UNITED NATIONS, Apr 18 2019 (IPS)* – President Donald Trump’s decision to veto a bi-partisan Congressional resolution to end US military involvement in a devastating Saudi-led four-year conflict in Yemen– is expected to escalate the ongoing war in the trouble-plagued region.
Yemen home for the world’s worst humanitarian crisis.
The weapons used by the Saudis in the reckless bombing of mostly civilian targets, including schools and hospitals, are largely from the United States: F-15 fighter planes, Bell helicopters, drones, air-to-surface missiles, M60 battle tanks, laser-guided bombs and heavy artillery.
Stress, excessively-long working hours and disease, contribute to the deaths of nearly 2.8 million workers every year, while an additional 374 million people get injured or fall ill because of their jobs, the UN labour agency, ILO, said on Thursday [18 April 2019].
ILO/Deloche P | Syrian workers process tobacco leaf in Lebanon. (file)
In a new report underlining ILO’s message that no paid work should threaten your wellbeing, your safety or your life, the agency identifies several new or existing occupational risks of growing concern, that affect women more than men.
Statement by the Norwegian Refugee Council’s Policy Director, Ole Solvang, on the US President’s veto to a bill to end military support for the war in Yemen*
17 April 2019 (Norwegian Refugee Council)* – “President Trump said that withdrawing from the war in Yemen would ‘negatively affect ongoing efforts to prevent civilian casualties.’ Yet if he was truly concerned about civilian life, he would first and foremost ensure that the US-supported Saudi-led coalition stop breaking the laws of war and depriving millions of Yemenis of life-saving assistance.
Yasser al Hibshi, 38, lost his house and three of his children in one of the first air raids launched by the Saudi-led coalition on the night of 26 March, 2015. Photo: Nuha Mohammedi/NRC
18 March 2019 (Wall Street International)* – In my last essay for the Wall Street International Magazine, I argued that Democrats and Independents need to push now for a single term presidency in the effort to prevent Trump from winning a second, if not third, presidential term1.
Trump is running high with the apparent economic boom in hiring (that is financed by heavy federal debts and tax reductions for the very wealthy), and the (false) belief that he has been “totally exonerated” after accusations of electoral “collusion” with Russia.
People continue to flee to the Greek islands from Turkey despite the hellish conditions that await them there.
Arrested refugees-immigrants in Fylakio detention center, Evros, Greece. | Photo by Ggia, dust spots/scratches removed by Kim Hansen. Edges cropped due to scan. Further restoration improvements using masks by Ggia. | CC BY-SA 3.0
17 April 2019 (openDemocracy)* — I came to Chios on 20 March 2016, the first day of the EU-Turkey deal, and stayed there for about nine months. The Greek Asylum Service told us that the asylum procedure is very slow because of limited staff.
Since the government suppressed street protests last April, thousands have sought safety in neighbouring Costa Rica, where meeting basic needs remains a challenge. | Español | Français
16 April 2019 (UNHCR)* — Despite having little interest in politics, Manuel* found himself caught up in the violence and persecution that erupted in Nicaragua a year ago, after the government cracked down on street protests.
“We lived with the anxiety of not knowing when they would break into the house to get us,” the farmer recalls. “We were besieged at night.”
Beira, 16 April 2019 (IOM)* – One month after Cyclone Idai made landfall through Mozambique and neighbouring countries, despite the concerted efforts of humanitarian organizations, many families remain in need, and without assistance they lack the resources to repair and rebuild their homes. Latest figures indicate that more than 1.8 million people are in need, and nearly 240,000 houses were affected, half of those partially destroyed, and the other half totally destroyed.
Baby Ernesto was born the day before the cyclone; his family’s home was destroyed. They are now living in Samora Machel site. Photo: Amanda Nero
HUMAN WRONGS WATCH 