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Selasa, 19 Desember 2023

Queensland floods: Towns isolated as supplies dwindle and rain eases

 



By Tiffanie Turnbull

Major flooding in northern Australia has begun to ease but many towns remain isolated in crocodile-infested waters as supplies dwindle.

Extreme weather driven by ex-tropical cyclone Jasper has dumped a year's worth of rain on parts of Queensland.

Some rivers have swollen to record levels, flooding homes, severing roads and power, and forcing people to flee houses in boats. One man is missing.

Hundreds of people still require rescue, many in remote communities.

Queensland authorities say the rain has become less intense, and river levels have begun to fall.

Rescue and relief efforts have been hampered by the closure of Cairns Airport, where planes were pictured submerged on Sunday.

Many communities between Cooktown and Innisfail remain cut off by floodwaters, and food and water stocks are running low.

Of primary concern is Wujal Wujal, where up to 300 people are waiting to be evacuated.

Former mayor Desmond Tayley told the Australian Broadcasting Corporation he had "grave concerns" for the elderly and people with disabilities in the small community.

With no electricity and supplies almost gone, "desperate" locals had been traversing floodwaters where large crocodiles had been seen, he said.

"A lot of people risk their lives to get to and from different places within the community... We've got big crocs close to 6m. Being attacked by one of those, you never see someone again."

Bad weather forced an evacuation attempt to be abandoned on Monday, but authorities said they had now reached the town and were beginning to get the elderly and vulnerable out.

A search is under way in a separate community for the missing man, 85, who was last seen late on Sunday.

State officials have promised essential supplies including medicine are being urgently flown to towns across the region.

As some areas begin cleaning up, locals have been warned of risks including disease from contaminated water and displaced wild animals.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, who will visit the flood zones later this week, also announced emergency payments for those affected, and ongoing allowances for eligible people who have lost work as a result of the disaster.

"[There] will be some difficult days and weeks ahead. One of the things that I find though is that the worst of times brings out the best of the Australian character," he said.

Many locals were taken by surprise at the extent of the downpour, with some saying they were not properly warned.

But Minister for Emergency Management Murray Watt said the Bureau of Meteorology's weather tracking systems could not have predicted the scale of the disaster, saying it was a "highly unpredictable weather system".

The weather bureau had done its "absolute best" and given important advice to emergency crews, he added. "It is pretty remarkable that, in an event of this scale, that we have not yet lost a life or a serious injury."

In recent years, Australia has been plagued by disasters including severe droughts and bushfires, successive years of record floods, and six mass bleaching events on the Great Barrier Reef - increasing concerns about the impacts of climate change.

State authorities estimate the cost of this latest disaster will top A$1bn (£529m; $670m).

LIVE >> Rescuers brave freezing temperatures as China quake kills more than 100

 


Live Reporting

Edited by Yvette Tan



  1. Rescue efforts carried out in sub-zero temperatures

    It's Tuesday morning now in Jishishan, and as we reported earlier, thousands of rescue workers are working in sub-zero temperatures.

    Firefighters, soldiers and police are searching for survivors as the temperature hits -13C (8.6F), even as authorities warned that more aftershocks may occur.

    Temperatures have plunged to well below freezing across northern China, as a cold snap gripped many parts of the country.

    Shanxi, Hebei and Liaoning provinces have all been gripped by record low temperatures, state media reported.

Earthquake kills more than 100 in north-west China

 By Frances Mao & Christy Cooney

At least 116 people have been killed and another 220 injured following an earthquake on Monday night in north-west China, state media report.

Chinese authorities said the 6.2 magnitude quake struck Gansu province around midnight (16:00 GMT) and also affected neighbouring Qinghai.

Thousands of rescuers are braving freezing conditions to try and help people in the high-altitude area.

A second quake struck neighbouring Xinjiang hours later on Tuesday.

The damage from that 5.5 magnitude strike was not immediately clear.

Chinese President Xi Jinping has ordered full rescue efforts to Gansu, one of China's poorest regions. Jishishan county appears to be the worst-hit area.

