In what can be called signs of easing of staffing crisis in the health service, the absences among National Health Service (NHS) staff in England due to coronavirus have fallen by 22% last week, the figures showed. &nbsp;

The health leaders have&nbsp;cautioned that the staff is still under “intense” pressure. The situation was unlikely to change for months. &nbsp;

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/west-to-stand-together-in-fight-against-dictatorships-britain-warns-putin-xi-446328" hreflang="en">West to stand together in fight against dictatorships, Britain warns Putin, Xi</a>

On an average day in the week to January 16, there were over 35,000 Covid absences. The count was down from around 46,000 the week prior to that. &nbsp;&nbsp;

The figures are still extremely high as compared to the levels before the Omicron surge. &nbsp;

In the beginning of December, there were just around 12,000 absences on an average day. &nbsp;

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/19-year-old-zara-rutherford-becomes-youngest-woman-to-fly-solo-around-world-446369" hreflang="en">19-year-old Zara Rutherford becomes youngest woman to fly solo around world</a>

The absences for all kinds of reasons, including coronavirus, have reduced by 13%. The figure stands at 77,000 across the NHS. &nbsp;

Prof Stephen Powis, national medical director, NHS England, said, “Even though the numbers are going in the right direction, NHS staff will have many tough months ahead as they continue to deliver patient care while managing competing demands. While staff absences remain high and continue to increase in some parts of the country, it is good to see they have been reducing week on week. &nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp;

In what can be called signs of easing of staffing crisis in the health service, the absences among National Health Service (NHS) staff in England due to coronavirus have fallen by 22% last week, the figures showed.

In what can be called signs of easing of staffing crisis in the health service, the absences among National Health Service (NHS) staff in England due to coronavirus have fallen by 22% last week, the figures showed. The health leaders have cautioned that the staff is still under “intense” pressure. The situation was unlikely to change for months. Also Read: West to stand together in fight against dictatorships, Britain warns Putin, Xi On an average day in the week to January 16, there were over 35,000 Covid absences. The count was down from around 46,000 the week prior to that. The figures are still extremely high as compared to the levels before the Omicron surge. In the beginning of December, there were just around 12,000 absences on an average day. Also Read: 19-year-old Zara Rutherford becomes youngest woman to fly solo around world The absences for all kinds of reasons, including coronavirus, have reduced by 13%. The figure stands at 77,000 across the NHS. Prof Stephen Powis, national medical director, NHS England, said, “Even though the numbers are going in the right direction, NHS staff will have many tough months ahead as they continue to deliver patient care while managing competing demands. While staff absences remain high and continue to increase in some parts of the country, it is good to see they have been reducing week on week. (With inputs from agencies)

Is crisis easing? England’s healthcare staff absences due to coronavirus fall by 22%

The Taliban administration has now approved its very first budget for the country. The budget has come for the first time since the hardline Islamists have managed to return back to power on the 15th of August last year.

The Taliban administration has now approved its very first budget for the Afghanistan

$508 Million budget approved for the 1st quarter by the Taliban administration in Afghanistan

Taliban administration approves the first budget since the takeover of the Afghanistan

A financial crisis is intensifying in Taliban-controlled Afghanistan. In the face of economic hardship, the Taliban administration is expanding its food for work program.

Taliban increase payment to workers in Wheat amid the ongoing financial crisis in Afghanistan

Human Rights Watch’s 32nd annual review report has made certain revelations pertaining to developments in over 100 countries. Executive Director Kenneth Roth wrote that many autocratic leaders faced significant backlash in 2021. He further added that democracy will flourish in the contest with autocracy only if democratic leaders do a better job and address global problems.

As per the report, repressive and violent acts by autocratic leaders and military regimes show their desperation and weakening grip on power.&nbsp;

“There is a narrative that autocrats are prevailing and democracy is on the decline, yet if you look at the trends in human rights over the last 12 months it doesn’t look so rosy for the autocrats," Roth said.

The report mentions how the Taliban takeover of Afghanistan gave way to&nbsp;"an accelerating human rights and humanitarian crisis."

It further adds how in various cities, the Taliban searched for and threatened, even detained or executed former members of the Afghan National Security Forces (ANSF), officials of the former government, or their family members. The report further sheds light on unlawful killings, enforced disappearances, violations of laws of war.&nbsp;

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/amid-ukraine-tensions-russia-unveils-white-swan-strategic-bomber-444279">Also read |&nbsp;Amid Ukraine tensions, Russia unveils ‘White Swan’ strategic bomber</a>

Stating a few examples of “unlikely” opposition coalitions, the report mentions the Czech Republic where Prime Minister, Andrej Babiš, was defeated. It also mentions Israel where the premiership of Benjamin Netanyahu was brought to an end after a period of 12 years.&nbsp;

Speaking about the US, the report highlights how the administration of US President Joe Biden and the US Congress took positive steps on human rights by advocating for the rights of women and lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and intersex (LGBTI) people. It further mentioned that the administration committed to racial equity and took action to address the ongoing pandemic and its economic consequences.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/chinas-claims-in-south-china-sea-gravely-undermines-rule-of-law-us-state-department-study-444266">Also read |&nbsp;China's claims in South China Sea gravely undermines rule of law: US State Department study</a>

However, it further mentioned how the US failed to fulfil its human rights commitments in the area of racial justice "as reflected in the country’s failure to end systemic racism linked to the legacies of slavery; abusive structures of incarceration, immigration enforcement, and social control affecting many racial and ethnic minorities; and the Black-white wealth gap that persists alongside an overall slight increase in economic inequality."

"Hate crime incidents targeting people of Asian descent and back people spiked significantly in 2021 compared to 2019 levels," the report stated.&nbsp;

The report further highlighted how the US continued to provide arms to countries such as Egypt, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.&nbsp;

Human Rights Watch’s 32nd annual review report has made certain revelations pertaining to developments in over 100 countries. Executive Director Kenneth Roth wrote that many autocratic leaders faced significant backlash in 2021.

Human Rights Watch’s 32nd annual review report has made certain revelations pertaining to developments in over 100 countries. Executive Director Kenneth Roth wrote that many autocratic leaders faced significant backlash in 2021. He further added that democracy will flourish in the contest with autocracy only if democratic leaders do a better job and address global problems. As per the report, repressive and violent acts by autocratic leaders and military regimes show their desperation and weakening grip on power. “There is a narrative that autocrats are prevailing and democracy is on the decline, yet if you look at the trends in human rights over the last 12 months it doesn’t look so rosy for the autocrats," Roth said. The report mentions how the Taliban takeover of Afghanistan gave way to "an accelerating human rights and humanitarian crisis." It further adds how in various cities, the Taliban searched for and threatened, even detained or executed former members of the Afghan National Security Forces (ANSF), officials of the former government, or their family members. The report further sheds light on unlawful killings, enforced disappearances, violations of laws of war. Also read | Amid Ukraine tensions, Russia unveils ‘White Swan’ strategic bomber Stating a few examples of “unlikely” opposition coalitions, the report mentions the Czech Republic where Prime Minister, Andrej Babiš, was defeated. It also mentions Israel where the premiership of Benjamin Netanyahu was brought to an end after a period of 12 years. Speaking about the US, the report highlights how the administration of US President Joe Biden and the US Congress took positive steps on human rights by advocating for the rights of women and lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and intersex (LGBTI) people. It further mentioned that the administration committed to racial equity and took action to address the ongoing pandemic and its economic consequences. Also read | China's claims in South China Sea gravely undermines rule of law: US State Department study However, it further mentioned how the US failed to fulfil its human rights commitments in the area of racial justice "as reflected in the country’s failure to end systemic racism linked to the legacies of slavery; abusive structures of incarceration, immigration enforcement, and social control affecting many racial and ethnic minorities; and the Black-white wealth gap that persists alongside an overall slight increase in economic inequality." "Hate crime incidents targeting people of Asian descent and back people spiked significantly in 2021 compared to 2019 levels," the report stated. The report further highlighted how the US continued to provide arms to countries such as Egypt, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.

Human Rights Watch's annual report sheds light on surging hate crime and humanitarian crisis

Cash-strapped&nbsp;Sri&nbsp;Lanka&nbsp;sought to&nbsp;reschedule&nbsp;its huge&nbsp;Chinese&nbsp;debt&nbsp;burden in Sunday talks with visiting foreign minister Wang Yi, the president's office said.

The island's tourism-dependent&nbsp;economy&nbsp;has been hammered by the pandemic and its depleted foreign exchange reserves have led to food rationing at supermarkets and shortages of essential goods.

Key ally China is&nbsp;Sri&nbsp;Lanka's biggest bilateral lender and Wang's visit comes after a warning from international ratings agencies that President Gotabaya Rajapaksa's government could be on the brink of default.

"The President pointed out that it would be a great relief if&nbsp;debt&nbsp;payments could be rescheduled in view of the&nbsp;economic crisis&nbsp;following the pandemic," Rajapaksa's office said in a statement.

There was no immediate comment from the&nbsp;Chinese&nbsp;embassy in Colombo.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/chinese-foreign-minister-wang-yi-reaches-sri-lanka-for-two-day-visit-443289">Also read |&nbsp;Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi reaches Sri Lanka for two-day visit</a>

Sri&nbsp;Lanka's foreign reserves had dropped to just $1.5 billion at the end of November &nbsp;-- enough to pay for only about a month's worth of imports.

The island's main energy utility began rationing electricity on Friday after running out of foreign&nbsp;currency&nbsp;to import oil for its thermal generators.

China accounted for about 10 percent of&nbsp;Sri&nbsp;Lanka's $35 billion foreign&nbsp;debt&nbsp;to April 2021, government data shows.

Officials said China's total lending could be much higher when taking into account loans to state-owned enterprises and the central bank.

Sri&nbsp;Lanka&nbsp;has borrowed heavily from China for infrastructure, some of which ended up as white elephants.

Unable to repay a $1.4 billion loan for a port construction in southern&nbsp;Sri&nbsp;Lanka, Colombo was forced to lease out the facility to a&nbsp;Chinese&nbsp;company for 99 years in 2017.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/due-to-covid-19-sri-lanka-faces-economic-crisis-and-high-food-inflation-441955">Also read |&nbsp;Due to COVID-19, Sri Lanka faces economic crisis and high food inflation</a>

The United States and India warned that the Hambantota port, located along vital east-west international shipping routes, could give China a military toehold in the Indian Ocean.

Both Colombo and Beijing have denied that&nbsp;Sri&nbsp;Lankan ports will be used for any military purposes.

Wang arrived in&nbsp;Sri&nbsp;Lanka&nbsp;on Saturday night after visiting the nearby Maldives, in the final leg of his first foreign tour of 2022 which has also taken him to Eritrea, Kenya and the Comoros.

China offered the Maldives infrastructure maintenance, medical aid and visa concessions as Beijing moved to strengthen its connections with the strategically placed archipelago.

Cash-strapped Sri Lanka sought to reschedule its huge Chinese debt burden in Sunday talks with visiting foreign minister Wang Yi, the president's office said. The island's tourism-dependent economy has been hammered by the pandemic and its depleted foreign exchange reserves have led to food rationing at supermarkets and shortages of essential goods.

