International News
Strike At Geneva Airport Resolved With Agreement
Geneva airport’s ground staff strike, disrupting flights during the holiday rush, has now concluded following an agreement reached to end the hours-long standoff.
Recall that the workers commences their strike at 4 am (0300 GMT), eight hours prior, urging for “dignified working conditions and fair wages” from their employer, the Dubai National Air Travel Agency (dnata).
At nearly midday, the SSP public sector union on X, proclaimed “Victory!” in response to the situation.
He said “The employees have succeeded in repelling attacks on their retirement fund and in obtaining improved salaries, indemnities and overtime compensation.
In a statement, Dnata, an Emirati airport service provider, acknowledged “the resolution of the industrial action,” stating that its employees had resumed work by noon.
Before dawn, approximately 80 strikers congregated in front of the airport donning bright yellow safety vests, holding union flags, and displaying posters bearing messages such as “Dnata is killing me” and “Precarious work means grounded flights.”
However, Geneva airport on Sunday emphasized its non-involvement in the dnata-employee dispute, expressing regret that the strike proceeded despite ongoing negotiations.
The airport disclosed six flight cancellations and several other flights experiencing delays of over an hour due to the strike’s impact.
Furthermore, the statement highlighted that “a number of flights were operated without loading or offloading luggage.”
Before the resolution, airport spokesman Ignace Jeannerat informed AFP that solely flights aided by dnata staff encountered issues. “A majority of operations are going very smoothly,” he remarked.
Dnata employs approximately 600 personnel at the airport, responsible for diverse ground operations like ticketing services and baggage handling for various international airlines such as British Airways, Air France, and KLM.
According to Jeannerat, dnata was assigned to assist 85 out of the 417 scheduled flights for Sunday, a day when Geneva airport anticipated 52,000 passengers.
He highlighted that all flights managed by dnata’s competitor, Swissport, were operating smoothly without any issues.
The union reported that approximately half of dnata’s staff participated in Sunday’s strike, advocating for a five-percent salary raise.
Following multiple negotiation rounds, the company’s proposed three-percent wage increase was agreed upon by both parties, as stated by SSP in a release.
The agreement also includes a 500-Swiss-franc ($584) bonus set for January, resulting in an average total increase of over four percent.
SSP revealed that dnata, previously accused of applying “pressure” and threatening dismissal of striking employees, withdrew these threats. The company also committed to compensating the workers for the duration of the strike.
On Sunday, dnata expressed that the agreement reached “reinforces our commitment to nurturing a robust social partnership, cultivating a collaborative work atmosphere, and securing the ongoing prosperity of our company.”
Pope Francis will on Sunday be discharged from Rome’s Gemelli hospital, where he has been receiving treatment since February 14 for breathing difficulties and pneumonia.
The 88-year-old pontiff will return to his residence at Saint Martha’s House in the Vatican, where doctors have advised that he undergo “a long convalescence… of at least two months.”
Speaking to reporters on Saturday, Dr. Sergio Alfieri explained that while the pope’s health is improving, further recovery is best achieved at home.
READ ALSO: Pope Francis’ Condition Improving, Says Vatican
“Further progress will take place at his home, because a hospital — even if this seems strange — is the worst place to recover because it’s where one can contract more infections,” Alfieri said.
Dr. Luca Carbone, another physician at Gemelli, added that there are positive signs in the pope’s condition. “We hope that he will soon be able to resume his normal activities,” he stated.
Before leaving the hospital, Pope Francis is expected to greet the public and offer a blessing from a hospital balcony after the Angelus prayers on Sunday, marking his first appearance in weeks.
Speculation about a possible resignation has been circulating due to the pope’s prolonged absence from public duties, but Vatican officials have firmly denied such claims.
When asked if the topic had been discussed, Vatican Secretary of State Pietro Parolin was clear in his response: “No, no, no, absolutely not.”
The pope, who had part of a lung removed in his youth, has received an outpouring of prayers and well-wishes from Catholics worldwide.
Supporters have been gathering outside Gemelli hospital, leaving flowers, candles, and messages of encouragement.
