Finance ministers from around the world have descended on Washington, D.C. for the annual World Bank/IMF spring meetings. The annul gathering opened with the 20 finance ministers from the worlds leading economies. Top on their agenda were two new bank taxes, climate change and possible reforms to the institutions voting system.

The IMF's annual spring meetings have been going on here in Washington, and we aren't neccessarily going to call it business as usual. Greece is asking for a bailout, the global economy is still in a rut, and now more than ever, the power structures within the IMF itself are being questioned and challenged.

Ngaire Woods and Leonardo Martinez Diaz present the findings outlined in their new briefing drawing out specific lessons as to how emerging and developing countries might best use the new G20 Leaders group. This event, The G20: perils and opportunities for developing countries, was held on the 26th Nov 2009, from 13.00-14.30 at ODI's offices in London.

During the second meeting between the G20 finance ministers in St Andrews on Saturday morning, over 300 protesters gathered on West Sands to share their support for climate change reduction and social justice initiatives. After a photo-op with news outlets, the group marched to the Union to prepare for a counter-summit workshop with speakers from various organizations in the afternoon.

Who is marching outside the G20 in the streets in Pittsburgh?

CBS TV report on the politics and protests around the G20 meeting in Pittsburgh, USA

< protests, demonstrations and marches are happening across the city and expected to continue all week long.

The group called the G-6 Billion came together today to sing, pray and march. They say they represent the nearly seven billion people, who are not represented by the G-20 Summit.