Rescuers in orange outfits climb through damaged buildings in Kangdiao village in Jishishan countyIMAGE SOURCE,
CHINA DAILY/REUTERS
Image caption,
Rescuers conducting a search in Kangdiao village in Jishishan county

Gansu lies between the Tibetan and Loess plateaus and borders Mongolia. The Monday night quake struck the Linxia Hui Autonomous Prefecture, an administrative region for China's Muslim Hui people.

Chinese authorities said the quake measured 6.2 on the richter scale, while the US Geological Survey (USGS) recorded a magnitude of 5.9 and depth of 10km (six miles). About 10 aftershocks have taken place, local authorities reported.

Footage showed hospitals receiving patients, and rescuers searching through the rubble of collapsed buildings. Debris was also seen on the floors of rooms whose ceilings had partially collapsed.

Rescuers in orange outfits climb through damaged buildings in Kangdiao village in Jishishan countyIMAGE SOURCE,
REUTERS
Image caption,
Rescuers in orange outfits climb through damaged buildings in Kangdiao village in Jishishan county

The government has dispatched teams of rescue workers to assist local emergency crews.

In a statement, President Xi said, "all efforts should be made to carry out search and rescue, treat the injured in a timely manner, and minimise casualties".

On Tuesday, local authorities in Gansu's Jishishan county held a press conference where they said 105 people had been killed in Gansu and another 96 injured. Another 11 had been killed and 124 injured in Qinghai, state media agency Xinhua reported.

Local authorities urged the public not to approach the scene, to leave the roads to official rescue teams.

Power and water supplies have also been disrupted in the region, hindering some rescue efforts.

China sits in a region where a number of tectonic plates - notably the Eurasian, Indian and Pacific plates - meet, and is particularly prone to earthquakes.

Last September, more than 60 people were killed when a 6.6-magnitude quake hit the southwestern Sichuan province.

A 1920 earthquake in Gansu , which killed more than 200,000 people, is also recorded as one of the world's deadliest in the 20th century.

Map

Senin, 18 Desember 2023

Commentary: The first debate unveils the character of Indonesia’s 2024 presidential campaign

The first debate among the three presidential candidates for 2024 underscores a shift in tenor in Indonesia’s politics. Whether this more amicable front lasts as campaign season wears on will depend on the ratings game, says ISEAS-Yusof Ishak Institute’s Made Supriatma.


SINGAPORE: Indonesia’s 2024 election campaign is now at a pivotal stage: A series of five televised debates among the contenders.

Until a week before the first round took place on Dec 12, there was still confusion surrounding the debate format and rules. This confusion was primarily whether there would be a clear distinction between debates featuring the presidential candidates (three rounds) vis-a-vis the vice-presidential candidates (two rounds).

Now, the General Election Commission has decided that all candidates will be present at every round. But in the two vice presidential rounds (on Dec 22 and Jan 21), the presidential candidates will accompany their prospective running mates and while the former may speak, they cannot dominate the stage.

The inaugural debate focused on six themes: Law, human rights, governance, corruption eradication, bureaucratic reform and the fortification of democracy. Moderated by two hosts, the event featured 11 panelists comprising subject matter experts who had meticulously formulated the debate questions and were responsible for randomly picking questions for the three candidates to address.

The participants could pose selected questions to one another and there were some heated exchanges, mainly between Prabowo and Anies. However, in a display of political finesse, all three seasoned politicians adeptly navigated the harder questions without providing definitive answers.

In this author’s view, the standout performance of the night belonged to Anies Baswedan, who presented himself as a candidate advocating for change. He appeared assertive and went on the offensive early, clearly positioning himself as a catalyst for transformation.

Leveraging his intellectual background, Anies was exceptionally at ease and energetic in the debate. He skillfully incorporated data to bolster his arguments. By making “change” the central theme and mission of his campaign, Anies strategically drew a sharp contrast between himself and President Jokowi’s administration, establishing himself as a formidable opposition figure.

On the flip side, Prabowo Subianto appeared defensive, particularly when addressing his first question on past human rights violations in Papua and Anies’ challenge to him on the Constitutional Court’s decision allowing Gibran to run as a vice-presidential contender.

