Top Hunger Headlines: More Doctors Needed to Meet MDGs

International
AFRICA: Ten Countries Desperately Seeking Doctors. Shortages of medical staff have been identified as one of the major impediments to achieving the health-related U.N. Millennium Development Goals. [AlertNet]

A Boost to Lesotho’s Rural Farmers. The European Union and FAO … are assisting over 36,000 farmers in Lesotho, more than half of its vulnerable farmers. [FAO]

African Development Bank Commits $40 Million. The increased support is … to prevent the crises from reversing decades of progress, growth, and investment in Africa. [AllAfrica]

Food Situation Grave in Sahel. In 2009, agricultural production has been seriously affected in parts of the Sahel following late onset of rains, prolonged dry spells and significant pest infestations. [ReliefWeb]

Domestic
Consumer Spending Trend is Shaky Foundation for Economic Recovery. Much of the new spending has come not from America's broad middle class but from a small slice of affluent people at the top. [L.A. Times]

U.S. Wealth Gap Grows between Races. The gap in wealth between white and black Americans increased by more than four times between 1984 and 2007. [BBC]

Mortgage Delinquencies, Foreclosures Break Records. The mortgage crisis is dragging on the economic recovery as more homeowners fall behind on their payments. [AP]

Climate Change/Environment
U.S. Top Scientists: Coal and Oil Should Be More Expensive. The nation's top scientists urged the government Wednesday to take drastic action to raise the cost of using coal and oil to slow global warming. [Huffington Post]

Why China Holds ‘Rare Cards’ in Race to Go Green. Environmentally-friendly technology needs rare earth metals. But China—where over 90% of these minerals are mined—wants to keep more for its own industry. [BBC]