Cash-strapped Sri Lanka sought to reschedule its huge Chinese debt burden in Sunday talks with visiting foreign minister Wang Yi, the president's office said. The island's tourism-dependent economy has been hammered by the pandemic and its depleted foreign exchange reserves have led to food rationing at supermarkets and shortages of essential goods. Key ally China is Sri Lanka's biggest bilateral lender and Wang's visit comes after a warning from international ratings agencies that President Gotabaya Rajapaksa's government could be on the brink of default. "The President pointed out that it would be a great relief if debt payments could be rescheduled in view of the economic crisis following the pandemic," Rajapaksa's office said in a statement. There was no immediate comment from the Chinese embassy in Colombo. Also read | Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi reaches Sri Lanka for two-day visit Sri Lanka's foreign reserves had dropped to just $1.5 billion at the end of November -- enough to pay for only about a month's worth of imports. The island's main energy utility began rationing electricity on Friday after running out of foreign currency to import oil for its thermal generators. China accounted for about 10 percent of Sri Lanka's $35 billion foreign debt to April 2021, government data shows. Officials said China's total lending could be much higher when taking into account loans to state-owned enterprises and the central bank. Sri Lanka has borrowed heavily from China for infrastructure, some of which ended up as white elephants. Unable to repay a $1.4 billion loan for a port construction in southern Sri Lanka, Colombo was forced to lease out the facility to a Chinese company for 99 years in 2017. Also read | Due to COVID-19, Sri Lanka faces economic crisis and high food inflation The United States and India warned that the Hambantota port, located along vital east-west international shipping routes, could give China a military toehold in the Indian Ocean. Both Colombo and Beijing have denied that Sri Lankan ports will be used for any military purposes. Wang arrived in Sri Lanka on Saturday night after visiting the nearby Maldives, in the final leg of his first foreign tour of 2022 which has also taken him to Eritrea, Kenya and the Comoros. China offered the Maldives infrastructure maintenance, medical aid and visa concessions as Beijing moved to strengthen its connections with the strategically placed archipelago.

Sri Lanka seeks Chinese debt reschedule amid economic crisis

Kazakhstan’s explosion into unrest this week presents a stark warning to the strongman autocrats of the world: Leaving office is perilous.

Since the Cold War’s end, a staggering 70% of governments headed by strongmen collapsed after the ruler departed, according to one data set.

The trend holds whether the leader leaves voluntarily or involuntarily, dies in office, or retires to a country home.

Sometimes, as in Spain after Francisco Franco’s death in 1975, it opens the way to democratization. More often, as in Egypt, Sudan, Zimbabwe and many others, the result is a cycle of coups, civil conflict or other violence.

Nursultan Nazarbayev, Kazakhstan’s lifelong leader until he began gradually handing power to a successor in 2019, was, by all appearances, keenly aware of this problem.

He told an interviewer in 2014 that any country such as his needed “a sustainable system put in place that would be stable against the backdrop of a new leader’s arrival,” ticking through Malaysia or Singapore as possible models.

Nazarbayev stage-managed his own departure in ways that suggest painstaking attention to the lessons of history, and his transition was watched closely in Moscow and other capitals as a potential model.

His departure does not appear to have specifically set off Kazakhstan’s protests. But the unrest, the government’s failure to maintain support and now its flailing response are typical of the divided, disoriented bureaucracies that often falter after a strongman’s departure.

The lesson, experts stress, is hardly that strongmen bring stability. Quite the opposite: Their style of rule erodes the foundations of governance, making themselves indispensable at the cost of leaving behind a political system barely capable of governing but primed for infighting.

The Strongman’s dilemma

Autocrats such as Nazarbayev who stand alone at the top, as opposed to those who rule on behalf of a larger party apparatus as in Cuba or Vietnam, face a tricky challenge.

They must strike a balance among all of their country’s internal factions, ruling elites, security services and military brass, guaranteeing each enough power and spoils to keep them bought in but without letting any grow powerful enough to challenge them.

As a result, strongmen-led dictatorships tend to be more repressive and more corrupt. And their leaders frequently obsess over potential rivals, whether a regional leader who grows too popular or a security agency with too much autonomy.

In his 29 years of rule, Nazarbayev was, like many such leaders, notorious for shuffling his government, promoting and demoting deputies to keep them off balance.

But stifling rising stars, hollowing out power centres and stuffing institutions with loyalists (often chosen because they are too weak to pose a threat) leaves the government barely able to stand on its own.

And it creates what some scholars call the strongman’s dilemma: how to set up a successor without creating a rival and how to leave a government able to outlast the leader without making themselves redundant and vulnerable.

Some try to solve this by grooming family members. Two of the rare successes followed this model: Azerbaijan and Syria, where dying autocrats passed power to their sons.

Still, children often prove unable to win the necessary support, inviting challengers to try to take power themselves. North Korea is the only modern nonmonarchy to have reached a third generation of family autocratic rule.

Appointing flunkies or other easily controlled subordinates creates a similar problem.

But staying in office indefinitely is little better. As the leader’s health inevitably falters, rivals or even allies may be tempted to grab for power before someone else can take it first. Robert Mugabe of Zimbabwe was 93 and visibly declining when he was deposed in a coup.

This is why despots tend to hide from public view when they have health problems, to avoid any appearance of frailty that might set off a race to replace them. It’s also why the disappearance of a dictator, even a reviled one, tends to produce panicked rumours as citizens fear the consequences of a power vacuum.

When strongman rule works, the leader is the keystone holding it all together. But any keystone is also the point of greatest weakness. If it falls away, the whole thing collapses. Which is precisely what often happens.

“The moment of transfer has almost always been a moment of crisis,” scholar Andrew Nathan has written, “involving purges or arrests, factionalism, sometimes violence, and opening the door to the chaotic intrusion into the political process of the masses or the military.”

Kazakhstan’s lesson

This dilemma has especially hung over the former Soviet world, where autocrats have held on two or three times the average strongman’s tenure, which is about a decade.

But longer rule means a longer fall, for the leader and their country, once they inevitably depart.

This has heightened the stakes, with many post-Soviet leaders extending term limits. Russian President Vladimir Putin recently pushed his to 2036, when he will be 83.

With every passing year, it becomes harder for autocrats to hand off power, while the risks rise of disaster if a crisis should force them out.

“The odds of regime survival are very dim if the leader’s departure was forced,” said Erica Frantz, a Michigan State University scholar of authoritarianism.

This is much more than a problem for strongmen. Such leaders are increasingly common worldwide, a point of convergence for both calcifying dictatorships and backsliding democracies. At least two sit in the heart of Europe. Some experts consider China, where Xi Jinping is building a cult of personality and has paved the way for lifelong rule, to now qualify.

And the more of the world comes under this style of rule, the more millions of people are exposed to the dangers of a catastrophically failed succession.

Nazarbayev had seemingly addressed this problem by stepping halfway out of power as a loyalist nominally took over. In theory, he was to be just present enough to keep the system together but absent enough to allow it to coalesce around a new order.

Even in rare cases such as Nazarbayev's in which it looks like a transition has worked, Frantz said she has found in her research, the new government tends to collapse within an average of about five years.

“Their successors often face serious challenges in governance,” she said, citing Venezuela, where President Nicolás Maduro has faced ever-mounting crises since taking over from Hugo Chávez in 2013.

Kazakhstan now looks like an example of this, too. It casts doubt on Nazarbayev’s supposed solution and suggests that the problem of strongman succession may be, on some level, irresolvable.

It is why, just as Nazarbayev’s exit in 2019 is thought to have been closely watched in palace drawing rooms from Moscow to Manila, it is a safe bet that the turmoil he failed to forestall will be as well.

Kazakhstan’s explosion into unrest this week presents a stark warning to the strongman autocrats of the world: Leaving office is perilous. Since the Cold War’s end, a staggering 70% of governments headed by strongmen collapsed after the ruler departed, according to one data set.

Kazakhstan’s explosion into unrest this week presents a stark warning to the strongman autocrats of the world: Leaving office is perilous. Since the Cold War’s end, a staggering 70% of governments headed by strongmen collapsed after the ruler departed, according to one data set. The trend holds whether the leader leaves voluntarily or involuntarily, dies in office, or retires to a country home. Sometimes, as in Spain after Francisco Franco’s death in 1975, it opens the way to democratization. More often, as in Egypt, Sudan, Zimbabwe and many others, the result is a cycle of coups, civil conflict or other violence. Nursultan Nazarbayev, Kazakhstan’s lifelong leader until he began gradually handing power to a successor in 2019, was, by all appearances, keenly aware of this problem. He told an interviewer in 2014 that any country such as his needed “a sustainable system put in place that would be stable against the backdrop of a new leader’s arrival,” ticking through Malaysia or Singapore as possible models. Nazarbayev stage-managed his own departure in ways that suggest painstaking attention to the lessons of history, and his transition was watched closely in Moscow and other capitals as a potential model. His departure does not appear to have specifically set off Kazakhstan’s protests. But the unrest, the government’s failure to maintain support and now its flailing response are typical of the divided, disoriented bureaucracies that often falter after a strongman’s departure. The lesson, experts stress, is hardly that strongmen bring stability. Quite the opposite: Their style of rule erodes the foundations of governance, making themselves indispensable at the cost of leaving behind a political system barely capable of governing but primed for infighting. The Strongman’s dilemma Autocrats such as Nazarbayev who stand alone at the top, as opposed to those who rule on behalf of a larger party apparatus as in Cuba or Vietnam, face a tricky challenge. They must strike a balance among all of their country’s internal factions, ruling elites, security services and military brass, guaranteeing each enough power and spoils to keep them bought in but without letting any grow powerful enough to challenge them. As a result, strongmen-led dictatorships tend to be more repressive and more corrupt. And their leaders frequently obsess over potential rivals, whether a regional leader who grows too popular or a security agency with too much autonomy. In his 29 years of rule, Nazarbayev was, like many such leaders, notorious for shuffling his government, promoting and demoting deputies to keep them off balance. But stifling rising stars, hollowing out power centres and stuffing institutions with loyalists (often chosen because they are too weak to pose a threat) leaves the government barely able to stand on its own. And it creates what some scholars call the strongman’s dilemma: how to set up a successor without creating a rival and how to leave a government able to outlast the leader without making themselves redundant and vulnerable. Some try to solve this by grooming family members. Two of the rare successes followed this model: Azerbaijan and Syria, where dying autocrats passed power to their sons. Still, children often prove unable to win the necessary support, inviting challengers to try to take power themselves. North Korea is the only modern nonmonarchy to have reached a third generation of family autocratic rule. Appointing flunkies or other easily controlled subordinates creates a similar problem. But staying in office indefinitely is little better. As the leader’s health inevitably falters, rivals or even allies may be tempted to grab for power before someone else can take it first. Robert Mugabe of Zimbabwe was 93 and visibly declining when he was deposed in a coup. This is why despots tend to hide from public view when they have health problems, to avoid any appearance of frailty that might set off a race to replace them. It’s also why the disappearance of a dictator, even a reviled one, tends to produce panicked rumours as citizens fear the consequences of a power vacuum. When strongman rule works, the leader is the keystone holding it all together. But any keystone is also the point of greatest weakness. If it falls away, the whole thing collapses. Which is precisely what often happens. “The moment of transfer has almost always been a moment of crisis,” scholar Andrew Nathan has written, “involving purges or arrests, factionalism, sometimes violence, and opening the door to the chaotic intrusion into the political process of the masses or the military.” Kazakhstan’s lesson This dilemma has especially hung over the former Soviet world, where autocrats have held on two or three times the average strongman’s tenure, which is about a decade. But longer rule means a longer fall, for the leader and their country, once they inevitably depart. This has heightened the stakes, with many post-Soviet leaders extending term limits. Russian President Vladimir Putin recently pushed his to 2036, when he will be 83. With every passing year, it becomes harder for autocrats to hand off power, while the risks rise of disaster if a crisis should force them out. “The odds of regime survival are very dim if the leader’s departure was forced,” said Erica Frantz, a Michigan State University scholar of authoritarianism. This is much more than a problem for strongmen. Such leaders are increasingly common worldwide, a point of convergence for both calcifying dictatorships and backsliding democracies. At least two sit in the heart of Europe. Some experts consider China, where Xi Jinping is building a cult of personality and has paved the way for lifelong rule, to now qualify. And the more of the world comes under this style of rule, the more millions of people are exposed to the dangers of a catastrophically failed succession. Nazarbayev had seemingly addressed this problem by stepping halfway out of power as a loyalist nominally took over. In theory, he was to be just present enough to keep the system together but absent enough to allow it to coalesce around a new order. Even in rare cases such as Nazarbayev's in which it looks like a transition has worked, Frantz said she has found in her research, the new government tends to collapse within an average of about five years. “Their successors often face serious challenges in governance,” she said, citing Venezuela, where President Nicolás Maduro has faced ever-mounting crises since taking over from Hugo Chávez in 2013. Kazakhstan now looks like an example of this, too. It casts doubt on Nazarbayev’s supposed solution and suggests that the problem of strongman succession may be, on some level, irresolvable. It is why, just as Nazarbayev’s exit in 2019 is thought to have been closely watched in palace drawing rooms from Moscow to Manila, it is a safe bet that the turmoil he failed to forestall will be as well.

