Poverty looms as threat to Myanmar junta
For now the streets of Yangon are quiet after Myanmar's bloody crackdown on protesters, but simmering public discontent over crushing poverty is likely to spark more civil unrest, experts say.

Google/AFP, October 7, 2007

India's success will help halve world poverty: Singapore expert
Spectacular poverty-cutting gains made by India will help the United Nations meet its goal of halving world poverty by 2015, a renowned Singaporean public policy specialist has told the World Trade Organisation.

The Hindustan Times/IANS, October 5, 2007

Picture a hunger-free world
The scene within and outside the United Nations last week was strikingly dissimilar: while more than 140 world leaders were arriving in New York to wine, dine and address the General Assembly, a group of activists was demonstrating outside the UN compound for a hunger-free world. The message conveyed by the activists was clear: the United Nations is fighting a losing battle to fulfill its pledge to halve the number of undernourished people.

IPSNews, October 3, 2007

From trauma to triumph: Dorothy's story
As a program officer for Caritas Australia in Bougainville, a wife and a mother of two girls, Dorothy is working to create better lives for the people in her homeland, Bougainville. Her story is one of determination against adversity and resilience. Dorothy grew up surrounded by poverty, fear, violence and confusion in what was a turbulent time for Bougainville.

Caritas Australia

On poverty, toilets and the rich-poor divide
'The deeper the pocket, the tighter the fist. The more you have, the more you want and the less you give. There, am I sounding like Confucius yet? Or Lao Tzu, maybe?' Our ruminations currently revolve around the rich-poor divide, and how the chasm seems to be growing exponentially, giving further credence to the (paraphrased) words of Johann Friedrich Von Schiller: The rich get richer, the poor get poorer. Priya Tuli

The Jakarta Post, October 7, 2007

The Australian Development Gateway (ADG)
is a knowledge-sharing website, supporting people working in Asia Pacific countries to reduce poverty and promote sustainability. It is a mechanism for Australians and others in the Asia Pacific region to contribute knowledge and to engage in vigorous discussion. By accessing the ADG, people working in the field of development are empowered to collaborate more effectively by sharing practical knowledge faster. They are also further empowered in developing policies and programs, researching issues, forming alliances and working towards sustainable growth and poverty reduction.

http://www.developmentgateway.com.au/

Homeless: six cities, six stories, six lives
What would you do if you had nowhere to live? No money and no help? In our globalised world homelessness is on the rise. Our teaming megacities have become :home' to booming numbers of homeless. Plenty of reasons why. This website is about how. How people survive without a home, money or support. Theirs are stories of love, hope and humour. And tragedy, heartache and despair. Cross time zones to experience one homeless day with them, around the clock, around the world. They could be you or us.

http://abc.net.au/homeless/

Prayer to make poverty history

Christ our Lord,
your light shines into the shadows,
and shows us
where the obstacles to change lie.
We know that often
they are in our own hearts,
in the way we live,
and in our daily choices and actions.

We pray that we may accept
the light of your love
as a challenge to change
ourselves and our world.

We pray that, each day,
we make the choices and
take the actions
that will bring an end to poverty and hunger,
and lead us all
towards a fairer world.

Be with us, Lord,
as we face your challenge
and learn how to live
our lives in love. Amen.

© Linda Jones/CAFOD