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Nach 94 Länderspielen tritt Yann Sommer aus der Nati zurück. Das Ende einer Ära, denn keiner prägte diese Position so stark wie er.

Die deutsche Exportindustrie kommt nicht in Schwung. Zum Halbjahr steht auch bei den Einfuhren ein deutliches Minus. Vor allem die grossen Branchen schwächeln.

Ein vermeintlicher Pottwal erschreckt am Montagmorgen Passanten in Zürich. Bilder zeigen eine realistisch aussehende Figur, die am Utoquai gestrandet zu sein scheint. Es handelt sich jedoch um eine Attrappe. Was dahinter steckt.

ENTWURF EINER STELLUNGNAHME zu dem Entwurf des Gesamthaushaltsplans der Europäischen Union für das Haushaltsjahr 2025
Ausschuss für auswärtige Angelegenheiten
Hilde Vautmans

Quelle : © Europäische Union, 2024 - EP

Trotz wirtschaftlicher Erholung und steigender Produktivität geraten Schweizer Arbeitnehmende immer stärker unter Druck. Seit drei Jahren sinken die Reallöhne, während die Lebenshaltungskosten steigen. Gewerkschaften fordern nun Lohnerhöhungen von bis zu vier Prozent.

MTI: Vegyesen alakult a forint árfolyama hétfő reggel a péntek esti jegyzéséhez képest a nemzetközi devizapiacon. Az euró jegyzése hét órakor 394,92 forintra erősödött a péntek esti 394,58 forintról, a dolláré 358,83 forintról 357,75 forintra csökkent, a svájci franké pedig 413,07 forintról 413,97 forintra emelkedett.

A mother and her 9-month-old daughter visit a health center run by Action Against Hunger in the Tando Muhammad Khan NSC district. Credit: Action Against Hunger

By Muhammad Aamir
ISLAMABAD, Pakistan, Aug 19 2024 (IPS)

In May, temperatures soared above 52° Celsius (125.6° Fahrenheit) in Pakistan’s southern province of Sindh. To cope, Samina Kanwal, a community health worker with Action Against Hunger, began work at 7:00 am — the earliest time possible given neighborhood security protocols — to travel door-to-door helping vulnerable with the health consequences of extreme heat including heatstroke, difficulties with brain function, and even hunger.

Of course, these consequences extend beyond Pakistan with the world experiencing the hottest day ever recorded this summer. The health implications are real — and they are growing with the heat.

Heat is a Health Risk

Over time, heat strains the body as it tries to cool itself, worsening chronic conditions from asthma to diabetes. It is also causes pregnancy and birth complications, with the rates of premature births increasing after heat waves.

Heat-related illness occurs because of exposure to high temperatures. Heatstroke can develop in just a few hours and can involve seizures, heart complications, and brain swelling, with high fatality rates. In fact, heat-related deaths worldwide increased by 74% from 1980 to 2016, and researchers attribute nearly 40% of those deaths to climate change.

A drought and a heat wave hit the Baluchistan region of Pakistan in June 2024. Credit Action Against Hunger

Diarrhea – the third leading cause of death in children younger than five in average temperatures – is much more severe in extreme heat when the symptoms of severe dehydration and fluid loss are compounded. While people typically are advised to drink more fluids as temperatures rise, that assumes access to clean water, which isn’t the case for more than 2 billion people worldwide.

Brain health is impacted by extreme heat: cognitive function decreases as temperatures rise. One study found that for every degree above 22° Celsius (72° Fahrenheit), standardized test scores fell 0.2% — assuming that school takes place at all. In communities with limited resources, climate-controlled buildings are rare. To protect students, Pakistan’s Punjab province closed schools for a week this summer, leaving 52% of school-age children at home.

Mental health also suffers due to extreme heat. Hot days are associated with higher risk of emergency room visits for substance abuse, mood and anxiety disorders, schizophrenia, and dementia. Studies show that every 1° increase in temperature can increase suicide rates. The effects are pronounced in agricultural areas, where heat damages crops and economic prospects.

