Fijian schools to implement bans on junk food
Fiji's Ministry of Health said Monday that they want all school canteens in the island nation to enforce rules which promote healthy eating habits in children in a move to reduce Non Communicable Diseases.
Health Ministry spokesperson Peni Namotu said health inspectors from the food unit will be monitoring schools to ensure guidelines are followed.
The sale of oily food, sweets and fizzy drinks at the canteens are a major concern and Namotu said instead, school canteens should be selling fruit as well as vegetables and fruit juice.
He said those schools which failed to comply with the guidelines should face legal action.
Canteen guidelines were implemented in partnership with the Education Ministry.
Fiji spends 39 percent of its health budget to tackle obesity and related problems, only because citizens choose to eat unhealthy products and become less active as they got hooked to certain junk food advertisements.
Health Minister Doctor Neil Sharma urges parents not to remain idle in instilling proper eating habits in their children.
Sharma says mothers in the island nation were breastfeeding their infants less, and spending more money and time on formula and bottle feed.
In Fiji, a ban will soon be placed on junk food advertising in order to protect the younger generation from consuming such products.
Editor: Xiong Tong
English.news.cn 2011-10-31 10:58:37 FeedbackPrintRSS
SUVA, Oct. 31 (Xinhua)
Monday, October 31, 2011
Sunday, October 30, 2011
UN steps up relief efforts in Thailand against worsening flood disaster
UN steps up relief efforts in Thailand against worsening flood disaster
The United Nations will provide 20,000 insecticide-treated mosquito nets in temporary shelters and other areas in flood-hit Thailand in a bid to protect people from dengue fever and other mosquito-borne diseases, as weather forecasts predict more heavy rainfall over the weekend, UN officials said here Friday.
The UN Children's Fund (UNICEF), which procured the nets locally, has set aside an initial 300,000 U.S. dollars to support the Thai government's flood response efforts, focusing on health, child protection, water, sanitation and hygiene, said the officials.
Unusually heavy rainfall in Thailand has resulted in the worst flooding in more than five decades, with 370 people reportedly killed and vast swathes of the country's 29 provinces, including the nation's capital of Bangkok, inundated. More than 2.1 million people are estimated to be affected.
The mosquito nets will help children and their families ward off dengue fever, which is prevalent in all regions of Thailand.
A spokesperson for the UN World Meteorological Organization ( WMO), Clare Nullis, told reporters in Geneva that a combination of high tides and more rain-related flooding is expected between Friday and Sunday.
"The mosquito nets will help children and their families ward off dengue fever, which is prevalent in all regions of Thailand," said Tomoo Hozumi, the UNICEF representative in the country. "In those limited areas where other mosquito-borne diseases are endemic and could become health issues due to flooding, the nets will also offer increased protection."
UNICEF will spend 102,000 U.S. dollars to establish "child- friendly spaces" in 20 large temporary shelters to provide safe areas for recreation and psychosocial support activities. The project, being implemented in collaboration with the charity Save the Children, will also provide technical support for the registration of children in shelters and the dissemination of messages to prevent separation, abuse and exploitation.
The agency is also distributing 20,000 pamphlets with information on practical, low-cost actions that families should take to protect their health and the well-being of their children during floods and other emergencies.
The pamphlets contain advice on the prevention on injury, vector-borne diseases and basic hygiene, such as frequent hand washing, the officials said.
UNICEF will also support the training of teachers, social workers and volunteers to provide psychosocial counseling to affected children during the flood recovery phase.
Editor: Mu Xuequan
English.news.cn 2011-10-29 05:56:29 FeedbackPrintRSS
UNITED NATIONS, Oct. 28 (Xinhua)
The United Nations will provide 20,000 insecticide-treated mosquito nets in temporary shelters and other areas in flood-hit Thailand in a bid to protect people from dengue fever and other mosquito-borne diseases, as weather forecasts predict more heavy rainfall over the weekend, UN officials said here Friday.
The UN Children's Fund (UNICEF), which procured the nets locally, has set aside an initial 300,000 U.S. dollars to support the Thai government's flood response efforts, focusing on health, child protection, water, sanitation and hygiene, said the officials.
