Land records in Bangladesh are a bit of a mess—according to the records there is more land owned than actual land exists (according to Anir Chowdhury, Adviser, Prime Minister's Office). The land administration process still follows the antiquated system that British Colonial rulers instituted, from surveys all the way to collection of property taxes. Three different ministries oversee the records system, working independently and with little coordination.

La corrupción es un problema gigantesco en todo el mundo. En África, se estima que una cuarta parte del PIB del continente "se pierde en manos de la corrupción cada año". En América Latina, el Banco Interamericano de Desarrollo cree que la corrupción puede costar el 10 % del PIB anualmente. En la única revisión integral basada en encuestas de empresas y hogares, el Banco Mundial calcula que el costo directo total de la corrupción es 1 billón de dólares anuales.

Climate change is a real problem and we need to fix it but wishful thinking isn’t going to solve the problem. The Paris Treaty will have almost no effect on climate change.

Los líderes mundiales desembarcaron de jets que emiten carbono en Nueva York en el Día de la Tierra este viernes para firmar el Tratado Climático de París, el tratado mundial más costoso jamás visto.

El Tratado de París implica una gran jugada. No sólo se compromete a limitar el aumento de la temperatura global a 2°C por encima de los niveles pre-industriales. El texto va más allá y dice que los líderes mundiales se comprometen a mantener el aumento “muy por debajo de 2°C”, y tratarán de limitarlo a 1,5°C.

Today, world leaders and their entourages will disembark from carbon-spewing jets in New York to sign the world’s costliest-ever climate change treaty. Prime Minister Narendra Modi will be among them. Lit by the flashbulbs of the world’s press and warmed by their sense of accomplishment, these politicians will pat each other on the back and declare a job well done. The reality is that the so-called >“Paris Treaty” is a hugely expensive way of doing very little.

World leaders will disembark from carbon-spewing jets in New York on Earth Day this Friday to sign the Paris climate treaty, the world’s costliest-ever accord.

Die US-Regierung hat kürzlich ein Gutachten veröffentlicht, das ein grelles Bild der Auswirkungen des Klimawandels auf die menschliche Gesundheit zeichnet. Die steigenden Temperaturen würden „Tausende bis Zehntausende“ Amerikaner töten, heißt es dort.

Corruption is a huge problem across the globe. In Africa, it is estimated that one-quarter of the continent’s GDP is “lost to corruption each year.” In Latin America, the Inter-American Development Bank believes that corruption may cost 10% of GDP every year. In the only comprehensive overview based on surveys of businesses and households, the World Bank puts the total direct cost of corruption at $1 trillion annually.

This Friday, world leaders and their entourages will disembark from carbon-spewing jets in New York to sign the world’s costliest climate change treaty. Lit by the flashbulbs of the world’s press and warmed by their sense of accomplishment, these politicians will pat each other on the back and declare a job well done.

The reality is that the so-called “Paris Treaty” is a hugely expensive way of doing very little.

Every hour, tuberculosis kills nine Bangladeshis. Another seven die each hour from arsenic in drinking water. Simple and cheap solutions are available to avoid almost all these deaths.

Bangladesh has made incredible progress over recent years on many health indicators. But the country continues to face great challenges, like tuberculosis (TB) and arsenic, two of the biggest killers. Many other grave health issues remain too, including factors that threaten mothers and their children.