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heat

Extreme Heatwave In Europe Is ‘A Brutal Reminder’ Of Climate Crisis, UN Chief States 

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The United Nations climate chief recently stated that the extreme early heat events taking over parts of western Europe have become a “brutal reminder of the spiraling impacts of the climate crisis.” This month, both France and the United Kingdom set new temperature records on two consecutive days. 

Simon Stiell is the executive secretary of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change, and this week he said that the “main culprit” of the climate crisis is humanity’s burning of oil, coal, and gas. 

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“The science is clear that human-induced climate change is making these heatwaves more frequent and extreme.”

France, Spain, and the UK have been reaching temperatures that are, on average, only seen in July and/or August.  

“Protecting human lives, businesses and economies from extreme heat and the many other soaring costs of climate change is core business for every nation, and it starts with kicking the fossil fuel addiction much faster.”

Other reports have shown that the war in the Middle East has greatly impacted the “soaring costs” of fossil fuels, and led to a need to move to cleaner sources of energy. Stiell also pointed out that India has experienced nearly 110 degrees Fahrenheit conditions which have led to deaths from heatstroke. 

The UK’s Met Office stated that Kew Gardens in London recorded a temperature of 92.2 degrees Fahrenheit, breaking the record for highest temperature in May, which was set the day before. The readings also surpassed a previous record of 91.04 degrees Fahrenheit which was set in 1922, and again in 1944. 

France experienced local highs of 102.2 degrees Fahrenheit on Wednesday, and recorded their hottest day in May ever on Tuesday when the national heat index, an average of 30 readings around the nation, hit 76.64 degrees Fahrenheit, according to reports from the Guardian. 

Météo-France, the national weather service, stated that a “heat dome,” which causes heat to be held in place by a high-pressure weather front, was producing temperatures up to 55.4 degrees higher than what is usual for this time of year. 

17 out of 96 of France’s administrative departments, including Paris, were placed on an orange high temperature alert for Thursday, the second highest level. This alert level requires the nation’s population to be “very vigilant and take precautions.” Another 29 were placed on the more moderate yellow warning. 

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Scientists have stated that as the world continues to warm, extreme heat events that are typically exclusive to the peak of summer are becoming both more frequent and intense, and are happening earlier and later into the year. 

Peter Thorne, the director of climate research at Maynooth University in Ireland, said: “We know beyond a shadow of a doubt that events such as this have been made more likely and more severe due to climate change arising from our emissions of heat-trapping greenhouse gases.”

“Nevertheless, many of the records being set, particularly in the UK and France, are mind-bogglingly crazy.”

This week, French authorities reported at least seven deaths that were directly and indirectly connected to the high temperatures. Five of these deaths were drownings, as many people were seeking out swimming spots to cool off. Authorities in Britain stated that four teenagers have also drowned in England since Sunday. 

Spain is reporting temperatures could hit 104 degrees Fahrenheit this week. These reports led to the Basque Country being placed on an orange weather alert.

Aemet, Spain’s state meteorological office, said that temperatures typically experienced in July have already been recorded across the country. Rubén del Campo, a spokesperson for Aemet, said that the heat was “more characteristic of the dog days, the hottest period of the year.”

“Both this episode and the atmospheric pattern that’s causing it are part and parcel of climate change and of what’s been observed in recent years.” 

New Israeli Death Penalty Law Triggers Protests Across Palestinian Territories

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A wave of protests swept through Palestinian territories on Tuesday after Israel approved a new law introducing the death penalty for certain convictions, prompting outrage from officials, activists and residents.

The legislation, passed Monday in Israel’s parliament, establishes execution by hanging as the standard punishment for Palestinians convicted of killing Israelis. It defines such crimes as those carried out “with the intent to deny the existence of the State of Israel,” a formulation that critics say effectively targets Palestinians while excluding most Israeli offenders.

It is set to take effect within 30 days, though court challenges could delay implementation. The law will not apply retroactively to current prisoners.