Behind Kazakhstan unrest, the strongman’s dilemma

The Taliban on Friday called for emergency humanitarian aid without "political bias." Afghanistan's aid-dependent economy has been in turmoil since the Taliban took over. The nation's USD 9 billion in reserves, which are mostly held in the US, were frozen and the IMF blocked about USD 450 million.

Deputy prime minister Abdul Ghani Baradar, in a video has said that the world has an obligation to help. "In various places right now, people do not have food, accommodation, warm clothes or money. The world has to support Afghan people without any political bias and carry out their humanitarian obligations," he said.&nbsp;

Baradar further highlighted how the weather has worsened the economic crisis. "We call for the international community, NGOs and all the countries not to forget our poor people," he said.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/omicron-cases-on-the-rise-in-pakistan-government-advises-caution-442674">Also read |&nbsp;Omicron cases on the rise in Pakistan, government advises caution</a>

Earlier in December, UN humanitarian chief Marty Griffiths called on the international community to intervene to avert further deaths. Afghanistan's economic collapse is "happening before our eye," he said.

Griffiths told The Associated Press that donor nations need to agree that, in addition to emergency humanitarian aid, they must meet Afghans' basic needs like education, hospitals, electricity and paying civil servants. As per him, it is also essential to inject liquidity into the economy, which has seen the banking system "pretty well shut down."

He further highlighted that four million children are out of school and nine million more will be soon because 70 per cent of teachers have not been paid since August.&nbsp;

"And if we don't make that happen, all that discussion about the right of women and girls going to school becomes academic. So, my message today is a wake-up call about the humanitarian consequences of an economic collapse and the need to take urgent action," he said.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)

The Taliban on Friday called for emergency humanitarian aid without "political bias." Afghanistan's aid-dependent economy has been in turmoil since the Taliban took over.

The Taliban on Friday called for emergency humanitarian aid without "political bias." Afghanistan's aid-dependent economy has been in turmoil since the Taliban took over. The nation's USD 9 billion in reserves, which are mostly held in the US, were frozen and the IMF blocked about USD 450 million. Deputy prime minister Abdul Ghani Baradar, in a video has said that the world has an obligation to help. "In various places right now, people do not have food, accommodation, warm clothes or money. The world has to support Afghan people without any political bias and carry out their humanitarian obligations," he said. Baradar further highlighted how the weather has worsened the economic crisis. "We call for the international community, NGOs and all the countries not to forget our poor people," he said. Also read | Omicron cases on the rise in Pakistan, government advises caution Earlier in December, UN humanitarian chief Marty Griffiths called on the international community to intervene to avert further deaths. Afghanistan's economic collapse is "happening before our eye," he said. Griffiths told The Associated Press that donor nations need to agree that, in addition to emergency humanitarian aid, they must meet Afghans' basic needs like education, hospitals, electricity and paying civil servants. As per him, it is also essential to inject liquidity into the economy, which has seen the banking system "pretty well shut down." He further highlighted that four million children are out of school and nine million more will be soon because 70 per cent of teachers have not been paid since August. "And if we don't make that happen, all that discussion about the right of women and girls going to school becomes academic. So, my message today is a wake-up call about the humanitarian consequences of an economic collapse and the need to take urgent action," he said. (With inputs from agencies)

No food and clothes: Taliban's Deputy PM calls for aid amid economic crisis

This year, Xi Jinping will claim a record 3rd term. But one crisis could ruin President Xi's big moment. The Evergrande debt crisis. Today, shares of the company were suspended from trading. Palki Sharma tells you how China's property market is struggling.

Gravitas: Will this crisis ruin 2022 for Xi Jinping?

Sri Lanka may be on a brink of bankruptcy as the island country faces an acute financial crisis topped by a blow to a food supply. As 2022 begins, Sri Lanka is looking to face record-high inflation, financial crisis, exorbitant food prices, humanitarian crisis, and pandemic-induced disruptions. The Sri Lankan government had decided to temporarily ban the use of chemical fertilizers in May 2021. The ban led to protest by farmers ultimately leading to a drastic drop in cultivation in Sri Lanka. Moreover, long queues were seen outside shops for bare necessities lie milk, sugar, and rice. Also, several shops in the markets were shut. Opposition MP Harsha de Silva told Sri Lankan parliament that the country would go bankrupt.

Sri Lanka may go bankrupt in 2022? From financial to food crisis Sri Lanka’s woes amid Covid

China's second-largest property developer by sales, Evergrande, slides into more financial trouble as it racks over $300 Billion worth of debt. Fitch, a major credit rating agency declares the firm a defaulter.

China's Evergrande crisis: Shares shed 89% last year

Spain's consumer affairs minister, Alberto Garzon has said that eating less meat will lessen the consequences of climate change. He further added that it will also help in slowing deforestation and protect the country's tourism industry.&nbsp;

While speaking to The Guardian, he said, “People here know about the part that greenhouse gases play in climate change, but they tend to link it to cars and transport."

He highlighted how Spain's geography has made it vulnerable to climate change, saying that it is in danger of disappearing forever.

“It was only very recently that everyone started to look at the impact of the animal consumer chain and, especially, at the impact of beef. Other countries were pretty advanced on that but in Spain it’s been a taboo.”

The minister said that people need to realise the huge impact of eating meat, particularly beef. &nbsp;Accordingly, they should change their eating habits.

However, he said that people don't need to stop eating meat completely, but they should decrease the amount which is being consumed. “Extensive farming is an environmentally sustainable means of cattle farming and one that has a lot of heft in parts of Spain such as Asturias, parts of Castilla y León, Andalucía and Extremadura,” he said.

Extreme weather conditions have become the new normal with almost all the countries across the globe being affected by the impact of climate change.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)

Spain's consumer affairs minister, Alberto Garzon has said that eating less meat will lessen the consequences of climate change. He further added that it will also help in slowing deforestation and protect the country's tourism industry.

Spain's consumer affairs minister, Alberto Garzon has said that eating less meat will lessen the consequences of climate change. He further added that it will also help in slowing deforestation and protect the country's tourism industry. While speaking to The Guardian, he said, “People here know about the part that greenhouse gases play in climate change, but they tend to link it to cars and transport." He highlighted how Spain's geography has made it vulnerable to climate change, saying that it is in danger of disappearing forever. “It was only very recently that everyone started to look at the impact of the animal consumer chain and, especially, at the impact of beef. Other countries were pretty advanced on that but in Spain it’s been a taboo.” The minister said that people need to realise the huge impact of eating meat, particularly beef. Accordingly, they should change their eating habits. However, he said that people don't need to stop eating meat completely, but they should decrease the amount which is being consumed. “Extensive farming is an environmentally sustainable means of cattle farming and one that has a lot of heft in parts of Spain such as Asturias, parts of Castilla y León, Andalucía and Extremadura,” he said. Extreme weather conditions have become the new normal with almost all the countries across the globe being affected by the impact of climate change. (With inputs from agencies)

Spanish minister says people should cut on eating meat to curb climate crisis

Amid the ongoing financial crisis, Sri Lanka's Agriculture Secretary made a controversial remark about food shortage and was replaced because of it.

Sri Lanka's Agriculture Secretary replaced after making a controversial statement on food shortage

In&nbsp;the biggest conference on Afghanistan after the Taliban took over, Pakistan warned of "grave consequences" for the international community if the situation remains the same in Afghanistan. At the opening of a special meeting of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), Pakistan urged world leaders to find ways to help prevent a humanitarian crisis in the nation.&nbsp;

The crisis escalated ever since the Taliban took control in August. As an immediate response, major donors halted their support for the country by freezing funds.&nbsp;

Afghanistan also faced challenges of drought caused by global warming.&nbsp;

Pakistan foreign minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi told the IOC meeting, "We cannot ignore the danger of complete economic meltdown."

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/pakistan-is-hosting-oic-meeting-to-organise-economic-assistance-for-afghanistan-437883">Also read |&nbsp;Pakistan is hosting OIC meeting to organise economic assistance for Afghanistan</a>

Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan urged international community&nbsp;to offer help as he said that if the world does not act on Afghanistan, this will turn out to be the biggest man-made crisis. He further said that the United States must delink the Taliban government from 40 million Afghan citizens.

Watch |&nbsp;Gravitas: Pak uses OIC meeting on Afghanistan to raise Kashmir issue

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/gravitas-pak-uses-oic-meeting-on-afghanistan-to-raise-kashmir-issue-438567/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

The idea behind the meet is to organise economic assistance for Afghanistan. The nation had already been facing chronic poverty and drought but the situation worsened since the Taliban seized power.

The IMF had said that its engagement with Afghanistan will remain suspended until there is clarity on the recognition of the government led by the Taliban.

(With inputs from agencies)

In the biggest conference on Afghanistan after the Taliban took over, Pakistan warned of "grave consequences" for the international community if the situation remains the same in Afghanistan.

In the biggest conference on Afghanistan after the Taliban took over, Pakistan warned of "grave consequences" for the international community if the situation remains the same in Afghanistan. At the opening of a special meeting of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), Pakistan urged world leaders to find ways to help prevent a humanitarian crisis in the nation. The crisis escalated ever since the Taliban took control in August. As an immediate response, major donors halted their support for the country by freezing funds. Afghanistan also faced challenges of drought caused by global warming. Pakistan foreign minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi told the IOC meeting, "We cannot ignore the danger of complete economic meltdown." Also read | Pakistan is hosting OIC meeting to organise economic assistance for Afghanistan Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan urged international community to offer help as he said that if the world does not act on Afghanistan, this will turn out to be the biggest man-made crisis. He further said that the United States must delink the Taliban government from 40 million Afghan citizens. Watch | Gravitas: Pak uses OIC meeting on Afghanistan to raise Kashmir issue The idea behind the meet is to organise economic assistance for Afghanistan. The nation had already been facing chronic poverty and drought but the situation worsened since the Taliban seized power. The IMF had said that its engagement with Afghanistan will remain suspended until there is clarity on the recognition of the government led by the Taliban. (With inputs from agencies)

At OIC, Pakistan warns of 'grave consequences' from Afghan economic crisis

Sri Lanka is going through a severe economic crisis. The island nation is struggling to import oil and thus resorted to price hikes to discourage consumption.

Sri Lanka hikes the oil prices to discourage consumption as it struggles to import them

The Taliban has announced that it will resume issuing passports from Sunday at Kabul's passport office. This comes in as thousands of Afghans applied for new travel documents to get away from the growing economic and humanitarian crisis in the region.&nbsp;

Afghanistan had already been facing chronic poverty and drought but the situation worsened since the Taliban seized power.&nbsp; 
Alam Gul Haqqani, the head of the passport department in the interior ministry said, "All the technical issues have now been resolved."

