New cluster of Ebola cases in the Democratic Republic of the Congo - World Health Organization

WHO/Lindsay Mackenzie
On 06 June 2018, a WHO-CDC team meet to go over the epidemiology of the Ebola outbreak at the WHO office in Mbandaka.


1 August 2018
Health


The Government of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) announced on Wednesday that preliminary laboratory results indicate a new cluster of cases of the deadly Ebola virus in North Kivu province.


The announcement was issued just eight days after the Ministry of Health declared the official end of an Ebola outbreak in Equateur Province, some 2,500 km from North Kivu. A total of 29 died during the most recent outbreak, which was declared over when two weeks had passed without a new case emerging, following the release of the last patient from care.

Concern heightened in the early days of the outbreak, when cases emerged in a major urban area on the Congo River.

“Ebola is a constant threat in the DRC,” said Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director-General of the World Health Organization (WHO). “What adds to our confidence in the country’s ability to respond is the transparency they have displayed once again. Working closely with the Ministry of Health and partners, we will fight this one as we did the last.”

The Government informed WHO that four out of six samples tested positive for Ebola virus at the Institut National de Recherche Biomédicale (INRB) in Kinshasa but that further testing is ongoing.

“Since we are coming out of another Ebola outbreak, we have kept staff and equipment in place,” said Dr. Matshidiso Moeti, WHO Regional Director for Africa. “This allows us to have a head start in response to this cluster.”

The majority of the cases are in the Mangina health area which is 30 kilometres from the city of Beni. “This new cluster is occurring in an environment which is very different from where we were operating in the north-west,” said Dr. Peter Salama, Deputy Director-General of the Emergency Preparedness and Response team at WHO.

He explained that given that North-Kivu is an active conflict zone, “the major barrier will be safely accessing the affected population.”

North Kivu hosts over 1 million displaced people. The province shares borders with Rwanda and Uganda with a great deal of cross-border movement due to the trade activities, which could increase the risk of possible spread of the virus. WHO said it will “continue to work with neighbouring countries to ensure health authorities are alerted and prepared to respond”.

https://news.un.org/en/story/2018/08/1016152

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ФНС с 1 августа начнет публиковать данные, которые раньше считались налоговой тайной

31 ИЮЛЯ, 03:16



МОСКВА, 31 июл /ПРАЙМ/. Федеральная налоговая служба с 1 августа начнет публиковать в интернете информацию о налогоплательщиках, которая раньше относилась к налоговой тайне, рассказали РИА Новости в ведомстве.

Раскрывать больше информации о налогоплательщиках ФНС будет через специальный сервис на своем сайте — "Прозрачный бизнес", чтобы каждый предприниматель мог проверить, не являются ли его партнеры "однодневками" и не пользуются ли "серыми" схемами для ухода от уплаты налогов.

В частности, в августе налоговики начнут публиковать сведения о среднесписочной численности работников организаций за предшествующий год, информацию о применяемых налогоплательщиками специальных налоговых режимах, а также сведения об участии компаний в консолидированной группе налогоплательщиков по состоянию на 31 декабря предыдущего года.

"Данные будут опубликованы в отношении хозяйственных товариществ и обществ, за исключением включенных в перечень стратегических предприятий и организаций оборонно-промышленного комплекса, а также отнесенных к крупнейшим налогоплательщикам", — сообщили в ведомстве. То есть, в основном нововведение коснется малого и среднего бизнеса.

Налоговые органы планировали еще в июле прошлого года начать публиковать на своем сайте информацию о налогоплательщиках, которая из-за изменений Налогового кодекса перестала относиться к налоговой тайне. Однако позже срок раскрытия этих данных было решено отложить из-за многочисленных обращений представителей бизнеса, которые хотели сверить с налоговиками и уточнить информацию о себе.

Публикация данных будет происходить поэтапно: позже ведомство планирует начать раскрывать данные о задолженностях и штрафах компаний, о суммах уплаченных налогов и о налоговых правонарушениях, о доходах и расходах по данным бухгалтерской отчетности.