Its passage marks a sharp shift in Israeli policy, one that has drawn condemnation from Palestinian leaders and human rights groups and sparked demonstrations across the West Bank and Gaza. Several countries, including Australia, Germany, France, Italy and the United Kingdom, warned in a joint statement of the law’s “de facto discriminatory character,” while Spain’s prime minister described it as “another step toward apartheid.”

“The death penalty is an inhumane and degrading form of punishment without any deterring effect. This is why we oppose the death penalty, whatever the circumstances around the world. The rejection of the death penalty is a fundamental value that unites us. We urge the Israeli decision makers in Knesset and Government to abandon these plans.”

In the Israeli-occupied West Bank, where the law carries its broadest impact, military courts that try Palestinians will now be required to impose the death penalty as the default sentence in such cases, unless special circumstances are found. Those courts, which almost exclusively prosecute Palestinians, have a conviction rate of about 96%, according to the Israeli human rights group B’Tselem.

The legislation also lowers the threshold for imposing capital punishment, requiring only a simple majority of judges rather than a unanimous decision, and mandates that executions be carried out within 90 days without the possibility of pardons or commutations.

The move quickly ignited protests. In cities like Nablus, crowds gathered for marches and sit-ins, many carrying signs warning of the consequences of the law.

“Time is running out, and silence is deadly,” read one sign displayed in the city, depicting a prisoner wearing a Palestinian keffiyeh beside a noose. “Stop the law to execute prisoners, before it’s too late.”

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Demonstrators also voiced support for Palestinians already held in Israeli prisons, long seen by many as symbols of resistance.

“You are the symbol of struggle, You are the symbol of steadfastness,” protesters chanted, raising photos of detained relatives and public figures.

Political groups joined the response. The Fatah party called for a general strike across parts of the northern West Bank beginning Wednesday.

In Gaza, dozens of people gathered outside the Red Cross headquarters. Women in hijabs held large framed images of well-known prisoners, including Marwan Barghouti, underscoring the emotional and political weight of the issue.

Palestinian officials condemned the law as a violation of international legal standards and urged foreign governments to act. The Palestinian Foreign Ministry called for sanctions against Israel’s parliament and demanded its suspension from international institutions.

“The law represents a critical turning point in the formalization of extrajudicial killings under a legal guise,” the ministry said, adding that it “stresses that this law, in its essence, constitutes an institutionalized policy of field executions based on discriminatory and racist standards.”

Amnesty International also raised alarms, saying that enforcing the death penalty under the measure could breach international protections, including the right to life and bans on torture and cruel or degrading punishment.

U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk called the measure a “particularly egregious violation of international law” and warned that applying it in occupied territories would constitute a war crime.

“The death penalty is profoundly difficult to reconcile with human dignity, and it raises the unacceptable risk of executing innocent people,” said the High Commissioner. 

“It is deeply disappointing that this bill has been approved by the Knesset. It is patently inconsistent with Israel’s international law obligations, including in relation to the right to life. It raises serious concerns about due process violations, is deeply discriminatory, and must be promptly repealed.”

The law’s passage follows years of advocacy from Israel’s far-right political figures seeking harsher penalties for Palestinians involved in attacks on Israelis. National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, who led the effort, praised the measure as overdue and framed it as a demonstration of national strength. After the vote, he celebrated by opening a bottle of champagne.

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At the same time, some supporters emphasized its deterrent intent. “The idea is to not allow them to continue to think that by taking hostages they’re going to get a get-out-of-jail-free card because there’s no death penalty,” said Caroline Glick, an adviser to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

Others backed the law on personal grounds. “I wish it had been in place earlier, and I’m glad it’s in place now,” said Micah Avni, whose father was killed in an attack and whose assailant was later released in a prisoner exchange. “That terrorist who murdered my father showed absolutely no remorse.”

Mustafa Barghouti, a Palestinian political leader, argues the measure will have the opposite effect.

“This sends another message to Palestinians that there is no place for compromise. This will not deter Palestinians, but it will enhance their struggle for freedom from this oppressive system.”

Advocacy groups also warned of broader implications. “It’s just going to be another tool in the Israeli toolkit to kill Palestinians,” said Shai Parnes of B’Tselem.