Unusually heavy rainfall in Thailand has resulted in the worst flooding in more than five decades, with 370 people reportedly killed and vast swathes of the country's 29 provinces, including the nation's capital of Bangkok, inundated. More than 2.1 million people are estimated to be affected.
The mosquito nets will help children and their families ward off dengue fever, which is prevalent in all regions of Thailand.
A spokesperson for the UN World Meteorological Organization ( WMO), Clare Nullis, told reporters in Geneva that a combination of high tides and more rain-related flooding is expected between Friday and Sunday.
"The mosquito nets will help children and their families ward off dengue fever, which is prevalent in all regions of Thailand," said Tomoo Hozumi, the UNICEF representative in the country. "In those limited areas where other mosquito-borne diseases are endemic and could become health issues due to flooding, the nets will also offer increased protection."
UNICEF will spend 102,000 U.S. dollars to establish "child- friendly spaces" in 20 large temporary shelters to provide safe areas for recreation and psychosocial support activities. The project, being implemented in collaboration with the charity Save the Children, will also provide technical support for the registration of children in shelters and the dissemination of messages to prevent separation, abuse and exploitation.
The agency is also distributing 20,000 pamphlets with information on practical, low-cost actions that families should take to protect their health and the well-being of their children during floods and other emergencies.
The pamphlets contain advice on the prevention on injury, vector-borne diseases and basic hygiene, such as frequent hand washing, the officials said.
UNICEF will also support the training of teachers, social workers and volunteers to provide psychosocial counseling to affected children during the flood recovery phase.
Editor: Mu Xuequan
English.news.cn 2011-10-29 05:56:29 FeedbackPrintRSS
UNITED NATIONS, Oct. 28 (Xinhua)
Algeria floods leave 9 dead, 1 missing
Algeria floods leave 9 dead, 1 missing
Torrential downpours have killed at least nine people and ruined hundreds of homes in the town of el- Bayadh, 700 km (435 miles) south of Algeria, state-run APS news agency reported Monday.
A rescue worker is also missing in flooding in southern Algeria, it added.
A number of bridges collapsed, several roads are blocked and schools have been closed.
Algeria's meteorological service had warned about strong thunderstorms across the country from Saturday into Sunday.
Algeria is often hit by heavy rain and flooding in October.
Editor: Deng Shasha
English.news.cn 2011-10-03 21:00:05 FeedbackPrintRSS
ALGIERS, Oct. 3 (Xinhua)
Torrential downpours have killed at least nine people and ruined hundreds of homes in the town of el- Bayadh, 700 km (435 miles) south of Algeria, state-run APS news agency reported Monday.
A rescue worker is also missing in flooding in southern Algeria, it added.
A number of bridges collapsed, several roads are blocked and schools have been closed.
Algeria's meteorological service had warned about strong thunderstorms across the country from Saturday into Sunday.
Algeria is often hit by heavy rain and flooding in October.
Editor: Deng Shasha
English.news.cn 2011-10-03 21:00:05 FeedbackPrintRSS
ALGIERS, Oct. 3 (Xinhua)
Thai flood death toll hits 381
Thai flood death toll hits 381
A total of 381 people were confirmed dead and two people were missing in Thailand's worst floods that have inundated many provinces since July 25, the Disaster Prevention and Mitigation Department said on Sunday.
Floods which affected 62 of 77 provinces started receding in some provinces. Currently, the deluge still prevails in 144 districts of 26 provinces in northeastern and central regions, affecting 2,035,119 people, the department said.
Bangkok, the country's capital city, is on the edge of flooding as its outer areas were inundated and one of the airports swamped this week. In the eastern part of Bangkok, a total of 27 communities outside floodwalls were inundated by the northern runoff. People along Chao Praya River have been warned of overflow.
Bangkokians have rushed out of the city during the five-day special holiday from October 27-31 declared by the cabinet on last Tuesday.
Since the most severe floods in over half a century caused by heavy monsoon rains and tropical storms have lashed the country, over 9.4 million people affected and hundreds of roads and highways were under water, some 75 out of these were so damaged that they became impassable. Ten thousands of factories inundated, putting over 600,000 employees at the risk of loosing their jobs.
