25 FEB 2026 The International Labour Organization (ILO), the International Chamber of Shipping (ICS), and the International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF) marked the 20th anniversary of the Maritime Labour Convention (MLC) this week with a renewed push to strengthen seafarer protections — and a fresh call for governments to formally recognize seafarers as essential workers. Adopted …
Read More »COMMON DIABETES DRUG LINKED WITH ‘EXCEPTIONAL LONGEVITY’ IN WOMEN
24 FEB 2026 Not only can the drug metformin help to effectively manage type 2 diabetes, but it may also give older women a better chance of living to the grand old age of 90, according to research published in 2025 – thanks, it seems, to a variety of anti-aging …
Read More »HAPAG-LLOYD BUYS ISRAEL’S ZIM INTEGRATED SHIPPING FOR $4.2 BILLION
20 FEB 2026 Container shipping group Hapag-Lloyd HLAG.DE said on Monday it would buy Israeli rival ZIM Integrated Shipping Services ZIM.Nfor $4.2 billion in a deal that would consolidate its position as one of the world’s biggest ocean shipping companies. “The merger would secure Hapag-Lloyd’s market position as the fifth-largest shipping line in the world with a modern fleet of over 400 vessels,” Hapag-Lloyd said, a …
Read More »SCIENTISTS IDENTIFIED A NEW BLOOD GROUP AFTER A 50-YEAR MYSTERY Health31 January 2026
10 FEB 2026 A pregnant woman’s blood sample taken in 1972 was mysteriously missing a surface molecule found on all other known red blood cells at the time. More than 50 years later, that strange absence finally led researchers from the UK and Israel to describe a new blood group …
Read More »SEAFARER RECRUITMENT SHOULD NEVER BE A GAMBLE
09 FEB 2026 Recent reports concerning Chinese seafarers who traveled overseas for what they believed were legitimate job opportunities, only to lose contact with their families for weeks or months, have brought renewed attention to a deeply troubling recruitment pattern. In one widely shared case, a seafarer eventually returned home, …
Read More »BEIJING AGREES TO HELP POLICE THE SALE OF CHINESE OUTBOARDS TO SMUGGLERS
05 FEB 2026 Unprecedented criticism over the growing numbers of illegal migrants crossing the English Channel using small boats has forced the UK Labor government to rethink strategy on how to deal with the menace, and one novel new solution centers on stopping the flow of engines and components. UK Prime …
Read More »JUST 5 MINUTES OF EXTRA ACTIVITY EACH DAY COULD EXTEND YOUR
30 JAN 2026 We know that physical exercise is good for our health and longevity, but new research shows how even the smallest differences in our daily habits can lead to meaningful benefits. Based on an analysis of wearable data from more than 130,000 people across several countries, just 5 …
Read More »NEW FEDERAL DEFINITION OF MARITIME HARASSMENT LEAVES PSYCHOLOGICAL ABUSE IN LEGAL GRAY ZONE, CRITICS WARN
26 JAN 2026 The 2026 National Defense Authorization Act has introduced the first statutory definition of “harassment” under the Safer Seas Act, but maritime advocates argue the narrow focus on discrimination-based conduct excludes widespread forms of psychological abuse that research shows are endemic to shipboard environments. The amendment to 46 …
Read More »MENTAL HEALTH CARE IS SAFETY-CRITICAL, NOT AN ADDED BENEFIT
26 JAN 2026 If mental health is not treated as safety-critical, we risk losing a whole generation of seafarers who are not willing to sacrifice their health for a career, regardless of how well-paid it is. Life at sea can be unforgiving, seafarers face long stretches away from home, shift …
Read More »ICJ TOLD MYANMAR MILITARY HATE CAMPAIGNS TARGETED ROHINGYA FOR DESTRUCTION
19 JAN 2025 Refugees who escaped Myanmar nearly a decade ago await developments more than 8,000 kilometers (5,000 miles) away at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in The Hague, where a genocide case against Myanmar opened on Jan 12. The International Court of Justice (ICJ) in The Hague has …
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