Poverty

The pandemic is compounding the forces of conflict and climate change, which were already slowing poverty reduction, the bank said.

By 2021, this could rise to as many as 150 million, it added.

Extreme poverty is defined as living on less than $1.90 (£1.50) a day.

The projected increase would be the first since 1998, when the Asian financial crisis shook the global economy.

Before the pandemic struck, the extreme poverty rate was expected to drop to 7.9% in 2020.

According the Kaniva News the Hon. Justice Cato described the case as tragic.

He made the statement in acquitting the child’s parents of charges of manslaughter by negligence.

He said the child’s death was avoidable, but that the baby and his parents were victims of poverty.

He said the parents were “perhaps lacking also in education and awareness.”

He said the defendants, Siulolovao Mafi and Teni Latu were very ordinary Tongan people, living by hand to mouth by Mr Latu’s fishing. They lived in very basic accommodation with four children.

“This is the best story in the world today – these projections show us that we are the first generation in human history that can end extreme poverty,” said Jim Yong Kim, World Bank Group President.

The World Bank explained that it uses an updated international poverty line of US$1.90 a day, which incorporates new information on differences in the cost of living across countries and preserves the real purchasing power of the previous line of US$1.25 a day in 2005 prices in the world’s poorest countries.