'Unseen' News and Views – By Baher Kamal & The Like
DRC’s independence is celebrating its 60th anniversary this year. | Photo: AFP
The world has literally ‘lost it’ over the horrible word capitalism.
Naresh Jotwani
This may seem like an overstatement, but it can be justified easily. All it needs is some clear thinking based on a few words which – unlike capitalism – are rooted in reality.
First of all, any ‘-ism’ cannot be trusted blindly because – over time – it becomes a hindrance to individual growth. Anyone promoting or even naively adopting an ‘-ism’ is likely living or hiding ‘in a box’, which state blocks his or her individual progress.
Simple question: In a society where the basic vocabulary stunts individual progress, can we EVER expect overall well-being? Can one get nectar out of bird feathers?
It is only when we discard ALL ‘-isms’ – including the ever-so-venerable Buddhism! – that we are forced to go back to basics, to reality, and in particular to the reality of suffering. Nothing else is then left to build a world view that makes sense. A new day dawns!
– The ongoing battle between China and the United States is threatening to paralyze the most powerful body at the United Nations – the 15-member Security Council (UNSC)—which has virtually gone MIA (missing in action) on some of the key politically-sensitive issues of the day.
UN Security Council in session. Credit: United Nations
1 July 2020 (UN Environment)* — As iconic as the islands’ pristine beaches and tropical forests, the 60,000-plus green monkeys of St. Kitts and Nevis are a quintessential part of the Caribbean experience for many visitors.
But while these photogenic mischief-makers might charm tourists, they pose serious threats to the twin-island Federation.
Learn more about food loss and waste reduction, measurement and policy in times of COVID-19 and beyond.
(FAO)* — Food loss and waste reduction should be seen as a means toward achieving other objectives, including improving food security and nutrition, reducing greenhouse gas emissions, lowering pressure on water and land resources and can increase productivity and economic growth.
The formulation of effective policies toward food loss and waste reduction requires comprehensive information as to how much and where – both geographically and along the supply chain – various foods are lost or wasted.
FAO’s work on measurement and support to countries to take action to reduce food loss and waste is critical to tracking progress made by countries.
The International Labour Organization’s latest analysis of the labour market impact of COVID-19 finds its impact on the world of work was more severe than previously estimated, and offers three scenarios for the second half of 2020.
GENEVA 30 June 2020 (ILO)* – The number of working hours lost across the world in the first half of 2020 was significantly worse than previously estimated, while the highly uncertain recovery in the second half of the year will not be enough to go back to pre-pandemic levels, even in the best scenario, and risks seeing continuing large scale job losses, warns the International Labour Organization (ILO).
(UN News)* — Urgent, and accelerated action is needed to end female genital mutilation, child marriage, and other “harmful practices” and abuses carried out against women and girls, the UN sexual and reproductive health agency (UNFPA), said on 30 June 2020, in its latest major report on the state of the world’s population.
UNFPA-UNICEF/Kiran Panday | In 2016, UNFPA and UNICEF launched a global programme to tackle child marriage in twelve of the most high-prevalence countries, including Nepal
Every year, millions of girls are subjected to practices that routinely harm them, both physically and emotionally, with the full knowledge and consent of their families, friends and communities, the report states.