He further added that initially travel documents will be given to those who had already applied before the suspension. However, the new applications will be accepted from January 10.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/amid-concerns-of-extreme-poverty-taliban-manages-to-prepare-new-afghan-budget-437814">Also read |&nbsp;Amid concerns of extreme poverty, Taliban manages to prepare new Afghan budget</a>

The United Nations has described the current situation in Afghanistan as an "avalanche of hunger".

Foreign donors have suspended aid to Afghanistan after the Taliban took over. Also, the IMF had said that its engagement with Afghanistan will remain suspended until there is clarity on the recognition of the government led by the Taliban.

The IMF had also said that it is deeply concerned with the difficult economic situation in Afghanistan and the humanitarian situation in Afghanistan.

“We have said the immediate focus should indeed be on that humanitarian situation, aid to help the Afghanistan people; and allowing the flow of remittances and small-scale transfers; and providing assistance to countries hosting Afghan refugees,” it said.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)

The Taliban has announced that it will resume issuing passports from Sunday at Kabul's passport office. This comes in as thousands of Afghans applied for new travel documents to get away from the growing economic and humanitarian crisis in the region.

The Taliban has announced that it will resume issuing passports from Sunday at Kabul's passport office. This comes in as thousands of Afghans applied for new travel documents to get away from the growing economic and humanitarian crisis in the region. Afghanistan had already been facing chronic poverty and drought but the situation worsened since the Taliban seized power. Alam Gul Haqqani, the head of the passport department in the interior ministry said, "All the technical issues have now been resolved." He further added that initially travel documents will be given to those who had already applied before the suspension. However, the new applications will be accepted from January 10. Also read | Amid concerns of extreme poverty, Taliban manages to prepare new Afghan budget The United Nations has described the current situation in Afghanistan as an "avalanche of hunger". Foreign donors have suspended aid to Afghanistan after the Taliban took over. Also, the IMF had said that its engagement with Afghanistan will remain suspended until there is clarity on the recognition of the government led by the Taliban. The IMF had also said that it is deeply concerned with the difficult economic situation in Afghanistan and the humanitarian situation in Afghanistan. “We have said the immediate focus should indeed be on that humanitarian situation, aid to help the Afghanistan people; and allowing the flow of remittances and small-scale transfers; and providing assistance to countries hosting Afghan refugees,” it said. (With inputs from agencies)

Taliban authorities to resume issuing passports in Kabul amid humanitarian crisis

With new US sanctions denting Communist Cuba's economy, recovery hopes for the nation seemed grim. Cuba's economy had declined 10.9% in 2020.

Communist-run country Cuba struggling to recover from economic crisis

Despite the claims by Yemen's security forces to gain ground, Humanitarian situation worsens in Yemen. According to stats, A Yemeni child under age 5 dies every 9 minutes in 2021.

The humanitarian situation worsens in Yemen

A storm of crisis looms ahead for displaced families living in Yemen camps as they are all set to face intense desert winter.

Displaced families living in Yemen camps face intense desert winter

Covid crisis seems to be deepening around the world. For last two years, the pandemic has led to loss of several jobs, lives, etc. Numerous attempts have been made to find a solution but to no avail. &nbsp;

Beginning with lockdown, several governments have halted international travels, imposed curfews, tighten border controls, made quarantine centres, build makeshift hospitals, carried out vaccination drives and what not. &nbsp;&nbsp;

Several scientists have also been spending numerous hours to understand the virus in the search for a solution. &nbsp;

But every time, a new variant comes and the world goes back to square one. Till now, the world has seen several variants of concern, such as Alpha, Beta, Gamma and Delta. And now, its Omicron. &nbsp;&nbsp;

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/neither-nu-nor-xi-who-skips-two-greek-letters-for-naming-new-covid-variant-omicron-432328">Neither Nu nor Xi: WHO skips two Greek letters for naming new Covid variant</a>

The variants have also emerged in different parts of the world, such as the UK, southern Africa, etc. &nbsp;

For last two years, masks have become the closest companions of the people. The craze has reached to the level of making it a fashion accessory. &nbsp;&nbsp;

Since the Covid started, these couple of years have been hard on many people as they forced people to restrict to homes, risk their lives in going out or understand the meaning of losing a loved one&nbsp;and not even being able to give a proper farewell. &nbsp;&nbsp;

The whole exercise seems to be a vicious circle as not everybody is following norms and the number of new cases never cease to exist. &nbsp;&nbsp;

Also Read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/omicron-what-does-variant-of-concern-mean-432361" hreflang="en">Omicron: What does variant of concern mean?</a>

It seems only a mere reduction in the cases is just temporary and an indication that a new variant may crop up somewhere soon. The same has been happening unabated for last two years. &nbsp;

Every new variant has a high number of mutations, which makes it more deadly and transmissible. It also many a time makes the vaccine less effective. &nbsp;&nbsp;

The world has already witnessed several waves of infections. So, the question on several minds now is that will it ever get solved? &nbsp;

Well, this is a tough one and no one other than the future can decipher this deadly code.&nbsp;

Covid crisis seems to be deepening around the world. For last two years, the pandemic has led to loss of several jobs, lives, etc. Numerous attempts have been made to find a solution but to no avail.

Covid crisis seems to be deepening around the world. For last two years, the pandemic has led to loss of several jobs, lives, etc. Numerous attempts have been made to find a solution but to no avail. Beginning with lockdown, several governments have halted international travels, imposed curfews, tighten border controls, made quarantine centres, build makeshift hospitals, carried out vaccination drives and what not. Several scientists have also been spending numerous hours to understand the virus in the search for a solution. But every time, a new variant comes and the world goes back to square one. Till now, the world has seen several variants of concern, such as Alpha, Beta, Gamma and Delta. And now, its Omicron. Also Read: Neither Nu nor Xi: WHO skips two Greek letters for naming new Covid variant The variants have also emerged in different parts of the world, such as the UK, southern Africa, etc. For last two years, masks have become the closest companions of the people. The craze has reached to the level of making it a fashion accessory. Since the Covid started, these couple of years have been hard on many people as they forced people to restrict to homes, risk their lives in going out or understand the meaning of losing a loved one and not even being able to give a proper farewell. The whole exercise seems to be a vicious circle as not everybody is following norms and the number of new cases never cease to exist. Also Read | Omicron: What does variant of concern mean? It seems only a mere reduction in the cases is just temporary and an indication that a new variant may crop up somewhere soon. The same has been happening unabated for last two years. Every new variant has a high number of mutations, which makes it more deadly and transmissible. It also many a time makes the vaccine less effective. The world has already witnessed several waves of infections. So, the question on several minds now is that will it ever get solved? Well, this is a tough one and no one other than the future can decipher this deadly code.

With emergence of new variants, will world get respite from Covid crisis ever?

Migrant crisis has been worsening in different parts of the world. Be it the US-Mexico border, English Channel or Mediterranean Sea, many migrants belonging to different countries travel dangerously to reach their destination every year. &nbsp;

Several people have drowned in the Mediterranean Sea, English Channel and other waterways after their boat capsized while many have been sent back after reaching the border. &nbsp;&nbsp;

Many countries like Greece have also build walls to stop the movement of the migrants. The United States have also built several camps to keep a check on migrant crisis. &nbsp;

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/fresh-violence-in-darfur-adds-to-sudans-crises-432238" hreflang="en">Fresh violence in Darfur adds to Sudan’s crises</a>

In the Americas, people from various poor countries like El Savador, Colombia, Mexico, etc travel on foot, buses, etc to reach US border while in Africa, many of the migrants, who have been fighting hunger, common coups, violent conflicts and others, make attempts to reach the Mediterranean Sea through various land routes and then hitch a ride on a boat to reach Europe. &nbsp;&nbsp;

Many people also try to reach Australia or Canada from various regions. &nbsp;

But not everybody is lucky. Some people drown while others are caught. The people, who somehow reach these countries, live in fear of getting caught and deported someday. Many are forced to take up petty jobs or end up getting exploited. &nbsp;&nbsp;

At the end, very few of these people get to live their dream or even get a fair outcome of the trouble undertaken to travel long distances in inhumane conditions. &nbsp;

The million-dollar question is what drives them to do this and why the so-called wealthy nations not doing anything to solve this crisis. &nbsp;

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/france-britain-agree-to-step-up-efforts-to-limit-channel-crossings-431979" hreflang="en">France, Britain agree to step up efforts to limit channel crossings</a>

The answer to the first question is simple, in several nations in the South America and Africa, there is poverty, violence, hunger and less opportunities to live a life with dignity. &nbsp;

The wealthy nations are just the opposite. They have everything one can dream of. But just lack the will to help. &nbsp;&nbsp;

Instead of making the world a better place to live, several countries have been making concerted efforts to ensure there is turmoil in different parts of many continents so that they are pursuing their agenda or fulfill their vested interests. &nbsp;&nbsp;

In 2015, Europe was moved after immense criticism over the migrant issue after a dead body of a three-year-old Syrian child washed ashore. The images of the dead body of Alan Kurdi on the beach forced Europe to open its doors for the refugees of the Syrian war. &nbsp;

Are the wealthy nations or the world as a whole waiting for more such bodies or will take action before it’s too late. Only time can solve this riddle.&nbsp;

Migrant crisis has been worsening in different parts of the world. Be it the US-Mexico border, English Channel or Mediterranean Sea, many migrants belonging to different countries travel dangerously to reach their destination every year.

Migrant crisis has been worsening in different parts of the world. Be it the US-Mexico border, English Channel or Mediterranean Sea, many migrants belonging to different countries travel dangerously to reach their destination every year. Several people have drowned in the Mediterranean Sea, English Channel and other waterways after their boat capsized while many have been sent back after reaching the border. Many countries like Greece have also build walls to stop the movement of the migrants. The United States have also built several camps to keep a check on migrant crisis. Also Read: Fresh violence in Darfur adds to Sudan’s crises In the Americas, people from various poor countries like El Savador, Colombia, Mexico, etc travel on foot, buses, etc to reach US border while in Africa, many of the migrants, who have been fighting hunger, common coups, violent conflicts and others, make attempts to reach the Mediterranean Sea through various land routes and then hitch a ride on a boat to reach Europe. Many people also try to reach Australia or Canada from various regions. But not everybody is lucky. Some people drown while others are caught. The people, who somehow reach these countries, live in fear of getting caught and deported someday. Many are forced to take up petty jobs or end up getting exploited. At the end, very few of these people get to live their dream or even get a fair outcome of the trouble undertaken to travel long distances in inhumane conditions. The million-dollar question is what drives them to do this and why the so-called wealthy nations not doing anything to solve this crisis. Also Read: France, Britain agree to step up efforts to limit channel crossings The answer to the first question is simple, in several nations in the South America and Africa, there is poverty, violence, hunger and less opportunities to live a life with dignity. The wealthy nations are just the opposite. They have everything one can dream of. But just lack the will to help. Instead of making the world a better place to live, several countries have been making concerted efforts to ensure there is turmoil in different parts of many continents so that they are pursuing their agenda or fulfill their vested interests. In 2015, Europe was moved after immense criticism over the migrant issue after a dead body of a three-year-old Syrian child washed ashore. The images of the dead body of Alan Kurdi on the beach forced Europe to open its doors for the refugees of the Syrian war. Are the wealthy nations or the world as a whole waiting for more such bodies or will take action before it’s too late. Only time can solve this riddle.

What has led to migrant crisis around world?