His hospitalization, the longest of his papacy has led to questions about how Easter celebrations will be handled in his absence.
However, Vatican officials remain optimistic about his gradual return to his duties in the coming weeks.
A Memphis man was accidentally shot by his own dog after the pet jumped onto his bed and triggered a loaded firearm, police confirmed on Wednesday.
The incident occurred early Monday morning while the man was asleep alongside his female partner.
According to police reports, the couple’s one-year-old pit bull, Oreo, inadvertently discharged the weapon after getting its paw stuck in the trigger guard.
READ ALSO: Nigerian Woman Mauled To Death By Stray Dogs In Italy
The bullet grazed the man’s left thigh, causing a minor injury that was treated at a local hospital.
The victim’s girlfriend, who spoke to Fox 13 Memphis, described Oreo as a playful dog and recounted the shocking moment the firearm discharged.
“The dog is a playful dog, and he likes to jump around and stuff like that, and it just went off,” she said. Reflecting on the incident, she added: “Keep the safety on or use a trigger lock.”
Police have classified the case as an “accidental injury” and have not disclosed the type of firearm involved.
Although gun-related incidents are frequent in the United States, cases involving animals firing weapons are rare.
In a similar case in 2023, a Kansas man was killed when his German shepherd stepped on a hunting rifle.
A comparable incident in 2018 saw an Iowa man accidentally shot in the leg by his pit bull-Labrador mix.
Authorities are using the Memphis case as a reminder of firearm safety, urging gun owners to secure their weapons properly to prevent unintended discharges.
A deadly measles outbreak in the southwestern United States has claimed two lives and infected at least 228 people, prompting the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to issue a travel advisory.
The outbreak has hit Texas the hardest, with 198 reported cases, while New Mexico has confirmed 30.
READ MORE: Rivers communities lose 50 children to measles
Health officials say both fatalities involved unvaccinated individuals—a child in Texas and an adult in New Mexico who tested positive for measles posthumously.
The CDC has classified both as measles-related deaths.
As the outbreak continues to grow, the CDC is warning that more cases are likely. In a recent Health Alert Network advisory, the agency urged healthcare professionals and public health officials to take precautions.
“With the spring and summer travel season approaching in the United States, CDC emphasizes the important role that clinicians and public health officials play in preventing the spread of measles,” the advisory stated.
“They should be vigilant for cases of febrile rash illness that meet the measles case definition and share effective measles prevention strategies, including vaccination guidance for international travelers.”
Measles, a highly contagious disease, spreads through respiratory droplets and can remain airborne for up to two hours after an infected person leaves an area.
It causes fever, respiratory symptoms, and a characteristic rash but can also lead to serious complications such as pneumonia, brain inflammation, and death.
Despite the effectiveness of the measles vaccine—providing 93% immunity after one dose and 97% after two—vaccination rates in the U.S. have been on the decline.
The CDC recommends a 95% immunization rate for herd immunity, but coverage among kindergartners fell to 92.7% in the 2023-2024 school year.
The outbreak’s epicenter is in a west Texas county with a large Mennonite community known for vaccine hesitancy.
Religious exemptions have been rising nationwide, contributing to lower immunization rates.
U.S. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who previously promoted discredited claims linking the measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine to autism, has recently shifted his stance.
While he now encourages vaccination, he also continues to advocate for alternative treatments like vitamin A and steroids.
Health experts warn that emphasizing such treatments could divert attention from the urgent need to improve immunization coverage.
The last measles-related death in the U.S. occurred in 2015, when a Washington state woman with a suppressed immune system died from virus-induced pneumonia. Before that, the previous fatality was recorded in 2003.
Pope Francis To Return To Vatican After Month-Long Treatment
Ifon-Ilobu Crisis: Adeleke Assures Of Quick Restoration Of Peace
Ifon-Ilobu Communal Dispute: Adeleke Extends Curfew To Erin-Osun Town
Okpebholo Joyful As Work On Edo State’s 1st Flyover Bridge Reaches Advanced Stage
NDSF Torch Tour Takes Off From Bayelsa
