Fifty-three people were reported dead or missing after a migrant boat capsized in the Mediterranean Sea off the Libyan coast on Friday, according to the UN migration agency. The International Organization for Migration (IOM) reported that only two survivors were rescued from the vessel, which overturned north of Zuwara.
The incident is the latest in a series of tragedies on the central Mediterranean route, where hundreds of migrants and asylum seekers have died already this year, according to The Guardian. The IOM did not provide details on the cause of the capsizing or the nationalities of those on board.
In other news, the Trump administration announced plans to cut $600 million in public health funds from four states led by Democrats, according to The New York Times. The funds, administered through the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, were slated to be rescinded from California, Colorado, Illinois, and Minnesota. The cuts would impact grants for various purposes, including staffing, data system modernization, and disease outbreak management. The administration cited that the grants were inconsistent with agency priorities.
Meanwhile, Bangladesh secured exemptions for some clothes and textiles made with US-produced materials, as part of a new agreement announced on Monday, reported BBC Business. Washington will also cut its tariffs on Bangladesh from 20 to 19 percent. The apparel industry forms the backbone of Bangladesh's economy, the world's second-largest exporter of clothes after China. The South Asian country had been in talks with the White House after President Donald Trump imposed tariffs on global trading partners last year.
Also, a major new report warned that businesses risk extinction unless they protect and restore the natural world, according to BBC Business. The assessment, by the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (Ipbes), highlighted how companies can shift from harmful approaches to ones that help restore nature. The report, based on contributions from leading scientists and approved by 150 governments, stated that businesses can either lead the way or "ultimately be left behind."
In the tech sector, some firms are embracing a 72-hour work week, according to BBC Business. One New York-based tech business, Rilla, which sells AI-based systems, includes a warning in its job ads: "Please don't join if you're not excited about working 70 hrs/week in person with some of the most ambitious people in NYC." The website promises perks such as competitive compensation, free meals, and health care.
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