Civil aviation group ICAO mentioned that the numbers for the primary quarter of 2024 point out that airways will maintain the return to profitability recorded in 2023.
“The dedication of Member States to aligning their pandemic responses with the steerage developed by the ICAO Council has been essential to the restoration of their air companies,” mentioned Council president Salvatore Sciacchitano.
“The implementation of ICAO’s post-pandemic steerage is now equally essential to making sure the resilience and sustainability of this restoration.”
The company forecasts growing site visitors progress to round three per cent above 2019 ranges, and presumably 4 per cent if the tempo of restoration grows on routes which haven’t but returned to pre-pandemic ranges.
“The aspirational objectives agreed upon by governments in the direction of the decarbonization of air transport by 2050 are supporting the environmental sustainability of the restoration and future improvement of the worldwide air transport community,” mentioned ICAO Secretary Basic Juan Carlos Salazar.
The evaluation signifies that air site visitors on most routes had already reached or surpassed pre-pandemic ranges by the tip of 2023.
Flying excessive
The most important regional routes which handed the 2019 mark by the tip of final 12 months have been journey inside Europe; Europe to/from North America, the Center East, southwest Asia and Africa; North America to/from Latin America and the Caribbean, southwest Asia, Southeast Asia, and the Pacific; Center East to/from Southwest Asia and Africa.
Most worldwide Asian routes, apart from these serving southwest Asia, proceed to have considerably decrease ranges of site visitors in 2023 in comparison with pre-pandemic ranges.
UN rights chief slams ‘profoundly disturbing’ Ghana household values invoice
The UN Excessive Commissioner for Human Rights on Wednesday described a parliamentary bill in Ghana which introduces new felony sanctions towards LGBTQ+ residents as “profoundly disturbing”, urging lawmakers to halt its passage.
Volker Türk mentioned the Human Sexual Rights and Household Values Invoice 2024 would broaden criminalization of lesbian, homosexual, bisexual, transgender, transexual and queer folks “merely for being who they’re”. The invoice additionally “threatens felony penalties towards perceived allies of LGBTQ+ folks”, he warned.
Reside free from discrimination
“I name for the invoice to not change into regulation. I urge the Ghanaian Authorities to take steps to make sure everybody can reside free from violence, stigma and discrimination, no matter their sexual orientation or gender identification”, mentioned Mr. Türk.
“Consensual same-sex conduct ought to by no means be criminalized.”
He expressed deep alarm that the invoice criminalizes the professional work of human rights defenders, lecturers, medical professionals, landlords and other people searching for healthcare.
“The invoice is opposite to Ghana’s personal Structure and freely undertaken regional and worldwide human rights obligations and commitments, together with to depart nobody behind within the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development,” mentioned the Excessive Commissioner.
Mr. Türk harassed that the invoice is corrosive and could have a damaging influence on society as a complete.
He restated his workplace’s (OHCHR) dedication to work with the Authorities of Ghana and its nationwide companions to make sure it fulfils its human rights commitments and obligations.
Russia’s decade-long occupation of Crimea marked by widespread violations
The UN Human Rights Monitoring Mission in Ukraine on Wednesday revealed a brand new report documenting severe rights violations and infringements of humanitarian regulation in Crimea, which Russia annexed in 2014.
The violations have endured over a decade of occupation by Russian forces, with Moscow unlawfully imposing citizenship necessities, legal guidelines and establishments “throughout all spheres of life, suppressing opposition and dissent”, the mission mentioned in press launch.
The report reveals Russian efforts to limit civic area and restrict basic freedoms. Crimean Tatar leaders, perceived as opposing occupation or Russian insurance policies, have been significantly impacted.
These Tatars who fled the peninsula have been barred from returning whereas many Russians have been resettled in Crimea in a bid to vary the demographics of the area.
‘Grim harbinger’
“Over the previous decade, we now have documented efforts by the Russian Federation to impose the Russian language, tradition and institutional framework on Crimea, whereas on the similar time taking actions to erase the peninsula’s wealthy cultural, linguistic and non secular heritage,” mentioned mission head Danielle Bell.
Any opposition has been met with harsh reprisals, says the report, with some subjected to rights violations, enforced disappearance, arbitrary detention and torture.
The findings are “not solely alarming, however they’re additionally a grim harbinger of the devastating and lasting influence Russian occupation might have on different occupied areas of Ukraine”, Ms. Bell mentioned.
