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Ukraine crisis might push one-fifth of the worlds population into poverty : UN

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According to UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, at least one-fifth of humankind, or 1.7 billion people, might face terrifying levels of poverty and famine if the Ukraine crisis intensifies. In an interview with Czech Seznam Zpravy, UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon voiced worry over halted food grain shipments from Ukraine to poor countries, which might result in people being “collateral damage” of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. “The conflict is amplifying a three-dimensional catastrophe including food, energy, and money,” Guterres warned.

The rise in food, oil, fuel, and fertilizer costs, fueled by Russia and Ukraine’s influence in these markets, has heightened the possibility of global instability and unrest. While the United Nations has provided humanitarian help to those in Ukraine who are paying the heaviest price for the war, less attention has been devoted to the war’s global repercussions, which are already wracked by poverty, starvation, and social upheaval. Guterres exemplified the problem by mentioning the dreadful state of food shortages in the Sahel.

“In the Sahel, a fatal food crisis is being driven by conflict and climatic shocks. The war in Ukraine would exacerbate millions of people’s misery by raising food and gasoline costs “In a Twitter post, he said.

The conflict has exacerbated the problems that underdeveloped nations have been dealing with as a result of the two-year-long COVID epidemic. A “storm” of difficulties has erupted as a result of new concerns such as climate change and a lack of access to necessary resources for financial recovery in the context of persisting and expanding disparities, threatening to damage the economy of such nations.

“Quite so many as 1.7 billion people — one-third of whom are already poor — are now very vulnerable to disruptions in food, energy, and financial systems, which are fueling poverty and hunger,” Guterres warned.

The Ukraine situation is hastening food shortages, according to UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon.

The underlying concern, among many others, is food supply. The war has generated serious supply-chain bottlenecks because Ukraine and Russia produce 30% of the world’s wheat and barley, with at least one-third of their goods being exported. As a result, food costs have risen at an unprecedented rate. “Russia and Ukraine account for more than half of the world’s wheat imports,” he explained, “including some of the world’s poorest and most vulnerable countries.” Both frontline nations are also responsible for a fifth of all grain and half of all sunflower oil output, with exports to at least 45 industrialized countries, according to Guterres.

Hunger and malnutrition are on the rise, especially among young children, as the cost of gasoline and food rises to unsustainable levels. Furthermore, emerging countries will drown in debt, weakening their buying power and reducing their economic possibilities. “This is putting in motion a potentially vicious cycle of inflation and stagnation, often known as stagflation,” the UN head added. Guterres’ comments coincided with those of IMF managing director Kristalina Georgieva, who warned on Thursday that the Ukraine crisis will cause at least 143 economies’ forecasts to be revised downward this year. The 86 percent of global GDP is accounted for by these countries.

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The City’s Sanitation Suffers As More Than 8,000 NMMC Contract Workers Go On An Indefinite Strike

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Over 8,000 NMMC Contract Workers Go on Indefinite Strike, City’s Sanitation Hit

The Workers

More than 8,050 contractual workers of the Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation (NMMC) have launched an indefinite strike, bringing garbage collection and other civic services to a standstill. The workers are demanding equal pay for equal work, citing a policy adopted by NMMC in 2007.

The protest stems from wage disparities between contractual and permanent employees. Workers are demanding salaries on par with fourth-class permanent staff, along with benefits such as gratuity, earned leave, medical leave, provident fund, and uniforms.

Union leader Mangesh Ladh stated that despite years of legal battles, committee reports, and government assurances, no final decision has been implemented. A 2022 committee found that equal pay for contractual workers would cost the NMMC an additional ₹20.43 crore annually. However, proposals sent to the state government have not been acted upon.

Protesting workers have accused the administration of prioritizing other projects over their rightful wages. They point out that while newly hired permanent employees in 2024 receive significantly higher salaries, many contractual workers with over 29 years of service remain underpaid.

The strike is expected to severely impact sanitation, garbage collection, vector control, and public garden maintenance, raising public health concerns.

“Road sweeping, garbage collection, and sewage complaints will be unattended if the strike continues. I hope the NMMC Commissioner resolves the issue soon,” former corporator Divya Vaibhav Gaikwad said.

Workers have vowed to continue their protest until they receive a written assurance from the authorities.

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To Find Kharghar Techie’s Killers, Police Form Ten Teams

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Police Form 10 Squads to Track Down Kharghar Murder Suspects.

The Teams

Mumbai police have set up 10 squads to locate and arrest the suspects involved in the murder of 45-year-old IT specialist Shivkumar Roshanlal Sharma in Kharghar, Navi Mumbai. Sharma was attacked on February 2 while returning home from Vashi on his two-wheeler.

According to reports, two helmeted assailants on a motorcycle stopped Sharma near Utsav Chowk, accusing him of reckless overtaking. A confrontation ensued, during which one suspect, dressed in a black kurta-pajama, held Sharma while the other, wearing a green kurta-pajama, repeatedly struck his head with a helmet. The attackers fled the scene.

Sharma managed to reach the police station to file a complaint but collapsed moments later. He was rushed to a private hospital, where doctors declared him dead.

Authorities are analyzing technological evidence to track the suspects and are awaiting a lab report on blurry images of the attackers’ vehicle registration number. CCTV footage has captured their movements at a toll booth in Navi Mumbai.

Senior Inspector Deepak Surve confirmed that Sharma worked as a project manager at an IT firm in Real Tech Park, near Vashi railway station. A murder case has been filed, and a manhunt is underway.

Meanwhile, BJP leaders Nitesh Rane and Kirit Somaiya visited Sharma’s family, assuring them of swift justice. Somaiya stated that police had promised to arrest the accused within two days, condemning the brutality of the attack.

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NMMC Promises To Take Action On Demands And Urges Contract Workers To End Their Strike Over The Demand For Equal Pay

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NMMC urges contract workers to end Illegal strike, cites ongoing efforts.

The Actions

The Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation (NMMC) has urged contract workers to call off their indefinite strike, calling it unlawful and unnecessary. Despite the administration’s steps to address their concerns, the Samaj Samata Kamgar Sangh (Navi Mumbai) began the strike on Monday.

NMMC clarified that contract workers have been employed through contractors since its inception and are paid as per the Minimum Wages Act, not entitled to “equal pay for equal work” per a 2013 Supreme Court ruling. The corporation assured that wages, allowances, and bonuses are being regularly disbursed.

To resolve the issue, NMMC sought guidance from the state government in 2022 and 2023. In September 2024, the government advised the corporation to evaluate its financial capacity and decide accordingly. A committee found that implementing “equal pay for equal work” would lower wages below the minimum wage. This was conveyed to labor unions in meetings on December 27, 2024, and January 16, 2025.

A high-level meeting on January 3, chaired by NMMC Commissioner Dr. Kailas Shinde, led to the formation of a special committee under a retired Additional Chief Secretary to reassess the issue. The panel’s first meeting is scheduled for February 12, 2025.

Despite these steps, workers accuse NMMC of submitting incorrect reports and ignoring the Chief Minister’s directives. NMMC has urged unions to await the committee’s report and warned that disrupting civic services through an unlawful strike would harm citizens.

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