Blood shortages due to COVID-19 are prevalent across the world. In January, the American Red Cross declared “a national blood crisis” poising a great risk to patient care. Since blood cannot be artificially produced, the only solution to blood supply depends of blood donation. In March, a US-based non-profit organization Memorial Blood Centers (MBC) declared the blood “emergency” due to a lack of the stock of type O blood at only 1-2 day supply and appealed to the public participation in a single blood donation that can save up to three lives.
According to the Red Cross, blood is used for a variety of purposes, including serious injuries caused by accidents, surgical procedures, anemia, childbirth, and cancer treatment. But since blood cannot be artificially produced, experts say the only solution to the blood supply lies in donating blood.
In South Korea, in cooperation with Heavenly Culture, World Peace and Restoration of Light (HWPL), 18,000 members of Shincheonji Church of Jesus and HWPL participated in blood donation for two weeks from April 18th. This number was recorded as the largest group blood donation in the country.
A group of 18,000 blood donation contributes to stability of blood supply in South Korea
Tanzania bans donkey slaughter to stop risk of extinction
The Tanzanian Minister for Livestock and Fisheries, Mashimba Mashauri Ndaki, has declared a ban on donkey slaughter for the skin trade.
In a budget speech to Parliament, the Minister noted that Tanzania’s current donkey population is estimated at 650,000 but recognised the risk of donkeys becoming extinct. He has advised investors in the donkey trade to use current infrastructure to trade in other livestock animals instead.
Ian Cawsey, Director of Policy, Advocacy and Campaigns at The Donkey Sanctuary, said: “It’s not often we have good news to share about the donkey skin trade but this is a major victory.
“The rejection of donkey slaughter by Tanzania adds a powerful voice to the growing number of countries declaring their donkeys are not for sale for slaughter. It means that the 650,000 donkeys in a country, which support millions more people, will no longer be at risk of slaughter for their skins.
“Since 2016 The Donkey Sanctuary has been working with partner organisations in Tanzania in East Africa to help communities protect their donkeys from theft for the trade and also to expose the truly horrendous animal welfare issues around their slaughter some of the worst cases we have ever seen.”
Aviation Leaders Assemble in Doha for IATA’s 78th AGM
The International Air Transport Association (IATA), announced that leaders of the global aviation industry are gathering in Doha, Qatar, for the 78th IATA Annual General Meeting (AGM) and World Air Transport Summit (WATS), with Qatar Airways as the host airline.
The event (19-21 June) attracts the industry’s most senior leaders from among IATA’s 290 member airlines, as well as leading government officials, strategic partners, equipment suppliers, and media.
“Doha will become the aviation capital of the world. The last time we met in Doha, in 2014, we were celebrating the 100th anniversary of the first airline flight. This year’s AGM is another momentous occasion: Airlines are simultaneously recovering from the COVID-19 crisis, setting the path to achieving net zero carbon emissions by 2050, working to improve gender diversity, and adapting to a geopolitical environment that is undergoing its greatest shock in over three decades,” said Willie Walsh, IATA’s Director General.
Italian cooperation
The Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation of the Italian Republic, Luigi Di Maio, the Minister of Finance Ahmed Shide, in the presence of the Ambassador of Italy to Ethiopia, Agostino Palese and the AICS (Italian Agency for Development Cooperation) Head of Office of Addis Abeba, Isabella Lucaferri signed a bilateral agreement for the “Building integrated agro-industrial parks in Oromia, Amhara, SNNPR and Tigray” initiative.
The signing of the agreement gives way to the subsidised loan of 22 million euros to the Ethiopian government through which the Italian Agency for Development Cooperation supports the creation of integrated agro-industrial parks in Ethiopia.
Agriculture remains the main production sector in Ethiopia, and the transition from a traditional production model to a more business-oriented one – based on market demand – is essential to meet the needs of the growing local agri-food industry and the demand of consumers, both in the country and abroad.
The agro-industrial parks, envisaged by the initiative, are designed to be integrated into the territory. This means that parks aim to contribute to value addition and local development, as well as to positively impact the economy of rural areas and the growing rural-urban migration phenomenon.