Editor: Yamei Wang
English.news.cn 2011-10-30 14:11:55 FeedbackPrintRSS
BANGKOK, Oct. 30 (Xinhua)
A total of 381 people were confirmed dead and two people were missing in Thailand's worst floods that have inundated many provinces since July 25, the Disaster Prevention and Mitigation Department said on Sunday.
Floods which affected 62 of 77 provinces started receding in some provinces. Currently, the deluge still prevails in 144 districts of 26 provinces in northeastern and central regions, affecting 2,035,119 people, the department said.
Bangkok, the country's capital city, is on the edge of flooding as its outer areas were inundated and one of the airports swamped this week. In the eastern part of Bangkok, a total of 27 communities outside floodwalls were inundated by the northern runoff. People along Chao Praya River have been warned of overflow.
Bangkokians have rushed out of the city during the five-day special holiday from October 27-31 declared by the cabinet on last Tuesday.
Since the most severe floods in over half a century caused by heavy monsoon rains and tropical storms have lashed the country, over 9.4 million people affected and hundreds of roads and highways were under water, some 75 out of these were so damaged that they became impassable. Ten thousands of factories inundated, putting over 600,000 employees at the risk of loosing their jobs.
Editor: Yamei Wang
English.news.cn 2011-10-30 14:11:55 FeedbackPrintRSS
BANGKOK, Oct. 30 (Xinhua)
Saturday, October 29, 2011
Stocks run out in Pakistan's flood-hit area: UN
Stocks run out in Pakistan's flood-hit area: UN
The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said on Saturday that needs of flood-hit Pakistani people are rising as winter approaches and reported outbreaks of waterborne diseases.
Heavy monsoon rains in August caused floods in southern Sindh province and affected over five million people. Nearly 300 people had been killed and nearly 1 million homes had been destroyed and 72 percent of crops ruined in the worst-affected areas,
In southern Sindh, stagnant water remains a major environmental and health hazard, and water-borne diseases such as malaria and dengue are on the rise, OCHA said.
OCHA has warned that funding for humanitarian assistance in the country remains low, with stocks of some relief items severely depleted.
Access to clean drinking water remains critical and the onset of winter in mid-November in most parts of flood-affected areas means that people will require more winterized shelter, OCHA said.
Although receding water levels have allowed some displaced people to return to their villages, relief needs continue because of poor sanitation in areas where homes, crops and livestock were lost to the floods, it said.
Since the beginning of the latest floods, about 1.8 million people or 50 percent of those in need have been provided with food, while 700,000 received essential medical services, according to OCHA.
An estimated 375,000 people (76 percent) have emergency shelter and 870,000 of the affected population (35 percent) received clean water.
The rapid response plan launched on 18 September is only 23 percent funded, with only 80 million of the requested 357 million U.S. dollars received so far.
Unless additional resources are made available, UN agencies warn that most relief stocks are likely to run out, according to OCHA.
Pakistan has been severely affected by floods for the second consecutive year, leaving more than five million people in need of safe drinking water, sanitation services, food, shelter materials and other essential support.
Pakistan was hit by the worst floods in its history in 2010, with 21 million people affected.
Editor: Wang Guanqun
English.news.cn 2011-10-29 20:21:49 FeedbackPrintRSS
ISLAMABAD, Oct. 29 (Xinhua)
The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said on Saturday that needs of flood-hit Pakistani people are rising as winter approaches and reported outbreaks of waterborne diseases.
Heavy monsoon rains in August caused floods in southern Sindh province and affected over five million people. Nearly 300 people had been killed and nearly 1 million homes had been destroyed and 72 percent of crops ruined in the worst-affected areas,
In southern Sindh, stagnant water remains a major environmental and health hazard, and water-borne diseases such as malaria and dengue are on the rise, OCHA said.
OCHA has warned that funding for humanitarian assistance in the country remains low, with stocks of some relief items severely depleted.
Access to clean drinking water remains critical and the onset of winter in mid-November in most parts of flood-affected areas means that people will require more winterized shelter, OCHA said.
