Moscow (AFP) March 12, 2022 The humanitarian situation in Ukraine is deteriorating quickly and has become catastrophic in a number of cities, the Russian military said on Saturday, speaking on the 17th day of what Moscow has termed a “special military operation”. “Unfortunately, the humanitarian situation in Ukraine is continuing to deteriorate rapidly, and in some cities it has reached catastrophic proportions,” saidhttp://dlvr.it/SLb9YT Continue reading Humanitarian situation in some Ukraine cities ‘catastrophic’: Russian military

Hanoi (AFP) March 12, 2022 Vietnam has banned a new Hollywood film starring Tom Holland over scenes with a map showing Beijing’s claims to the South China Sea, state media reported Saturday. The action-and-adventure caper “Uncharted” shows a map featuring the so-called nine-dash line, which sets out Beijing’s expansive claims to the disputed waters, where Hanoi has rival claims. Sony’s movie, starring Mark Walhbehttp://dlvr.it/SLb9X5 Continue reading Vietnam bans new Tom Holland film over South China Sea map

Kuala Lumpur (AFP) March 11, 2022 Four people were killed after a massive landslide triggered by “unusual” heavy rains buried their homes in a township outside the Malaysian capital, a senior rescue official said Friday. Malaysia has been experiencing heavy rains over the past few weeks, which officials and environmentalists say is unusual at this time of year and could be the result of climate … Continue reading Four killed in Malaysia landslide due to ‘unusual’ heavy rains

Khartoum (AFP) March 11, 2022 As much of the West seeks to isolate Russia after it invaded Ukraine, experts say Moscow is boosting relations with its longtime African ally Sudan, eyeing its gold wealth and strategic location. Khartoum has lost crucial Western support since army chief Abdel Fattah al-Burhan led a military coup last October, a move that triggered broad condemnation and punitive measures, including … Continue reading Russia ramps up ties with Sudan as Ukraine war rages

Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant, Japan (AFP) March 11, 2022 Eleven years after a devastating tsunami hit Japan’s northeast, thousands of workers at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant are involved in the complex and decades-long process of decommissioning the site. Here are some facts about the situation at the plant, which AFP visited this month: The damage Three of Fukushima’s six reactors were operating when … Continue reading Radioactive fuel, contaminated water: the Fukushima clean-up

Tokyo (AFP) March 11, 2022 People in Japan’s northeast offered prayers and carried out searches for the missing on Friday, 11 years after an earthquake and tsunami left 18,500 people dead or unaccounted for and triggered a devastating nuclear meltdown in Fukushima. A minute’s silence will be held at 2:46 pm (0546 GMT), the moment a 9.0-magnitude quake – among the strongest ever recorded – … Continue reading Prayers in Japan 11 years after tsunami and nuclear disaster

Lima (AFP) March 11, 2022 A Lima zoo announced Thursday the birth in captivity of four American crocodiles, an endangered species, after a successful artificial incubation. The crocodile hatchlings were born in mid-January after 78 days of incubation from the eggs of a pair of adult crocodiles that live in the Huachipa Zoological Park, east of Lima. “We have now shown these crocodile pups that … Continue reading Four endangered American crocodiles are born in Peru

Brasilia (AFP) March 9, 2022 Iconic Brazilian singer Caetano Veloso led a star-studded protest Wednesday against President Jair Bolsonaro’s environmental policy, seeking to block a series of bills that activists say would be devastating for the Amazon rainforest and beyond. Thousands of protesters flooded the square at the seat of power in Brasilia, brandishing a giant inflatable turtle, bird and other animals and urginhttp://dlvr.it/SLQ0zV Continue reading Brazil stars protest Bolsonaro environmental policy

Washington (AFP) March 9, 2022 Back in 2006, US National Guard sergeant Heath Robinson oversaw the burning of waste at a military base in Iraq. Fourteen years later, he died of lung cancer, leaving his family to advocate for veterans like him who were exposed to toxic fumes while in uniform. These so-called burn pits have been commonly used by the US military in post-September … Continue reading US veterans sick after burn pit exposure want recognition — and compensation

Nairobi (AFP) March 9, 2022 The United Nations warned Wednesday that it faces a crippling lack of funds to tackle Somalia’s devastating drought, which has been “overshadowed” by other humanitarian crises including the war in Ukraine. The troubled Horn of Africa nation is being ravaged by drought, which has affected 4.5 million people – nearly 30 percent of its population – as of February, following … Continue reading UN worried about lack of funds to tackle Somalia drought