Latest news with #ActionAid
The Independent
23-05-2025
- Health
- The Independent
Israel wrecks last functioning hospital in north Gaza as food aid begins to trickle in
Israeli tanks and drones attacked the last partially functioning hospital in northern Gaza in overnight bombardment of the besieged Palestinian territory where alarm was mounting over starvation deaths as little humanitarian aid trickled in. Israeli forces struck Al Awda Hospital on Thursday, killing several people and igniting a huge fire that wrecking the facility, local health officials said. A video taken by a healthcare worker showed the hospital's walls blown away and a huge fire erupting from the wreckage with thick black smoke billowing in the sky. Israeli forces killed over 100 people across Gaza and wounded some 250 in the 24 hours until Thursday morning, the local health ministry said. The attack on Al Awda targeted the main hospital building, water tanks and fuel reserves, causing the huge blaze, Dr Rafat Al-Majdalawi, director general of the Al Awda Health and Community Association, said, according to The National. It was the last partially functioning hospital for thousands of people in northern Gaza, ActionAid said, adding that 'starving and injured people, as well as pregnant women in need of maternity care, will have nowhere left to turn' if it was forced out of service. 'In the last 24 hours, staff report that tank fire has hit the hospital's surgery department, water tanks, fuel tanks and outpatient buildings,' ActionAid said. 'A warehouse housing medical supplies was also hit, sparking a huge fire which has yet to be contained, due to firefighters reportedly being prevented from reaching the site. The situation is incredibly dangerous, with no one able to enter or leave the facility, and around 160 medical staff and patients trapped inside, trying to continue saving lives under the nonstop sound of quadcopters firing overhead.' The Israeli military said its forces were operating "adjacent" to Al Awda Hospital and had allowed emergency workers to come try and put out a fire. "The circumstances of the fire are still under review," they added. The attacks came as limited shipments of food aid, deemed not enough for the starving population, entered Gaza after a three-day delay. The shipments went in after Israel eased its nearly three-month blockade of the territory this week. "The shipments from yesterday are limited in quantity and nowhere near sufficient to meet the scale and scope of Gaza's 2.1 million people," UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric said. The UN said that food aid had been collected from only about 90 trucks out of the nearly 200 that entered Gaza after Israel relaxed the blockade. Israel completely blocked the entry of food, fuel and medicine into Gaza on 2 March, and resumed its military offensive two weeks later after collapsing a two-month ceasefire with Hamas. At least 29 children and elderly people have died from "starvation-related" causes in Gaza in recent days, Palestinian authority health minister Majed Abu Ramadan, who is based in the occupied West Bank, told reporters. The Integrated Food Security Phase Classification, backed by the UN, has said half a million people are at risk of facing starvation i n the coming months. Israel also launched a wave of strikes on multiple areas in southern Lebanon on Thursday, some far from the border. The National News Agency of Lebanon described the strikes as "the most violent in some areas" since a ceasefire agreement ended Israel's latest war with Hezbollah last November. The Israeli attacks came two days before municipal elections were set to take place in southern Lebanon. Prime minister Nawaf Salam said the attacks "will not deter the state from its commitment to the electoral process" and called for more international pressure to make Israel stop bombing his country. The Israeli army issued a warning ahead of one strike that destroyed a building in the town of Toul, which it described as "facilities belonging to the terrorist Hezbollah '. A video of the strike's aftermath showed fire and a cloud of smoke rising over an area packed with apartment buildings. Strikes in other areas were carried out without warning.