Belarus authorities have cleared migrant camps at the border with Poland, a step that could help calm a crisis. Belarus has now moved hundreds of migrants to a warehouse from bring outdoor in the freezing temperatures.

Belarus clears migrant crisis, shifts hundreds to a warehouse | Belarus-Poland crisis

Lebanon's government cannot afford to resign over a growing diplomatic crisis with Saudi Arabia and some Gulf states, a member of a Lebanese crisis group of ministers said on Saturday following a near three-hour meeting over the widening rift.

"The country cannot be left without a government," due to other pressing matters, and would continue to work to resolve the rift, Education Minister Abbas Halabi said after the meeting.

The row over critical comments made by Lebanese Information Minister George Kordahi about the Saudi-led military intervention in Yemen had spurred calls by some top politicians for Kordahi's resignation, while others opposed the move.

Also Read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/saudi-crown-prince-mohammed-bin-salman-a-psychopath-and-killer-ex-spy-423910">Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman a 'psychopath' and 'killer': Ex-spy</a>

Saudi Arabia expelled Lebanon's envoy and banned all Lebanese imports on Friday, and Bahrain and Kuwait followed suit, giving the top Lebanese diplomats 48 hours to exit.

Kordahi's resignation would have knock-on effects that could threaten Prime Minister Najib Mikati`s coalition government.

But Foreign Minister Abdallah Bou Habib said Mikati's contacts with officials from a number of states showed opposition to the resignation of the government, formed only last month after a 13-month stalemate.

"They told Mikati, 'if you are thinking about resignation, take that out of your head'," he said.

Richard Michaels, deputy head of the US&nbsp;mission in Lebanon, had joined the crisis meeting in Beirut, a US&nbsp;Embassy spokesperson said, declining to comment further.

Mikati had asked Kordahi on Friday to consider Lebanons "national interests" but stopped short of asking for his resignation.

Kordahi has been publicly backed by the Iran-backed Hezbollah armed group and has declined to apologise or resign over the comments, which have dealt the worst blow to Saudi-Lebanese relations since Saad al-Hariri's 2017 detention in Riyadh.

National interests

The minister's political patron, Suleiman Frangieh of the Hezbollah-allied Marada Movement, told a news conference he had refused an offer by Kordahi to resign and would not name a successor to him should he do so.

Yet a group of former Lebanese prime ministers called on Saturday for Kordahi to resign, saying his comments had inflicted a strong blow to relations with Gulf Arab nations.

Fouad Seniora, Hariri and Tammam Sallam, some of the country's top Sunni politicians, said in the statement that Kordahi's remarks "harmed Lebanon's supreme national interest".

If Kordahi resigns, ministers backed by Hezbollah and its Amal ally could follow suit at a time when the government is already paralysed by a dispute over an inquiry into the August 2020 explosion that devastated parts of Beirut.

A senior political source told Reuters that the United States and European nations were in contact with Lebanese officials to prevent the government from falling and there were no immediate indications any ministers would resign.

Also Read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/lebanon-families-spending-five-times-minimum-wage-on-food-alone-study-399497">Lebanon families spending five times minimum wage on food alone: Study</a>

The row comes as Lebanon struggles with a financial crisis dubbed by the World Bank as one of the worst in modern history.

Mikati has been hoping to improve ties with Gulf Arab states strained for years because of the influence wielded in Beirut by the Iran-backed Hezbollah.

Saudi Arabia had already in April banned all fruit and vegetable imports from Lebanon, blaming an increase in drug smuggling that it said Lebanon had failed to address, a ban now extended to all goods.

The Arab League said in a statement on Saturday it was concerned about the souring of Lebanese-Gulf relations and appealed to Gulf countries "to reflect on the measures proposed to be taken &nbsp;in order to avoid further negative effects on the collapsing Lebanese economy".

Lebanon's government cannot afford to resign over a growing diplomatic crisis with Saudi Arabia and some Gulf states, a member of a Lebanese crisis group of ministers said on Saturday following a near three-hour meeting over the widening rift.

Lebanon's government cannot afford to resign over a growing diplomatic crisis with Saudi Arabia and some Gulf states, a member of a Lebanese crisis group of ministers said on Saturday following a near three-hour meeting over the widening rift. "The country cannot be left without a government," due to other pressing matters, and would continue to work to resolve the rift, Education Minister Abbas Halabi said after the meeting. The row over critical comments made by Lebanese Information Minister George Kordahi about the Saudi-led military intervention in Yemen had spurred calls by some top politicians for Kordahi's resignation, while others opposed the move. Also Read | Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman a 'psychopath' and 'killer': Ex-spy Saudi Arabia expelled Lebanon's envoy and banned all Lebanese imports on Friday, and Bahrain and Kuwait followed suit, giving the top Lebanese diplomats 48 hours to exit. Kordahi's resignation would have knock-on effects that could threaten Prime Minister Najib Mikati`s coalition government. But Foreign Minister Abdallah Bou Habib said Mikati's contacts with officials from a number of states showed opposition to the resignation of the government, formed only last month after a 13-month stalemate. "They told Mikati, 'if you are thinking about resignation, take that out of your head'," he said. Richard Michaels, deputy head of the US mission in Lebanon, had joined the crisis meeting in Beirut, a US Embassy spokesperson said, declining to comment further. Mikati had asked Kordahi on Friday to consider Lebanons "national interests" but stopped short of asking for his resignation. Kordahi has been publicly backed by the Iran-backed Hezbollah armed group and has declined to apologise or resign over the comments, which have dealt the worst blow to Saudi-Lebanese relations since Saad al-Hariri's 2017 detention in Riyadh. National interests The minister's political patron, Suleiman Frangieh of the Hezbollah-allied Marada Movement, told a news conference he had refused an offer by Kordahi to resign and would not name a successor to him should he do so. Yet a group of former Lebanese prime ministers called on Saturday for Kordahi to resign, saying his comments had inflicted a strong blow to relations with Gulf Arab nations. Fouad Seniora, Hariri and Tammam Sallam, some of the country's top Sunni politicians, said in the statement that Kordahi's remarks "harmed Lebanon's supreme national interest". If Kordahi resigns, ministers backed by Hezbollah and its Amal ally could follow suit at a time when the government is already paralysed by a dispute over an inquiry into the August 2020 explosion that devastated parts of Beirut. A senior political source told Reuters that the United States and European nations were in contact with Lebanese officials to prevent the government from falling and there were no immediate indications any ministers would resign. Also Read | Lebanon families spending five times minimum wage on food alone: Study The row comes as Lebanon struggles with a financial crisis dubbed by the World Bank as one of the worst in modern history. Mikati has been hoping to improve ties with Gulf Arab states strained for years because of the influence wielded in Beirut by the Iran-backed Hezbollah. Saudi Arabia had already in April banned all fruit and vegetable imports from Lebanon, blaming an increase in drug smuggling that it said Lebanon had failed to address, a ban now extended to all goods. The Arab League said in a statement on Saturday it was concerned about the souring of Lebanese-Gulf relations and appealed to Gulf countries "to reflect on the measures proposed to be taken in order to avoid further negative effects on the collapsing Lebanese economy".

Lebanon says government can't afford to resign as Saudi rift widens

Saudi Arabia ordered the Lebanese ambassador to the kingdom to leave within 48 hours on Friday and banned all Lebanese imports in response to critical comments made by a Lebanese minister about the Saudi-led military intervention in Yemen.

The diplomatic rupture throws Lebanon's cabinet into further crisis as it tries to rally Arab support for its ailing economy.

Also Read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/electricity-is-restored-in-lebanon-as-army-supplies-emergency-fuel-419749">Electricity is restored in Lebanon as army supplies emergency fuel</a>

Saudi Arabia also recalled its ambassador to Lebanon for consultations, the Saudi state news agency SPA reported.

Riyadh's decision comes days after an interview with Information Minister George Kordahi was aired by an online show affiliated with Qatar's al Jazeera network.

Kordahi, in comments made on August&nbsp;5, called the war futile, said Yemen was subjected to an aggression and that its Iran-aligned Houthis were defending themselves.

The dispute is the latest challenge to Prime Minister Najib Mikati's cabinet which is already in political paralysis over a row around the Beirut port blast probe.

The rift risks widening to more Gulf states with Bahrain also asking Lebanon's ambassador to leave shortly after the Saudi decision.

Mikati, in a phone call with Kordahi on Friday evening, asked him to put the national interest first and "take the right decision to fix Arab relations with Lebanon," a statement by his office said.

Sources with knowledge of the matter had told Reuters the Saudi escalation was piling pressure on Kordahi to resign in order to avert further consequences.

Also Read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/saudi-crown-prince-mohammed-bin-salman-a-psychopath-and-killer-ex-spy-423910">Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman a 'psychopath' and 'killer': Ex-spy</a>

Mikati earlier reiterated his government's commitment to good relations with Saudi Arabia and called for Arab partners to put the latest crisis behind them but stopped short of announcing concrete action to remedy the crisis.

"We also appeal brotherly Arab leaders to work and help to overcome this crisis in order to preserve Arab cohesion," the statement said.

Kordahi has said the show was recorded nearly a month before he took office and he would not resign over the incident.

Mikati has been hoping to improve ties with Gulf Arab states which have been strained for years because of the influence wielded in Beirut by the Iran-backed Shi'ite group Hezbollah.

"The control of the terrorist Hezbollah on the decision-making of the Lebanese state made Lebanon an arena for implementing projects for countries that don't wish Lebanon and its people well," the statement carried by SPA said.

Hezbollah issued a statement praising Kordahi`s comments on Thursday.

In April, Saudi Arabia banned all fruit and vegetable imports from Lebanon blaming an increase in drug smuggling.

The ban added to the economic woes of Lebanon, already in the throes of one of the modern times` deepest financial crises.

Saudi Arabia ordered the Lebanese ambassador to the kingdom to leave within 48 hours on Friday and banned all Lebanese imports in response to critical comments made by a Lebanese minister about the Saudi-led military intervention in Yemen.

Saudi Arabia ordered the Lebanese ambassador to the kingdom to leave within 48 hours on Friday and banned all Lebanese imports in response to critical comments made by a Lebanese minister about the Saudi-led military intervention in Yemen. The diplomatic rupture throws Lebanon's cabinet into further crisis as it tries to rally Arab support for its ailing economy. Also Read | Electricity is restored in Lebanon as army supplies emergency fuel Saudi Arabia also recalled its ambassador to Lebanon for consultations, the Saudi state news agency SPA reported. Riyadh's decision comes days after an interview with Information Minister George Kordahi was aired by an online show affiliated with Qatar's al Jazeera network. Kordahi, in comments made on August 5, called the war futile, said Yemen was subjected to an aggression and that its Iran-aligned Houthis were defending themselves. The dispute is the latest challenge to Prime Minister Najib Mikati's cabinet which is already in political paralysis over a row around the Beirut port blast probe. The rift risks widening to more Gulf states with Bahrain also asking Lebanon's ambassador to leave shortly after the Saudi decision. Mikati, in a phone call with Kordahi on Friday evening, asked him to put the national interest first and "take the right decision to fix Arab relations with Lebanon," a statement by his office said. Sources with knowledge of the matter had told Reuters the Saudi escalation was piling pressure on Kordahi to resign in order to avert further consequences. Also Read | Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman a 'psychopath' and 'killer': Ex-spy Mikati earlier reiterated his government's commitment to good relations with Saudi Arabia and called for Arab partners to put the latest crisis behind them but stopped short of announcing concrete action to remedy the crisis. "We also appeal brotherly Arab leaders to work and help to overcome this crisis in order to preserve Arab cohesion," the statement said. Kordahi has said the show was recorded nearly a month before he took office and he would not resign over the incident. Mikati has been hoping to improve ties with Gulf Arab states which have been strained for years because of the influence wielded in Beirut by the Iran-backed Shi'ite group Hezbollah. "The control of the terrorist Hezbollah on the decision-making of the Lebanese state made Lebanon an arena for implementing projects for countries that don't wish Lebanon and its people well," the statement carried by SPA said. Hezbollah issued a statement praising Kordahi`s comments on Thursday. In April, Saudi Arabia banned all fruit and vegetable imports from Lebanon blaming an increase in drug smuggling. The ban added to the economic woes of Lebanon, already in the throes of one of the modern times` deepest financial crises.

