  The detection of high-energy particles, cosmic rays (CRs), deep inside the
heliosphere implies that there are, at least, three distinctly different stages
in the lifetime of a CR particle: acceleration, propagation in the interstellar
medium (ISM), and propagation in the heliosphere. Gamma rays produced by
interactions of CRs with gas, radiation, and magnetic fields can be used to
study their spectra in different locations. Still, accurate direct measurements
of CR species inside the heliosphere (such as their spectra and abundances) are
extremely important for the understanding of their origin and propagation. In
this paper, an emphasis is made on very recent advances and especially on those
where GLAST and PAMELA observations can lead to further progress in our
understanding of CRs.