The legislation also extends to Israeli civilian courts, granting them authority to impose the death penalty on citizens convicted of what is defined as nationalistic murder. However, legal analysts say the wording effectively limits its application to Palestinian citizens of Israel, excluding Jewish citizens.

Although capital punishment remains technically legal in Israel for crimes such as treason and crimes against humanity, it has been used only twice in the country’s history, most notably in the 1962 execution of Nazi official Adolf Eichmann.

Opposition lawmakers and Israeli rights organizations have already announced plans to challenge the law before the Supreme Court, arguing it should be struck down. As legal battles loom, tensions on the ground continue to rise, with protests expected to persist in the coming days.

women

Afghan Women Lose Final Access to Education as Taliban Shuts Down Internet

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When the Taliban announced a nationwide internet shutdown this week, Afghans across the country watched their final connection to the outside world vanish. For many, especially women and girls already excluded from schools and universities, the blackout marked the collapse of their last hope for an education.

Fahima Noori (name changed for safety) told the BBC she once envisioned a future as a lawyer or midwife. She had studied both law and midwifery and even worked in a mental health clinic before the Taliban regained control in 2021.

Since then, her opportunities have narrowed with each new restriction. Girls were banned from classrooms after age 12, women were pushed out of most jobs, and recently, even books written by female authors were stripped from universities.

“I recently enrolled in an online university [and] I had hoped to finish my studies and find an online job. Our last hope was online learning. Now [even] that dream has been destroyed.”

For weeks, internet users in Afghanistan braced for the worst. Fibre-optic lines had already been severed in several provinces, officially to “prevent immorality.” By Tuesday, watchdog group Netblocks confirmed what many feared: a “total internet blackout.”

Flights from Kabul were disrupted, satellite TV signals faltered, and international news outlets reported losing contact with their offices inside the country. Local businesses and daily life came to a standstill.

“The cut in access has left Afghanistan almost completely cut off from the outside world, and risks inflicting significant harm on the Afghan people, including by threatening economic stability and exacerbating one of the world’s worst humanitarian crises,” the UN mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) said in a statement.

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“Such a ban has immediate and far-reaching consequences, including severely impacting the functioning of critical banking and financial systems, further increasing the isolation of women and girls, limiting access to emergency services and medical care, disrupting the aviation sector, and limiting access to remittances for dependent families. The current blackout also constitutes a further restriction on access to information and freedom of expression in Afghanistan.”

Anas, a money changer in Takhar province, said his work has been slashed by 90%. “Yesterday, my brother, who is also my business partner, tried to send an email to a client. He couldn’t get it through,” he said.

“The night before, we heard the Taliban had cut internet access in Mazar, and my eldest daughter came to me with tears in her eyes and said she feared the same would happen here. Their last opportunity to study is now gone.”

Before the shutdown, the BBC spoke with students whose lives had already been reshaped by earlier restrictions. Shakiba, from northern Takhar, had once pursued midwifery. When that program was banned, she turned to online classes.

“We want to study. We want to be educated. We want to be able to help people in our future. When I heard that the internet had been cut, the world felt dark to me.”

For Fahima and her sisters in eastern Afghanistan, the feeling is much the same.

“My two sisters [and I] were studying online. We used to stay updated on news and technology through the internet, but now we cannot keep up or learn new skills. We dreamed of finishing our education and helping our father financially, but now… we all sit at home doing nothing.”

It’s not only students who have lost their lifeline. Zabi, an English instructor, says dozens of his pupils were in the middle of IELTS exams when the internet collapsed. IELTS is a standardized English test. There are no IELTS centers, he explained. Zabi, who once worked as a journalist in Pakistan, had shifted to online teaching when physical institutes were restricted.

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“I had men and women in my classes, up to 70 or 80 students at a time. My students were happy, and our lessons went smoothly. They were all preparing for the IELTS, and all their learning depended on the internet. The research, the practice tests, the official exams, everything. Two days ago, about 45 of my students were in the middle of an exam when the internet was cut off. They had been preparing for it for months, but they missed the opportunity. It was heartbreaking for them and for me as their teacher.”

Now his students are calling him, asking how to handle the situation.

