Category Archives: International Events

Any event that involves two or more nations.

Third World First?

There arent that many things you expect to see unvieled in third world countires for their first global appearance. Luckily the Institute for OneWorld Health aims at reversing this trend for life saving drugs. With a business model thats a capitalists nightmare, the institute is a non profit organization that aims at developing drugs and other medicines specifially for third world diseases, at an affordable price. Currently their most promising drug is against visceral leishmaniasis, a disease spread by the bite of an infected sand fly that is associated with fever, weight loss, enlargement of the spleen and liver, and anemia. If left untreated, it is fatal to up to 200,000 people a year. It very encouraging to know serious funds directed towards common diseases that affect large numbers of people of little income are finally being addressed.

Wal-Mart Starting to Sweat

A suit has been filed in Los Angeles against Wal-Mart for overlooking sweatshop working conditions in a few countries. Workers in six countries launched the class-action lawsuit and lists 15 workers in Bangladesh, Swaziland, Indonesia, China, and Nicaragua.

The plantiffs claim that they were beaten, forced to work overtime – unpaid. Four California planitiffs are also listed, who at first glance seem to have a much weaker case since they claim that Wal-Mart forced their employer to cut wages and benefits.

The class action suit could cover 100,000 to 500,000 workers.

Increase in Aid

The Canadian government pledges $250 million to help fight AIDs and tuberculosis. This aid may not take the form of direct aid, but rather money for the recipient nations accompanied by Canadian experts to help create/ improve/maintain health infrastructure. That way when the money runs out the infrastructure will exist and be owned locally.

Globe, but is it good?Europeans have pledged 4 billion in aid for life-saving vaccines. The scheme that the money is tied to is predicted to save between 5 million children over the next 10 years. The European plan (backed heavily by England) has been criticized because it encourages borrowing of finance, that may take more aid to pay off in the future. Many economists have argued that the numbers don’t mean that more debt is inevitable.

India and Pakistan to Sign Missile Pact

good thing mapTension between Pakistan and India comes and goes, but there is always an underlying animosity. Currently the countries have an informal policy of notifying each other before testing missiles, but now they plan to make that official.

Any form of cooperation between the two Asian nations is a good step towards permanent peace and stability in the region. Currently they are working on having more agreements, including more bus routes.