During May’s heatwave, the need for antibiotics and antipyretics (also known as fever reducers) became so great that Action Against Hunger, local authorities, and other partners quickly came together to prevent shortages and manage other health risks, like filling and carrying jugs of clean water. To reduce the impacts on the women and girls that this task typically falls to, we expanded shaded areas around community water sources.

Heat and Hunger

Drought and crop failure are obvious consequences of heat that impact food accessibility. High temperatures can dry soil, lowering crop yields and driving up food prices. These impacts become more widespread as climate change accelerates, and it’s already impacting nutrition among vulnerable populations.

Extreme heat intensified chronic and acute malnutrition in multiple West African countries, an area vulnerable to deadly heat waves. Over a 90 day period, just 14 days of temperatures between 86 and 95° led to a 2.2% increase in child “wasting,” which happens when a child loses muscle and fat tissue, becoming too thin for their height.

For every 100 hours of exposure to a temperature above 95° Fahrenheit, the “stunting rate” among children — where a child is too short for their age — increased by 5.9%.

Today, one in four children is undernourished. But researchers have warned that if the global temperature increases by 2°, the rate of stunting due to heat exposure will nearly double. Without a concerted effort from the global community to mitigate climate change, the world is on track to surpass this threshold, leading to devastating health impacts for children, families, and communities.

Low-income countries will feel these effects the most, as most poorer nations are located in regions that will be two to five times more susceptible to heat waves than richer countries by the 2060s. These challenges are compounded by other climate impacts: Pakistan, one of the countries most impacted by climate change, suffered drought followed by historic flooding that submerged crops and killed thousands of livestock that people rely on for basic food and income.

This zig-zag between extremes has left more than two million people in need of emergency assistance. The climate crisis is a health crisis. Paradoxically, heatmakes it harder to engage in protective measures. And health systems are not well prepared to deal with an additional influx of patients alongside the burden that heat waves place on everything from supply chains to the power grid.

Solutions for the Future

The good news is that efforts are underway to create more climate-resilient health systems. Leaders increasingly recognize the need for a “one health” approach that acts on the interconnections between human and environmental health. We also need to ensure that the links between heat and hunger are central to that agenda.

Developing climate change early action plans and leading simulation exercises for key stakeholders is crucial to a solution. We have implemented programs, for example, that contributed to agricultural benefits over time: farmers were able to store 15% additional seeds for the next cultivation cycle, and preservation practices of rice and wheat stock improved by 100%.

Beneficiaries also reported a 25% decrease in soil-related issues due to flooding, which shows that the program had a positive impact on mitigating the effects of climate disasters. The introduction of irrigation systems and water management techniques helped farmers overcome weather-related challenges.

Solutions like income generation opportunities, promotion of climate-smart agriculture practices, climate-friendly irrigation systems, provision of treatment for severely malnourished children, and additive health services will be key to creating a sustainable and thriving world amid increasing temperatures.

Muhammad Aamir is Pakistan Country Director, Action Against Hunger

IPS UN Bureau

 

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Qu'est-ce qui a conduit aux tensions actuelles entre l'Iran et Israël, suite aux attaques du Hamas du 7 octobre ?

Qu'est-ce qui a conduit aux tensions actuelles entre l'Iran et Israël, suite aux attaques du Hamas du 7 octobre ?

Über einen Monat nach den Wahlen in Frankreich ist die Frage des Premierministers immer noch nicht geklärt. Die linke Opposition, die bei den Wahlen am 7. Juli als Sieger hervorging, erhöht jetzt den Druck auf den Präsidenten Emmanuel Macron und droht ihm sogar mit einem Amtsenthebungsverfahren.

Die sogenannten Tüechli-Besetzer reservieren frühmorgens die besten Plätze am Pool oder am Strand. Auch wenn viele Hotels das mittlerweile verbieten, machens einige trotzdem. Die Behörden in Malaga wollen dem jetzt endgültig ein Ende setzen und verhängen Bussgelder.