Также в этот список предполагалось включить информацию о налоговых правонарушениях и решения о привлечении к ответственности, сведения об уплаченных суммах страховых взносов.

https://1prime.ru/state_regulation/20180731/829075145.html

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В детсад за счет бюджета

30.07.2018    19:58



В Берлине отменят плату за дошкольные учреждения

С 1 августа в германской федеральной земле Берлин будет полностью отменена плата за посещение детских дошкольных учреждений. Как сообщает портал телеканала n-tv, берлинские родители не будут платить также за дневных нянь, которые теперь будут получать деньги из земельного бюджета.

Министр по делам семьи ФРГ Франциска Гиффей заявила, что ее цель - отменить плату за детские сады во всей Германии. В некоторых землях такое правило уже существует для детей с двух или трех лет.

Отметим, что в Берлине с 2007 года постепенно отменялась плата за образовательные услуги для детей и теперь единственной платой, взимаемой с родителей, останется компенсация питания в садиках и яслях. Сенатор по делам семьи земли Берлин Сандра Шеерес так прокомментировала решение земельных властей: "Бесплатные детсады означают для многих родителей ощутимое финансовое облегчение. Детские сады - это образовательные учреждения, а образование должно быть бесплатным". В настоящее время около двух третей всех детсадов Германии находятся в ведении церкви и благотворительных организаций, около трети - государственные, менее одного процента - в руках частных фирм.

Место в любых яслях или детском саду стоит в ФРГ около 450 евро. В среднем родители оплачивали только 15 процентов этой суммы. Остальная сумма выплачивается из федерального или местного бюджета. Малоимущие семьи всегда полностью освобождались от оплаты за детсады или нянь. Берлин - первая земля Германии, полностью отменившая оплату за детсады.

https://rg.ru/2018/07/30/v-berline-otmeniat-platu-za-doshkolnye-uchrezhdeniia.html

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Ежемесячный бюллетень прогнозного департамента Банка России

Краткое содержание

 1. Итоги



Годовая инфляция в июне осталась на пониженном уровне. Вместе с тем скользящая трехмесячная сезонно сглаженная инфляция ускорилась, преимущественно за счет временных факторов. Экономический рост продолжился на уровне, близком к потенциальному, при появлении отдельных признаков замедления роста. Российский финансовый рынок в целом продемонстрировал высокую устойчивость на фоне продолжившегося ухудшения конъюнктуры на рынках стран с формирующимися рынками. 

Инфляция в июне снизилась до 2,3% из-за краткосрочных эффектов. В июле ожидается возврат инфляции к уровням предыдущих месяцев. Модифицированные показатели базовой инфляции остаются пониженными относительно целевого уровня Банка России, однако за последнее время разрыв с целевым уровнем значительно сократился. Среднесрочные риски отклонения инфляции вверх от 4% по-прежнему преобладают. В частности, планируемое повышение базовой ставки НДС до 20% с большой вероятностью приведет к временному ускорению инфляции немного выше 4% в 2019 году. Среднесрочные риски также связаны с геополитическими факторами и всплесками волатильности на мировых финансовых рынках, нормализацией ДКП в развитых странах, переходом к потребительской модели поведения за счет снижения нормы сбережений и ускоряющегося роста потребительского кредитования, повышенностью и неустойчивостью инфляционных ожиданий, ситуацией на рынке труда, сохраняющейся неопределенностью относительно параметров налогово-бюджетных решений. Политика Банка России способствует снижению инфляционных рисков и закреплению инфляции на уровне, близком к 4%, на прогнозном горизонте. 

Рост экономики в последние месяцы оставался на уровне, соответствующем ее потенциалу. Однако результаты конъюнктурных опросов указывают на возникновение отдельных признаков замедления роста, причины и устойчивость которого еще предстоит оценить. При этом потребительский спрос по-прежнему растет, получая поддержку от продолжающегося расширения потребительского кредитования и сохранения высоких темпов роста реальной заработной платы на фоне роста дефицита кадров на рынке труда. 

Волатильность на российских финансовых рынках остается пониженной по сравнению с другими странами с формирующимися рынками, несмотря на продолжение общего ухудшения конъюнктуры и рост доходности по рублевым финансовым инструментам. Это связано с макроэкономической устойчивостью, обусловленной низкой инфляцией, бюджетным правилом, профицитом счета текущих операций, а также высокими ценами на нефть.

http://cbr.ru/Collection/Collection/File/7394/bulletin_18-05.pdf

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Bangladesh: World Heritage Site threatened by ‘heedless industrialisation’ - UN expert

FAO/Mondal Falgoonee Kumar
Researchers travelling on a small canal during a field visit to the Sundarbans in Bangladesh.