Saudi-Lebanon diplomatic crisis worsens as envoy expelled, imports banned

The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) has warned that millions of Afghans will face starvation this winter if urgent action is not taken. WFP has warned that more than half the population, which is about 22.8 million people, face acute food insecurity, while 3.2 million children under five could suffer acute malnutrition.

Ever since Afghanistan fell to the Taliban, it has been struggling to bring stability to the country. David Beasley, the executive director of the WFP was quoted by the BBC as saying, "Afghanistan is now among the world's worst humanitarian crises, if not the worst."

"We are on a countdown to catastrophe."

There have been reports of many Afghans selling their possessions to buy food. The new Taliban administration has been blocked from accessing overseas assets.&nbsp;

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/eight-children-die-of-starvation-in-kabul-as-taliban-fails-to-stabilise-country-423575">Also read |&nbsp;Eight children die of starvation in Kabul as Taliban fails to stabilise country</a>

QU Dongyu, the director of the UN's Food and Agriculture Organisation said, "It is urgent that we act efficiently and effectively to speed up and scale up our delivery in Afghanistan before winter cuts off a large part of the country, with millions of people - including farmers, women, young children and the elderly - going hungry in the freezing winter."

Meanwhile, The deceased children were orphans and had been struggling to find employment and earn their daily bread since the Taliban took control of the country in August.

Mohammad Ali Bamiani, a religious scholar and orator at one of the mosques in western Kabul buried these children. He reported that these eight children, four boys and four girls, had been given some bread to eat earlier by neighbours. However, needless to say, a little portion of bread was not enough to keep eight children in good health and alive.

"When the landlord wanted to invite the children for morning tea, he saw that they were all dead," he said, quoting the homeowner. &nbsp;eight children lost their lives to starvation in western Kabul. The children lived in the town of Etefaq, in the 13th district of Kabul, in the Barchi plain.

The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) has warned that millions of Afghans will face starvation this winter if urgent action is not taken. WFP has warned that more than half the population, which is about 22.

The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) has warned that millions of Afghans will face starvation this winter if urgent action is not taken. WFP has warned that more than half the population, which is about 22.8 million people, face acute food insecurity, while 3.2 million children under five could suffer acute malnutrition. Ever since Afghanistan fell to the Taliban, it has been struggling to bring stability to the country. David Beasley, the executive director of the WFP was quoted by the BBC as saying, "Afghanistan is now among the world's worst humanitarian crises, if not the worst." "We are on a countdown to catastrophe." There have been reports of many Afghans selling their possessions to buy food. The new Taliban administration has been blocked from accessing overseas assets. Also read | Eight children die of starvation in Kabul as Taliban fails to stabilise country QU Dongyu, the director of the UN's Food and Agriculture Organisation said, "It is urgent that we act efficiently and effectively to speed up and scale up our delivery in Afghanistan before winter cuts off a large part of the country, with millions of people - including farmers, women, young children and the elderly - going hungry in the freezing winter." Meanwhile, The deceased children were orphans and had been struggling to find employment and earn their daily bread since the Taliban took control of the country in August. Mohammad Ali Bamiani, a religious scholar and orator at one of the mosques in western Kabul buried these children. He reported that these eight children, four boys and four girls, had been given some bread to eat earlier by neighbours. However, needless to say, a little portion of bread was not enough to keep eight children in good health and alive. "When the landlord wanted to invite the children for morning tea, he saw that they were all dead," he said, quoting the homeowner. eight children lost their lives to starvation in western Kabul. The children lived in the town of Etefaq, in the 13th district of Kabul, in the Barchi plain.

Afghanistan facing food crisis, warns UN

Joe Biden’s administration recently issued a 40-page report warning that the climate crisis “poses serious and systemic risks to the US economy and financial system." It further said that setting out steps for action as “climate impacts are already affecting American jobs, homes, families’ hard-earned savings, and businesses”.

As a part of the new plan, the federal government will weigh up climate risks for employee benefit and retirement plan investments. They will also incorporate climate disasters into lending and budgeting decisions. The building standards will also be revised for homes at risk of flooding.&nbsp;

US President Joe Biden, in the report, said, "The intensifying impacts of climate change present physical risk to assets, publicly traded securities, private investments, and companies."

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/cop26-queen-finds-world-leaders-irritating-because-they-only-talk-and-dont-act-420982">Also read |&nbsp;COP26: Queen finds world leaders 'irritating' because they only 'talk' and don't 'act'</a>

He further added that the climate crisis “threatens the competitiveness of US companies and markets, the life savings and pensions of US workers and families, and the ability of US financial institutions to serve communities."

The new White House plan has been welcomed by environmental groups .

Gina McCarthy, Biden’s top climate advisor, said that the climate crisis “poses a risk to our economy and to the lives and livelihoods of Americans, and we must act now”.&nbsp;

McCarthy further added, “This roadmap isn’t just about protecting our financial system – it’s about protecting people, their paychecks and their prosperity.”

The report comes in as the crucial Cop26 global climate talks are due to begin in Scotland at the end of the month.

Joe Biden’s administration recently issued a 40-page report warning that the climate crisis “poses serious and systemic risks to the US economy and financial system.

Joe Biden’s administration recently issued a 40-page report warning that the climate crisis “poses serious and systemic risks to the US economy and financial system." It further said that setting out steps for action as “climate impacts are already affecting American jobs, homes, families’ hard-earned savings, and businesses”. As a part of the new plan, the federal government will weigh up climate risks for employee benefit and retirement plan investments. They will also incorporate climate disasters into lending and budgeting decisions. The building standards will also be revised for homes at risk of flooding. US President Joe Biden, in the report, said, "The intensifying impacts of climate change present physical risk to assets, publicly traded securities, private investments, and companies." Also read | COP26: Queen finds world leaders 'irritating' because they only 'talk' and don't 'act' He further added that the climate crisis “threatens the competitiveness of US companies and markets, the life savings and pensions of US workers and families, and the ability of US financial institutions to serve communities." The new White House plan has been welcomed by environmental groups . Gina McCarthy, Biden’s top climate advisor, said that the climate crisis “poses a risk to our economy and to the lives and livelihoods of Americans, and we must act now”. McCarthy further added, “This roadmap isn’t just about protecting our financial system – it’s about protecting people, their paychecks and their prosperity.” The report comes in as the crucial Cop26 global climate talks are due to begin in Scotland at the end of the month.

Climate crisis poses ‘serious risks’ to US economy, warns 40-page report

The largest provincial economy in China's northeast rust belt on Monday warned of worsening power shortages despite government efforts to boost coal supply and manage electricity use in a post-pandemic energy crisis hitting multiple countries.

The energy crisis gripping the world's second largest-economy and top exporter is expected to last through to the end of the year, with analysts and traders forecasting a 12 per cent&nbsp;drop in industrial power consumption in the fourth quarter because coal supply is expected to fall short this winter.

Also Read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/chinas-power-crisis-hampers-its-economic-growth-419601">China's power crisis hampers its economic growth</a>

Liaoning province issued its second-highest alert level for power shortages for the fifth time in two weeks on Monday, warning that the shortfall could reach nearly 5 gigawatts (GW).

The biggest economy and largest consumer of power among the three provinces making up China's rust-belt industrial region, Liaoning has been hit by widespread power cuts since mid-September. A level-two alert indicates a power shortage equivalent to 10-20 per cent&nbsp;of total demand for power.

The rebound in global economic activity as coronavirus restrictions are lifted has exposed shortages of fuels used for power generation in China and other countries, leaving industries and governments scrambling as the northern hemisphere heads into winter.

"The biggest power shortage could reach 4.74 gigawatts (GW) on October 11," said a notice issued by the department responsible for industry in the province.

An order to curb power use had been put in place from 6 a.m. (2200 GMT on Sunday), it said.

The province also issued level-two alerts for each of the last three days of September, when the daily power shortage reached as much as 5.4 GW, leaving hundreds of thousands of households without electricity and forcing industrial plants to suspend production.

Also Read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/now-chinas-move-to-cut-silicon-production-disrupts-global-economy-417923">Now, China's move to cut silicon production disrupts global economy</a>

The drop in output from power plants followed tightening supply and soaring prices for coal, which is used to generate more than 70 per cent&nbsp;of electricity in the region.

Wind farms have also been idled because of slow wind speeds, a province-backed newspaper reported. Wind power made up 8.2 per cent&nbsp; of Liaoning's power generation in 2020, National Statistics Bureau data shows.

Coal&nbsp;Shortage

The energy crisis, which has led to fuel shortages and blackouts in some countries, has highlighted the difficulty in cutting the global economy's dependency on fossil fuels as world leaders seek to revive efforts to tackle climate change at talks next month in Glasgow.

China will "strictly control" coal-fired power generation projects and "strictly limit" the increase in coal consumption over the 14th Five-Year plan period from 2021-2025 while making a phased reduction in consumption in the next five-year plan, Vice Premier Han Zheng said in a joint statement issued on Monday after environment and climate dialogue between China and the European Union.

China is taking steps to try to alleviate tightness in the domestic coal market by pushing local mines to increase output, ING analysts said in a note to clients on Monday.

Shanxi province and the Inner Mongolia region, two of China's biggest coal producers, ordered more than 200 of their mines to expand production capacity and prioritise coal supply to power plants in northeastern provinces, including Liaoning.

Also Read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/china-taiwan-tensions-tsai-ing-wens-remarks-incite-confrontation-distort-facts-says-beijing-spokesperson-419777">China-Taiwan tensions: Tsai Ing-wen's remarks incite confrontation, distort facts, says Beijing spokesperson</a>

However, about 60 coal mines in China's largest coal-mining province, Shanxi, have been closed and several railway lines disrupted since Friday after heavy rain caused flooding. The Shanxi government has not disclosed how much production capacity those closed mines represent.

Meanwhile, high coal costs continue to pressure utilities. China's thermal coal futures rose 8 per cent&nbsp; to hit a daily upper trading limit shortly after trade started on Monday.

More than 70 per cent&nbsp; of China's coal-fired power plants are loss-making because of high coal costs, Citi analysts said in a note on Friday.

A report by Moody's Investors Service said: "China's electricity cuts will add to economic stresses, weighing on GDP growth for 2022. And the risks to GDP forecasts could be larger as disruptions to production and supply chains feed through."

Also Read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/business-economy/china-made-electric-vehicles-should-not-be-sold-in-india-modi-govt-to-elon-musk-419293">China-made electric vehicles should not be sold in India: Modi govt to Elon Musk</a>

The National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC), China's state planner, on Monday said it has been urging power companies to boost coal inventories. It will hold a news briefing on Tuesday at 10:30 a.m. (0230 GMT) on tariffs for coal-fired power.

Last week China said it would allow coal-fired power prices to fluctuate by up to 20 per cent&nbsp; from base levels, instead of 10-15 per cent&nbsp; previously.

The largest provincial economy in China's northeast rust belt on Monday warned of worsening power shortages despite government efforts to boost coal supply and manage electricity use in a post-pandemic energy crisis hitting multiple countries.