Answering the charge that he was behind the kidnappings of pro-democracy activists in 1997-98, Prabowo countered that those problems had already been resolved. He bluntly asserted that even democracy activists who were once victims of kidnappings now supported him. An activist who was imprisoned during the New Order era, Budiman Sudjatmiko, former head of the leftist People’s Democratic Party, visibly endorsed Prabowo by raising his hand from the audience stand at that point.

Ganjar Pranowo assumed a middle ground and appeared somewhat uncertain about his stance, while avoiding drawing sharp contrasts with Jokowi. Ganjar’s positioning, seemingly vying for the role of Jokowi’s successor against Prabowo, might prove risky in the election. Ganjar’s debate performance lacked memorable moments even though he seemed at ease and confident, as it left voters with little to recall.

Prabowo and Anies undeniably commanded the stage. When Anies further probed Prabowo’s human rights record, it revealed Prabowo’s quick temper and tendency to condescend. Near the end of the debate, Prabowo defiantly declared he did not fear losing power. To the audience’s (albeit mainly his supporters) delight, he mocked Anies at least twice by shaking his head when addressing him, and even engaging in a gesture from his "goyang gemoy" dance.

Israel Says its Armed Forces Mistakenly Killed 3 Hostages in Gaza

 

Israeli soldiers operate in the Gaza Strip amid the ongoing conflict with Hamas. (Israel Defense Forces via Reuters)

The military said the hostages were killed during combat with militants in Gaza and expressed its condolences to the families while saying there would be "full transparency" in the investigation into the incident.

A statement from the military said that during an intense battle in Gaza it "identified three Israeli hostages as a threat." It said, "As a result, the troops fired toward them and they were killed."

The military named the dead hostages as Yotam Haim, who was kidnapped from Kibbutz Kfar, Samer Talalka, who was abducted from Kibbutz Nir Am, and Alon Shamriz, who was taken from Kibbutz Kfar Aza. All were abducted by Hamas on Oct. 7, it said.

The Hostages and Missing Persons Families Forum, which represents the families of hostages, expressed its condolences and confirmed the names of the three hostages.

It said, "Yotam was a gifted musician and dedicated metal music fan who idolized the band Megadeth" and "Samer was an avid motorcyclist who loved to ride around the countryside and spend time with friends." The forum said, "Alon's family and friends described him as a lover of life and a dedicated basketball fan."

In recent days Israel has engaged in intense battles with Hamas militants, who often wear casual civilian clothing, and on Wednesday announced its worst combat losses with 10 soldiers killed in 24 hours.

Hamas rampaged through Israeli towns killing 1,200 people and capturing 240 hostages on Oct. 7. Israel then launched a counterattack, during which Gaza health authorities say close to 19,000 people have been confirmed killed, with thousands more feared buried under rubble.

During a week-long truce in late November, Hamas released more than 100 women, children and foreigners it was holding in Gaza in exchange for the release of 240 women and teenagers. They had been arrested for such offences as attempted stabbings, stone throwing at Israeli soldiers or having contact with hostile organisations, and many were held under administrative detention, meaning Israel held them without trial.

"Together with the entire people of Israel, I bow my head in deep sorrow and mourn the death of three of our dear sons who were kidnapped," Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in a statement. "My heart goes out to the grieving families in their difficult time."

Thousands of people protested outside Israel's central military base in Tel Aviv with signs saying "We demand a deal now!" and "Not going to sleep -- protesting all night," Israel's Channel 12 news reported.

More than 100 hostages still remain in Gaza. Some have been declared dead in absentia by Israeli authorities.

Earlier on Friday, the Israeli military said it had recovered the bodies of three Israelis -- a civilian and two soldiers -- who had been held in the Gaza Strip by Hamas.


