Tag: united-nations

  • McKesson cuts 1,600 jobs to trim costs

    (Reuters) – U.S. drug distributor McKesson Corp said on Wednesday it cut 1,600 jobs, or about 4 percent of its U.S. workforce, to slash costs after the company lost some key customers. McKesson said in January it would review its cost structure and decided that “reductions to our workforce would be necessary to align our cost…

  • War, disasters disrupt education of 80 million, more aid needed: experts

    By Alex Whiting LONDON (Thomson Reuters Foundation) – At least 80 million children living in areas affected by war or natural disaster had their education disrupted last year, leaving them prey to child labor, trafficking and extremism, experts said on Thursday. Many humanitarian aid appeals for 2015 ignored education, and aid appeals for education were…

  • Drought may affect 49 million in southern Africa: WFP

    As many as 49 million people in southern Africa could be affected by a drought that has been worsened by the most severe and longest El Nino weather pattern in 35 years, the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) said on Monday. The WFP, which has already said 14 million people face hunger in the…

  • Missiles hit school and hospital in Syrian border town, 14 dead: residents

    At least 14 civilians were killed when missiles hit a children's hospital, a school and other locations in the rebel-held Syrian town of Azaz near the Turkish border on Monday, a medic and two residents said. Tens of thousands of people have fled to the town, the last rebel stronghold before the border with Turkey,…

  • U.N. refugee agency urges Turkey to open borders to Syrians

    The United Nations called on Turkey on Tuesday to open its borders to thousands of desperate Syrian refugees fleeing Aleppo, in line with its international obligations to protect people fleeing conflict or persecution. William Spindler, spokesman of the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), said the agency understood the concern of Turkish authorities about “possible…

  • U.N. refugee agency urges Turkey to open borders to Syrians

    The United Nations called on Turkey on Tuesday to open its borders to thousands of desperate Syrian refugees fleeing Aleppo, in line with its international obligations to protect people fleeing conflict or persecution. William Spindler, spokesman of the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), said the agency understood the concern of Turkish authorities about “possible…

  • Factbox: Impact of Zika virus on Olympic preparations

    (Reuters) – Sports authorities across the world are scrambling to find out more about the spread of the mosquito-borne Zika virus in Brazil as they make plans for August’s Rio Olympics. Below are the latest announcements: AUSTRALIA Australia’s Olympic Committee said no athletes have indicated they intended to withdraw, but it would “totally understand” if…

  • First Zika-linked deaths reported in Colombia

    The mosquito-borne Zika virus sweeping through Latin America has claimed three lives in Colombia, as the United Nations urged increased access to abortion because of fears of severe birth defects. In the first direct statements from government health officials blaming Zika for causing deaths, Colombia's National Health Institute (INS) said Friday that the patients died…

  • U.N. says has reports of starvation in Syria’s besieged Deir Al-Zor

    By Tom Miles GENEVA (Reuters) – Unverified reports say 15 to 20 people died of starvation in the Syrian city of Deir al-Zor last year, the United Nations said on Saturday, warning that 200,000 residents there face a severe food shortage and sharply deteriorating conditions. Western parts of the city have been under siege by…

  • Three probes launched into tragic France drug trial

    French authorities launched three investigations Saturday at a research laboratory in the northwestern city of Rennes into a drug trial that left one person brain-dead and three others facing potentially irreversible brain damage. On Saturday they were joined by representatives of France's social affairs inspectorate general (IGAS) and the national drug safety agency (ANSM). A…