The US labor market is experiencing a slowdown, with job openings and hiring rates dropping to multi-year lows, even as the economy continues to grow, according to BBC Business. This trend has left some job seekers, like 42-year-old Jacob Trigg, struggling to find employment despite applying for hundreds of positions. Meanwhile, in international affairs, Mexico sent humanitarian aid to Cuba, and activists took to the streets in Venezuela to demand the release of political prisoners. The African Union is also addressing the issue of potential "water wars" on the continent, and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz and French President Emmanuel Macron are set to address the Munich Security Conference amid disputes with the United States.
Trigg, a former project manager in the tech industry, told BBC Business that he was surprised by the difficulty he faced in finding a new job. He had applied for over 2,000 positions and was making ends meet with package delivery and landscaping jobs. "It's a huge surprise because I've always been able to get a job very easily," he said. "It wasn't even on my radar to be prepared for more than six months of unemployment. It wasn't in my universe."
In other international developments, Mexico dispatched two navy ships carrying humanitarian aid to Cuba, according to The Guardian. The ships arrived off the coast of Havana on Thursday. This aid comes as the island nation faces economic challenges.
Also on Thursday, protesters gathered in cities across Venezuela, including Caracas, to call for the release of political prisoners, The Guardian reported. These demonstrations represent an "embryonic political shift" following the recent events.
The African Union is focusing on water-related issues, with a summit addressing potential "water wars" on the continent, Al Jazeera reported. The continent is facing climate shocks, including cyclones, waterborne diseases, and drought.
Finally, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz and French President Emmanuel Macron are scheduled to speak at the Munich Security Conference, according to Al Jazeera. The conference will address the ongoing war in Ukraine and strained relations between the United States and Europe. Merz will open the conference, and Macron will close the official program on Friday.
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