31 July 2018
Economic Development


The Sundarbans forest, a which is the largest contiguous mangrove forest in the world and home to several endangered species, is being threatened by “heedless industrialization”, according to a UN rights expert, who on Tuesday, called on the Government of Bangladesh to halt the process.


“The accelerating industrialisation of the Sundarbans threatens not only this unique ecosystem – which hosts Bengal tigers, Ganges river dolphins and other endangered species – but also poses serious risks to the human rights of the 6.5 million people whose lives, health, housing, food and cultural activities depend directly on a safe, healthy and sustainable Sundarbans forest,” said John Knox, Special Rapporteur on human rights and the environment.

Stretching along the Bay of Bengal, the Sundarbans is considered one of the natural wonders of the world. However, despite objections from the World Heritage Committee of the UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) and the International Union for the Conservation of Nature, the Government of Bangladesh has approved more than 320 industrial projects in the area, including a massive coal-fired power plant. The process bypassed requirements for public participation and an environmental impact assessment.


The threat posed by untrammelled industrialisation of the Sundarbans is emblematic of the threats facing the environment around the world - Special Rapporteur John Knox

Last year, the High Court of Bangladesh directed the Government not to approve any industrial development within the 10-kilometre buffer zone of the reserved forest, but according to UNESCO, approvals continue to be given.

“The threat posed by untrammelled industrialisation of the Sundarbans is emblematic of the threats facing the environment around the world,” the Special Rapporteur said, adding that “of course, the people of Bangladesh, like people around the world, need to improve their economic well-being”. Mr. Knox stressed that “pursuing short-term economic gain in disregard of environmental costs” was simply unsustainable.

The Human Rights Council-appointed independent human rights expert explained that mangrove forests provide “benefits for clean air and water that extend far beyond their immediate location”.

He called on the Government of Bangladesh to halt the industrialization. “Pursuing short-term economic gain in disregard of environmental costs is chasing fools’ gold. Without a healthy environment, economic gains are unsustainable,” Mr. Knox stressed.

“To have truly sustainable development, it is critical to protect the environment. And to ensure that environmental concerns are taken into account, governments must listen to the voices of those who are most affected by proposed industrial projects.”

“Too often, the people who raise questions about development projects are ignored or even treated as enemies of the state. But really, they should be treated as the champions of sustainable development,” the independent expert said.

https://news.un.org/en/story/2018/07/1015992

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UN calls on Saudi Arabia to release jailed human rights defenders, including women activists UN Multimedia

OHCHR spokesperson Ravina Shamdasani.


31 July 2018
Human Rights


Concerned over the continuing arrests and “apparently arbitrary detentions” of human rights defenders – including campaigners who lobbied for an end to the ban on women driving – the United Nations human rights office (OHCHR) on Tuesday called on Saudi Arabia to “unconditionally” release all those being held.


Since 15 May, at least 15 Government critics have been detained, Ravina Shamdasani, OHCHR Spokesperson told a press briefing in Geneva.

“We understand that eight of them were later temporarily released until the completion of their procedural review,” Ms. Shamdasani said, noting that in some cases, “their whereabouts are unknown and there is a serious lack of transparency” in processing their cases.

In mid-May, a crackdown on prominent women’s rights defenders in Saudi Arabia seems to have kicked off a spate of arrests. In June, after an official visit, Ben Emmerson, UN special rapporteur on anti-terrorism, painted a damning picture of a country which he said was using anti-terror laws to systematically justify torture, suppress dissent and imprison human rights defenders.

“While the authorities have made statements about possible serious charges, that could lead to prison terms of up to 20 years, it is unclear whether charges have been laid in any of these cases,” Ms. Shamdasani continued.


Among those who reportedly remain imprisoned are Hatoon al-Fassi, a leading voice for women’s rights, and one of the first women to acquire a Saudi drivers’ license after the ban was lifted in late June.

