A Night So Long.

Antarctica's lost world

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1. Nearly one in four people worldwide -- which translates into more than a billion people -- feel very or fairly lonely, according to a recent Meta-Gallup survey of more than 140 countries. Notably, these numbers could be even higher. The survey represents approximately 77% of the world’s adults because it was not asked in the second-most populous country in the world, China. With the World Health Organization and many others -- including the U.S. surgeon general -- calling attention to the dangers of loneliness, these data, collected in partnership between Gallup and Meta, provide a much-needed global perspective of social wellbeing. The Global State of Social Connections report, which launches Nov. 1, 2023, will detail these and other country-level findings based on the first global study of loneliness, which entails nationally representative surveys conducted in 142 countries and areas worldwide. Global results indicate that the lowest rates of feeling lonely are reported among older adults (aged 65 and older), with 17% feeling very or fairly lonely, while the highest rates of feeling lonely are reported among young adults (aged 19 to 29), with 27% feeling very or fairly lonely. (Source: news.gallup.com)

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2. Qatar said there may be breakthroughs soon in negotiations to release more hostages held by Hamas. Diplomatic efforts to avert a wider Middle East conflagration continued, with France’s president due in Egypt and more European leaders visiting Israel as it weighs a ground invasion of Gaza. The United Nations in the besieged territory said its shelters were overwhelmed by more than 600,000 Palestinians fleeing Israeli bombardments. Israel’s military said it continued to target Hamas’s leadership in Gaza and accused Iran of destabilizing the Middle East. US President Joe Biden and Saudi Arabia Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman discussed ways to stop the war widening. Meanwhile, the head of the International Monetary Fund said the conflict was adding more jitters to the global economy. (Source: bloomberg.com)

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