Foreign news
Report: U.S. wealth division leads to serious human rights issues
The China Society for Human Rights Studies on Tuesday published an article laying bare the harsh reality of the serious division between the rich and the poor in the United States under the superficial of its overall prosperity.
The growing division between the rich and the poor in the United States has further highlighted and exacerbated the existing social and economic inequality within the U.S. society, reducing people at the bottom to a more difficult situation, read the article titled “The Growing Division Between the Rich and the Poor Leading to Increasingly Severe Human Rights Issues in the United States.”
The wealth of 0.1 percent of the richest U.S. family equals to the sum of wealth owned by the 90 percent families from the bottom combined, noted the report, citing comments from a UN Special Rapporteur who said the United States has the widest gap between the rich and the poor among all Western countries.
“The American Dream was rapidly transforming into the “American Illusion,” said the rapporteur.
American illusion
The growing division between the rich and the poor have led the American people into grave human rights disasters, the report pointed out, noting low-income groups are faced with the threat of hunger and their equal opportunities for education are also eroded due to poverty.
According to the report, around 40 million U.S. citizens live in poverty, and among them, 18.5 million live in extreme poverty. Nearly half of U.S. households are unable to maintain an adequate standard of living and more than five million U.S. citizens live in a state comparable to that of the absolutely poor in the third world.
The division also caused the “health gap” in the U.S. as those who lost their medical insurance due to poverty cannot afford medical expenses also have shorter life expectancy and are more likely to die of illness, said the report.
The report attributed the cause of the division to “the so-called U.S. democratic system” which “deprives its citizens of economic, social, and cultural rights.”
Money politics
It further revealed that the U.S. government lacks the political will to narrow the gap between the rich and the poor, stating the nature of “money politics” of the U.S. political system.
“The capital interest has turned the U.S. government into a spokesman for the rich,” said the report.
It suggested that the division between the rich and the poor in the U.S. will be a stable, long-term trend as substantial reversal of this situation is unlikely in the near future.
“The severe negative impact it has brought on the enjoyment and realization of the human rights of the U.S. people will continue to worsen,” the report concluded.
(With input from Xinhua
Foreign news
Pakistan Moves to Deepen Diplomatic, Economic Relations With Nigeria
The Government of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan has called for deeper diplomatic and economic ties with the Nigerian government to foster development for both countries.
Mr Rana Ihsaan, the Coordinator to the Prime Minister of Pakistan made the call in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) during his working vist to Nigeria on Wednesday in Abuja.
NAN reports that the visiting Coordinator held a closed-door meeting with Yusuf Tuggar, the Minister of Foreign Affairs.
After the meeting, he said that both both sides had agreed on deepening relations in the areas of trade and commerce, among others.
Ihsaan said that both countries must see the need to accelerate efforts towards a Bilateral Trade Agreement (BTA).
He said that Pakistan had already submitted a draft BTA and was awaiting Nigeria’s response.
According to him, discussions centered on easing visa processes, expanding educational exchanges, and strengthening Cooperation in sectors such as Minerals, Youth training, and Defence were highlighted.
Ihsaan said that Pakistan had already implemented visa-on-arrival for Nigerians at no cost, and urged Nigeria to reciprocate to enhance people-to-people ties.
He stressed the importance of high-level engagements between both nations, describing Nigeria and Pakistan as very similar countries with large populations, youthful demographics, and vast economic potentials.
“Deeper collaboration will unlock opportunities in trade, education and investment, while further solidifying long-standing diplomatic relations,” he said.
He said that aside from visiting the foriegn Minister and other top government officials in Nigeria, he was also in the country to attend the on-going West Africa Beauty Exhibition holding in Lagos.
He described the exhibition as one of the continent’s largest cosmetic fairs, adding that he led a delegation of 19 Pakistani business people exploring Nigeria’s estimated 10 million dollar beauty and cosmetics market.
Ihsaan said that Nigeria was a gateway to Africa, adding that Pakistani products, like cosmetics, Textiles, Pharmaceuticals, Food items and Sports goods were already gaining traction in the country.
He encouraged Pakistani exhibitors to establish offices, Warehouses and logistics partnerships to strengthen their foothold in the Nigerian market.
Ihsaan further addressed concerns from Nigerian businesses on the ease of doing business in Pakistan.
He said that the Trade Development Authority of Pakistan had been supporting Nigerian participants at major exhibitions to achieve the ease of doing business.
“The Special Investment Facilitation Council (SIFC) serves as a one-stop platform for Nigerians interested in investing in Pakistan,” he said
Culled from NAN
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