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☆ Middle class wiped out: Half of Myanmar’s people forced into poverty by civil war, UN report finds
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-12 | by ( Helen Regan | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

CNN —Once considered among the most promising economies in Southeast Asia with a growing middle class, Myanmar is now suffering from soaring levels of poverty as a devastating civil war drives tens of millions further into destitution, according to a new United Nations report. Poverty has not only doubled but people are also more deeply poor, the report found. Wignaraja said Myanmar’s middle class is “literally disappearing.”“A 50% collapse of the middle class over two and a half years is quite astounding for this country, but for any country,” she said. The value of Myanmar’s local currency, the kyat, has plummeted, along with rising costs for food and other basic necessities. “We call on all stakeholders — inside and outside Myanmar — to take action and preserve vulnerable households from slipping into irreversible poverty and despair.”

Persons: Aung, Suu Kyi, ”, Kanni Wignaraja, Wignaraja, Achim Steiner Organizations: CNN, United Nations, UN Development Program, UNDP, Asian Development Bank, Bank, Asia Locations: Southeast Asia, Myanmar, destitution, Suu, Yangon, Mandalay

☆ Fujitsu role in Britain's Post Office scandal could have severe reputational consequences, analysts say
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-23 | by ( Elliot Smith | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +5 min

(Photo by Tolga Akmen / AFP) (Photo by TOLGA AKMEN/AFP via Getty Images) Tolga Akmen | Afp | Getty ImagesLONDON — Fujitsu 's role in the U.K. Post Office scandal, dubbed the "most widespread miscarriage of justice" in British history, has analysts wary of what the fallout could look like for the Japanese IT giant. Between 1999 and 2015, a fault with the company's Horizon computer software used by the Post Office, a state-owned private company employing thousands of people across the country, resulted in more than 700 sub-postmasters being subjected to false prosecutions. watch nowIn a statement Thursday, Fujitsu said it regards the matter with the "utmost seriousness and offers its deepest apologies to the sub-postmasters and their families." "Based on the findings of the Inquiry, we will also be working with the UK government on the appropriate actions, including contribution to compensation." A spokesperson for Fujitsu wasn't immediately available for comment when contacted by CNBC.

Persons: Tolga Akmen, TOLGA AKMEN, Akmen, postmasters, Paul Patterson, Patterson, Fujitsu Tim Morse, —, CNBC's, Mio Kato Organizations: subpostmasters, of Justice, Appeal, Getty, Afp, Fujitsu, Post Office, Post, Business, Trade, Asymmetric Advisors, CNBC, Fujitsu wasn't, Treasury, Fujitsu —, ICL, Tokyo Stock Exchange, LightStream Locations: London, AFP, U.K, Japan

Close to 4,000 people died in the floods and 9,000 more are still unaccounted for, according to the World Health Organization. Schools-turned-shelters in Derna list the names of their inhabitants on their doors to help people like Abu Bakr. Piles of cars and trees brought by the water block streets in Derna. If you make problems, then you become suspicious.”“I hope to wake up one day (and) find the city still standing. Yet, in streets ravaged by the floods, residents of the buildings still standing were adamant on staying in their homes.

Persons: Sarah El Sirgany, CNN Abu Bakr, Abu, ” Karima, Salma, who’s, “, ”, ” Salma, Agilah Saleh, ” Mohamed Eljarh, Eljarh, Moftah, Hanshiry, Derna Organizations: CNN, World Health Organization, Local, Schools, Facebook, Libyan National Army Locations: Libyan, Derna, Abu Bakr, Libya, Salem el

☆ Morocco Earthquake Killed Young Boy as Family Sat at Dinner Table
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-10 | by ( Sept. | At P.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +3 min

"That's when it struck," Ben Henna said. The earthquake was Morocco's most powerful since at least 1900 and it killed more than 2,000 people, mostly in small mountain villages like Tafeghaghte where the Ben Henna family live. Ben Henna and his other son, Mouad, staggered out of the open door into the alleyway as their house began to collapse. One family Ben Henna knew lost seven members. Fatima Boujdig sat with her husband in the shade of their large red truck, badly damaged by falling rubble, as a donkey grazed nearby.