“They keep calling me asking, ‘Teacher, what should we do?’ For the boys, there are still some English centers open, but for my female students, this was their last chance. And now even that is gone.”

Even before the blackout, many Afghans struggled to afford mobile data, their only alternative when fibre lines were cut. A 100GB plan costs roughly $50 a month—untenable in a country where the average annual income was just over $300 in 2024, according to the UNDP.

Shared Wi-Fi had been far cheaper, but now even that option is no longer available. Zabi says he may be forced to leave the country. If the internet is not restored, he has no way to make a living.

The internet shutdown follows a steady tightening of rules since the Taliban’s return to power. Earlier this month, authorities banned subjects like human rights and sexual harassment from universities. Roughly 140 books by female authors, including science texts such as “Safety in the Chemical Laboratory,” were pulled from curricula as “anti-Sharia and Taliban policies.”

Officials continue to insist that women’s rights are respected within the Taliban’s interpretation of Afghan culture and Islamic law. But for students, parents, and teachers alike, the reality feels far different.

As Anas put it, “Their last opportunity to study is now gone. Seeing my children so helpless… [that was] the hardest for me. Only God knows what will happen to them and to me.”

Spain Confirms It Will Boycott Eurovision 2026 If Israel Participates 

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Spain has become the latest country to announce that they will not be participating in next year’s Eurovision song contest if Israel participates. The head of Spain’s broadcaster, RTVE, stated that “the genocide currently taking place makes it impossible for us to look the other way.”

Spain is the first of the “big five” Eurovision contestants to make this declaration. The “big five” refers to the nations that contribute the most money to the song contest event; the other four countries are France, Germany, the United Kingdom, and Italy. 

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Slovenia, Ireland, and the Netherlands have also made the choice to not participate should Israel compete. The vote for Spain was held the same day as a UN commission of inquiry concluded that Israel was committing genocide in Gaza. 

José Pablo López, president of RTVE, said that the broadcasters that make up the European Broadcasting Union (EBU), which runs the contest, should no longer remain silent about the situation occurring in Gaza. 

“As joint organizers of the Eurovision song contest, we share a collective responsibility,” he said. 

“While Israel has regularly participated in the competition, the current events and the genocide currently taking place make it impossible for us to look the other way.”

“It is not accurate to claim that Eurovision is merely an apolitical music festival. We are all aware that the contest carries significant political implications. The Israeli government is equally aware of this fact and leverages the event on the international stage,” he added. 

Israel denied that it’s committing genocide in in Gaza, and its ambassador to the UN, Daniel Meron, said the report made by the UN commission of inquiry was “scandalous and fake,” the Guardian reports.

The EBU opened up a consultation process back in July with the 37 broadcasters who took part in Eurovision last year to discuss and debate Israel’s participation in the 2026 contest. Typically broadcasters have to inform the EBU about their participation by October, however, this year the deadline has been extended to December.  

López stated that RTVE is hoping Spain’s “visible, meaningful stand” would be taken seriously and properly received by other EBU members, and lead to a decision to be made sooner rather than later. 

“Our hope is that a decision can be reached well before December, as the EBU must be aware of the serious damage being done to the Eurovision song contest, which will mark its 70th anniversary in 2026,” he stated. 

“Therefore, we hope this decision will be made earlier and that the EBU won’t be subjected to the stress of a last-minute vote in London in December. We believe that, for the good of the festival and the values ​​it has championed since its inception, this matter must be resolved before the scheduled assembly.”

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Eurovision is one of the biggest television events in the world, garnering over 160 million viewers this year. 2026’s contest will take place in Vienna in May. 

Russia was banned from the contest after its invasion of Ukraine in 2022 while Israel has been able to compete over the past two years despite the multitude of international concerns.

RTV, Slovenia’s public broadcaster, was the first to announce that they wouldn’t participate in Eurovision, followed by RTÉ in Ireland, and then Avrotros in the Netherlands. 

Avrotros stated: 

“The broadcaster also expresses deep concern about the serious erosion of press freedom: the deliberate exclusion of independent international reporting and the many casualties among journalists.”

