World News in Brief: Investing in primary healthcare, record hunger in West and Central Africa, UNICEF emergency appeal

World News in Brief: Investing in primary healthcare, record hunger in West and Central Africa, UNICEF emergency appeal

That warning came from the UN World Health Organization (WHO) on Universal Health Coverage Day – observed on Tuesday – which said without urgent action, “these gaps will only widen”. Health agency chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus stressed that investing in resilient health systems, based on strong primary healthcare, is “the most inclusive, equitable and cost-effective…

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It’s official: July 2023 was the warmest on record, says UN weather agency WMO

UN confirms the past decade was the hottest on record ‘by a clear margin’

Marked by record breaking land and ocean temperatures, the decade between 2011-2020 saw continued rising concentrations of greenhouse gasses that “turbo charged” dramatic glacier loss and sea-level rise, according to a new report from the UN World Meteorological Organization (WMO).  The report comes as the latest annual UN climate conference, COP28, reaches its midway point…

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2023 likely hottest year on record; further spike expected with El Niño

2023 likely hottest year on record; further spike expected with El Niño

That’s the message from UN World Meteorological Organization (WMO), which said on Wednesday that for the calendar year to date, the global mean temperature is the highest ever recorded, 1.43 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels, and sea ice in the Antarctic remains at record low levels. WMO expects the warming El Niño climate pattern to last…

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Hottest September on record puts 2023 on track to be warmest year ever

Hottest September on record puts 2023 on track to be warmest year ever

Average surface temperature reached 16.38°C, or 0.5°C above the previous record in September 2020. Last month was roughly 1.75°C warmer compared to the pre-industrial period. It was also  0.93°C warmer than the 1991-2020 baseline which is used as a practical tool for climate sensitive sectors like agriculture. The heat is on WMO said this continues…

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World News in Brief: Sustainable tourism boost, record Antarctic sea ice melt

World News in Brief: Sustainable tourism boost, record Antarctic sea ice melt

That’s the message from UN chief António Guterres on World Tourism Day observed on Wednesday. According to the UN World Tourism Organization (UNWTO), tourism employs one in every 10 people on Earth.  To protect tourism jobs, Mr. Guterres said that governments and businesses must invest in sustainable and resilient practices, embrace renewable energy, and better…

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Record civilian cluster munitions victims as experts urge global ban

Record civilian cluster munitions victims as experts urge global ban

The CMC 2023 report indicates that 1,172 people were killed or injured in 2022, which is the highest number since regular reporting started in 2010.  Speaking to journalists in Geneva, Human Rights Arms Advocacy Director Mary Wareham, emphasised that 95 per cent of casualties reported were civilians. “It is unconscionable that civilians are still dying…

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Exceptionally intelligent British student of Pakistani origin holds a world record in O-level examination

Exceptionally intelligent British student of Pakistani origin holds a world record in O-level examination

Mah Noor wants to serve humanity by becoming a doctor: Photo: Social Media London: A British student of Pakistani origin has set a new record in the General Certificate of Secondary Education (GCSE) examination. According to a media report, 16-year-old Mah Noor Cheema created a new history around the world, including the UK, by getting…

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As record warming puts climate targets at risk, young people’s ‘green skills’ may help save the planet

As record warming puts climate targets at risk, young people’s ‘green skills’ may help save the planet

International Youth Day is marked annually on 12 August and the 2023 edition spotlights green skills and the major role young people will play in driving the much-needed shift towards an environmentally sustainable and climate-friendly mindset. These include technical knowledge and skills that enable the effective use of green technologies and processes in occupational settings,…

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