Yann Sommer sagt tschüss. Was sein grösster Nati-Moment war. Was ihn in den letzten Tagen nervte. Und obs Kontakt zu Nachfolger Gregor Kobel gegeben hat.

Manchmal führt einen das Leben auf unerwartete Wege. Hast du deinen Beruf komplett gewechselt und bist heute in einer ganz anderen Branche tätig? Wir wollen deine Geschichte hören!

Volodimir Zelenszkij megerősítette, hogy az ukránok célja nem a területszerzés, hanem az, hogy megakadályozzák a további orosz támadásokat, illetve elzárják az orosz utánpótlás útját.

Ein Segelboot unter britischer Flagge sank vor Palermo, Italien. 15 Personen, darunter ein Baby, wurden gerettet, sieben werden vermisst. Ursache war ein Wirbelsturm.

Im Süden der Türkei, in Spanien und auch auf der portugiesischen Insel Madeira gibt es aktuell heftige Waldbrände. Da die Flammen auch Wohngebiete erreichen, mussten schon hunderte von Menschen aus ihren Häusern evakuiert werden.

Die «Meteo»-Moderatorin ist zackig unterwegs – ob in ihrer Heimatstadt oder sprachlich. Im schnellen Interview erzählt sie, welches Wetter es ihr angetan hat – auch im negativen Sinne.

Triathletin Daniela Ryf tritt per sofort zurück – früher als angekündigt. Gesundheitliche Probleme lassen weitere Rennen der Legende nicht mehr zu.

Die Saison in der MotoGP, der Moto2 und der Moto3 ist in vollem Gange. Alle Infos zu Fahrern, Teams, Renndaten und die aktuellen Ranglisten gibt's hier.

By Thalif Deen
UNITED NATIONS, Aug 19 2024 (IPS)

Back in August 2003, the United Nations faced one of its violent tragedies when a terrorist attack on the UN headquarters in the Iraqi capital of Baghdad claimed the lives of 22 people.

Among those killed was Sergio Vieira de Mello of Brazil, the UN envoy in Iraq and High Commissioner for Human Rights, who had a long and distinguished UN career stretching over 30 years.

As the UN commemorated World Humanitarian Day on August 19, it continues to be confronted with rising death tolls among both its humanitarian workers and peacekeepers worldwide.

The commemorative day was established by the General Assembly in 2008 after the 2003 bomb attack in Baghdad.

At last count, at least 254 aid workers have been killed since the current 10-month-old war began in Gaza on Oct. 7 last year, and about 188 worked for UNRWA, the UN agency for Palestinian refugees.

According to the UN, “2023 was the deadliest year on record for humanitarian workers and 2024 is on track to be even worse”.

In a statement ahead of World Humanitarian Day, Dennis Francis, President of the193-member General Assembly said aid organizations – from all over the world – have united to call for the protection of civilians and humanitarian personnel, as well as to ensure their safe and unhindered access, including across conflict lines.

Footage of destruction of Al-Shifa hospital in Gaza, following an Israeli siege. The World Health Organization (WHO) reiterated that hospitals must be respected and protected; they must not be used as battlefields. Credit: UN News

Attacks on humanitarian workers and humanitarian assets must stop, as well as on civilians and civilian infrastructure, he said.

Besides the UN and its agencies, some of the world’s humanitarian organizations in war zones include Doctors Without Borders, CARE International, Save the Children and the International Committee of the Red Cross and the Red Crescent.

Last April, seven members from World Central Kitchen (WCK) were killed in an Israeli air strike in Gaza. The WCK said its team was traveling in a deconflicted zone in two armored cars branded with the WCK logo and a soft skin vehicle.

Despite coordinating movements with the Israeli Defense Force (IDF), the convoy was hit as it was leaving the Deir al-Balah warehouse, where the team had unloaded more than 100 tons of humanitarian food aid brought to Gaza on the maritime route.

