Controversial plans to mine the floor of the Pacific Ocean should not go ahead before Earth's 'urban mines' have been exploited, say campaigners.

A must for anyone pursuing a career in business journalism

Smallholder farmers in the Amazon sell timber from fallow fields to supplement their income, though this production often goes unrecognized in official statistics.

What is the single greatest danger to humanitarian field workers today? Disease? Natural disaster? Terrorist attack? The answer is something that should be easily avoided

Those in need of humanitarian aid are also usually the ones doing the helping – and they are increasingly more prepared to provide assistance

Ten years after its civil war, Liberia's worst days may be over, but for that to remain the case, its government, people and partners must focus on accountability issues

For the first time Chinese and African health ministers meet to discuss future collaboration, at a time when South-South cooperation is becoming increasingly vital for global health issues

Success depends on giving people what they want, research stresses

The UN refugee agency, long known for its aversion to new and risky ideas, has launched an internal drive for innovative approaches to refugees' problems. Here are a few bright ideas from outside too.

We should be looking at ways to involve all sectors - government, business, and charity - to better solve the social issues of the day

News of cyber attacks often focus on foreign governments or social “hacktivists”, but many incidents stem from corrupt employees, abusing their access to networks and selling data for financial gain

I had registered for a fake conference: A variation on the notorious Nigerian email scams, this online fraud trend targets professionals, academics and NGOs

Mali's new leadership can build peace by ensuring justice for crimes committed during the recent conflict, and building reconciliation and dialogue

The rule of law and solutions to the world's water crisis are closely connected

A bill to end Kenya's power distribution monopoly could stimulate renewable energy investment by local governments and business

When rural people migrate to cities in the Brazilian Amazon, the effect on poverty and environment is weaker than hoped for

An indigenous community in NW Colombia, subjected to controversial aerial-spraying of coca crops, is demanding the government respect their rights, lives and land

Latin America is home to stringent abortion laws, high rates of teen pregnancy and unsafe abortion rates, and "access to health systems still depends on how much you can pay"

Energy efficiency brings higher development returns, but costs more to manage and is less visible than power plants

Indonesia's forest fires are a predictable annual ritual, and a recent treaty won't be enough to stop it. What can be done, and who can make it happen?