What We’re Reading 11/25/09

Nov 25th, 2009 9:52 AM UTC
By Steve Wilson

Los Angeles Times—New HIV infections in decline
According to the United Nation’s annual report on AIDS released Tuesday, about 2.7 million people were newly infected with HIV last year, compared with about 3.3 million in 2001—a decline of about 17% since 2001 (although direct comparisons are difficult because the numbers are counted differently now.) However, for every five people infected, still only two begin treatment. The biggest gains were in sub-Saharan Africa, where there were 400,000 fewer infections, even though the region still accounts for 67% of all new infections.

Reuters—World Bank to start agriculture fund with $1.5 billion
The World Bank will start a trust fund to boost agriculture in poor countries with an initial $1.5 billion, its president Robert Zoellick said on Tuesday, warning of the risk of another food price crisis. More than 1 billion people are now chronically hungry as food prices have been slow to fall from last year’s record highs, and as nations grapple with the global economic downturn, United Nations agencies have said. The world’s richest nations pledged to give $20 billion over three years to help small farmers in developing countries grow more food, but diplomats and aid groups have estimated only $3 billion appears to be new spending.

Washington Post—Mugabe’s fearless opposition (op-ed by Michael Gerson)
Washington Post columnist Michael Gerson writes today about leaders of a group called “Women of Zimbabwe Arise,” a movement of around 75,000 women who have engaged in more than 100 nonviolent protests in Zimbabwe—protests that often end in a hospital or prison. After visiting the White House this week and receiving the RFK Human Rights Award, activists from the group will be greeted in Zimbabwe next month by being put on trial for their activism. Gerson writes, “Women of Zimbabwe Arise is showing a patriarchal and violence-prone political culture the meaning of peaceful determination. These women demand social justice — food, education, health care — not political power.”

Reuters—WTO ministers to confront faltering Doha
Although negotiations on the Doha round of trade talks will not be on the official agenda when ministers from the World Trade Organization’s 153 members gather in Geneva on Nov. 30 for a conference, Doha is likely to dominate the three-day meeting as most members are wanting to see whether President Obama’s administration is ready to get actively involved in the talks. WTO Director-General Pascal Lamy says that the deal—launched in November 2001 to open markets and help poor countries prosper through trade—Is 80 percent done. But the gaps, which mainly revolve around waivers for rich countries to protect their farmers and emerging economies to shield their fledgling industries, are still wide.

New York Times—Chief of I.M.F. Urges Continued Stimulus Efforts
The chief of the International Monetary Fund urged the world’s major economies on Tuesday to retain their economic stimulus programs until there were durable signs of a recovery, including an end to rising unemployment. Over all, he said, the fund was more confident about the global outlook than it was in September, when it last released economic projections.

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