News headlines in June 2020, page 7

HARARE, Jun 12 (IPS) - An all-male panel assembled to discuss menstrual health on International Menstrual Hygiene Day sparked outrage on social media and a flurry of memes of all-female panels discussing male issues.

UNITED NATIONS, Jun 12 (IPS) - Global poverty, which is increasing because of the economic impact of the coronavirus crisis and ensuing worldwide lockdowns, is shifting and a dramatic increase in middle-income developing countries in Asia is expected.

WASHINGTON, Jun 12 (IPS) - The COVID-19 crisis is inflicting the most pain on those who are already most vulnerable. This calamity could lead to a significant rise in income inequality. And it could jeopardize development gains, from educational attainment to poverty reduction. New estimates suggest that up to 100 million people worldwide could be pushed into extreme poverty, erasing all gains made in poverty reduction in the past three years.

CAPE TOWN, South Africa, Jun 12 (IPS) - From shocking death tolls to widespread job losses, there is no understating the severity of the COVID-19 pandemic's impact on the world's cities.

Health care systems, economies, and social lives have been upended by a virus for which the world was totally unprepared.

BANGKOK, Thailand, Jun 12 (IPS) - The world before COVID-19 looks very attractive right now. In light of the disease, mass unemployment and social distancing, a return to pre-pandemic normality seems appealing. Yet we should remember what normal was.

Washington DC, Jun 11 (IPS) - Exceptional times call for exceptional action. In response to COVID-19, the IMF has moved with unprecedented speed and magnitude of financial assistance to help countries protect lives and livelihoods. Economic stabilization and a sustainable recovery, however, will require more than financial assistance. For recovery to be sustainable, policymakers will need to strengthen economic institutions that enable resilient, inclusive policies.

MBABANE, Jun 11 (IPS) - In its effort to accelerate Rwanda's green growth development initiative, its local businesses encouraged their Italian counterparts to invest in the East African country.

BLANTYRE, Malawi, Jun 11 (IPS) - Malawi remains one of the few nations in the world that has not gone into a coronavirus lockdown as the government rushes to meet the conditions of a court order to implement a cash transfer scheme for the poor before doing so. But as some parts of the world are slowing coming out of their lockdowns, it could be likely this southern African nation won't go into one as the rerun of the country's presidential election nears. 

GENEVA, Jun 11 (IPS) - In the first quarter of 2020, the coronavirus pandemic led to a 3% drop in global trade values. COVID-19 could trigger the biggest economic contraction since World War II, affecting all industries from finance to hospitality.

KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia, Jun 11 (IPS) - Even before Covid-19, the world was facing a care crisis. The plight of often neglected, under-appreciated, under-protected and poorly equipped ‘frontline' health personnel working to contain the pandemic has drawn attention to the tip of the care crisis iceberg.