Sources:https://asia.nikkei.com/Politics/Israel-Hamas-war/Israel-says-its-armed-forces-mistakenly-killed-3-hostages-in-Gaza

Malaysia's Anwar Slams 'Hypocrisy' Over Gaza Crisis

 

Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, pictured in Tokyo on Dec. 17, argues that some countries that promote democracy and human rights are engaging in "hypocrisy" when it comes to Gaza. (Photo by Yuki Kohara) 

TOKYO -- Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim on Sunday criticized what he termed international "hypocrisy" over the crisis in the Gaza Strip, urging the world to do more to achieve a humanitarian cease-fire between Israel and the Palestinian group Hamas.

In an exclusive interview with Nikkei Asia in Tokyo, on the sidelines of the ASEAN-Japan summit meetings over the weekend, Anwar argued that some countries are not practicing what they preach as the civilian death toll in Gaza mounts.

"I'm sick of this hypocrisy. It's not politics," he said. "These are humanitarian issues. I would say such hypocrisy is [happening in] many of the so-called countries that promote democracy and human rights."

The Malaysian leader did not single out specific governments. But he has long been a staunch advocate of Palestinian rights, while the U.S. has largely supported Israel since the war broke out on Oct. 7.

That morning, Hamas militants stormed from Gaza into Israel, killing an estimated 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and taking hundreds of hostages. The Hamas-run Health Ministry says around 19,000 Palestinians have been killed by Israel's retaliation in the strip, including large numbers of women and children.

United Nations members have overwhelmingly demanded a halt to the fighting, with the U.S. and a handful of other countries standing out as exceptions.

Like Anwar himself, Malaysia has consistently expressed support for the Palestinian cause for decades. This stance -- insisting on Palestinian rights and the establishment of an independent state of Palestine -- has held steady across multiple governments in the Muslim-majority country.

During the interview, Anwar conceded that the Association of the Southeast Asian Nations has faced criticism over a humanitarian crisis in one of its own member states, Myanmar.

Myanmar's military seized power in February 2021, ousting the democratically elected government of Aung San Suu Kyi. Anwar said the Five-Point Consensus -- a peace restoration roadmap agreed between ASEAN leaders and Myanmar's army chief in April 2021 -- will continue to be implemented, even though little progress has been made.

Anwar speaks to Nikkei during an interview on Dec. 17 in Tokyo. (Photo by Yuki Kohara) 

Among ASEAN members, Malaysia has taken a relatively firm stance on Myanmar, calling on member states to pressure the military to abide by the consensus and demanding the army stop violence against civilians.

"I concede, I made a very tough line. We have more than 200,000 refugees from Myanmar. ... We can't let them drown in the sea, as some countries choose to do. So we will have to deal with the problem, but what else do we do?" Anwar said.

While Myanmar's military leadership has been excluded from high-level ASEAN meetings, Anwar did say that the bloc has made room for some members to engage with the regime, outside of the Five-Point Consensus process. "We have given some space or latitude to neighboring countries that are quite close to Myanmar to engage in the low-key manner, taking into account or within the parameters of ASEAN."

Commenting on tensions in the South China Sea, another pressing regional issue for ASEAN, Anwar said Malaysia's view is that the country need not escalate the matter in a hostile manner that could affect bilateral relations with China. Malaysia is one of several ASEAN states whose claims in the sea overlap with China's.

Anwar stressed that no country can unilaterally decide on such matters, calling for mutual respect of sovereignty and territorial integrity. "I see there is a discrepancy in terms of treating border issues between countries with China. But do I compromise with China on the issue of borders? No. We must negotiate this with ASEAN or bilaterally," Anwar said.

With respect to U.S.-China friction in Southeast Asia, Anwar said that taking sides would not benefit Malaysia in any way. He added that countries should make their own decisions based on their respective interests, but he emphasized the notion of ASEAN centrality in regional affairs and stressed the bloc should be a zone of peace.

Anwar said ASEAN leaders have strengthened their shared commitment to those principles, resisting efforts to pull them to one side of the geopolitical divide or the other.

Malaysia's basic position is to "be friends and engage with all parties and not to be perceived as being pawns of any power," Anwar said. "We are a small country, we do have big ambitions, and we do what we can, as best as we can."


Sources:https://asia.nikkei.com/Editor-s-Picks/Interview/Malaysia-s-Anwar-slams-hypocrisy-over-Gaza-crisis