The largest provincial economy in China's northeast rust belt on Monday warned of worsening power shortages despite government efforts to boost coal supply and manage electricity use in a post-pandemic energy crisis hitting multiple countries. The energy crisis gripping the world's second largest-economy and top exporter is expected to last through to the end of the year, with analysts and traders forecasting a 12 per cent drop in industrial power consumption in the fourth quarter because coal supply is expected to fall short this winter. Also Read | China's power crisis hampers its economic growth Liaoning province issued its second-highest alert level for power shortages for the fifth time in two weeks on Monday, warning that the shortfall could reach nearly 5 gigawatts (GW). The biggest economy and largest consumer of power among the three provinces making up China's rust-belt industrial region, Liaoning has been hit by widespread power cuts since mid-September. A level-two alert indicates a power shortage equivalent to 10-20 per cent of total demand for power. The rebound in global economic activity as coronavirus restrictions are lifted has exposed shortages of fuels used for power generation in China and other countries, leaving industries and governments scrambling as the northern hemisphere heads into winter. "The biggest power shortage could reach 4.74 gigawatts (GW) on October 11," said a notice issued by the department responsible for industry in the province. An order to curb power use had been put in place from 6 a.m. (2200 GMT on Sunday), it said. The province also issued level-two alerts for each of the last three days of September, when the daily power shortage reached as much as 5.4 GW, leaving hundreds of thousands of households without electricity and forcing industrial plants to suspend production. Also Read | Now, China's move to cut silicon production disrupts global economy The drop in output from power plants followed tightening supply and soaring prices for coal, which is used to generate more than 70 per cent of electricity in the region. Wind farms have also been idled because of slow wind speeds, a province-backed newspaper reported. Wind power made up 8.2 per cent of Liaoning's power generation in 2020, National Statistics Bureau data shows. Coal Shortage The energy crisis, which has led to fuel shortages and blackouts in some countries, has highlighted the difficulty in cutting the global economy's dependency on fossil fuels as world leaders seek to revive efforts to tackle climate change at talks next month in Glasgow. China will "strictly control" coal-fired power generation projects and "strictly limit" the increase in coal consumption over the 14th Five-Year plan period from 2021-2025 while making a phased reduction in consumption in the next five-year plan, Vice Premier Han Zheng said in a joint statement issued on Monday after environment and climate dialogue between China and the European Union. China is taking steps to try to alleviate tightness in the domestic coal market by pushing local mines to increase output, ING analysts said in a note to clients on Monday. Shanxi province and the Inner Mongolia region, two of China's biggest coal producers, ordered more than 200 of their mines to expand production capacity and prioritise coal supply to power plants in northeastern provinces, including Liaoning. Also Read | China-Taiwan tensions: Tsai Ing-wen's remarks incite confrontation, distort facts, says Beijing spokesperson However, about 60 coal mines in China's largest coal-mining province, Shanxi, have been closed and several railway lines disrupted since Friday after heavy rain caused flooding. The Shanxi government has not disclosed how much production capacity those closed mines represent. Meanwhile, high coal costs continue to pressure utilities. China's thermal coal futures rose 8 per cent to hit a daily upper trading limit shortly after trade started on Monday. More than 70 per cent of China's coal-fired power plants are loss-making because of high coal costs, Citi analysts said in a note on Friday. A report by Moody's Investors Service said: "China's electricity cuts will add to economic stresses, weighing on GDP growth for 2022. And the risks to GDP forecasts could be larger as disruptions to production and supply chains feed through." Also Read | China-made electric vehicles should not be sold in India: Modi govt to Elon Musk The National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC), China's state planner, on Monday said it has been urging power companies to boost coal inventories. It will hold a news briefing on Tuesday at 10:30 a.m. (0230 GMT) on tariffs for coal-fired power. Last week China said it would allow coal-fired power prices to fluctuate by up to 20 per cent from base levels, instead of 10-15 per cent previously.

China rust-belt province warns of more shortages in energy crisis

There was one bed coming available in the intensive care unit in Alaska’s largest hospital.

It was the middle of the night, and the hospital, Providence Alaska Medical Center in Anchorage, had been hit with a deluge of coronavirus patients. Doctors now had a choice to make: Several more patients at the hospital, most of them with COVID-19, were in line to take that last ICU spot. But there was also someone from one of the state’s isolated rural communities who needed to be flown in for emergency surgery.

Who should get the final bed?

Dr&nbsp;​​Steven Floerchinger gathered with his colleagues for an agonising discussion. They had a better chance of saving one of the patients in the emergency room, they determined. The other person would have to wait.

That patient died.

“This is gut-wrenching, and I never thought I’d see it,” said Floerchinger, who has been in practice for 30 years. “We are taxed to a point of making decisions of who will and who will not live.”

Since that night, more grim choices have had to be made as Alaska confronts what is currently the nation’s worst coronavirus outbreak. Nearly two years after the virus began circulating in the United States, some of the scenes here on the country’s northern frontier echo the darkest early days of the pandemic: testing supplies are depleted, patients are being treated in hallways and doctors are rationing oxygen. With emergency rooms overwhelmed, the governor has asked hundreds of medical workers to fly in from around the country to help.

Through much of the pandemic, Alaska’s natural isolation had shielded the state, with the early months defined by strict testing protocols for people arriving from the outside. Many villages locked down. When vaccines arrived, there was a legion of planes, ferries and sleds to bring doses to far-flung communities. The state has maintained some of the lowest death numbers in the country.

But with some pockets of the state wary of taking vaccines — only about half the state’s residents are fully vaccinated — and Gov. Mike Dunleavy resisting restrictions to curtail the virus, the state’s isolation has become a growing liability as the delta variant sweeps through. The state’s surge has continued even as the virus has receded nationwide, with new daily cases down by about one-third and hospitalisations by about one-quarter since Sept. 1.

Much of the nation’s hospital system has been stressed, but overloaded facilities in the lower 48 states have had more flexibility to transfer patients to neighboring cities or other states. In Anchorage, most of the help is 1,500 miles away in Seattle, and hospitals in the Pacific Northwest have been challenged by their own disastrous virus outbreak.

“When your hospitals are full, you can’t just put them into an ambulance and take them to another town,” Sen. Lisa Murkowski said of Alaskan patients in a floor speech to Congress on Friday. She described her own trip to an emergency room in Fairbanks, where a loved one needed help for a non-COVID problem. They were told that critical care beds were full and that they might have to fly to Seattle.

Doctors and nurses have started speaking out in meetings, urging the public to take the virus more seriously, but they have repeatedly encountered hostility.

When the Anchorage Assembly considered a mask mandate last week, some of the doctors who came to speak were jeered at. “Do you use ivermectin?” someone in the crowd shouted, referring to a deworming medicine that has been touted as a COVID-19 treatment on social media even as the Food and Drug Administration has warned people against taking it.

As a group of doctors left the meeting, one person followed them outside, heckling. “You guys have sold out and are liars,” he shouted. Others outside holding signs — “Liberty or Tyranny,” one of them said — also mocked the physicians.

Dr. Leslie Gonsette, an internal medicine hospitalist who often works at Providence Alaska Medical Center, said some of her colleagues had debated whether to even go to the meeting.

“There was an element of caution and worry for our safety,” she said. But in the end, she added, they concluded they had an obligation to tell people about the calamitous scenes playing out at hospitals.

At another meeting of the Assembly the following night, one person was arrested on a charge of disorderly conduct and found to be carrying a concealed weapon. Many people in the audience wore a yellow Star of David, likening the proposed mask mandate to the Holocaust, which led other speakers to express outrage. Mayor Dave Bronson, who has vigorously opposed a mask mandate, argued that it was appropriate to “borrow” the symbol and then later apologised for his remarks.

The debate was scheduled to resume for a fourth day Monday.

Doctors at Providence, which has now put into place “crisis standards of care” that provide legal clearance for the challenging process of rationing health care, said the process had been traumatic. They have been consulting an ethicist and a triage team. Few have experience navigating such difficult ethical terrain.

The patient who died after being denied emergency surgery was not the only one to undergo a triage choice. In one case, two patients needed continuous dialysis but only one machine was available. Doctors placed one patient on the machine and then switched it to the other. The first patient then died.

Patients with COVID-19, which often results in serious damage to kidneys, have often monopolised dialysis resources, doctors said. When there were not enough machines available at Providence, everyone on dialysis was a COVID-19 patient.

In another case, described by the hospital’s chief medical officer, Dr. Michael Bernstein, a patient with both COVID-19 and extensive cancer was on the verge of needing a ventilator. But with so many patients needing such intense care, that patient was not given life support, and died.

The “crisis standards of care” generally are intended to prioritise the patients most likely to survive. Many states have discussed and approved crisis care guidelines during the pandemic, but few have formally carried them out statewide. Alaska has done so.

Bernstein said that the triage team had to make rationing decisions in about 10 cases, and that the hospital had also been forced to postpone care in other ways. Twenty-nine cardiac patients have had operations postponed, and the hospital has refused to accept transfer requests for 21 patients.

“This morning, the ICU was completely full, and we had four patients in the emergency room that needed intensive care,” he saids

The struggle is spreading beyond Anchorage. On Wednesday, the Yukon-Kuskokwim Health Corporation in Bethel announced that it, too, had turned to crisis standards of care. “We are now in a position of making these difficult decisions on a daily basis,” the hospital’s chief of staff, Dr. Ellen Hodges, said.

On Saturday, the state said it had activated crisis standards for 20 health care facilities, covering larger cities such as Anchorage, Fairbanks and Juneau, along with smaller ones such as Cordova, Dillingham and Kotzebue.

At the Providence hospital in Valdez, high-need patients who would otherwise transfer to Anchorage are staying put, and there is so much demand for oxygen that the hospital has had to limit the amount each person receives. While patients would normally be kept at oxygen saturation levels of 93%, that has now dropped to 90%.

Dr. Anne Zink is Alaska’s chief medical officer, helping lead the state’s pandemic response, but she also works as a physician in the emergency room at Mat-Su Regional Medical Center, northeast of Anchorage, a region with some of the state’s lowest vaccination rates and highest hospitalization rates.

Zink said she had been examining patients in the waiting room and caring for them in hallways. One day, with not even stretchers available, she found herself sitting on the floor to stitch a foot laceration.

“Our goal has always been to avoid having systems overwhelmed,” Zink said. “And right now we have systems overwhelmed.”

Dunleavy has avoided ordering a statewide mask mandate or other restrictions during the latest surge, saying such requirements should be decided locally in a vast state where some communities have had few or no cases. A draft statewide mask mandate had been drawn up early in the pandemic, Zink said, but it was never put into place.

With each COVID-19 patient, Zink said, she wonders if there was more she could have done, something she could have said, to convince more people to get vaccinated or take precautions.

She became a household name at the start of the pandemic, when she gave video briefings to the public from a heated yurt behind her family’s home. In many corners of the state, she has been widely praised. On a recent day, while talking with a reporter at an Anchorage park, a couple walking their dog recognised Zink and waved. “We are fans,” the man called out.

But Zink is spending time trying to reach people who are not fans. She has been appearing on conservative talk radio, answering questions and trying to ease fears about the vaccines.

While some people have made up their minds, Zink said, she still regularly finds others making the decision to get vaccinated. A state survey, she said, found that 60% of unvaccinated people are open to it. In trying to encourage people to consider vaccines, she often uses references to moose hunting and berry foraging and all the ways that Alaskans are used to taking care of themselves.

“Just like when we go out in a storm, we layer up,” she said.

“We do multiple things together: We change our snow tires and we wear a jacket and we wear a hat,” she said. “So make sure you’re vaccinated and wear a mask and keep your distance. We know how to do this.”

