Disease risk eases in parts of flooded Pakistan

ISLAMABAD: The risk of outbreaks of disease has eased in parts of flood-hit Pakistan as water recedes from many areas, the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) said on Tuesday, but the hard-hit south remains a worry.

The floods that began six weeks ago have inflicted havoc from the northwest to the far south of the country, destroying villages, bridges, roads, damaging millions of acres of cropland and displacing millions of people.

The government and aid agencies have warned of the spread of epidemics, particularly of water-borne diseases such as cholera, in the flood-stricken areas.

However, aid workers say the risk of epidemics has eased to some extent.

“So far, as far as I know, we have not had any serious outbreaks,” UNICEF official Bill Fellows, overseeing various aid groups’ efforts on sanitation and hygiene, told a news

Experts urge reform of global drug policy

VIENNA: Policies that criminalize drug users fuel the spread of AIDS and should be reformed, experts preparing for an international conference said Monday.

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Experts urge reform of global drug policy

Jackson Heights Fire

TrendPK.com The Jackson Heights Fire occurred in Queens in New York this morning about 10am. The 4-alarm blaze reportedly started at a furniture store, the spread to nearby establishments. With the work of about 180 firefighters, the fire was put out about 1pm, according to ABC.
Jackson Heights Fire this morning in Queens [...]

Heavy Rain Causes Further Destruction Across Haiti

Heavy rains have soaked and caused destruction across Haiti, raising fears about flooding and the spread of disease among the estimated one million people left homeless by last month’s earthquake. Homeless people in the capital, Port-au-Prince are now confronted with a new challenge of the rain.
Due to inadequate facilities, people have protested.

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Heavy Rain Causes Further Destruction Across Haiti was first posted on February 12, 2010 at 3:16 pm.

Rare, Heavy rains soak Pilgrims in Haj

Rare, heavy rainstorms soaked pilgrims and flooded the road into Mecca, snarling Islam’s annual hajj as millions of Muslims headed for the holy sites. The downpours add an extra hazard on top of intense concerns about the spread of swine flu.

Pilgrims in white robes porting umbrellas, some wearing face masks for fear of the flu, circled the black cube-shaped Kaaba in Mecca, the opening rite for the hajj. But the shrine — Islam’s holiest site — and the nearby, rain-soaked streets did not see the usual massive crowds, because many tried to stay inside nearby hotels or were caught up in the traffic jams heading into the city.

The hajj — a lifetime dream for Muslims to cleanse their sins — is always a logistical nightmare, as a population the size of a small city moves between Mecca and holy sites in the nearby desert over the course of four days.

In the past, the rites have been plagued by deadly stampedes caused by congestion as the massive crowds perform the rituals — and Saudi authorities Wednesday were clearly concerned the rains could worsen the potential dangers. Civil authorities urged pilgrims to move cautiously and not to rush.

This year has brought the added worry that the massing of more than 3 million people from around the world could bring a swine flu outbreak. For months ahead of the pilgrimage, the Saudi government has been working with the United States’ Center for Disease Control and Prevention to set up clinics and precautionary measures to stem any outbreak.

So far, four pilgrims have died from the H1N1 virus since arriving in Saudi Arabia in recent days, and 67 pilgrims have been diagnosed with the virus, Saudi Health Minister Abdullah Al Rabeeah told the Arab news network Al Jazeera English.

Shahul Ebrahim, a consultant from the Atlanta, Georgia-based CDC at the hajj, said it was too early to tell if the rains could exacerbate the spread of H1N1, the flu virus.

‘Rain can lead to other waterborne diseases … such as the common cold, flu. But we still don’t know how it will effect H1N1. We can’t predict,’ he told The Associated Press.

So far, the rain was mainly just causing traffic snarls. Winter is the rainy season in Mecca, and light showers are not uncommon, but such a heavy downpour has not been seen for years during hajj. The pilgrimage takes place according to Islam’s lunar calendar, and so rotates through the year.

Civil Defense spokesman Maj. Abdullah Al Harthi said his organization has plans ready to deal with flooding, including 300 buses to evacuate pilgrims if necessary. He said no casualties have been reported from the rains, the official Saudi Press Agency reported.

One lane of the main road into Mecca was closed by flooding, reducing it to one lane, said Amer Al Amer, an Interior Ministry spokesman. ‘It cannot handle the pressure of all the people coming from outside Mecca,’ he said, adding that it would cause delays of several hours for people trying to reach the sites.

The numbers of pilgrims are expected to exceed last year, when some 3 million attended, Al Amer told AP.

Streets were flooded in the Red Sea coastal city of Jiddah, the entry point for many pilgrims. Pilgrims on Wednesday were making their way to Mecca to perform the circling of the Kaaba and to the nearby desert valley of Mina, where a sprawling tent city has been set up for them to reside in.

Water covered the floors in many of the tents, said Suleiman Hamad, a 29-year-old pilgrim in Mina. He said the scene was ‘muddy, but manageable,’ with many pilgrims throwing blankets over their heads when they walked outside.

Rain fell sporadically throughout the day, and stopped by late afternoon in many sites — though it continued to fall in Mecca. Al Amer and other authorities were optimistic that flooded areas would dry by evening. Courtesy khaleejtimes.com

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Rare, Heavy rains soak Pilgrims in Haj was first posted on November 25, 2009 at 8:32 pm.

Monday Night Football october 12

Monday Night Football october 12, Two AFC East division rivals square off on Monday night when the Jets travel to south Florida to take on the Miami Dolphins. The Jets have played extremely well under new head coach Rex Ryan getting off to a 3-1 start and are also 3-1 against the spread. Miami on the other hand got their first win last week, blasting Buffalo 38-10. The two headed rushing attack of Ronnie Brown and Ricky Williams ran for 251 yards on 44 carries. Last week was also the only game in which Miami has succeeded in covering the spread as well.

The NY Jets have not been winning pretty or by putting up huge numbers offensively, but somehow they find a way to win. Mark Sanchez has done a nice job of managing the offense as he has thrown for 744 yards. However, Sanchez has only tossed 4 touchdowns versus 5 interceptions. Thomas Jones and Leon Washington lead the rushing attack where the Jets are averaging 130 yards per game on the ground. This week they will be facing a very good run defense in the Miami Dolphins that is allowing just 61 yards per game rushing. With this in mind, Mark Sanchez might have to be counted on for more offensive production than in recent weeks.

The Jets revitalized defense has been a big reason for their solid 3-1 start to the 2009 season. They are allowing just 14.2 points and 278 yards of total offense per game. The addition of Bart Scott has proved to be an excellent move as he is consistently hounding opposing quarterbacks. Miami may have a chance to run the ball, as the Jets have are giving up an average of 4.2 yards per carry. The key for Miami on offense will be whether or not their dominant rushing attack can control the game and keep Mark Sanchez off the field.

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Monday Night Football october 12 was first posted on October 13, 2009 at 7:29 am.