Iceland’s public service broadcaster, RÚV also said they “reserved the right to withdraw” from Eurovision after claiming they were considering their position in the competition. 

Director of culture and factual content at Finnish public broadcaster, Yle, Johanna Törn-Mangs, said: 

“The humanitarian situation in Gaza is tragic, and we sincerely hope for an end to the suffering as soon as possible. Israel’s participation in Eurovision has been a significant topic of discussion in Finland and we have been consistently informing the EBU about the conversations happening here.”

“The EBU is therefore well aware of the public discussion in Finland. At Yle, we have received – and continue to receive – weekly feedback on this issue, both supporting and opposing Israel’s continued participation in the Eurovision song contest.”

The director of Eurovision, Martin Green, recently spoke about their recognition of the concerns regarding Israel’s participation in the contest. 

“We understand the concerns and deeply held views around the ongoing conflict in the Middle East. We are still consulting with all EBU members to gather views on how we manage participation and geopolitical tensions around the Eurovision song contest … It is up to each member to decide if they want to take part in the contest and we would respect any decision broadcasters make.”

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United Nation Reports Global Wildlife Trafficking Is Causing ‘Untold Harm Upon Nature’

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A report from the United Nations has warned that more than 4,000 species of animals around the world are currently being targeted by traffickers, which is causing an unknown level of “harm upon nature.”

Crimes and trafficking involving wildlife are driven by demands for medicine, pets, bushmeat, ornamental plants, and trophies, according to reports. Of all the animals currently being trafficked, 40% are on the “red list” of threatened or near-threatened species. 

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The wildlife trade is active in more than 80% of countries around the world, according to the report which came from the UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC). 

“Despite gaps in knowledge about the full extent of wildlife trafficking and associated crime, there is sufficient evidence to conclude that this remains a significant global problem far from being resolved.”

Researchers for the report looked at more than 140,000 wildlife seizures that took place between 2015 and 2021. They found that Corals, larger reptiles like crocodiles, and elephants had the largest number of individual seizures. 

These crimes are also actively driving extinction rates in species of rare orchids, succulent plants, reptiles, and fish, according to UNODC. 

“About 16,000 tonnes of goods were seized. Actual wildlife trafficking levels are of course far greater than the recorded seizures,” researchers say in the report.

“Wildlife crime inflicts untold harm upon nature, and it also jeopardizes livelihoods, public health, good governance and our planet’s ability to fight climate change,” said Ghada Waly, the executive director of the UNODC.

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Separate research has found that specific populations of spider monkeys and Baird’s tapir have declined up to 99.9% due to the illegal wildlife trade exclusively. Researchers want the world to know that this illegal trading can lead to global extinctions of multiple species, which would also impact the overall environment. 

“Much wildlife crime is linked to large organized crime groups. Corruption plays a critical role in undermining efforts to stop wildlife trafficking, from bribes paid to inspectors, to government officials allowing fake permits,” the report says.

“An absence of seizures of a particular commodity or at a certain location could reflect lack of enforcement, rather than evidence that illegal trade was not taking place,” researchers said. 

It is estimated that the illegal wildlife trading industry could be worth around $23 billion annually, with over 100 million plants and animals being trafficked every year. While the UNODC has the goal of ending all trafficking of protected species, it seems unlikely that they’ll reach that by 2030 as they initially planned. 

“To address this crime, we must match the adaptability and agility of illegal wildlife trade,” said Waly.

Nations Around The World Trying To Reach Agreement To Reduce Plastic Waste 

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According to an official from the United Nations, 170 countries are currently negotiating a deal for a global treaty that would cut plastic waste, while environmentalists are weary of the plastic industry’s ability to change for the health of our planet.

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evacuate

Conflict In Sudan Leads To Mass Departure Of Foreigners While Locals Remain Trapped 

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A conflict in Sudan between two rival general forces has led to a mass exodus of foreigners from the country while locals are struggling to escape and find themselves in the crossfire. 