There was one bed coming available in the intensive care unit in Alaska’s largest hospital. It was the middle of the night, and the hospital, Providence Alaska Medical Center in Anchorage, had been hit with a deluge of coronavirus patients.

There was one bed coming available in the intensive care unit in Alaska’s largest hospital. It was the middle of the night, and the hospital, Providence Alaska Medical Center in Anchorage, had been hit with a deluge of coronavirus patients. Doctors now had a choice to make: Several more patients at the hospital, most of them with COVID-19, were in line to take that last ICU spot. But there was also someone from one of the state’s isolated rural communities who needed to be flown in for emergency surgery. Who should get the final bed? Dr Steven Floerchinger gathered with his colleagues for an agonising discussion. They had a better chance of saving one of the patients in the emergency room, they determined. The other person would have to wait. That patient died. “This is gut-wrenching, and I never thought I’d see it,” said Floerchinger, who has been in practice for 30 years. “We are taxed to a point of making decisions of who will and who will not live.” Since that night, more grim choices have had to be made as Alaska confronts what is currently the nation’s worst coronavirus outbreak. Nearly two years after the virus began circulating in the United States, some of the scenes here on the country’s northern frontier echo the darkest early days of the pandemic: testing supplies are depleted, patients are being treated in hallways and doctors are rationing oxygen. With emergency rooms overwhelmed, the governor has asked hundreds of medical workers to fly in from around the country to help. Through much of the pandemic, Alaska’s natural isolation had shielded the state, with the early months defined by strict testing protocols for people arriving from the outside. Many villages locked down. When vaccines arrived, there was a legion of planes, ferries and sleds to bring doses to far-flung communities. The state has maintained some of the lowest death numbers in the country. But with some pockets of the state wary of taking vaccines — only about half the state’s residents are fully vaccinated — and Gov. Mike Dunleavy resisting restrictions to curtail the virus, the state’s isolation has become a growing liability as the delta variant sweeps through. The state’s surge has continued even as the virus has receded nationwide, with new daily cases down by about one-third and hospitalisations by about one-quarter since Sept. 1. Much of the nation’s hospital system has been stressed, but overloaded facilities in the lower 48 states have had more flexibility to transfer patients to neighboring cities or other states. In Anchorage, most of the help is 1,500 miles away in Seattle, and hospitals in the Pacific Northwest have been challenged by their own disastrous virus outbreak. “When your hospitals are full, you can’t just put them into an ambulance and take them to another town,” Sen. Lisa Murkowski said of Alaskan patients in a floor speech to Congress on Friday. She described her own trip to an emergency room in Fairbanks, where a loved one needed help for a non-COVID problem. They were told that critical care beds were full and that they might have to fly to Seattle. Doctors and nurses have started speaking out in meetings, urging the public to take the virus more seriously, but they have repeatedly encountered hostility. When the Anchorage Assembly considered a mask mandate last week, some of the doctors who came to speak were jeered at. “Do you use ivermectin?” someone in the crowd shouted, referring to a deworming medicine that has been touted as a COVID-19 treatment on social media even as the Food and Drug Administration has warned people against taking it. As a group of doctors left the meeting, one person followed them outside, heckling. “You guys have sold out and are liars,” he shouted. Others outside holding signs — “Liberty or Tyranny,” one of them said — also mocked the physicians. Dr. Leslie Gonsette, an internal medicine hospitalist who often works at Providence Alaska Medical Center, said some of her colleagues had debated whether to even go to the meeting. “There was an element of caution and worry for our safety,” she said. But in the end, she added, they concluded they had an obligation to tell people about the calamitous scenes playing out at hospitals. At another meeting of the Assembly the following night, one person was arrested on a charge of disorderly conduct and found to be carrying a concealed weapon. Many people in the audience wore a yellow Star of David, likening the proposed mask mandate to the Holocaust, which led other speakers to express outrage. Mayor Dave Bronson, who has vigorously opposed a mask mandate, argued that it was appropriate to “borrow” the symbol and then later apologised for his remarks. The debate was scheduled to resume for a fourth day Monday. Doctors at Providence, which has now put into place “crisis standards of care” that provide legal clearance for the challenging process of rationing health care, said the process had been traumatic. They have been consulting an ethicist and a triage team. Few have experience navigating such difficult ethical terrain. The patient who died after being denied emergency surgery was not the only one to undergo a triage choice. In one case, two patients needed continuous dialysis but only one machine was available. Doctors placed one patient on the machine and then switched it to the other. The first patient then died. Patients with COVID-19, which often results in serious damage to kidneys, have often monopolised dialysis resources, doctors said. When there were not enough machines available at Providence, everyone on dialysis was a COVID-19 patient. In another case, described by the hospital’s chief medical officer, Dr. Michael Bernstein, a patient with both COVID-19 and extensive cancer was on the verge of needing a ventilator. But with so many patients needing such intense care, that patient was not given life support, and died. The “crisis standards of care” generally are intended to prioritise the patients most likely to survive. Many states have discussed and approved crisis care guidelines during the pandemic, but few have formally carried them out statewide. Alaska has done so. Bernstein said that the triage team had to make rationing decisions in about 10 cases, and that the hospital had also been forced to postpone care in other ways. Twenty-nine cardiac patients have had operations postponed, and the hospital has refused to accept transfer requests for 21 patients. “This morning, the ICU was completely full, and we had four patients in the emergency room that needed intensive care,” he saids The struggle is spreading beyond Anchorage. On Wednesday, the Yukon-Kuskokwim Health Corporation in Bethel announced that it, too, had turned to crisis standards of care. “We are now in a position of making these difficult decisions on a daily basis,” the hospital’s chief of staff, Dr. Ellen Hodges, said. On Saturday, the state said it had activated crisis standards for 20 health care facilities, covering larger cities such as Anchorage, Fairbanks and Juneau, along with smaller ones such as Cordova, Dillingham and Kotzebue. At the Providence hospital in Valdez, high-need patients who would otherwise transfer to Anchorage are staying put, and there is so much demand for oxygen that the hospital has had to limit the amount each person receives. While patients would normally be kept at oxygen saturation levels of 93%, that has now dropped to 90%. Dr. Anne Zink is Alaska’s chief medical officer, helping lead the state’s pandemic response, but she also works as a physician in the emergency room at Mat-Su Regional Medical Center, northeast of Anchorage, a region with some of the state’s lowest vaccination rates and highest hospitalization rates. Zink said she had been examining patients in the waiting room and caring for them in hallways. One day, with not even stretchers available, she found herself sitting on the floor to stitch a foot laceration. “Our goal has always been to avoid having systems overwhelmed,” Zink said. “And right now we have systems overwhelmed.” Dunleavy has avoided ordering a statewide mask mandate or other restrictions during the latest surge, saying such requirements should be decided locally in a vast state where some communities have had few or no cases. A draft statewide mask mandate had been drawn up early in the pandemic, Zink said, but it was never put into place. With each COVID-19 patient, Zink said, she wonders if there was more she could have done, something she could have said, to convince more people to get vaccinated or take precautions. She became a household name at the start of the pandemic, when she gave video briefings to the public from a heated yurt behind her family’s home. In many corners of the state, she has been widely praised. On a recent day, while talking with a reporter at an Anchorage park, a couple walking their dog recognised Zink and waved. “We are fans,” the man called out. But Zink is spending time trying to reach people who are not fans. She has been appearing on conservative talk radio, answering questions and trying to ease fears about the vaccines. While some people have made up their minds, Zink said, she still regularly finds others making the decision to get vaccinated. A state survey, she said, found that 60% of unvaccinated people are open to it. In trying to encourage people to consider vaccines, she often uses references to moose hunting and berry foraging and all the ways that Alaskans are used to taking care of themselves. “Just like when we go out in a storm, we layer up,” she said. “We do multiple things together: We change our snow tires and we wear a jacket and we wear a hat,” she said. “So make sure you’re vaccinated and wear a mask and keep your distance. We know how to do this.”

In Alaska’s COVID Crisis, Doctors Must Decide Who Lives and Who Dies

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UK&nbsp;petrol&nbsp;stations are still running out of&nbsp;fuel, a retailers' group warned on Thursday, contradicting government&nbsp;claims&nbsp;that a spate of panic-buying is ebbing.

Queues continued to build at refuelling stations, especially in London and southern England, including at one site in Hampshire where a transport truck carrying a military helicopter was sighted.

Troops are expected to be deployeed within days to help ease the&nbsp;crisis, with Prime Minister Boris Johnson insisting this week that the situation was returning to normal.

Treasury Chief Secretary Simon Clarke told Sky News on Thursday that "more&nbsp;fuel&nbsp;is being delivered to&nbsp;petrol&nbsp;stations than is being sold, so that&nbsp;crisis&nbsp;is now absolutely back under control".

However, the&nbsp;Petrol&nbsp;Retailers Association said 27 percent of stations had run dry -- the same number as on Wednesday.

"PRA members are reporting that whilst they are continuing to take further deliveries of&nbsp;fuel, this is running out quicker than usual due to unprecedented demand," association chief Gordon Balmer said.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/transport-chiefs-warn-world-leaders-and-un-about-incoming-collapse-of-global-supply-chain-417077">Also read |&nbsp;Transport chiefs warn world leaders and UN about incoming collapse of global supply chain</a>

A shortage of tanker drivers last week sparked fears of pumps running dry, triggering panic-buying and some cases of fighting between irate drivers.

Johnson's government campaigned for an end to free movement across Europe during Brexit, promising to "take back control" of what it saw as unchecked immigration.&nbsp;

But last weekend it reversed entry rules to offer foreign truckers a three-month visa waiver, hoping to ease the driver shortage that has hit supply chains more generally.&nbsp;

"It is important to remember that&nbsp;fuel&nbsp;stocks remain normal at refineries and terminals, and deliveries have been reduced solely due to the shortage of HGV (heavy-goods vehicle) drivers," Balmer said.

UK petrol stations are still running out of fuel, a retailers' group warned on Thursday, contradicting government claims that a spate of panic-buying is ebbing. Queues continued to build at refuelling stations, especially in London and southern England, including at one site in Hampshire where a transport truck carrying a military helicopter was sighted.

UK petrol stations are still running out of fuel, a retailers' group warned on Thursday, contradicting government claims that a spate of panic-buying is ebbing. Queues continued to build at refuelling stations, especially in London and southern England, including at one site in Hampshire where a transport truck carrying a military helicopter was sighted. Troops are expected to be deployeed within days to help ease the crisis, with Prime Minister Boris Johnson insisting this week that the situation was returning to normal. Treasury Chief Secretary Simon Clarke told Sky News on Thursday that "more fuel is being delivered to petrol stations than is being sold, so that crisis is now absolutely back under control". However, the Petrol Retailers Association said 27 percent of stations had run dry -- the same number as on Wednesday. "PRA members are reporting that whilst they are continuing to take further deliveries of fuel, this is running out quicker than usual due to unprecedented demand," association chief Gordon Balmer said. Also read | Transport chiefs warn world leaders and UN about incoming collapse of global supply chain A shortage of tanker drivers last week sparked fears of pumps running dry, triggering panic-buying and some cases of fighting between irate drivers. Johnson's government campaigned for an end to free movement across Europe during Brexit, promising to "take back control" of what it saw as unchecked immigration. But last weekend it reversed entry rules to offer foreign truckers a three-month visa waiver, hoping to ease the driver shortage that has hit supply chains more generally. "It is important to remember that fuel stocks remain normal at refineries and terminals, and deliveries have been reduced solely due to the shortage of HGV (heavy-goods vehicle) drivers," Balmer said.

UK fuel industry denies government claims crisis is easing

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