Yahoo
20-05-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Public workers in Africa see wages fall by up to 50% in five years: Survey
Public spending cuts across six African countries have resulted in the incomes of health and education workers falling by up to 50 percent in five years, leaving them struggling to make ends meet, according to international NGO ActionAid. The Human Cost of Public Sector Cuts in Africa report published on Tuesday found that 97 percent of the healthcare workers it surveyed in Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Liberia, Malawi and Nigeria could not cover their basic needs like food and rent with their wages. The International Monetary Fund (IMF) is to blame for these countries' failing public systems, the report said, as the agency advises governments to significantly cut public spending to pay back foreign debt. As the debt crisis rapidly worsens across the Global South, more than three-quarters of all low-income countries in the world are spending more on debt servicing than healthcare. 'The debt crisis and the IMF's insistence on cuts to public services in favour of foreign debt repayments have severely hindered investments in healthcare and education across Africa. For example, in 2024, Nigeria allocated only 4% of its national revenue to health, while a staggering 20.1% went toward repaying foreign debt,' said ActionAid Nigeria's Country Director Andrew Mamedu. The report highlighted how insufficient budgets in the healthcare system had resulted in chronic shortages and a decline in the quality of service. Women also appear to be disproportionally affected. 'In the past month, I have witnessed four women giving birth at home due to unaffordable hospital fees. The community is forced to seek vaccines and immunisation in private hospitals since they are not available in public hospitals. Our [local] health services are limited in terms of catering for pregnant and lactating women,' said a healthcare worker from Kenya, who ActionAid identified only as Maria. Medicines for malaria – which remains a leading cause of death across the African continent, especially in young children and pregnant women – are now 10 times more expensive at private facilities, the NGO said. Millions don't have access to lifesaving healthcare due to long travel distances, rising fees and a medical workforce shortage. 'Malaria is an epidemic in our area [because medication is now beyond the reach of many]. Five years ago, we could buy [antimalarial medication] for 50 birrs ($0.4), but now it costs more than 500 birr ($4) in private health centres,' a community member from Muyakela Kebele in Ethiopia, identified only as Marym, told situation is equally dire in education, as budget cuts have led to failing public education systems crippled by rising costs, a shortage of learning materials and overcrowded classrooms. Teachers report being overwhelmed by overcrowded classrooms, with some having to manage more than 200 students. In addition, about 87 percent of teachers said they lacked basic classroom materials, with 73 percent saying they paid for the materials themselves. Meanwhile, teachers' wages have been gradually falling, with 84 percent reporting a 10-15 percent drop in their income over the past five years. 'I often struggle to put enough food on the table,' said a teacher from Liberia, identified as Kasor. Four of the six countries included in the report are spending less than the recommended one-fifth of their national budget on education, according to the UNESCO Institute for Statistics. 'I now believe teaching is the least valued profession. With over 200 students in my class and inadequate teaching and learning materials, delivering quality education is nearly impossible,' said a primary school teacher in Malawi's Rumphi District, identified as Maluwa. Action Aid said its report shows that the consequences of IMF-endorsed policies are far-reaching. Healthcare workers and educators are severely limited in the work they can do, which has direct consequences on the quality of services they can provide, it said. 'The debt crisis and drive for austerity is amplified for countries in the Global South and low-income countries, especially due to an unfair global economic system held in place by outdated institutions, such as the IMF,' said Roos Saalbrink, the global economic justice lead at ActionAid International. 'This means the burden of debt falls on those most marginalised – once again. This must end.'