Although receding water levels have allowed some displaced people to return to their villages, relief needs continue because of poor sanitation in areas where homes, crops and livestock were lost to the floods, it said.
Since the beginning of the latest floods, about 1.8 million people or 50 percent of those in need have been provided with food, while 700,000 received essential medical services, according to OCHA.
An estimated 375,000 people (76 percent) have emergency shelter and 870,000 of the affected population (35 percent) received clean water.
The rapid response plan launched on 18 September is only 23 percent funded, with only 80 million of the requested 357 million U.S. dollars received so far.
Unless additional resources are made available, UN agencies warn that most relief stocks are likely to run out, according to OCHA.
Pakistan has been severely affected by floods for the second consecutive year, leaving more than five million people in need of safe drinking water, sanitation services, food, shelter materials and other essential support.
Pakistan was hit by the worst floods in its history in 2010, with 21 million people affected.
Editor: Wang Guanqun
English.news.cn 2011-10-29 20:21:49 FeedbackPrintRSS
ISLAMABAD, Oct. 29 (Xinhua)
Northern-central Italy devastated by massive flooding, 5 dead, 10 missing
Northern-central Italy devastated by massive flooding, 5 dead, 10 missing
Violent storms claimed five lives in central-northern Italy as heavy rains flooded rivers that inundated streets and destroyed bridges, local media said on Wednesday.
Three people died in the town of Borghetto Vara in northern Liguria region when a house was swept away in mudslides and torrential downpours, according to the Italian civil protection agency.
A 40-year-old volunteer who was opening manholes on Tuesday was missing on Wednesday in the same area, while in central Tuscany region a river flooded the medieval centre of the fortress town Aulla, killing two more citizens. Some other 10 people are still missing.
Roads and train tracks were closed, making rescues more complicated, and a major highway in northern Italy has been blocked in both directions since Tuesday when a mudslide trapped a truck driver who was finally rescued.
"We spent the whole night in the bus, witnessing scenes from the Apocalypse, with cars flipped upside down, one on the other," the coach of a local soccer team which was blocked en route to a game was quoted as saying by local media.
Fire brigades as well as police divers had to be called in to save people from flooding and search for the missing ones, while hundreds of families were forced to evacuate from their houses.
Officials also said that helicopters were being brought in to help with the rescues and an air bridge would be set up to send in supplies with the army put on standby.
"Everything is flooded. People are entering their homes through balconies. We need help quickly," said the mayor of Monterosso, a town of popular "Cinque Terre" (The Five Lands) locality in Liguria region.
Italian President Giorgio Napolitano said in an interview with a local television on Wednesday "These are very painful tributes that we unfortunately pay to climate change."
Tuscany region declared the state of emergency, but some experts throughout the country complained that there is a general problem in Italy of failure at preventing natural calamities.
The heavy storms that hit Liguria and Tuscany, for example, had been widely expected so that something more could have be done to avoid major damage, head of Italian civil protection agency, Franco Gabrielli, was quoted as saying by ANSA news agency.
"The forecast was accurate and timely, and thus the warning system worked. We must work to better inform citizens, who must be aware of the situation and risks. All citizens, however, must do their part in avoiding any risky behavior," he stressed.
Heavy rainfall is expected to hit southern regions in the next days as the storm front moved to Italy's capital Rome on Wednesday, where officials said the situation was under control.
In the past week, heavy storms have claimed two other lives in southern Italy, where a woman died as her car was swept away in a mudslide, and in the capital where rainstorms flooded an underground apartment drowning a young man.
Editor: Mu Xuequan
English.news.cn 2011-10-27 00:07:12 FeedbackPrintRSS
By Marzia De Giuli
MILAN, Italy, Oct. 26 (Xinhua)
Violent storms claimed five lives in central-northern Italy as heavy rains flooded rivers that inundated streets and destroyed bridges, local media said on Wednesday.
Three people died in the town of Borghetto Vara in northern Liguria region when a house was swept away in mudslides and torrential downpours, according to the Italian civil protection agency.
A 40-year-old volunteer who was opening manholes on Tuesday was missing on Wednesday in the same area, while in central Tuscany region a river flooded the medieval centre of the fortress town Aulla, killing two more citizens. Some other 10 people are still missing.
