The International Monetary Fund (IMF) should be reformed to make it more representative of its membership, a group of leading economists said yesterday.

The world is heading for the next major climate change conference in Cancun later this year on course for global warming of up to 3.5C in the coming century, a series of scientific analyses suggest. The failure of last December's UN climate summit in Copenhagen means that cuts in carbon emissions pledged by the international community will not be enough to keep the anticipated warming within safe limits.

Outlook Good luck to Oxfam as it attempts to give the flagging campaign for a "Robin Hood tax" on bank's profits a shot in the arm. I say flagging because, while the arguments for additional taxes on the banking sector have had some success in recent times – with a range of levies now planned around the world – those such as Oxfam who hoped the proceeds would be channelled towards the developing world have been disappointed.

Developing countries will be held to account for the aid they receive, a minister said yesterday.

Climate change threatens to undo years of work to tackle poverty in developing countries, a report warned today.

The Analyst

Leaders of the richest nations were accused yesterday of abandoning their historic pledge to double aid to Africa and the world's other poorest countries, made at the Gleneagles summit five years ago.

Kyrgyz troops accused of participating in attacks as violence spreads to rural areas

Argentina overland? Mark Rowe selects the best brave new destinations for adventurous motorists

Green issues haven't been prominent in the election – yet this area of policy will affect us all. In an email exchange, Michael McCarthy puts the burning questions to Ed Miliband, Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change

Drug-maker GlaxoSmithKline has ordered staff in Europe not to fly for at least a week following the disruption caused by the volcanic ash cloud.

Those who come to power by revolution can be removed by it. Five years ago Kurmanbek Bakiyev overthrew the government in Kyrgyzstan in the so-called Tulip Revolution, a popular uprising widely applauded by the outside world. Now, a popular uprising has unseated Bakiyev in the capital, accusing him of many of the same crimes that he damned his predecessor with – corruption, authoritarianism and the promotion of a family dynasty to positions of power.

Britain prepared to extend Kyoto if developing nations agree to a new, global treaty

Cataracts don't only affect the elderly – they almost made three-month-old Charlie Brennan blind. Tim Walker reports