Persons: Ahmed Eljechtimi TAFEGHAGHTE, Hamid ben, Marouane, Ben, Mouad, Amina, Ben Henna's, Henna's, Fatima Boujdig, Ahmed El Jechtimi, Omer Berberoglu, Angus McDowall, Christina Fincher Locations: Morocco, Tafeghaghte, Casablanca

☆ Morocco earthquake killed young boy as family sat at dinner table
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-10 | by ( Ahmed Eljechtimi | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

Persons: Ahmed El Jechtimi, Hamid ben, Marouane, Ben, Mouad, Amina, Ben Henna's, Henna's, Fatima Boujdig, Omer Berberoglu, Angus McDowall, Christina Fincher Organizations: REUTERS, Thomson Locations: Tafeghaghte, Morocco, Casablanca

☆ UN's World Food Programme forced to cut food assistance from 10 million people
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-05 | by ( Hande Atay Alam | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

CNN —As of September, 10 million Afghans have lost assistance from the UN’s World Food Programme this year, the organization announced this week. They had to cut food assistance from 2 million people in Afghanistan this month. “Due to a massive funding shortfall, going forward WFP will only be able to provide emergency assistance to 3 million people per month,” the WFP statement said. “These cuts mean that 1.4 million new and expecting mothers and their children are no longer receiving specialized food designed to prevent malnutrition,” Lee said. WFP needs US$1 billion in the next 6 months to be able to feed 21 million people with lifesaving food, the statement said.

Persons: “, ”, Hsiao, Wei Lee, ” Lee, Lee Organizations: CNN, “ Locations: Afghanistan

☆ U.K. Economy Grows Weakly
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-11 | by ( Kevin Granville | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +4 min

The data beat the Bank of England’s forecast last week for 0.1 percent growth, and some economists had predicted a quarter of no growth. For over a year, beginning with the second quarter of 2022, Britain’s economy expanded each quarter by 0.1 percent — except for the July-September period last year, when it contracted by the same amount. Comparisons: Growth in Europe and United StatesIn Europe, the 20 countries that use the euro currency haven’t faired much better in terms of economic growth. The eurozone expanded 0.3 percent in the second quarter, after stalling earlier in the year and shrinking 0.1 percent late last year. “Low economic growth and stagnant productivity is increasing the financial vulnerability of households in the bottom half of the income distribution and the incidence of destitution at the poorest end,” the report said.

Persons: King Charles, Andrew Bailey, “ Organizations: Office, National Statistics, Bank of England’s, Bank of England, Bank, National Institute of Economic, Social Research Locations: Britain, Europe, United States, London

☆ What’s Driving Record Levels of Migration to the U.S. Border?
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-11 | by ( Natalie Kitroeff | Julie Turkewitz | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: 1 min

CIUDAD JUÁREZ, Mexico — Millions of people are leaving their homes across Latin America in numbers not seen in decades, many of them pressing toward the United States. While migration to the U.S. southern border has always fluctuated, the pandemic and the recession that followed hit Latin America harder than almost anywhere else in the world, plunging millions into hunger, destitution and despair. Unemployment hit a two-decade high. Russia’s invasion of Ukraine choked off a key pipeline for grain and fertilizer, triggering a spike in food prices. Economic shocks were worsened by violence, as conflict between armed groups festered in once relatively peaceful countries and raged in places long accustomed to the terror.

"These workers are at high risk of forced labour and severe destitution," said independent labour activist Andy Hall, whose team has been in contact with the migrant workers. The International Labour Organisation ranks deception, along with debt bondage stemming from the large recruitment fee, and passport seizure among its indicators of 'forced labour'. Two of Sivakumar's aides were arrested by anti-graft authorities this month over an investigation into recruitment of foreign workers. Malaysia has faced accusations of forced labour in manufacturing and palm oil production over the years, including some by the United States, which banned imports from several of its firms for such practices. A Bangladeshi official, speaking on condition of anonymity, told Reuters there were a "few hundred" of its citizens stuck in Malaysia without jobs.

☆ An obscure, 150-year-old morality law has resurfaced in the legal battle over abortion medication
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-13 | by ( Grace Eliza Goodwin | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

A federal appeals court discussed an obscure, 150-year-old morality law in its decision on abortion medication mifepristone. A challenge to the legality of sending abortion medications via mail referenced the Comstock Act of 1873. A law professor called the legislation an outdated "zombie law" that was now in danger of being "selectively enforced." The Comstock Act was named after Anthony Comstock, a moral crusader in 19th-century America, according to Middle Tennessee State University's First Amendment Encyclopedia. A 'zombie law' that should've been repealedMurray says invoking this "zombie law" is "rolling back modernity."