Countries such as the United States, the United Kingdom, Sweden, Spain, the Netherlands, Italy, Japan, Germany, Canada, and France have airlifted and evacuated embassy staff, diplomates, and other residents over the weekend. The US and Canada also announced that their governments would be temporarily suspending their operations within the embassies in Khartoum. 

According to John Kirby, a coordinator for strategic communications at the National Security Council in the White House, there’s an estimated 16,000 Americans remaining in Sudan; most of which are dual citizens in Sudan as well. 

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“These are people that grew up in Sudan, work in Sudan, families are in Sudan and they want to stay in Sudan, so it’s a number that is difficult to plan specifically,” Kirby said to ABC News.

Kirby also explained that there are several dozen Americans making their way to Sudan’s main seaport through a United Nations convoy, while the US is monitoring them through intelligence surveillance to ensure they’re safe. 

“We still have military forces prepositioned in the region ready to respond if need be. But right now, it’s not very safe to try to run some larger evacuation either out of the nearby air base or even just through rotary lift like we did the other night because the fighting is so intense,” he said. 

“The safest thing for Americans to do — those who have decided to stay in Sudan despite the warnings to leave — is to shelter in place and to not move around too much in the city of Khartoum.”

Many Sudanese citizens are currently attempting to flee and risking their lives trying to get out of the crossfire of this conflict. 

U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said the “organization is working with aid groups on the ground and is reconfiguring our presence in Sudan to enable us to continue supporting the Sudanese people. In the meantime, [we have] authorized the temporary relocation both inside and outside Sudan of some U.N. personnel and their families.”

“I am in constant contact with the parties to the conflict and have called on them to de-escalate tensions and to return to the negotiating table,” Guterres added. 

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“Let me be clear: the United Nations is not leaving Sudan. Our commitment is to the Sudanese people, in support of their wishes for a peaceful and secure future. We stand with them at this terrible time.”

Tensions between General Abdel-Fattah Burhan, the commander of the Sudanese Armed Forces, and General Mohammed Hamdan Daglo, the head of the Rapid Support Forces, a Sudanese paramilitary group, reached a head on April 15th. 

While the two generals were once allies, they are now battling for control over the North African nation which is saturated in resources. Proposed cease-fires have been consistently failing, with both sides showing no sign of backing down. 

A majority of the fighting and violence is occurring in Sudan’s capital, Khartoum. More than 420 people have been killed and over 3,700 have been injured, according to reports from the World Health Organization. 

The U.S. has been in contact with the rival sides “every single day … trying to get them to put down their arms, to abide by the cease-fires that they themselves say they want and to return to some sort of civilian authority,” according to Kirby.

“We’re doing everything we can to get this fighting stopped,” he told ABC News.

 “This is a centrally located, very important, very large African country. We are concerned that other partners, other nations will be affected by this — not just in the region, but beyond — so that’s why we’re working so hard to get this violence stopped.”

earthquake

Turkey And Syria Facing Years Of Rebuilding Following 7.8 Magnitude Earthquake 

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Turkey and Syria are currently enduring the aftermath of a 7.8 magnitude earthquake that left both nations in complete devastation. 

“We’ve done a bit of mapping of the size of the affected area, it’s the size of France,” said the director of disasters, climate, and crises at the International Federation of the Red Cross, Caroline Holt, to CNN.

“We haven’t yet seen the full extent of the damage and of the humanitarian crisis unfolding before our eyes,” said Antonio Guterres, the United Nations Security-General. 

The World Health Organization estimated up to 23 million people could be impacted by the disaster. More than 100 aftershocks have been recorded within a day and a half following the initial earthquake, one of which had a magnitude of 7.5.

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As of last Friday more than 22,000 deaths have been reported. While Turkey has experienced earthquakes in the past, citizens are angry that the government doesn’t have a more solid preparation plan in place that could’ve protected more people.

Ajay Chhibber, an economist who was World Bank director for Turkey, told CNN that “it’s like a bad movie [that’s] coming back again. Similar to this week’s event, a past 1999 earthquake tremor struck in the early hours but it occurred in the country’s northwest – a densely populated area closer to Istanbul. It lasted around 45 seconds, leaving more than 17,000 dead and an estimated 500,000 people homeless.”

