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Pandemic Is a Surprise Boon for Women in the World’s Back Office

Nov 25, 2020 | , ,

“There is so much talent in smaller cities that has been untapped so far,” said Madhavi Lall, head of human resources at Deutsche Bank India. “Flexible work arrangements would certainly bring that talent to the fore, especially women who find it difficult to migrate or shift their base.”

The pandemic has pushed discussions on future work models and strategies, especially with regard to arrangements like staggering employee shifts, rotating days or weeks of in-office presence, she said. And that along with the change in India’s government rules will enable more women to join the workforce.

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COVID-19 pandemic could be stopped if at least 70% public wore face masks consistently: Study

Nov 25, 2020 | , , ,

“The highly efficacious facemask, such as surgical masks with an estimated efficacy of around 70 per cent, could lead to the eradication of the pandemic if at least 70 per cent of the residents use such masks in public consistently,” the scientists, including Sanjay Kumar from the National University of Singapore, wrote in the study

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Adults, children must move more to stay fit in pandemic era – WHO

Nov 25, 2020 | , ,

And people of all ages must compensate for growing sedentary behaviour with physical activity to ward off disease and add years to their lives, the WHO said, launching its “Every Move Counts” campaign.

“Increasing physical activity not only helps prevent and manage heart disease, type-2 diabetes and cancer, it also reduces symptoms of depression and anxiety, reduces cognitive decline including Alzheimer’s and improves memory,” Ruediger Krech, WHO director for health promotion, told a news briefing.

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China announces eradication of extreme poverty in last poor counties

Nov 24, 2020 | ,

China sets its own national standard of extreme poverty, based on a per capita income threshold of 4,000 yuan per year, or around $1.52 per day, and other factors such as access to basic healthcare and education. That compares with a threshold of $1.90 per day set by the World Bank to measure extreme poverty globally
The milestone was achieved by lifting 93 million people out of poverty since 2013, China’s government said. Foreign ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian told a press briefing on Tuesday that China was prepared to share its experience with other developing countries.

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Airline body IATA develops mobile apps for COVID-era travel

Nov 23, 2020 | , , , , ,

“Our main priority is to get people travelling again safely,” IATA security chief Nick Careen said. “That means giving governments confidence that systematic COVID-19 testing can work as a replacement for quarantine requirements.”

Passenger health and other data are not stored centrally but authenticated with blockchain, leaving consumers in control of what they share, IATA said.

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