Roads and train tracks were closed, making rescues more complicated, and a major highway in northern Italy has been blocked in both directions since Tuesday when a mudslide trapped a truck driver who was finally rescued.
"We spent the whole night in the bus, witnessing scenes from the Apocalypse, with cars flipped upside down, one on the other," the coach of a local soccer team which was blocked en route to a game was quoted as saying by local media.
Fire brigades as well as police divers had to be called in to save people from flooding and search for the missing ones, while hundreds of families were forced to evacuate from their houses.
Officials also said that helicopters were being brought in to help with the rescues and an air bridge would be set up to send in supplies with the army put on standby.
"Everything is flooded. People are entering their homes through balconies. We need help quickly," said the mayor of Monterosso, a town of popular "Cinque Terre" (The Five Lands) locality in Liguria region.
Italian President Giorgio Napolitano said in an interview with a local television on Wednesday "These are very painful tributes that we unfortunately pay to climate change."
Tuscany region declared the state of emergency, but some experts throughout the country complained that there is a general problem in Italy of failure at preventing natural calamities.
The heavy storms that hit Liguria and Tuscany, for example, had been widely expected so that something more could have be done to avoid major damage, head of Italian civil protection agency, Franco Gabrielli, was quoted as saying by ANSA news agency.
"The forecast was accurate and timely, and thus the warning system worked. We must work to better inform citizens, who must be aware of the situation and risks. All citizens, however, must do their part in avoiding any risky behavior," he stressed.
Heavy rainfall is expected to hit southern regions in the next days as the storm front moved to Italy's capital Rome on Wednesday, where officials said the situation was under control.
In the past week, heavy storms have claimed two other lives in southern Italy, where a woman died as her car was swept away in a mudslide, and in the capital where rainstorms flooded an underground apartment drowning a young man.
Editor: Mu Xuequan
English.news.cn 2011-10-27 00:07:12 FeedbackPrintRSS
By Marzia De Giuli
MILAN, Italy, Oct. 26 (Xinhua)
Friday, October 28, 2011
Residents flee Bangkok as "worst scenario" of flooding approaches
Residents flee Bangkok as "worst scenario" of flooding approaches
"We have prepared almost everything, moving things upstairs, parking our car on an upper ground, but the situation just gets worse and worse, we have to flee the city, " said Chen Xiangxin, a resident in downtown Bangkok.
Chen told Xinhua that although his house has not been inundated yet, the family of five have prepared to move by a rented mini-bus packed with their belongings to Pattaya, a famous tourist attraction in Chon Buri about 2-hour's drive from Bangkok.
The 55-year-old Chinese descendant is one of thousands of Bangkok residents who took the special holiday from Oct. 27 to Oct. 31 to flee the city for fear that the capital might be overwhelmed by the flood water.
In the long-distance bus station in northern Bangkok, travelers were queuing up for tickets that would evacuate them to flood-free areas. Some of them came from other cities to take shelter in Bangkok but only find themselves stranded again.
The rush has prompted the transportation company to add around 1,000 bus trips to carry 200,000 passengers per day. However, many people get in stuck for at least 5 hours due to traffic jam on the outbound highways to Pattaya, Hua Hin and other destinations.
The Flood Relief Operation Command (FORC) said that it had provided shelters in nine provinces for Bangkok evacuees. Deputy governor of Kanchana-buri, a province to the northwest of Bangkok, decided Thursday to open temples and schools to accommodate thousands of evacuees from flood-hit areas including Bangkok for the next 30 days. In Pattaya, Hua Hin and other popular resorts, hotels are providing discounts for flood victims.
The flood has been ravaging the country for more than three months and left 377 people dead but showed no sign of receding. The water level of the Chao Phraya River Friday morning was measured at a record high of 2.47 metres above sea level. The FORC has warned people in Bangkok to brace for the "worst scenario" that might last for 15 days to a month.
Editor: Deng Shasha
English.news.cn 2011-10-28 17:19:05 FeedbackPrintRSS
by Li Li
BANGKOK, Oct. 28 (Xinhua)
"We have prepared almost everything, moving things upstairs, parking our car on an upper ground, but the situation just gets worse and worse, we have to flee the city, " said Chen Xiangxin, a resident in downtown Bangkok.