More than 6,000 buildings have collapsed. Chhibber stated that “Turkey is capable of moving very, very swiftly if they can get their act together on this.”

Ismail Baris, professor of social work at Istanbul’s Uskudar University and former mayor of Golcuk at the time of the quake, told CNN that “in addition to the collapsed private and public buildings, the city’s water transport pipes, water supply network, sewage system [and] storm water system were completely destroyed, as well as 80% of the city’s roads.”

“Across the border in Syria, rebuilding efforts will be even more complicated. Syrians face“nightmares on top of nightmares, and the World Food Program has described the situation in the northwest of the country as a catastrophe on top of catastrophe,” Guterres warned this past weekend.

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“We have the perfect humanitarian storm in Syria,” said Caroline Holt.

Pre-earthquake, the UN has estimated that more than 4 million people were already dependent on humanitarian aid due to the civil war which has been impacting Syria since 2011. “After 12 years of constant pain, suffering and living in a vulnerable context, your ability to withstand – especially in winter – the harsh conditions that you’re facing [is diminished],” Holt told CNN.

“The conflict – or conflicts – are much worse in that area of Syria than in that area of Turkey,” said Ilan Kelman, professor of disasters and health at University College London. 

“While Turkey has political problems of its own, they do have a comparatively strong government and comparatively strong military in comparison to Syria, which is at war. Turkey also has greater pre-earthquake resources. Neither country is especially rich, but Turkey at least has that baseline where they’ve not been in a major conflict dividing the country for 12 years. They have not been isolated through sanctions,” Kelman said.

“While disasters like this wreak havoc, they also create opportunities to prevent such havoc being wrought again. There is a man-made part of every natural disaster,” according to Chhibber.

“We do have examples where people have taken the opportunity to say there has been a disaster, and we want to help people, so let’s try to reconstruct in such a way that we are supporting peace. At the moment, I do not see either government responding in that way, and I do not see the world responding in that way,” Kelman said.

Korea

North Korea Launches 23 Missiles, Crossing Maritime Border with the South

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According to the South Korean military, North Korea launched at least 23 missiles to the east and west of the Korean peninsula on Wednesday. It is the highest number of short-range missiles fired by the North in a day, with one missile landing in waters farthest south than ever before.

Many kinds of missiles were fired, including surface-to-air missiles that landed in surrounding waters. A short-range ballistic missile landed near South Korean territorial waters for the first time since the division of Korea in 1948. According to CNN, this is North Korea’s 29th launch this year.

South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) said one missile landed in international waters 104 miles (167 kilometers) northwest of South Korea’s Ulleung island, which is also around 16 miles (26 kilometers) south of the Northern Limit Line. The NLL is a de facto maritime boundary between the two countries, which North Korea does not recognize.

An air raid warning on Ulleung island was sounded, and citizens evacuated to raid shelters. The sirens eventually lifted at 2 p.m. local time on Wednesday. 

The launches came shortly after North Korea’s threats to utilize nuclear weapons and have the U.S. and South Korea “pay the most horrible price in history” if they were to take any action against Pyongyang. The hostile rhetoric is in response to ongoing large-scale South Korean and U. S. military drills.

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South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol said North Korea’s missile test was an “effective territorial encroachment” and ordered that “a stern response be swiftly taken so that North Korea’s provocation pays a clear price.”

As a direct response, South Korea launched three air-to-surface missiles from fighter jets into waters north of the NLL at an equal distance to that which the North Korean missile had earlier landed south of the line, according to JCS.

“Our military’s precise strike showed our will to firmly respond to any North Korean provocations including short-range ballistic missiles, and our capability and readiness to precisely target the enemy.”

Japan’s Defense Ministry shared that North Korea also conducted another launch later on Wednesday, including a ballistic missile that fell into waters outside Japan’s Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ). 

“North Korea has rapidly escalated its provocations, launching more than a dozen missiles today alone and reportedly firing more than 100 artillery shells into the Japan sea since announcing an extremely provocative statement earlier in the day.”

According to CNN, no damage to aircraft or vessels has been confirmed as of right now.

