Central African Republic Facing Potential Food Shortages

Posted on March 29, 2015 by Jim Brennan

The Guardian reports on a potential food crisis in the Central African Republic:

Farmers in the Central African Republic need aid urgently in order to avert a potential food crisis. Image credit: taesmileland on freedigitalphotos.net

Farmers in the Central African Republic need aid urgently in order to avert a potential food crisis.
Image credit: taesmileland on freedigitalphotos.net

Two years after Séléka rebels ousted the president of the Central African Republic and plunged the country into chaos, farmers urgently need seeds and tools to plant crops and avert food shortages. Failure to supply them could increase tension between communities, delay the return of displaced people, and ratchet up the costs of the humanitarian response, the UN has said.

Around 1.5 million people do not have enough to eat in the country, where religious violence has killed thousands since the mainly Muslim Séléka rebels deposed President François Bozizé on 24 March 2013.

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The UN’s Food and Agriculture Organisation warned that the number of hungry people was likely to rise if immediate support were not provided to farmers, many of whom lost their seeds and tools to armed looters.

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Farmers and their families were in an “extremely fragile” situation, with seeds urgently needed before the start of the rainy season at the end of April or beginning of May.

“In Bangui, they want vegetable seeds, they want maize seeds, and it is essential for them,” Scaglia said, adding that without seeds, the lean season – when households are between harvests – could stretch until November.

To read more about the changing world and what you can do to prepare, visit: www.greatwavesofchange.org

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Chile’s Atacama Region Hit By Floods

Posted on March 27, 2015 by Jim Brennan

The Guardian reports on the floods currently affecting the Atacama region in Northern Chile:

Chile's Atacama region has recently (March 2015) been hit by freak downpours and floods, resulting in deaths and people being evacuated from their homes. Image credit: xura on freedigitalphotos.net

Chile’s Atacama region has recently (March 2015) been hit by freak downpours and floods, resulting in deaths and people being evacuated from their homes.
Image credit: xura on freedigitalphotos.net

The president of Chile has flown to the Atacama region in the country’s north where freak rains and flooding left at least seven people dead and others needing evacuation by air from swamped homes.

Communities in the desert region were struggling on Thursday to cope with a disaster that knocked out power and cut off roadways. Thunderstorms with torrential rains moved into the Atacama on Tuesday, causing the Copiapo river to overflow its banks.

Fears of mudslides prompted authorities to evacuate thousands from their homes in “the worst rain disaster to fall on the north in 80 years”, said the deputy interior minister, Mahmud Aleuy.

To read more about the changing world and what you can do to prepare, visit: www.greatwavesofchange.org

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Islamic State fighters take on Libya’s rival government forces

Posted on March 25, 2015 by Jim Brennan

Reuters reports on the current situation in the ongoing conflict in Libya:

Militants claiming allegiance to Islamic State fought forces loyal to Libya’s two rival governments in the central city of Sirte and further east in Benghazi, state media and military officials said on Wednesday.

In Sirte, Islamic State militants killed five members of a force loyal to the government that controls Tripoli, a Tripoli-based news agency said. The United Nations and military sources said the attack near a power station on Sirte’s outskirts was a suicide bombing.

Fighters loyal to the Tripoli government, sent to Sirte from the western city of Misrata, have clashed with the militants and had set up checkpoints near the power station.

There was also heavy fighting between Islamists and forces loyal to Libya’s internationally recognised government, which is based in the east in Benghazi, after Islamic State militants claimed a suicide attack on an army post in the city.

To read more about the changing world and what you can do to prepare, visit: www.greatwavesofchange.org

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Maharashtra state hit by crop loss after unseasonal rain

Posted on March 23, 2015 by Jim Brennan

The Indian Express reports on crop losses suffered by farmers in Maharashtra state after unseasonal rains hit the area earlier this month (March 2015):

Worsening the existing agrarian crisis in Maharashtra, unseasonal rains across the state over the past two days have ravaged more than 50,000 hectares of rabi crop, mangoes and other horticultural produce.

