
From the Middle of the World to the End of the World – Ecuadorians Revolt against President Lenin Moreno’s Austerity Measures

From Ocean to Plate
Let Plants be Thy Medicine – You Are What You Eat
Human Wrongs Watch
– United Nations World Food Day is celebrated around the world on October 16 under the theme: “Our Actions ARE Our Future. Healthy Diets for a Zero Hunger World”. This theme is timely, especially, because across Africa and around the world, there has been a gradual rise in malnutrition and diet-related non communicable diseases, as highlighted in The Lancet study and a United Nations Report published earlier this year.

Credit: Busani Bafana/IPS
Greening the Blue Report: 2018 Data on Greenhouse Gas Emissions, Waste, Water and Environmental Management from Over 60 Entities across the UN System
By UN Environment* — This year’s report includes 2018 data on greenhouse gas emissions, waste, water and environmental management from over 60 entities across the UN System, representing approximately 290,000 personnel. It shows that in 2018 the UN System emitted 2 million tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent (tCO2eq)– or 7 tCO2eq per capita.

Forced Movement of Migrants in Bosnia Sparks Warning of Humanitarian Emergency
Sarajevo, 17 October 2019 (IOM)* — Serious concerns have been expressed in Bosnia at the forcible transfer of large numbers of migrants to an already overcrowded and dangerous accommodation centre.
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Concern is rising for the welfare of migrants in Bosnia with winter just around the corner. Archive/IOM 2018
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UN’s 75th Anniversary Shadowed by Right-Wing Nationalism, Widespread Authoritarianism and Budgetary Cuts
Human Wrongs Watch
– When the six much-ballyhooed high-level UN meetings concluded late September, there were mixed feelings about the final outcomes.

And civil society organizations (CSOs), who were mostly disappointed with the results, are now gearing themselves for two upcoming key climate summit meetings: COP25 in Santiago, Chile in December and COP26 in Glasgow, UK in late 2020, along with the 25th anniversary of the Beijing Women’s Conference scheduled to take place in September 2020 in New York.
But perhaps the most politically-significant event in 2020 will be the 75th anniversary of the United Nations which will take place amidst continued threats against multilateral institutions, rising right-wing nationalism, growing authoritarianism and widespread disinformation.
Trump’s Border Wall Is a Multi-Billion Dollar Corporate Handout
Human Wrongs Watch
The militarisation of the US border has led to an increase in migrant deaths and a windfall for the security industry.

Holding Transnational Corporations Accountable for Human Rights Abuses
Human Wrongs Watch
– In Geneva this week, a treaty process is underway that promises to usher in a new era for human rights around the globe.
The process—the intergovernmental working group on the binding treaty on transnational corporations and human rights—could mean that for the first time, human rights would be prioritized above corporate profits.
But the future of the agreement and human rights writ large will depend on whether governments can agree on a strong text this week.
Communities and governments have long struggled to hold abusive corporations and industries accountable.
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Ingredients for a New Life: How Cooking Helps Refugees and Migrants Blend In

Obesity Rates Soar Due to Dramatic Global Diet Shift – UN Food Agency
Human Wrongs Watch
16 October 2019 — Eating food high in starch, sugar, fats and salt; combined with a sedentary lifestyle, is a recipe for soaring global obesity rates, even in countries where many still suffer from hunger. On World Food Day, which falls on Wednesday 16 October 2019], the UN’s food agency, FAO, is calling for action to make healthy, sustainable diets affordable and accessible for all.*