“She was detained between 21 and 24 June,” continued the spokesperson. Others in detention include human rights defender Khaled Al-Omair - who has not been contactable since he was imprisoned on 6 July – as well as women’s rights activists Loujain al-Hathloul, Eman al-Nafjan, Aziza al-Yousef, Nouf Abdelaziz and Mayaa al-Zahrani. 80-year old lawyer Ibrahim al-Modaimeegh, and activist Abdulaziz Meshaal are also imprisoned, said Ms. Shamdasani.

She underscored that OHCHR urges the Government to “unconditionally release all human rights defenders and activists who have been detained for their peaceful human rights work, including their decades-long campaigns for the lifting of the driving ban for women.”

Stressing that investigations must be held in a transparent manner, with full respect for due process rights, Ms. Shamdasani concluded by spelling out that “all human rights defenders should be able to carry out their crucial human rights work without fear of reprisals or prosecution.”

https://news.un.org/en/story/2018/07/1016022

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When it comes to breastfeeding, ‘timing is everything’ in saving newborn lives – UNICEF chief

UNICEF/Ilvy Njiokiktjien VII Photo

Thirty-two year old Delgermurun breastfeeds her eight-day-old baby amidst her family in a ger, Alag-Erdene, Mongolia.

31 July 2018

Three-in-five babies, mostly born in low- and middle-income countries, are not breastfed within the first hour of life, placing them at higher risk of death and disease, according to a new United Nations report launched on Tuesday.

“When it comes to the start of breastfeeding, timing is everything,” said Henrietta Fore, the UN Children’s Fund’s (UNICEF) Executive Director, on the eve of World Breastfeeding Week.

“In many countries, it can even be a matter of life or death,” she added.

In the report, Capture the Moment, UNICEF and the World Health Organization (WHO) note that while newborns who breastfeed in the first hour of life are significantly more likely to survive, they estimate that 78 million newborns are excluded.

“Each year, millions of newborns miss out on the benefits of early breastfeeding and the reasons – all too often – are things we can change,” she continued. “Mothers simply don’t receive enough support to breastfeed within those crucial minutes after birth, even from medical personnel at health facilities.”


World Breastfeeding Week is celebrated annually from 1 to 7 August to encourage breastfeeding and improve the health of babies around the world by providing infants with the nutrients they need.


Even a few hours delay after birth could pose life-threatening consequences. Skin-to-skin contact along with suckling at the breast stimulate the mother’s production of breastmilk, including colostrum, which is produced ahead of regular milk, in the first few days after giving birth. It is so rich in nutrients and antibodies, that it is often referred to as the baby’s first vaccine.


According to the report, 65 per cent of countries in Eastern and Southern Africa have the highest rate of breastfeeding within the first hour, while East Asia and the Pacific have the lowest rate with only 32 percent benefitting from the early initiation.

A newborn sleeps in his mother's arms, in a health centre in Accra, Ghana.


While nearly nine-in-ten babies born in Burundi, Sri Lanka and Vanuatu are breastfed within that first hour, only two-in-10 born in Azerbaijan, Chad and Montenegro were nursed.

“Breastfeeding gives children the best possible start in life,” said Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General. “We must urgently scale up support to mothers – be it from family members, health care workers, employers and governments, so they can give their children the start they deserve.”

Analyzing data from 76 countries, the report reveals some of the reasons why too many newborns are left waiting.


One common practice is to discard colostrum, and instead feed the infant honey, sugar water or infant formula, which also delays a newborn’s first critical contact with its mother.


The rise in elective C-sections also has an impact, with a study across 51 countries noting that in this type of delivery, initiation rates among newborns are significantly lower.


Earlier studies, cited in the report, show that newborns who began breastfeeding between two and 23 hours after birth, had a 33 per cent greater risk of dying, compared to those who breastfed within one hour. And the risk more than doubled among newborns who started a day or more after birth.


The report urges governments and other decision-makers to adopt strong legal measures to restrict the marketing of infant formula and other breastmilk substitutes to help address the situation.


The WHO and UNICEF-led Global Breastfeeding Collective also released the 2018 Global Breastfeeding Scorecard, which tracks progress for and urges countries to advance breastfeeding policies and programmes to help mothers breastfeed their babies in the first hour of life.


BREASTFEEDING



https://news.un.org/en/story/2018/07/1015952 

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