Health crisis hits flood-ravaged Pakistan

Published

1 month ago

September 5, 2022

Reuters

UNICEF is warning of the the risk of waterborne diseases as one-third of Pakistan remains underwater

Residents in Pakistan have been warned of severe food shortages as the nation grapples with a relief and rescue operation of near unprecedented scale.

Widespread flooding has claimed the lives over 1,000 people, as nearly one-third of the country remains underwater.

UNICEF is working with the Pakistani Government and other non-government partners to respond to the urgent needs of children and families in affected areas.

“These floods have already taken a devastating toll on children and families, and the situation could become even worse. UNICEF is working closely with the Government and other partners to ensure that children affected get the critical support they need as soon as possible.”
Abdullah Fadil, UNICEF Representative in Pakistan.

In one instance, a wedding hall in the Pakistani town of Johi once received hundreds of joyful revellers.

However, it has since turned into a retreat for hundreds of sick patients, who are suffering from the effects of flooding.

Johi is in the hardest-hit Sindh province, which emains cut off from road access.

Record monsoon rains and melting glaciers in the northern mountains bought floods that have killed over 1,200 people.

The floods, which have been blamed on climate change, have destroyed all the crops in some areas.

In Balochistan, Pakistan’s army is delivering aid by helicopter.

The province has seen widespread devastation, including the washing away of key rail and road networks as well as breakdowns in telecommunications and power infrastructure.

“When disasters hit, children are always among the most vulnerable,” said Abdullah Fadil, who is UNICEF’s representative in the flood-ravaged nation.

Initial estimates of the damage across the country have been put at $10 billion.

Aid has flowed in from a number of countries, but charities in Pakistan have warned that there are still millions who have not been reached by aid and relief efforts.

President Joe Biden surveys catastrophic damage left by Hurricane Ian

Published

40 mins ago

October 6, 2022

Veronica Dudo

Many homes and businesses lay in ruins amid debris in southwestern Florida

On Wednesday, U.S. President Joe Biden and First Lady Jill visited Florida in the aftermath of Hurricane Ian making a direct hit to the state last week.

As many homes and businesses lay in ruins amid debris, the President promised to use the power of the federal government to help the community rebuild throughout the sunshine state.

The President comforted residents alongside Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis—a possible competitor in 2024— as well as joining GOP members of Congress for a tour of some of the hardest hit areas in southwestern Florida.

However, both men agreed to put politics aside for now, instead focusing on helping the community.

Speaking in Fort Meyers, which took the brunt of Ian, Biden said, “Today we have one job and only one job, and that’s to make sure the people in Florida get everything they need to fully, thoroughly recover.”

Hurricane Ian is considered one of the post powerful storms to ever hit the United States.

So far, officials have confirmed that at least 84 people died, including 75 in Florida.

Meanwhile, hundreds of thousands are still wait for power to be restored.

World

North Korea’s five biggest missiles

Published

14 hours ago

October 5, 2022

Costa Haritos

North Korea has flown a missile over Japan for the first time in five years

U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris did not mince her words when she paid a visit to the demilitarised zone last week.

“In the North, we see a brutal dictatorship, rampant human rights violations and an unlawful weapons program that threatens peace and stability,” she said.

North Korea’s latest missile launch is the latest in a string of tests following Harris’ visit.

U.S. President Joe Biden spoke with Japan’s Prime Minister Fumio Kishida following Tuesday’s long-range missile. The pair condemned the test in the “strongest terms,” as they described it as a danger to the Japanese people.

Associate Professor Tilman Ruff from the University of Melbourne believes the threat of nuclear war has increased.

“This is clearly the time of greatest danger of nuclear war since the at least the Cuban missile crisis.”

North Korea has carried out over 30 missile tests this year, as authorities brace themselves for bigger weapon, which could reach the U.S. east coast.

in response to Tuesday’s test, South Korea and the U.S. fired a string of missiles into the East Sea.

5. The Musudan

The Musudan, or the Hwasong-10 is a medium-range ballistic missile, which has an estimated range of more than 4,000km.

The missile was first tested in October 2016 and is believed to be capable of reaching South Korea and Japan.

4. The KN-08

The KN-08 is a long-range ballistic missile, which boasts an estimated range of more than 6,000km.

While North Korea had two unsuccessful tests of this weapon in 2016, it was successfully tested in 2017.

North Korea’s leader Kim Jong-Un inspects his weaponry.

3. The Pukguksong-2

The Pukguksong-2 is a medium-range ballistic missile, which has an estimated range of more than 2,000km.

This is a land-based variant of the Pukguksong-1 weapon, which is submarine-launched.

The missile was first tested in February of 2017 and is believed to be capable of reaching South Korea and Japan.

2. The Hwasong-14

The Hwasong-14 is North Korea’s first intercontinental ballistic missile. It is also one of their most powerful missiles, with an estimated range of more than 8,000km.

The missile was first tested in July 2017 and is believed to be capable of reaching New York.

1. The Hwasong-12

The latest missile test over Japanese territory is understood to be an intermediate-range Hwasong-12.

This ballistic missile has an estimated range of more than 4,500km, and is believed to be capable of reaching the U.S. territory of Guam in the Pacific.

The long-range strategic ballistic rocket Hwasong-12.

North Korea’s missile tests have risen under the rule of its current leader, Kim Jong-Un. In fact, there have been more test launches this year, than in the previous decade alone.

“If anybody thought that the risk of nuclear war went away with the end of the Cold War, then these current concerns should put an end to any such complacency.”
Associate Professor Tilman Ruff, the University of Melbourne

There are also a range of other weapons in the North Korean inventory, including a nuclear bomb, which is believed to be six times bigger than what the U.S. dropped on Hiroshima in 1945.