KATE MIDDLETON, 38, wowed fans by appearing in a video with a new mother and midwives. The Duchess of Cambridge did so ahead of UK's Maternal Mental Health Awareness Week.

Leeds continues their Premier League promotion push with a dominant 4-0 win against Hull on Saturday.

Into mid-2011, the world’s worst food crisis is being felt in East Africa, in Ethiopia, Somalia and Kenya.

Despite successive failed rains, the crisis has been criticized as avoidable and man-made. This is because the situation had been predicted many months before by an international early warning system. Both the international community and governments in the region have been accused of doing very little in the lead up to this crisis. In addition, high food prices have forced food out of the reach of many people, while local conflicts exacerbate the situation.

As the international organization Oxfam describes: 12 million people are in dire need of food, clean water, and basic sanitation. Loss of life on a massive scale is a very real risk, and the crisis is set to worsen over the coming months, particularly for pastoralist communities.

This page also presents news coverage from Inter Press Service on this crisis.

Read full article: East Africa Food Crisis 2011

A quick look back over the decade since the 9-11 attacks finds that the neo-conservatives have achieved the opposite of what they set out to do: rather than winning a war on terror and expanding their power even further, they have over-stretched their own nation, militarily and economically. The Bush Administration preferred to concentrate on Iraq rather than Bin Laden and the trillions of dollars spent on this (directly and indirectly) has contributed to the recent economic problems the country now faces. All terribly costly given there were opportunities to get Bin Laden a lot earlier.

Media coverage and public attitudes have also shifted in the past decade, now almost reflecting partisan lines. Rights groups around the world have long voiced concerns that the war on terror is also an excuse for governments to wage a war on freedoms. Bin Laden may be dead but are the terrorists winning?

Read full article: War on Terror

Around 21,000 children die every day around the world.

That is equivalent to:

• 1 child dying every 4 seconds
• 14 children dying every minute
• A 2011 Libya conflict-scale death toll every day
• A 2010 Haiti earthquake occurring every 10 days
• A 2004 Asian Tsunami occurring every 11 days
• An Iraq-scale death toll every 19–46 days
• Just under 7.6 million children dying every year
• Some 92 million children dying between 2000 and 2010

The silent killers are poverty, easily preventable diseases and illnesses, and other related causes.

Despite the scale of this daily/ongoing catastrophe, it rarely manages to achieve, much less sustain, prime-time, headline coverage.

This update includes updated numbers, charts and graphs. It shows that there is steady progress each year in reducing the number of children that die each year, but clearly the number is still high.

Read full article: Today, almost 21,000 children died around the world

In the US the protest movement is symbolically against the top 1%. Income data from the US Congressional Budget Office, however, shows that it isn’t just the top 1% benefiting far more than the rest of American society, but the top 0.1% in particular.

High levels of inequality is generally believed to affect social cohesion. Some findings suggest that once nations are industrialized, more equal societies almost always do better in terms of health, well-being and social cohesion and that large income inequalities within societies destroys the social fabric and quality of life for everyone.

This update to the poverty page adds a section on inequality in the US, as well as adding some additional information about research showing globally some 147 multinational companies having core global influence and power.

Read full article: Poverty Around the World

NASA’s Goddard Institute for Space Studies (GISS) monitors global surface temperatures on an ongoing basis. Their analysis shows temperatures around the globe in 2011 compared to the average global temperature from the mid-20th century. The comparison shows how Earth continues to experience warmer temperatures than several decades ago.

Global temperatures have warmed significantly since 1880, the beginning of what scientists call the “modern record.” At this time, the coverage provided by weather stations allowed for essentially global temperature data. As greenhouse gas emissions from energy production, industry and vehicles have increased, temperatures have climbed, most notably since the late 1970s. In this animation of temperature data from 1880-2011, reds indicate temperatures higher than the average during a baseline period of 1951-1980, while blues indicate lower temperatures than the baseline average.

Click on the image to see the video:

Read full article: Global Temperature Anomaly, 1880 - 2011

Twenty years ago at the 1992 Earth Summit in Rio, countries adopted Agenda 21 — a blueprint to rethink economic growth, advance social equity and ensure environmental protection. Marking that anniversary, this year sees Rio+20, the UN Conference on Sustainable Development, with aims to get bold agreements to address things like poverty, sustainable development, decent jobs, etc.

This page provides coverage of recent events via Inter Press Service’s news feed.

Read full article: Rio+20 UN Conference on Sustainable Development

The latest data covering global arms sales shows that sale of arms in 2011 increased to around $85 billion, 84% of which went to developing countries. This was almost double the arms sales compared to 2010 which was the lowest since 2004.