The international response was swift. Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida said that North Korea is launching missiles at an “unprecedentedly high frequency” and called for a National Security Council meeting to be held. 

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Australian Foreign Affairs Minister Penny Wong tweeted about the rising tensions in the region.

“North Korea’s unprecedented launch of multiple ballistic missiles is recklessly threatening the security of the Republic of Korea. North Korea’s actions continue to undermine Indo-Pacific stability and violate multiple UNSC resolutions. Pyongyang must cease this action.”

U.S. Ambassador to the U.N. Linda Thomas-Greenfield condemned North Korea’s overnight missile launch.

“It’s unprecedented in the sense that there were so many this day, but they have been continuously launching missiles over the past year. And we have continued to condemn them because they break multiple Security Council resolutions.”

The UN’s nuclear watchdog also warned that North Korea could be gearing up for a nuclear test, breaking its five-year hiatus. Satellite imagery showed heightened activity at North Korea’s underground nuclear test site. 

Rafael Grossi, Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency, said the agency has acknowledged North Korea’s preparation for a test.

“Everybody is holding its breath about this, because another nuclear test would be yet another confirmation of a program which is moving full steam ahead, in a way that is incredibly, incredibly concerning. Further tests, of course, means that they are refining the preparations and the construction of their arsenal. So we are following this very, very closely. We hope it doesn’t happen, but indications unfortunately go in another direction.”

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North Korea Fires Ballistic Missile Over Japan, South Korea And US Respond 

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According to the Japanese Ministry of Defense, North Korea fired a ballistic missile over Japan early on Tuesday morning. South Korea and the US responded by conducting a joint strike package flight and precision bombing drill, South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff told ABC News Tuesday. 

The Japanese government initially issued a “J-Alert” to citizens through its emergency warning system, telling residents to remain indoors in sturdy buildings or underground for safety. 

The government didn’t try to attempt to shoot the missile from North Korea down after determining it didn’t pose a threat, according to a spokesperson from Japan’s government. 

Residents in both Hokkaido and Aomori, and surrounding northern areas, were advised to report any debris sightings to police or fire officials immediately. 

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The last time North Korea flew a missile over Japan was in 2017, but this launch marks the seventh time that the nation has witnessed a missile from North Korea. 

Since January of this year, North Korea has shot 21 ballistic missiles and two cruise missiles, which is considered a record-breaking number of launches in a single year, according to reports from ABC. Tuesday’s launch was North Korea’s fifth missile test in a week. 

Japanese government chief spokesperson Hirokazu Matsuno spoke with the media at a press conference where he warned citizens not to touch or pick up any debris. 

“We ask that people return to life as usual, calmly,” Matsuno emphasized. 

“No damage has been reported so far and a search is underway for debris. Officials are gathering information and will work with South Korea and the U.S.,” another spokesperson said. 

“North Korea’s actions threaten Japan and the international community. Missile launches like this go against the U.N. resolutions. Japan will launch a strong protest against North Korea in light of this. All new information will be shared promptly.”

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“The United States strongly condemns the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea’s (DPRK) dangerous and reckless decision to launch a long-range ballistic missile over Japan,” The White House said in a statement Tuesday. 

Jake Sullivan, US National Security Adviser, spoke with his counterparts from Japan and South Korea about the launch as well, according to Adrienne Watson, a White House National Security Council spokesperson. 

“In both calls, the National Security Advisors consulted on appropriate and robust joint and international responses, and National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan reinforced the United States’ ironclad commitments to the defense of Japan and the ROK [South Korea],” Watson explained. 

In response, Jaechun Kim, a professor in South Korea, stated that the US, Korea, and Japan need to “mobilize cooperation from like-minded countries in non-UN sanctions to thwart North Korea’s provocations.” 

“A unified front must be established that imposes sanctions on North Korea, as they did on Russia. This is the only way to penalize North Korea for its bad behavior.” 

“North Korea just does what it needs to do these days. So, with or without China’s support, it is quite likely for the North to conduct the 7th nuke test. It will be interesting to see whether Xi Jinping will throw his weight behind Kim Jong Un,” Kim said.