JANDARIS, Syria, March 22 (Reuters) - Hussein Mankawi has little hope he will ever rebuild his home and food distribution businesses in the north-west Syrian city of Jandaris after they were reduced to rubble by last month's deadly earthquake, wiping out his life's work. There is nothing but tents," he said, standing by the mangled ruins of his home in the rebel-held region. The Feb. 6 earthquakes were the worst modern-day natural disasters to strike Syria and Turkey, killing more than 56,000 people across the two countries. The U.N. says more than 100,000 people have been displaced in the region since the first quake struck on Feb. 6. "We were looking for a better life," he said as he waited to be let through the border with his family.

☆ Rohingya recount stories of hunger and desperation in escape to Indonesia
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-28 | by ( ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +3 min

PIDIE, Indonesia — Rohingya Muslims who survived a harrowing 40 days on a boat across the Indian Ocean to end up in Indonesia have recounted stories of hunger and desperation, saying more than 20 of those on board died on the way. Rohingya men resting at a shelter in the Pidie district of Aceh province on Monday. A Rohingya child rests in a temporary shelter in Laweueng on Tuesday. Rohingya attempting sea crossings to Thailand and Muslim-majority Malaysia and Indonesia often set off between November and April when seas are calmer. Indonesia has seen nearly 500 Rohingya reach its shores in the past six weeks, according to the UNHCR.

☆ In Burnley, Britain's cost of living crisis hits home
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-15 | by ( Natalie Thomas | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +6 min

[1/6] Keelie Topping shops in the parish of the Church of St Matthew the Apostle in Burnley, England, Britain November 10, 2022. While millions in Britain face a difficult winter, the Centre for Cities think tank says the nearly 95,000 residents of Burnley are most exposed to the shockwaves ripping through the economy. Consumers in Burnley saw prices rise 11.7% in the year to September, the think tank estimates, compared with 10.1% nationally, and 9.1% in London. Britain's exit from the European Union has so far failed to yield economic dividends for places like Burnley. Adrian Pabst, at the National Institute of Economic and Social Research think tank, said the cost of supporting the poorest households did not have to be big.

☆ UK think-tank urges Hunt to think again on budget squeeze
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-11 | by ( William Schomberg | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

LONDON, Nov 11 (Reuters) - British finance minister Jeremy Hunt should rethink his plans to raise taxes and cut spending in next week's budget, a think-tank said, warning that many households would need further government help even without a fresh squeeze on the public finances. "It's not at all clear that the Chancellor needs to raise taxes or cut spending in the Autumn Statement next week. NIESR's deputy director for public policy, Adrian Pabst, said the cost of supporting the poorest households did not have to be big. "It seems extraordinary to suggest that this country cannot afford 0.2% of GDP to help the most vulnerable," Pabst said. ($1 = 0.8516 pounds)Writing by William Schomberg; Editing by Catherine EvansOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Climate Change Is Real. Markets, Not Governments, Offer the Cure. - The New York Times
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-28 | by ( Bret Stephens | Mr. Stephens Is An Opinion Columnist. Mr. Winter Is A Staff Photographer On Assignment In Opinion. | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +32 min

worse-case, highest-carbon-emission scenario.” (The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change is the U.N. body that assesses climate change.) How do we weigh the risks of underreacting to climate change against the risks of overreacting to it? While he’s not an expert on climate change, he has spent decades thinking deeply about every manner of risk. That’s particularly true if climate change is akin to cancer — manageable or curable in its earlier stages, disastrous in its later ones. Maybe, I realized, in assessing my newfound concerns about climate change, my long-held beliefs might provide a solution — look to the market.

☆ I listed 'sex work' on LinkedIn and caused a viral uproar. This is the last time I'll defend that choice.
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-20 | by ( Arielle Egozi | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +13 min

In July, I added "sex work" to my LinkedIn work experience. But at least in sex work, there's an audience and a desire for every type of body, gender, and play. Sex work may have the word "sex" in it, but most of the job — digital, in person, or otherwise — has little to do with sex. A lot of people seem to ignore the "work" part of sex work. Sex work of all kinds is work, and that's the last time I'll defend that statement.

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