One major factor for the increase was the US sales of arms to Saudi Arabia. Most other major arms sellers otherwise saw a decrease in sales and the trend in recent years had been declining sales.

The global financial crisis has affected many countries, and many developing countries started to see a decrease in purchases in the last few years. However, just 10 developing countries account for some 85% of all sales to developing countries in the period 2004 to 2011, which the data covers. Saudi Arabia tops that list followed by India and the United Arab Emirates. (As well as concerns about some of the regimes in the top buyers, some of this spending is also said to be due to modernizing efforts.)

Updated graphs and charts on arms sales data are provided here.

The arms trade is big business. The 5 permanent members of the UN Security Council (US, Russia, France, United Kingdom and China), together with Germany and Italy, account for approximately 85% of all arms sold between 2004 and 2011.

Some of the arms sold go to regimes where human rights violations will occur. Corruption often accompanies arms sales due to the large sums of money involved.

Read full article: The Arms Trade Is Big Business

19% of the world’s reptiles are estimated to be threatened with extinction according to a study by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) and the Zoological Society of London. Reptiles include snakes, lizards, crocodiles, turtles and tortoises. But some species are at more risk than others. For example, freshwater turtles alone are at a 50% risk of extinction. Reasons vary, but include the usual suspects such as climate change and loss of habitat.

A recent study also estimated that some 100 million sharks are being killed each year — an unsustainable rate, given how long some species take to mature and reproduce. Much of the demand is driven by Chinese rising affluence and demand for shark fin soup in the mistaken belief it has various health benefits.

This small update to the biodiversity loss page has further details.

Read full article: Loss of Biodiversity and Extinctions

In recent years, global military expenditure has increased again and is now comparable to Cold War levels. Recent data shows global spending at over $1.7 trillion, despite the global economic conditions. It is still approximately 1% increase since 2008 when the financial crisis began, for example.

Not all nations have felt the impacts of the global financial crisis in the same way. Some have grown economically, including many Asian countries, which has allowed some of them to increase their military spending. There are geopolitical interests at stake for various powers, so economic troubles or not, military spending is seen as important to maintain, or at least to minimize possible reductions.

The highest military spender is the US accounting for 39% of the world’s spending, more than the next top 10 countries combined, and more than all its potential enemies, combined. But this represents a slight decline over previous years as other nations, especially China and Russia, increase their spending. At the same time, the US has reduced military spending for operations in Iraq and Afghanistan, while Western Europe’s austerity programs affect their military spending budgets.

This update includes new and updated figures, graphs and charts exploring this further.

Read full article: World Military Spending

Over 40 years ago, rich country governments agreed to give 0.7% of their GNI (Gross National Income) as official aid to poor countries for development assistance.

The average aid delivered each year has actually been between 0.2 to 0.4%. The shortfall has therefore accumulated to almost $5 trillion dollars at 2012 prices, while total aid delivered in that same time frame has reached $3.6 trillion.

This update includes updated charts and graphs that look into this further.

Read full article: Official global foreign aid shortfall: $4 trillion

The OECD (Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development) recently published new preliminary figures for aid in 2013.

It showed official development assistance (ODA) aid from wealthy governments had increased to just under $135 billion in 2013 (at constant 2012 prices). This is roughly 0.3% of GNI (Gross National Income) of the donor nations.

Yet, over 40 years ago nations promised to reach 0.7% of their GNI by the mid-1970s. While each year the amount of aid falls quite short of that 0.7% target (less than half of that target), the quality and effectiveness of that aid is often questionable, sometimes benefiting the donor more than the recipient due to the types of conditions attached to this aid.

This update includes a number of new and updated charts and graphs.

Read full article: Foreign Aid for Development Assistance

An overview of the Climate Change Conference (also known as COP 20), held in Lima, Peru in December 2014.

While it seemed like it was a successful meeting, because developing nations were committed to drawing up their own plans for emissions reductions for the first time, a number of important issues were left undecided such as how financing would work.

This page is an overview of the Lima Climate conference.

Read full article: COP20—Lima Climate Conference

Recently released data showed that 2014 was the hottest year since records began in 1880.

This update includes updated charts and graphs and animations that look into this further.

Read full article: Climate Change and Global Warming Introduction

Sergio Aguero kept Manchester City on course to retain the FA Cup with the only goal in a disappointing fifth-round tie at Sheffield Wednesday. City will travel to Newcastle in the quarter finals.

TENCENT has confirmed that issues with the latest PUBG Mobile update process are being looked into this weekend, ahead of the Season 13 Royale Pass release.

