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Pandemic

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Fewer women than men will regain work during COVID-19 recovery: ILO 

In Building Forward Fairer: Women’s rights to work and at work at the core of the COVID-19 recovery, the International Labour Organization (ILO) highlights that between 2019 and 2020, women’s employment declined by 4.2 per cent globally, representing 54 million jobs, while men suffered a three per cent decline, or 60 million jobs. 

Pandemic has IFC pumping $1.7 billion into local companies, up 51%

The impact of the pandemic coupled with the region’s vulnerability to climate change, has highlighted the need for a collaborative, resilient and climate friendly recovery that can withstand future shocks, said its new regional director for South Asia, Hector Gomez Ang.

While South Asia is one of the fastest growing regions in the world, estimates suggest that climate impacts could reduce its annual GDP by an average of 1.8 percent by 2050, rising to 8.8 percent by 2100 if the region failed to take adequate corrective measures. The region is also estimated to have an untapped climate investment potential of USD3.4 trillion by 2030, Ang said.

Lloyd’s of London sees global pandemic insurance losses above previous estimate

Lloyd’s has proposed a “Black Swan” reinsurance scheme to governments globally to ensure better cover during circumstances such as the pandemic and other disturbances to business, but Carnegie-Brown said it was hard to get government attention on the topic so far.

“The challenge for governments of course is that they are very short-term focused… (it is) very difficult for them to lift their heads above the parapet and think about the future,” Carnegie-Brown said.

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Nobel scientists urge face mask rethink as Sweden’s COVID cases climb

Sweden’s soft-touch pandemic response has focused mostly on voluntary social distancing and the Public Health Agency has cast doubt on the effectiveness of face masks, which are mandatory in many public places in Europe.

However, a report on Thursday by the Royal Academy of Sciences said that face masks could play a role in reducing infection, particularly in enclosed spaces.

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Global economy recovering, but may be losing momentum, says IMF chief Kristalina Georgieva

While fiscal spending of nearly $12 trillion and monetary policies had averted even worse outcomes, poverty and inequality were increasing, and more support was needed, the IMF said.

New outbreaks and more stringent mobility restrictions, and delays in vaccine development and distribution could reduce growth, increase public debt and worsen economic scarring.

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Covid-19 Pandemic to slow down top 10 largest global insurance markets in 2020

The world’s 10 largest insurance markets, in order, as defined by total premium written in 2018-2019, are: the United States, China, Japan, the United Kingdom, France, Germany, South Korea, Italy, Canada and Taiwan. The Triple-I’s projection of a 4.5% GDP decrease in the world’s 10 largest insurance markets in 2020 as compared to 2019 was weighted based on the total premium written in each one.

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