“This is not only an attack against WCK, this is an attack on humanitarian organizations showing up in most dire situations where food is being used as a weapon of war. This is unforgivable,” said WCK CEO Erin Gore.

The seven killed were from Australia, Poland, United Kingdom, a dual citizen of the U.S. and Canada, and Palestine.

“I am heartbroken and appalled that we—World Central Kitchen and the world—lost beautiful lives because of a targeted attack by the IDF. The love they had for feeding people, the determination they embodied to show that humanity rises above all, and the impact they made in countless lives will forever be remembered and cherished,” said Gore.

According to the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), more than half of the 2023 deaths were recorded in the first three months – October to December – of the hostilities in Gaza, mostly as a result of airstrikes.

Extreme levels of violence in Sudan and South Sudan have also contributed to the tragic death toll, both in 2023 and in 2024. In all these conflicts, most of the casualties are among national staff. Many humanitarian workers also continue to be detained in Yemen.

“The normalization of violence against aid workers and the lack of accountability are unacceptable, unconscionable and enormously harmful for aid operations everywhere,” said Joyce Msuya, Acting Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator.

“Today, we reiterate our demand that people in power act to end violations against civilians and the impunity with which these heinous attacks are committed.”

On this World Humanitarian Day, aid workers and those supporting their efforts around the globe have organized events to stand in solidarity and spotlight the horrifying toll of armed conflicts, including on humanitarian staff, she said.

In addition, a joint letter from leaders of humanitarian organizations will be sent to the Member States of the UN General Assembly asking the international community to end attacks on civilians, protect all aid workers, and hold perpetrators to account.

Everyone can add their voice by joining and amplifying the digital campaign using the hashtag #ActforHumanity.

Meanwhile, UN peacekeeping is considered virtually humanitarian—but with a military angle– in conflict ridden countries and war zones where they are also vulnerable to attacks.

At least 11 United Nations personnel — seven military personnel and four civilians — were killed in deliberate attacks in 2023, the United Nations Staff Union Standing Committee on the Security and Independence of the International Civil Service pointed out.

And 32 UN peacekeeping personnel — 28 military and four police, including one woman police officer — were killed in deliberate attacks in 2022, the United Nations Staff Union said.

For the ninth year in a row, the United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in Mali (MINUSMA) was the deadliest for peacekeepers with 14 fatalities, followed by 13 fatalities in the United Nations Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUSCO), four fatalities in the United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in the Central African Republic (MINUSCA) and one fatality in the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL).

The figures for preceding years are as follows: 2021 (25 killed); 2020 (15 killed); 2019 (28 killed); 2018 (34 killed); 2017 (71 killed); 2016 (32 killed); 2015 (51 killed); 2014 (61 killed); 2013 (58 killed); 2012 (37 killed); 2011 (35 killed); and 2010 (15 killed).

Roderic Grigson, who was with the UN Emergency Force (UNEF II) on the Egyptian- Israeli border, told IPS the duties of a peacekeeper are extremely hazardous.

“Our job as peacekeepers was to insert ourselves between two warring forces and keep them apart while peace negotiations were conducted at the UN HQ in New York or elsewhere”

Sometimes, he said, those negotiations took years to happen. “The environment we worked in was often a recent warzone, scattered with unexploded shells and mines and the detritus of war.”

“The opposing forces always considered the UN peacekeepers suspicious, and we had to work hard to earn their trust. When travelling through the front lines into the buffer zone, you had to keep your wits about you”.

“We were never alone and were always in touch with headquarters over UHF radios in the clearly marked UN vehicles,” said Grigson, currently a book coach based in Melbourne, who teaches, mentors and supports writers. while running a publishing house for authors who wish to self-publish their stories.

From personal experience, he said, “I can state that I have been shot at several times, had to wear a helmet and body armour while I was working, and have experienced shelling by the two opposing forces who wished to make a point during the ongoing negotiations.”

One of my colleagues was killed while driving the daily mail truck when the road was mined overnight, said Grigson,

https://www.rodericgrigson.com/shorts/

IPS UN Bureau Report

 

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