QUEEN and Adam Lambert's tour has already been postponed until next year but Brian May has concerns for performing in a post-pandemic world.

The Masters is all about the roars that sweep around Augusta National on the back nine on a Sunday but sometimes it is a different noise that carries through golf's most evocative landscape. The collective gasps of thousands of patrons; the soundtrack to calamity.

MONEY saving hacks are something which many people will look to adopt in their lives, be it for a financial milestone or for a rainy day fund. And, there may be a way in which some soon see their spare cash add up.

CORONAVIRUS has forced people to re-evaluate their finances as income takes a hit and budgets are stretched. One of the first port of calls for change has been direct debits and new research reveals that some people may find themselves with more cash available once this all ends.

JOSH WINDASS silenced his Rangers hecklers – and won the backing of his boss.

Do you want to learn about travel scams to avoid in 2020? Then you have come to the right place in this post you’ll get to know about the travel scams you have to avoid....

The post 7 Travel scams to Avoid in 2020 appeared first on Geeky Traveller.

Chelsea transfer news is coming in thick and fast and Express Sport is on hand to bring you all the very latest from Stamford Bridge.

DUBAI hotels are slashing prices by up to 60 percent as part of its wider plans to boost tourism to the country.

Odion Ighalo scored twice as Manchester United beat Derby to reach the FA Cup quarter-finals and leave their all-time top scorer Wayne Rooney on the losing side.

THE British economy is set to plummet into its worst recession for 300 years because of the coronavirus crisis, the Bank of England warned yesterday.

VIRGIN Media and O2 are to merge to create a £31billion media and telecoms giant, their parent firms have announced. Liberty Global and Telefonica - the owners of Virgin Media and O2 respectively - had confirmed on Monday that they were in discussions over a possible combination.

FRENCHIC, the British paint brand with eco-friendly formulas for breathing new life into furniture, homes and garden decor, has seen sales surge 500 percent recently as lockdown sends DIYers into overdrive.

Rafael Nadal expressed his worry this week that there may not be any more tennis in 2020 due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Rafael Nadal revealed this week he was doubtful there will be further tennis in 2020.

QUEEN and Adam Lambert's tour has already been postponed until next year but Brian May has concerns for performing in a post-pandemic world.

Tottenham manager Jose Mourinho has been handed a major transfer boost in the pursuit of QPR starlet Eberechi Eze, after the west London club put a £20million price tag on the midfielder, with both Crystal Palace and Sheffield United dropping out of the race.

Premier League football could return by mid-June, if all goes according to plan.

MICROSOFT has conceded that its next upgrade to Windows 10 includes a bug that will not be fixed before the software is rolled out to one billion users worldwide. Here's everything you need to know.

THE poor handling of a motor insurance claim left an NHS nurse, under intense work pressures as she cared for others, having to fend off a £1,400 liability demand to pay for something she had never had.

WHITE-TAILED eagles have been spotted in England for the first time in 240 years.

HURRICANE warnings may soon become more common in the Atlantic and Pacific this year, as America's deadliest season is on approach. This year devastating storms could pummel the coast in a "very active" hurricane season which may come as one hardship too many for many areas.

A recording of the March 2020 Board meeting is now available

Birmingham Halal Abattoir Limited pleaded guilty to allowing potential cross-contamination of carcases

Eddie Jones has penned a new contract with England.

The British and Irish Lions' tour of South Africa was due to take place next summer.

LINE OF DUTY has been keeping BBC viewers hooked for nearly a decade and with the show set to return for its sixth season in the coming months, could one of its key cast members be revealed as a corrupt officer in a huge twist?

Premier League clubs are fearful that a significant number of first-team stars may refuse to return to action if the league's Project Restart plan gets the green light.

St Johnstone players were left aggrieved moments before Jermain Defoe bagged Rangers’ third goal of the game.

Premier League clubs are fearful that a significant number of first-team stars may refuse to return to action if the league's Project Restart plan gets the green light.

DAME VERA LYNN played an instrumental role in keeping up wartime morale and is highly respected today - but unearthed accounts reveal why she will still be relevant even in the next millennium.

NASA'S Perseverance rover is taking shape at the Kennedy Space Center as its summer launch date creeps closer.

MICHAEL COLLINS made a candid confession over his role in the Moon landings after 50 years, admitting he "had some regrets" about the way things played out.

ADELE took to Instagram yesterday to post a new picture to her Instagram for her birthday. She showed off her slimmed down figure after considerable weight loss. However some have accused those praising Adele for her new look of fatphobia.