New archaeological finds show that New Guinea developed sophisticated cultural practices around the same time as they were emerging in Europe and Asia
Read More
https://www.newscientist.com/article/2238546-farming-and-art-arose-in-new-guinea-at-same-time-as-europe-and-asia/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=home
Views: 0
KUALA LUMPUR: Five hundred and fifty eight Malaysians flew home safely today from Chennai and Tiruchirappalli (Trichy) in three special Air Asia aircraft, according to Deputy Foreign Minister Datuk Kamarudin Jaffar (pix).
In a statement, he said 186 Malaysians arrived at Kuala Lumpur international Airport 2 (klia2) from Chennai at 5.50am via flight AK-013.
Another 372 people returned from Trichy through flights AK-22 and AK-28 at 5am and 6.40am, respectively.
“The three Air Asia flights which brought home the Malaysians were fully sponsored by MIC. So far MIC has assisted the government to bring home 1,119 Malaysians stranded in India including three infants,” the statement said.
Kamaruddin also said all Malaysians who returned have to go through voluntary quarantine for 14 days as stipulated by the Health Ministry.
As of today, there are 1,679 Malaysians still stranded in India and the government is stepping up efforts to bring them home.
Meanwhile, Kamaruddin said 109 Malaysians stranded in Cambodia are expected to return at 9pm tonight via MAS flight MH763.
In this regard, six Cambodians who were stranded in Malaysia would be going home via MH762, which was arriving in Cambodia at 5.30pm.
“The effort is the result of the cooperation between Wisma Putra and the Cambodian government to looking the plight of citizens stranded each other’s country,” he said.
In the meantime, the Pakatan Harapan (PH) Presidential Council is urging the government to obtain the approval of the Indian government to bring back Malaysians who are still stranded in the country.
In a statement today, PH said the government has to talk with the Indian government on the matter.
“The situation was reported to be getting more complicated as the Indian government has imposed a three-week lockdown from yesterday.
“It is learned there were efforts to organise chartered flights to bring Malaysians who are stranded in Cochin (Kerala), Trichy and Chennai (Tamil Nadu) home,” the statement said. – Bernama
Read More
https://www.thesundaily.my/local/558-malaysians-stranded-in-india-brought-home-today-CH2180015
Views: 0
KUALA LUMPUR: The Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture (Motac) will introduce a new campaign to replace the Visit Malaysia 2020 (VM2020) campaign, which was cancelled following the Covid-19 situation.
Minister Datuk Seri Nancy Shukri said the long-term campaign would capitalise on the ‘Malaysia, Truly Asia’ brand while highlighting the country’s unique experiences.
“Motac is confident that this effort will strengthen the country’s competitiveness and sustainability in tourism while ensuring the industry is inclusive,“ she said in a statement today.
On March 18, Nancy announced the immediate cancellation of VM2020 to prevent the spread of Covid-19, in addition to the impact of the outbreak, which had affected the local and international tourism sector.
Following the Covid-19 outbreak, Nancy said tourism industry players such as hoteliers, travel agents as well as food and beverage businesses suffered an estimated losses of RM9 billion in the first quarter of the year.
As such she said, after discussing with the industry players on March 17, it was decided that a strategic action plan should be introduced.
“Motac has put in place an action plan to help revitalise the industry and ensure the well-being of Malaysians whose livelihoods depend on this industry.
“Among those present were representatives of the associations from the hotel and tourism industry, bus operators, traders, tour guides and taxi drivers. The meeting was organised by the Tourism Recovery Action Council (TRAC),“ she added.
Nancy said Motac would discuss with the Ministry of Finance and related agencies, in looking into details tabled by the tourism industry players especially on the forms of assistance that could be channeled to the industry. – Bernama
Read More
https://www.thesundaily.my/local/motac-to-introduce-new-campaign-to-replace-vm2020-NX2176593
Views: 0
PUTRAJAYA: The Ministry of Health today confirmed that 11 Malaysians who had travelled to Sulawesi, Indonesia to attend the international tabligh gathering had been detected in Tawau, Sabah yesterday.
Health director-general Datuk Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah (pix) said all of them had undergone Covid-19 screening and had been quarantined pending test results.
“It is true that we have been waiting for them in Tawau and we have detected 11 of them … the swab test has been carried out, we are just waiting for the result,“ he told a Covid-19 daily press conference here.
He said about 80 to 100 Malaysians had travelled to Sulawesi to attend the gathering based on an engagement session between him and the tabligh leaders.
Asked about the remaining Malaysians who attended the rally, he said they were likely still in the neighbouring country.
Local media reported that the Ijtimak Asia 2020 function planned for March 19 to 22 was cancelled in view of the worsening Covid-19 situation.