Al Jazeera
20-05-2025
- Health
- Al Jazeera
Public workers in Africa see wages fall by up to 50% in five years: Survey
Public spending cuts across six African countries have resulted in the incomes of health and education workers falling by up to 50 percent in five years, leaving them struggling to make ends meet, according to international NGO ActionAid. The Human Cost of Public Sector Cuts in Africa report published on Tuesday found that 97 percent of the healthcare workers it surveyed in Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Liberia, Malawi and Nigeria could not cover their basic needs like food and rent with their wages. The International Monetary Fund (IMF) is to blame for these countries' failing public systems, the report said, as the agency advises governments to significantly cut public spending to pay back foreign debt. As the debt crisis rapidly worsens across the Global South, more than three-quarters of all low-income countries in the world are spending more on debt servicing than healthcare. 'The debt crisis and the IMF's insistence on cuts to public services in favour of foreign debt repayments have severely hindered investments in healthcare and education across Africa. For example, in 2024, Nigeria allocated only 4% of its national revenue to health, while a staggering 20.1% went toward repaying foreign debt,' said ActionAid Nigeria's Country Director Andrew Mamedu. The report highlighted how insufficient budgets in the healthcare system had resulted in chronic shortages and a decline in the quality of service. Women also appear to be disproportionally affected. 'In the past month, I have witnessed four women giving birth at home due to unaffordable hospital fees. The community is forced to seek vaccines and immunisation in private hospitals since they are not available in public hospitals. Our [local] health services are limited in terms of catering for pregnant and lactating women,' said a healthcare worker from Kenya, who ActionAid identified only as Maria. Medicines for malaria – which remains a leading cause of death across the African continent, especially in young children and pregnant women – are now 10 times more expensive at private facilities, the NGO said. Millions don't have access to lifesaving healthcare due to long travel distances, rising fees and a medical workforce shortage. 'Malaria is an epidemic in our area [because medication is now beyond the reach of many]. Five years ago, we could buy [antimalarial medication] for 50 birrs ($0.4), but now it costs more than 500 birr ($4) in private health centres,' a community member from Muyakela Kebele in Ethiopia, identified only as Marym, told ActionAid. The situation is equally dire in education, as budget cuts have led to failing public education systems crippled by rising costs, a shortage of learning materials and overcrowded classrooms. Teachers report being overwhelmed by overcrowded classrooms, with some having to manage more than 200 students. In addition, about 87 percent of teachers said they lacked basic classroom materials, with 73 percent saying they paid for the materials themselves. Meanwhile, teachers' wages have been gradually falling, with 84 percent reporting a 10-15 percent drop in their income over the past five years. 'I often struggle to put enough food on the table,' said a teacher from Liberia, identified as Kasor. Four of the six countries included in the report are spending less than the recommended one-fifth of their national budget on education, according to the UNESCO Institute for Statistics. 'I now believe teaching is the least valued profession. With over 200 students in my class and inadequate teaching and learning materials, delivering quality education is nearly impossible,' said a primary school teacher in Malawi's Rumphi District, identified as Maluwa. Action Aid said its report shows that the consequences of IMF-endorsed policies are far-reaching. Healthcare workers and educators are severely limited in the work they can do, which has direct consequences on the quality of services they can provide, it said. 'The debt crisis and drive for austerity is amplified for countries in the Global South and low-income countries, especially due to an unfair global economic system held in place by outdated institutions, such as the IMF,' said Roos Saalbrink, the global economic justice lead at ActionAid International. 'This means the burden of debt falls on those most marginalised – once again. This must end.'
Business Insider
05-05-2025
- Business
- Business Insider
Top 10 largest crude oil producers in the world
Crude oil remains a cornerstone of the global energy economy, with a few key nations dominating production. United States remains the world's largest crude oil producer with 12.9 million barrels per day Russia holds second place with 10.1 million barrels per day Saudi Arabia ranks third with 9.7 million barrels per day As of the most recent figures, the United States retains its position as the world's largest crude oil producer, followed closely by Russia and Saudi Arabia. Global Leaders in Oil Production The United States tops the chart with an output of approximately 12.9 million barrels per day, underscoring its continued investment in shale oil and energy infrastructure. DON'T MISS THIS: DON'T MISS THIS: Ghana loses $100 million to gas flaring annually – ActionAid Russia holds second place with 10.1 million barrels per day, despite facing international sanctions and export challenges due to geopolitical