Vocal Voices

The heads of both have condemned "World Leaders" for the plight of those caught up in wars, and for not doing enough to help them.

If they were talking about the regular armies of nations at war not allowing humanitarian and medical missions they might have a point, but they are not. Most of the current conflicts are within nations with regular forces up against rebels. Think Taliban, Boko Haram, Al-Qaeda, Al-Shabab and IS and you get the picture. These are the groups terrorising civilians and restricting aid - they are nothing like "World Leaders".

Maybe Mr Ban and Mr Maurer should set up meetings with those respective leaders and tell them what naughty boys they are instead of baulking attempts by the international community to reign in their excesses.

The UN is just an ineffective talking-shop which has increasingly less influence these days.

Charities are an entirely different matter. They should keep out of politics - the Red Cross, the RSPCA, the lot.