As per initial estimates, the damage is highest in villages in north Maharashtra and parts of Vidarbha. A senior state government functionary said while it was too early to estimate the total extent of the financial losses and crop damage, the untimely rains might have destroyed crops worth about Rs 1,000 crore. The crop damage comes at a time when the state is already grappling with the impact of an unprecedented drought that destroyed kharif crops in nearly 24,000 villages.

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“Prima facie, it is estimated that the Yavatmal district has suffered the highest losses with 17,000 hectares of crops having suffered damage,” the CM said in a statement. Likewise, crops were also wrecked in Nagpur, Bhandara and Gondia districts of Vidarbha, he said. “In some places, crops already harvested and stored on the field have been spoiled. In Sangli, rains have also caused rotting of raisins,” the chief minister said.

To read more about the changing world and what you can do to prepare, visit: www.newmessage.org

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Pakistan Government To Launch Tree-Planting Campaign In Effort To Tackle Environmental Degradation

Posted on March 21, 2015 by Jim Brennan

The Pakistani Daily Times reports on a new initiative devised by the country’s Federal Minister for Climate Change to try and tackle environmental degradation and air pollution:

Federal Minister for Climate Change Mushahidullah Khan has said that trees are sign of the life on earth and they are inevitable for tackling escalating environmental degradation and different health diseases.

He expressed these views at the ‘Tree Plantation Campaign Spring 2015’ held in I9 Industrial Area on Monday. “Trees and forests are, in fact, the factories of oxygen production and are vital for fighting carbon dioxide. Green vegetation plays an important role in enabling human being to live a healthy life on earth,” he added.

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he minister inaugurated the spring season’s first tree plantation drive by planting a seedling on a green belt between Sector I9 and Sector I10 in the Industrial Area. Under the tree campaign, 15,000 trees would be planted in the city.

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He said that over the years, Pakistan has witnessed tree cover shrinking fast. As a result, the country’s tree cover is more or less 2 percent of the total landmass of the country. Whereas it should be 25 percent, according the international standards.

To read more about the changing world and what you can do to prepare, visit: www.greatwavesofchange.org

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Pollution-choked Paris introduces emergency traffic measures

Posted on March 19, 2015 by Jim Brennan

Expatica.com reports on measures being planned by the Paris authorities to try and combat the smog which is currently affecting the city:

Paris authorities have requested emergency traffic-limiting measures to be put in place on Friday, as the City of Light and much of northern France suffers from a choking smog.

City mayor Anne Hidalgo asked national authorities to stop one in every two cars entering the capital and make all public transport free for a day in a bid to drive down pollution.

These emergency measures were last implemented almost exactly a year ago — on March 17 — during a particularly bad spike in the pollution levels.

On Wednesday, the concentration of potentially dangerous particulates in the air went over the recommended maximum, pressing authorities into action.

To read more about the changing world and what you can do to prepare, visit: www.greatwavesofchange.org

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Cyclone Pam ‘wipes out’ development

Posted on March 16, 2015 by Jim Brennan

Herald Scotland reports on the situation on the pacific island nation of Vanuatu after being hit by cyclone Pam:

The president of Vanuatu says that his country must "start anew" after cyclone Pam hit the archipelago recently, destroying or damaging most of the buildings in the capital alone. Image credit: zdviv on freedigitalphotos.net

The president of Vanuatu says that his country must “start anew” after cyclone Pam hit the archipelago recently, destroying or damaging most of the buildings in the capital alone.
Image credit: zdviv on freedigitalphotos.net

The Pacific island nation of Vanuatu has lost years of development progress and must “start anew” following a powerful cyclone that destroyed or damaged 90 per cent of the buildings in the capital of Port Vila, the country’s president said.

Baldwin Lonsdale, visibly weary and red eyed from lack of sleep, said he and other top government officials were preparing to return home from Sendai, in north-eastern Japan, where they were attending a disaster conference.

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Mr Lonsdale said the limited information he was able to get from home showed six people confirmed dead, and 30 injured and taken to hospital on Port Vila after the category 5 typhoon smashed across the Vanuatu archipelago.