Chen told Xinhua that although his house has not been inundated yet, the family of five have prepared to move by a rented mini-bus packed with their belongings to Pattaya, a famous tourist attraction in Chon Buri about 2-hour's drive from Bangkok.
The 55-year-old Chinese descendant is one of thousands of Bangkok residents who took the special holiday from Oct. 27 to Oct. 31 to flee the city for fear that the capital might be overwhelmed by the flood water.
In the long-distance bus station in northern Bangkok, travelers were queuing up for tickets that would evacuate them to flood-free areas. Some of them came from other cities to take shelter in Bangkok but only find themselves stranded again.
The rush has prompted the transportation company to add around 1,000 bus trips to carry 200,000 passengers per day. However, many people get in stuck for at least 5 hours due to traffic jam on the outbound highways to Pattaya, Hua Hin and other destinations.
The Flood Relief Operation Command (FORC) said that it had provided shelters in nine provinces for Bangkok evacuees. Deputy governor of Kanchana-buri, a province to the northwest of Bangkok, decided Thursday to open temples and schools to accommodate thousands of evacuees from flood-hit areas including Bangkok for the next 30 days. In Pattaya, Hua Hin and other popular resorts, hotels are providing discounts for flood victims.
The flood has been ravaging the country for more than three months and left 377 people dead but showed no sign of receding. The water level of the Chao Phraya River Friday morning was measured at a record high of 2.47 metres above sea level. The FORC has warned people in Bangkok to brace for the "worst scenario" that might last for 15 days to a month.
Editor: Deng Shasha
English.news.cn 2011-10-28 17:19:05 FeedbackPrintRSS
by Li Li
BANGKOK, Oct. 28 (Xinhua)
Malaysia expecting heavy rain and flood
Malaysia expecting heavy rain and flood
Malaysia is bracing for stormy weather and more rain as government agencies across the nation are prepping against possible floods.
The Meteorological Department in a statement on Friday said the northeast monsoon is set to hit the country in early November, especially the states in the east coast of the west peninsular and the Sabah and Sarawak states in the east peninsular.
The monsoon season is expected to last till March next year.
Six northern states bordering Thailand and several cities in the east peninsular Malaysia are expecting rainfall of 20 to 40 percent above normal level in the coming months, according to the department.
Local daily the Star reported that police were monitoring the flood situation in Thailand to prevent the bad weather condition from spreading to Malaysia.
Malaysian authorities were quoted as saying that state federal agencies would hold a meeting next week to map out evacuation and aid distribution strategies with agricultural development authorities ready to regulate water drainage in rivers and canal for possible floods in mid-November.
Some 13,239 officers from the fire and rescue department were reportedly put on stand-by for possible floods.
Editor: Xiong Tong
English.news.cn 2011-10-28 19:52:43 FeedbackPrintRSS
KUALA LUMPUR, Oct. 28 (Xinhua)
Malaysia is bracing for stormy weather and more rain as government agencies across the nation are prepping against possible floods.
The Meteorological Department in a statement on Friday said the northeast monsoon is set to hit the country in early November, especially the states in the east coast of the west peninsular and the Sabah and Sarawak states in the east peninsular.
The monsoon season is expected to last till March next year.
Six northern states bordering Thailand and several cities in the east peninsular Malaysia are expecting rainfall of 20 to 40 percent above normal level in the coming months, according to the department.
Local daily the Star reported that police were monitoring the flood situation in Thailand to prevent the bad weather condition from spreading to Malaysia.
Malaysian authorities were quoted as saying that state federal agencies would hold a meeting next week to map out evacuation and aid distribution strategies with agricultural development authorities ready to regulate water drainage in rivers and canal for possible floods in mid-November.
Some 13,239 officers from the fire and rescue department were reportedly put on stand-by for possible floods.
Editor: Xiong Tong
English.news.cn 2011-10-28 19:52:43 FeedbackPrintRSS
KUALA LUMPUR, Oct. 28 (Xinhua)
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