Global village concept has been circulated for a while; however, only recently, we can see what's its physical shape. Things flow and circulate around, like information (internet), diseases (flu, Dengue, HIV, global warming, global pollution) - you can't avoid but address.
I particularly welcome these two in the headlines today: showing their impacts beyond the Headlines, which provides in-depth coverage of the topics and issues facing the people of the world.
Ref. 1 - China pledges $2 bln to help poor states meet U.N. goals
Ref. 2 - Zuckerberg pushes Internet for everyone in UN speech
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China pledges $2 bln to help poor states meet U.N. goals
UNITED NATIONS | By Michelle Nichols
UNITED NATIONS Chinese President Xi Jinping announced on Saturday that Beijing will establish an assistance fund with an initial pledge of $2 billion to help developing countries implement a sweeping global sustainable development agenda over the next 15 years.
"China will continue to increase investment in the least developed countries, aiming to increase its total to $12 billion by 2030," Xi told a sustainable development summit of world leaders at the United Nations in New York.
"China will exempt the debt of outstanding intergovernmental interest-free loans due by the end of 2015 owed by the relevant least developed countries, landlocked developing countries and small island developing countries," he added.
The 193-member United Nations General Assembly on Friday adopted the most far-reaching agenda ever of global goals to combat poverty, inequality and climate change, capping years of debate.
Described by the U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon as "a to-do list for people and planet," the 17 Sustainable Development Goals are to be implemented over the next 15 years with a big global push to win public and political support.
"Looking to the future, China will continue to take a right approach to justice and interests by putting justice before interests and join the other countries in the concerted efforts to realize the post-2015 development agenda," Xi said.
During Xi's first state visit to the United States, he and U.S. President Barack Obama also unveiled on Friday new steps they will take to deliver on pledges they made then to slash their greenhouse gas emissions.
One of the steps announce by Xi was that China would channel 20 billion RMB ($3.1 billion) to help developing countries combat and adapt to climate change, a significant financial pledge from an emerging economy.
On Saturday at the United Nations, Xi also said China would establish a development knowledge center to allow countries to share best practices.
"China will propose discussion on establishing a global energy internet to facilitate efforts to meet the global power demand with clean and green alternatives," Xi said.
(Reporting by Michelle Nichols, editing by Louis Charbonneau)
The Senate Majority Leader's Communications Manager Laura Brooks (front L) speaks with Foreign Relations Committee Chairman Senator Bob Corker (R-TN) (front R) as Chinese President Xi Jinping (C) meets with U.S. congressional leaders Representative Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) (back...
Reuters/James Lawler Duggan
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Zuckerberg pushes Internet for everyone in UN speech
Jon Swartz, USA TODAY 3:22 p.m. EDT September 26, 2015
During the 70th annual U.N. General Assembly session, Zuckerberg discussed the “importance of connectivity in achieving the UN’s sustainable development goals.” He then delivered the keynote address at the United Nations Private Sector Forum, where UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and German Chancellor Angela Merkel were also scheduled to speak.
"Connecting the world is one of the fundamental challenges of our generation," Zuckerberg said. "More than 4 billion people don't have a voice online."
Earlier in the day, Zuckerberg and Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates led a high-powered contingent whose goal is to bring Internet access to everyone in the world by 2020 – part of a U.N. effort to eradicate extreme poverty by 2030. UN officials estimate half the world does not have reliable access, especially women and girls, whose education and health is crucial to anti-poverty efforts.
“The Internet belongs to everyone. It should be accessible by everyone,” said a declaration signed by Zuckerberg, Bill and Melinda Gates, U2 lead singer Bono and others. The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation on Saturday launched its own roadmap, which put a top priority on improving the health and education for girls.
Ban Ki-moon said more than $25 billion has been committed so far to meeting the goals, led by $3.3 billion from the U.S. and pledges from Canada, Germany and Sweden.
The UN visit capped a week in which Zuckerberg – whose company’s service reaches 1.3 billion members worldwide -- has taken on a global leadership role.
After meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping in the Pacific Northwest earlier in the week, Zuckerberg hosted India Prime Minister Narendra Modi in a town hall. (Zuckerberg visited Modi in India last year.)
As Facebook continues its astonishing growth overseas, it is increasingly training its sights on the world's two most populous countries. China, where Facebook is banned, and India hold vast revenue potential for the social media network, as they do for other large tech companies.
But both countries pose myriad challenges. China's government and highly competitive start-ups have made it rough for any Western company to succeed in that country. India, meanwhile, poses different obstacles: poor infrastructure and charges of corruption.
Follow USA TODAY San Francisco Bureau Chief Jon Swartz on Twitter: @jswartz.
Jon Swartz