Meanwhile, Dr Noor Hisham said of the 1,306 cumulative positive cases in Malaysia as of noon today, 62% of the cases or 743 patients were linked to the to the tabligh gathering cluster at Masjid Sri Petaling, Kuala Lumpur.
“This means that one in every 10 individuals who attended the tabligh gathering tested positive of Covid-19,“ he said.
He said based on his discussions with leaders of the tabligh group, the gathering in Sri Petaling involved 16,000 people.
Of the total, 14,500 were Malaysians while the rest were foreign citizens from 25 countries, he said.
Dr Noor Hisham added that so far, 11,000 participants had undergone screening.
He said there had been no Covid-19 cases from other gatherings in the country. – Bernama
Read More
https://www.thesundaily.my/local/11-malaysian-participants-of-sulawesi-tabligh-rally-detected-in-tawau-JN2168946
Views: 0
Terror group, ISIS, has instructed members to stay safe and avoid killing anybody at the moment.
In a full-page infographic on the back cover of its most recent Al-Naba Newsletter, the terror group gave a list of tips instructing fighters how to stop the spread of Coronavirus.
Since the pandemic broke out in China, the group has been covering the outbreak like a responsible media outfit with its newsletters.
It has spoken less of killing ‘infidels’ and carrying out jihads, rather focusing on keeping the plague away from members.
The terror group has cells scattered all over Europe, Asia and Africa.
AddThis
:
Original Author
:
SaharaReporters, New York
Disable advertisements
:
Read More
http://saharareporters.com/2020/03/17/coronavirus-isis-warns-fighters-stay-safe-not-kill
Views: 0
As Europe looks to declare its tech independence by becoming a leader in next-generation batteries, it will have to start by making its own graphite. The problem is, nearly all of it now comes from Asia, mainly China.
Read More
Views: 1
Australia is the world’s third largest fossil fuels exporter – a fact that generates intense debate as climate change intensifies. While the economy is heavily reliant on coal and gas export revenues, these fuels create substantial greenhouse gas emissions when burned overseas.
Read More
Views: 0
An interactive data tool launched by WHO reveals for the first time the current and future financial cost of health care for women living with conditions caused by female genital mutilation (FGM).
The total costs amount to USD 1.4 billion annually.
The FGM Cost Calculator is being launched on this year’s International Day of Zero Tolerance for FGM. This new tool shows that if FGM were abandoned now the associated savings
in health costs would be more than 60% by 2050. This data, available for 27 of the 30 countries where FGM is practiced, will strengthen the economic argument of community activists, policy makers, programme planners and donors working to end this
human rights violation.
Q&As on the FGM Cost Calculator
Access the FGM Cost Calculator
FGM includes procedures that intentionally alter or cause injury to the female genital organs for non-medical reasons. More than 200 million girls and women alive today have been cut in 30 countries in Africa, the Middle East and Asia where FGM is concentrated.
[1] An extreme form of gender discrimination, it is recognized internationally as a violation of the human rights of girls and women: including the right to health, security and physical integrity and the right to be free from torture and cruel, inhuman
or degrading treatment.
FGM has no health benefits and causes only harm. Women and girls who are subjected to FGM are at risk of both short- and long-term negative health consequences – including for their physical, sexual, mental, and social well-being.
The direct financial cost of treating the negative health complications caused by FGM can span generations, starting as early as childbirth. This puts a significant economic burden on health systems and national budgets, especially in countries with rates
of FGM greater than 10%.
Until now, there have been limited data on the financial costs associated with FGM, making it hard to demonstrate the cost-effectiveness of programmes and policies that can prevent FGM by 2030 – a global priority in the Sustainable Development Agenda.
The new WHO Cost Calculator now provides an economic argument which can be used by those advocating for an end to FGM.
Users of the new FGM Cost Calculator can choose a country and identify current costs of treating health conditions caused by FGM. Since the tool is interactive, it produces bespoke graphs showing the potential amount of money saved if FGM is prevented
by a selected percentage.
If no action is taken to prevent FGM, it is estimated that related health costs will soar by 50% by 2050, as populations grow and as more girls undergo the procedure.
The FGM Cost Calculator combines data on health risk associated with FGM, health costs and national FGM prevalence to analyze the economic impact on national health services of treating the consequences of these harmful practices.
Health risk data were taken from a WHO database created for this analysis, pooling all available information from systematic reviews of health consequences of FGM. The following categories were used, each with a biological link to FGM: gynaecological,
obstetric, urological, mental and sexual, as well as the immediate health complications that can result following the cutting.
To be included in the calculator, a health condition needed to show evidence of increased risk when comparing women with and without FGM. It also needed to have a treatment which could be implemented and costed in the health sector.
Health costs were calculated from the WHO One Health Tool and other data. The financial burden of treating selected health conditions was calculated at a national level.
Rates of FGM have declined over the past 30 years, but not fast enough to keep up with population growth. If trends continue, the number of girls and women undergoing FGM will rise significantly in the next 15 years, in turn raising national health care
costs of caring for them.