He said information from other islands was not available because most communication links were still not working. But the airport in Port Vila has reopened, allowing aid and relief flights to reach the country. Port Vila is on the country’s main island of Efate.

“This is a very devastating cyclone in Vanuatu. I term it as a monster, a monster. It’s a setback for the government and for the people of Vanuatu. After all the development that has taken place, all this development has been wiped out.”

“So it means we will have to start anew again,” Mr Lonsdale said.

To read more about the changing world and what you can do to prepare, visit: www.greatwavesofchange.org

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Chile forest fire: Thousands flee homes as deadly blaze spreads to threaten Valparaiso and Vina del Mar

Posted on March 14, 2015 by Jim Brennan

The Independent reports on a forest fire affecting parts of Chile:

Chile has been hit by another forest fire, which has spread, threatening the port cities of Valparaiso and Vina del Mar. Image credit: Toa55 on freedigitalphotos.net

Chile has been hit by another forest fire, which has spread, threatening the port cities of Valparaiso and Vina del Mar.
Image credit: Toa55 on freedigitalphotos.net

Thousands of people have fled their homes in Chile as a deadly forest fire threatens to reach the port cities of Valparaiso and Vina del Mar.

Photos showed endless clouds of smoke above the seaside towns reflecting the orange glow of the spreading flames.

Officials believe the blaze started at an illegal rubbish tip on Friday afternoon and was fanned by high winds, moving at a rate that forced authorities to declare a state of emergency in the area.

To read more about the changing world and what you can do to prepare, visit: www.greatwavesofchange.org

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Nigeria says 36 towns now retaken from Boko Haram

Posted on March 11, 2015 by Jim Brennan

The Lebanese Daily Star reports on gains made against Boko Haram in northern Nigeria:

Nigeria has reportedly reclaimed 36 towns from Boko Haram after launching an offensive with the help of neighbouring countries. Image credit: taesmileland on freedigitalphotos.net

Nigeria has reportedly reclaimed 36 towns from Boko Haram after launching an offensive with the help of neighbouring countries.
Image credit: taesmileland on freedigitalphotos.net

Nigeria said Wednesday that 36 towns had been retaken from Boko Haram since the start of a four-nation military offensive, voicing hope that the operation could lead to the group’s “total defeat.”

National security spokesman Mike Omeri said four towns had fallen since last Friday, including three in Borno state and Buni Yadi, in neighboring Yobe, where the insurgents slaughtered more than 40 students in February last year before seizing it in August.

Crucial “co-operations and alliances” have led to victories over the Islamist rebels, he said, thanking neighboring Cameroon, Chad and Niger for cutting off “the supply lines of the terrorists.”

“It is hoped that the unfolding regional cooperation will hasten the total defeat and extermination of Boko Haram in Nigeria and the sub-region,” he added.

To read more about the changing world and what you can do to prepare, visit: www.greatwavesofchange.org

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Global flood toll to triple by 2030

Posted on March 9, 2015 by Jim Brennan

The BBC reports on the expected rise in global flooding in the coming decades:

New report states that the number of people effected by flooding worldwide could rise to 50 million people, nearly triple the amount currently affected. Image credit: Teerapun on freedigitalphotos.net

New report states that the number of people effected by flooding worldwide could rise to 50 million people, nearly triple the amount currently affected.
Image credit: Teerapun on freedigitalphotos.net

The number of people affected by river flooding worldwide could nearly triple in the next 15 years, analysis shows.

Climate change and population growth are driving the increase, according to the World Resources Institute (WRI).

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The centre says this is the first public analysis of all world data on current and future river-flood risks.

It demonstrates some 20 million people are at risk of being affected by flooding, and it costs almost £65bn in GDP.

According to the new evaluation, in just 15 years time these numbers could rise to around 50 million people with an annual potential cost to the world economy of around £340bn.

To read more about the changing world and what you can do to prepare, visit: www.greatwavesofchange.org

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