WORLD NEWS

5^th May2024

By-Adejide

DISASTROUS FLOOD WASHES AWAY 57 IN BRAZIL

About 57 people have lost their lives and 373 missing as heavy rain floods Rio Grande do sul, Brazil this week. More than 74 people were reportedly injured as Brazil contends with an historic downpour.

A State of calamity has been declared by the local government in the affected areas. About 10,000 have also been displaced with 45,000 having to live away from their homes and there is no possibility of dam overflow after close investigation.

Brazilian President, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva deployed officials to oversee relief efforts on Thursday. The Governor, Eduardo Figueiredo Cavalheiro Leite says “we are witnessing a historic disaster”. The heavy rain have destroyed properties but focus remains on instant rescue for the affected people.

View of a flooded house in Rio Grande, Brazil

Unfortunately, there are areas where muddy waters were rising over rooftops while rescue teams help with inflatable rafts securing people and pets out of the area. Volunteers were also using fishing boats to rescue trapped residents in São Sebastião do Caí Rio Grande do Sul State.

Incidentally, heavy rainfall have wreaked havoc on desert city like Dubai and also killed as many as 200 people in Kenya a few weeks ago.

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HOSTAGE FAMILIES PLEAD TO NETANYAHU TO SECURE DEAL

Relations of hostages offer a plea to Netanyahu to disregard any political sentiment and go ahead to secure the deal for release of their loved ones. The demonstration was organised by Hostages and Missing Families Forum on the eve of Holocaust Remembrance Day.

On Saturday, Netanyahu briefed the families of the hostages about the possibility of the deal but they are losing patience with the timing of the deal which is turning out too slow despite promises of the parties involved. “Today, on eve of Holocaust Martyrs’ and Heroes’ Remembrance Day, we want to remind you, as you have promised every year “ Never Again” you must disregard political pressure” they say.

The Forum demand Netanyahu to summon leadership courage and put the release of hostages ahead of political interest so that about 132 hostages could be released for rehabilitation and perform befitting burial for the dead.

Hostages families rally ahead of Holocaust Remembrance Day

However, as negotiation is poised to begin, Hamas insists they won’t agree to any deal that does not include end of war.

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SIXTEEN YEAR OLD RADICAL SHOT DEAD IN AUSTRALIA

Radicalised teenager was shot dead by the police in Western Australia after stabbing a man in Perth carpark.

The 16-year-old was aggressive towards the police before he was shot dead according to police reports. Investigative information indicates he carried out the offense alone with no traces of any external link, Premier Roger Cook assures.

West Australian police block a street near crime scene

Before the incident, police had received a first call on Saturday night from an anonymous reporting he was about to be committing a crime but the caller didn’t leave any address for the police to trace. A second caller seek reports a boy dangerously holding a knife around the carpark in Willetton, a southern suburb of Perth. So, the police rushed in.

Reports indicate the boy is suffering from mental issues which is compounded by online radicalization issues. He had been attending the Department of Home Affairs countering violent extremism program for rehabilitation. Sadly, the program wasn’t able to improve him.

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COGAT DISMISS FAMINE ALLEGATION IN NORTH GAZA

There may be a “full blown famine” in North Gaza, warns The Chief of the United Nations’ food program. He calls for ceasefire in the war between Israel and Hamas but his affirmation was quickly trashed by Israel’s Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories (COGAT).

Executive Director of the World Food Program, Cindy McCain, fears possibility of famine in North Gaza with worrying reports of humanitarian packages being restricted. She asks for ceasefire and unlimited access to get humanitarian packages across to Gaza through various ports, and various gate crossings.

Displaced Palestinians fill jerrycans of water in a school used as a temporary shelter in Gaza

Contrarily, the Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories disparaged such assertion as incorrect. He explains that Israel has granted increased access to humanitarian packages such as foods, medical equipment, tents and so on.

Furthermore, he added that hundreds of food trucks have been allowed into northern Gaza in recent weeks and the number of aids trucks sent to the North Gaza is higher than the population of the area.

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ANTISEMITISM ROOT STEMS IN FRANCE

Antisemitism is simply the intense dislike for and prejudice against Jewish people. France is said to have registered the highest increase in antisemitism incident in the world.

The statistic of antisemitism incidents in France has incredibly increased from 436 in 2022 to 1,676 last year. It also ravaged US campuses due to the war in Gaza. Israel’s attack on Palestine have contributed to the rising number of antisemitism incidents all over the world.

Thousands gather for a match against antisemitism in Paris, France

Antisemitism surged to 74% in France after October 7 attack on Israel by Hamas which prompted the ongoing military operation in Gaza. Hostilities are also extended to Lebanon with Hezbollah and Israel exchanging fire attacks close to border areas.

United States witnessed antisemitism doubled its tally from 3,697 incidents in 2022 to 7,523 in 2023. Few other states statistic shows;

Canada                       65(2022)-152(2023)

United Kingdom         1,662(2022)-4,103(2023)

Germany                     2,639(2022)-3,614(2023)

Italy                             241(2022)-454(2023)

Estimation shows that French Jews are three times likelier to experience antisemitism attack than Jews in United States.

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