tensions. Saudi Arabia, the largest producer in the Middle East and a leading member of OPEC, ranks third with 9.7 million barrels per day, benefiting from vast reserves and advanced extraction capabilities. Other Major Producers Canada ranks fourth, producing 4.6 million barrels per day, thanks to its vast oil sands and expanding pipeline infrastructure. Iraq comes next at 4.3 million barrels per day, contributing significantly to OPEC's total output. China and Iran are next, producing 4.2 million and 3.6 million barrels per day respectively, playing key roles in Asia's energy landscape. Brazil and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) are tied with 3.4 million barrels per day each, with Brazil benefiting from offshore reserves and the UAE from its strategic positioning in the Gulf. Kuwait completes the list with 2.6 million barrels per day, sustaining its role as a reliable oil supplier in the Middle East. Table: Top 10 Crude Oil Producing Countries according to U.S. Energy Information Administration, International Enerav Statistics Rank Country Daily Production (Million Barrels) 1 United States 12.9M 2 Russia 10.1M 3 Saudi Arabia 9.7M 4 Canada 4.6M 5 Iraq 4.3M 6 China 4.2M 7 Iran 3.6M 8 Brazil 3.4M 9 UAE 3.4M 10 Kuwait 2.6M
The Guardian
02-05-2025
- Business
- The Guardian
Ugandan activist asks HSBC to put ‘lives before profit' as campaigners target bank's AGM
At nine years old, Patience Nabukalu was devastated when her friend, Kevin, died in severe flooding that hit their Kampala suburb, Nateete, a former wetland. Witnessing deaths and the destruction of homes and livelihoods in floods made worse by extreme rainfall has had a profound impact on her. She decided to try to bring about change – to do what she could to amplify the voices of those in the Ugandan communities worst affected by the climate crisis. Now 27, Nabukalu is one of several young climate activists who travelled to London this week to attend what has been predicted to be the last in-person AGM held by HSBC. They will deliver a letter to the bank's CEO, Georges Elhedery, urging him to stop financing the expansion of oil, gas and coal projects and harmful industrial agribusiness, and to stop providing money to companies that forcibly remove people from their homes to make way for such infrastructure. 'This is an opportunity to talk to real people, not just an HSBC office,' said Nabukalu, speaking before the meeting at the Intercontinental hotel. 'I will be so happy to get the chance to hand over the letter and to ask: 'Has HSBC measured the damage they have done by financing corporations that are driving the climate crisis?'' The letter refers to a 2023 Action Aid report, which identifies HSBC as 'the largest European financier of fossil fuels in the global south', channelling $63.5bn (£48bn) into fossil fuel activities between 2016 and 2022. The letter to Elhedery, from young people all over the world, refers to HSBC's plans, announced earlier this year, to review its commitment to scaling back its financing of fossil fuels. 'This has made something very clear: you value profit margins and boardroom agendas more than the lives of millions of people bearing the full brunt of your decisions,' the letter reads. Environmentalists criticised HSBC after it delayed key parts of its climate goals by 20 years, and watered down environmental targets in a new long-term bonus plan for Elhedery that could be worth up to 600% of his salary. In February, the lender said it was reviewing its net zero emissions policies and targets – which are split between its own operations and those of the companies it finances – after realising its clients and suppliers had 'seen more challenges' in cutting their carbon footprint than expected. The activists' letter asks 'that you not only stand by your commitments to end your support for the fossil fuel industry in line with what the science requires, but also put an end to all lending and underwriting for corporations involved in fossil fuel expansion'. Nabukalu will also urge the bank to stop funding corporations that are backing the east African crude oil pipeline from Uganda to Tanzania. Once constructed, the pipeline would produce an estimated 379m tonnes of CO2 over 25 years. The main backers of the multimillion-dollar pipeline are the French oil company TotalEnergies and the state-owned China National Offshore Oil Corporation (CNOOC). Nabukalu, who has visited people living along the proposed route, said: 'This pipeline is already causing damage even before its construction. Thousands and thousands of people have been displaced. They were promised land titles, but have none. Their livelihoods have been sabotaged. They cannot build agriculture, the water table is low, so they have little access to water. 'These people should be at the centre of the bank's decisions.' 'We will talk to HSBC and ask them to stop financing fossil fuels that are driving the climate crisis,' said Nabukalu. 'By continuing to finance TotalEnergies they are destroying our future.' A report published in April found that those displaced along the pipeline's proposed route had reported being inadequately compensated and rehoused. Some western banks have declined to fund it after pressure from a coalition of organisations and community groups. A spokesperson for HSBC said: 'We follow a clear set of sustainability risk policies which support our ambition to align the financed emissions in our portfolio to net zero by 2050. We do not comment on client relationships.'