Additional resources are urgently needed to scale up interventions that can prevent FGM in the future and reduce health complications.
By providing quantifiable numbers on the cost of treating health conditions directly linked to FGM, for the first time, the FGM Cost Calculator can be a crucial tool in building an investment case for a future where no girl or woman is cut.
[1] Female Genital Mutilation/Cutting: A Global Concern, UNICEF, New York, 2016
Read More
https://www.who.int/news-room/detail/06-02-2020-economic-cost-of-female-genital-mutilation
Views: 0
Female genital mutilation (FGM) exacts a crippling economic as well as human cost, according to World Health Organization (WHO).
“FGM is not only a catastrophic abuse of human rights that significantly harms the physical and mental health of millions of girls and women; it is also a drain on a country’s vital economic resources,” said Dr Ian Askew, Director of WHO’s Department of Sexual and Reproductive Health and Research. “More investment is urgently needed to stop FGM and end the suffering it inflicts.”
New modelling reveals that the total costs of treating the health impacts of FGM would amount to USD 1.4 billion globally per year, if all resulting medical needs were addressed. For individual countries, these costs would near 10% of their entire yearly expenditure on health on average; in some countries, this figure rises to as much as 30%.
The interactive modelling tool that generated these data was launched on the International Day of Zero Tolerance for Female Genital Mutilation.
Women and girls living with FGM face serious risks to their health and well-being. These include immediate consequences after being cut, such as infections, bleeding or psychological trauma, as well as chronic health conditions that can occur throughout life.
Women who have undergone the procedure are more likely to experience life-threatening complications during childbirth. They may face mental health disorders or suffer chronic infections. They may also have pain or problems when they menstruate, urinate or have sexual intercourse.
All of these conditions warrant much-needed medical attention and care.
“High healthcare costs for countries mount because of the tragic personal impacts on women and girls. Governments have a moral responsibility to help end this harmful practice,” says Dr Prosper Tumusiime, Acting Director for Universal Health Coverage and the Life Course in the African Regional Office of WHO. “FGM hurts girls, imposes lifelong health risks on the women they become, and strains the healthcare systems that need to treat them.”
Using data from 27 high-prevalence countries, the Cost Calculator demonstrates clear economic benefits from ending FGM. If it were abandoned now, it shows that the associated savings in health costs would be more than 60% by 2050.
In contrast, if no action is taken, it is estimated that these costs will soar by 50% over the same time period, as populations grow and as more girls undergo the procedure.
Since 1997, great efforts have been made to end FGM, through work within communities, research, and changes in legislation and policy. 26 countries in Africa and the Middle East now explicitly legislate against FGM, as well as 33 other countries with migrant populations from FGM-practicing countries.
WHO is also working with countries to raise awareness of the harmful impacts of the practice among their health workers, and to engage them in prevention efforts.
“Many countries and communities are showing that abandoning female genital mutilation is possible,” states Dr Christina Pallitto, scientist at WHO. “If countries invest to end female genital mutilation, they can prevent their girls from undergoing this harmful practice and promote the health, rights and well-being of women and girls.”
Female genital mutilation is internationally recognized as a human rights violation. It has no medical benefits and causes only harm. WHO’s position is that FGM must never be carried out.
The FGM Cost Calculator will be available here, as of 00:30 CET 6 February 2020:
www.who.int/news-room/detail/06-02-2020-economic-cost-of-female-genital-mutilation
FGM includes procedures that intentionally alter or cause injury to the female genital organs for non-medical reasons. More than 200 million girls and women alive today are estimated to have undergone the practice across 30 countries in Africa, the Middle East and Asia where FGM is concentrated.
FGM is mostly carried out on young girls between infancy and 15 years of age.
The WHO FGM Cost Calculator shows the economic cost of treating the health complications caused by FGM across 27 high-prevalence countries. These costs were calculated using the WHO One Health tool and other available scientific evidence.
Users of the tool can calculate costs by country in a ‘business as usual’ scenario; a scenario of partial abandonment of FGM, and full abandonment of FGM over a 30-year period. In addition, the distribution of costs by different types of health complications is presented by country.
The tool does not consider other indirect costs that hit families and communities, or the socio-economic impacts of the practice, which would be significantly higher still.
The 27 countries modelled include Benin, Burkina Faso, Central African Republic, Còte d’Ivoire, Cameroon, Chad, Djibouti, Egypt, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Ghana, Guinea, Gambia, Guinea-Bissau, Iraq, Kenya, Mali, Mauritania, Niger, Nigeria, Soudan, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Somalia, Togo, United Republic of Tanzania, Yemen.
Read More
https://www.who.int/news-room/detail/06-02-2020-female-genital-mutilation-hurts-women-and-economies
Views: 0