’s The Real Awards that honors health workers around the world.
Today we have several foreign policy as well as global health and development news stories that we found of great interest. If you have read any compelling pieces lately that you think we would enjoy reading please leave them in the comments.
Ukraine
If you haven’t been following the riots in Kiev read this piece in this ABC News article as a quick primer about what is happening in the Ukraine. Drill down on some of the details about the protests in these articles:
- Kiev smolders from clashes as president orders talks (AFP)
- Ukraine government ‘to meet opposition’ in bid to end unrest (Telegraph) “I understood that he was closely following events at Maidan and aware of everything. I told him that the situation is on the verge of civil conflict and needs urgent intervention,” he said. – opposition leader Klitschko
- PHOTOS: Bloody Clashes Erupt in Kiev After Protest Bans (TIME) The clashes come three days after lawmakers used a non-traditional show of hands to quickly push through legislation that banned many aspects of the protests that have hit Kiev since November. Despite widespread condemnation from the U.S. and other Western governments, the new ban will impose heavy fines and jail time on any protesters’ public use of loudspeakers, tents and stages.
Central African Republic
Of note, the European Union agreed to send 1000 EU troops to the Central African Republic to help stabilize the country. In all honesty, we’re not sure 1000 more troops will be enough. We’ll have to wait and see, especially as the country seems ripe for genocide amid sectarian violence between Christians and Muslims. Also, the very first woman interim president was elected in Central African Republic today.
- Bodies Burnt in Street in Central African Republic (BBC)
- Convoy Attack Kills 3 Children, 19 Adults in Central African Republic (CNN)
- Central African Republic Town is Left Charred, Empty, and Hopeless Among Violence (NY Times)
- Central African Republic MPs Elect Catherine Samba Panza
India
In the most bizarre news we’ve read in quite some time an Indian minister’s wife was found dead in a 5-star Delhi hotel just days after she publicly accused him on Twitter of having an affair with a Pakistani journalist.
Global Health and Development
Oxfam
Oxfam released a report that the says the top 85 richest people own as much wealth as half the world’s population. Read the report.
[tweet https://twitter.com/Oxfam/status/425209912403062784]Gates Letter
Bill and Melinda Gates’ annual letter will be released this week. Read a sneak preview in the Wall Street Journal: Three Myths of the World’s Poor.
Social Good Moms 