January 20, 2020 No comments
Almost half a billion people affected by insufficient work, unemployment set to rise: new UN labour agency report
INTERNATIONAL, 20 January 2020, Economic Development - Around half a billion people work fewer paid hours than they would like, or are not getting enough access to paid work, shows a study published by the International Labour Organization (ILO) on Monday, which also forecasts that unemployment will rise by about 2.5 million this year. After nine years of relatively stable global unemployment, the World Employment and Social Outlook: Trends 2020 puts the rising jobless numbers down to a stagnating global economy. Two workers on a construction site in Pokhara, Nepal., by ILO/Marcel Crozet The number of people unemployed around the world stands at some 188 million. In addition, 165 million people don’t have enough paid work, and 120 million have either given up actively searching for...
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January 20, 2020 No comments
East Africa locusts threaten food insecurity across subregion, alerts UN agriculture agency
INTERNATIONAL, 20 January 2020, Climate Change - Ethiopia, Kenya and Somalia are dealing with desert locust swarms of “unprecedented size and destructive potential” that could spill over into more countries in East Africa, the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) warned on Monday. Destroying hundreds of thousands of acres of crops, the outbreak is impacting the region’s food insecurity. The UN agency urged for a collective campaign to deal with the crisis, concerned over the risk that the swarms spill over into more countries in East Africa, “if efforts to deal with the voracious pest are not scaled up across the region”. Moreover, unusual climate conditions have favoured rapid locust reproduction. The agency stressed that as favourable breeding conditions continue, the increase in locust swarms could last...
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January 20, 2020 No comments
Major humanitarian hub in north-east Nigeria burned in attack
INTERNATIONAL, 20 January 2020, Humanitarian Aid - The top UN aid official in Nigeria has condemned a weekend attack against a major humanitarian facility in the north-east of the country. Non-State armed groups targeted the humanitarian hub in Ngala, Borno state, on Saturday evening, burning an entire section of the facility as well as a vehicle used in aid deliveries. Five UN staff were staying there at the time but escaped unharmed due to security measures in place. Edward Kallon, UN Humanitarian Coordinator in Nigeria, expressed outrage over the incident. “I am shocked by the violence and intensity of this attack, which is the latest of too many incidents directly targeting humanitarian actors and the assistance we provide,” he said on Monday. “I am relieved all staff is now safe and secure. Aid workers,...
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January 20, 2020 No comments
Latin America and Caribbean region deadliest for journalists in 2019
INTERNATIONAL, 20 January 2020, Peace and Security - Twenty-two journalists were reported killed in the Latin America and Caribbean region in 2019, making it the deadliest part of the world for the press, followed by 15 in Asia-Pacific, and 10 in Arab States. The figures come from the Observatory of Killed Journalists database, which is maintained by the UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). It shows that, over the last decade, 894 journalists were murdered, an average of almost 90 per year: journalist killings in 2019 dropped by almost half compared to 2018 (from 99 to 56), but members of the press still face extreme risks, in all regions of the world. Local coverage more dangerous than war reporting The UNESCO data shows that targeting local...
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January 20, 2020 No comments
Smokers who quit one month before surgery reap benefits: UN health agency
INTERNATIONAL, 20 January 2020, Health - Tobacco smokers who quit at least four weeks before undergoing surgery not only have a lower risk of complications, but also show better results six months later than those who continue, the United Nations health agency said on Monday. While tobacco smokers face a significantly higher risk of post-surgical complications, including impaired heart and lung functions, infections and delayed wound healing, evidence from a new joint study by the World Health Organization (WHO), the University of Newcastle, Australia and the World Federation of Societies of Anesthesiologists reveals that patients who quit smoking are less likely to experience complications with anesthesia than those who do not. New data shows that after four weeks, every tobacco-free week improves blood flow throughout...
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