May 18, 2022 No comments
Nations must ‘act together, urgently and with solidarity’ to end crisis of food insecurity
INTERNATIONAL, 18 May 2022, Economic Development - Hunger levels around the world are at “a new high”, the UN chief said on Wednesday, in a call to action to fight the current surge in global food insecurity. During a ministerial meeting on global hunger taking pace at UN Headquarters in New York, Secretary-General António Guterres said the number of severely food insecure people had doubled in just two years – from 135 million pre-pandemic to 276 million today, with more than half a million experiencing famine conditions – an increase of more than 500 per cent since 2016. “These frightening figures are inextricably linked with conflict, as both cause, and effect,” he %20%20@iomchief%20%20and%20the%20review%20forum%20on%20international%20migration%20will%20host%20a%20policy%20debate%20on%20gcm%20implementation./">said. “If we do not feed people, we feed conflict”. Hunger triggers The climate emergency is another...
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May 18, 2022 No comments
Americas: Rising COVID-19 caseload should be a ‘wake-up call’
INTERNATIONAL, 18 May 2022, Health - COVID-19 rates are on the rise in the Americas, where new infections and fatalities have been steadily increasing over the past four weeks, the regional office of the World Health Organization (WHO) said on Wednesday. More than 918,000 cases were recorded last week, a 27.2 per cent increase over the previous week, and over 3,500 deaths, latest information from the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) has revealed. Eighteen nations saw spikes in hospitalizations, while admissions to intensive care rose in 13 countries and territories. “The rise in cases should serve as a wake-up call. When people get sick, hospitals get overwhelmed, health systems are challenged, and the number of deaths rise,” said Dr. Carissa Etienne, the PAHO Director, speaking during her weekly media briefing. Regional round-up North...
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May 18, 2022 No comments
‘Lifeline’ of renewable energy can steer world out of climate crisis: UN chief
INTERNATIONAL, 18 May 2022, Climate and Environment - Greenhouse gas concentrations, sea level rises, ocean heat levels and acidification, all set new records during 2021, while some glaciers reached the point of no return, according to the latest flagship report from the World Meteorological Organization (WMO), published on Wednesday. The State of the Climate 2021 indicates that extreme weather – the day-to-day face of climate change – wreaked a heavy toll of human lives, triggered shocks for food and water security, and led to hundreds of billions of dollars in economic losses last year. The report, which describes yet more clear signs that human activity is causing harm on a planetary scale - to our land, ocean and atmosphere - also confirms that the past...
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May 18, 2022 No comments
Global economic growth downgraded due to spillover from Ukraine war
INTERNATIONAL, 18 May 2022, Economic Development - The global economy is expected to grow by only 3.1 per cent this year, down from the 4.0 per cent projected in January, largely derailed by the war in Ukraine, according to the UN’s latest World Economic Situation and Prospects (WESP) report, launched on Wednesday. The mid-year forecast reveals how the conflict has upended the fragile economic recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic, sparking a humanitarian crisis in Europe, surging food and commodity prices, and exacerbating inflationary pressures. Global inflation is also set to reach 6.7 per cent this year, or twice the average of 2.9 per cent during the period from 2010 to 2020, with sharp rises in food and energy prices. Quick action crucial: Guterres “The war in Ukraine – in all its...
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May 18, 2022 No comments
UN marks first ever international day spotlighting women working in the maritime industry
INTERNATIONAL, 18 May 2022, Women - The first ever International Day for Women in Maritime kicked off its inaugural celebration on Wednesday with a seminar to “take stock and identify areas where improvement is needed”, the top UN official representing seafarers said. “Women account for just 20 per cent of the workforce in the maritime authorities of Member States and 29 percent…across subsectors in the maritime industry,” International Maritime Organization (IMO) chief Kitack Lim told the virtual Symposium on Training-Visibility-Recognition: Supporting a barrier-free working environment for Women in Maritime. Noting that these numbers are “significantly higher than those at sea, where women make up as little as two per cent of the workforce,” he added, “we can and must do better”. Gender inclusivity commitment The day intends to celebrate and promote the...
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