Mr.Talha

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-58277226 When US Vice President Kamala Harris arrives in Vietnam on the second part of her South East Asian tour, she can be grateful it is Hanoi she is flying into, not the larger commercial capital in the south, Ho Chi Minh City, formerly Saigon, which was re-named in 1975 after the first insurgent leader to force a humiliating American withdrawal. For years afterwards, Vietnam evoked US failure and the futility of pouring money and lives into a war against an entrenched local insurgency. The obvious parallels between Afghanistan today, and Vietnam then, are going to be awkward enough without actually being in the last city where the US had to lay on a last-minute, panicky evacuation. Third time lucky? Vice President Harris's visit is part of a diplomatic charm offensive by the Biden administration in South East Asia, a region it argues is crucial to the future prosperity and security of the United States. His is the third US administration to promise a renewed focus on this region. President Obama's had his so-called 'pivot', which was supposed to redirect US diplomacy away from the Middle East towards the Asia-Pacific, and President Trump his 'Free and Open Indo-Pacific', intended to challenge China's expanding influence. Neither strategy went much beyond broad concepts, nor did they reverse the perception of declining US prestige here. So, coming right after the embarrassing fiasco in Afghanistan, what hope has the vice-president of convincing her hosts in Singapore and Vietnam that President Biden will do any better? Why is Kabul being compared to the fall of Saigon? The Afghan debacle's impact on US allies and rivals There was some concern in this region about his apparent lack of interest in the first six months of his administration, when he did not call a single South East Asian leader, and seemed to focus more on rebuilding ties with Europe. But in the past two months visits first by Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman and then Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin have signalled the seriousness with which the US now takes this region. "The way that the withdrawal from Afghanistan happened was very damaging to US credibility", says Professor Thitinan Pongsudhirak, director of the Institute of Security and International Studies at Chulalongkorn University in Bangkok. "But in the long term, it depends what they do next. If they follow up on the Austin and Harris visits, stepping up vaccine diplomacy in this region, if they fully resource their Indo-Pacific strategy, this could be a more focused foreign policy for the Biden administration, away from the Middle East and the wars that cannot be won." The recent donation of 23 million doses of Covid vaccines has given the US image in South East Asia an unexpected lift, the perceived quality of its mRNA technology contrasting favourably with the less effective Chinese-made vaccines which have been deployed in large quantities. Ms Harris will capitalise on that by proposing deeper healthcare and medical partnerships, and opening a first regional branch of the US Center for Disease Control in Hanoi. She is also likely in Singapore to push the idea of a digital trade pact among several countries in the region, which could cover digital security and agreed standards in emerging technologies like AI and blockchain. This has the advantage of re-engaging in Asia-Pacific trade networks, after the damage done by President Trump's abrupt withdrawal from the Trans-Pacific Partnership five years ago, and in areas where the US is competitive. Challenge to China It would aim to counter China's rapid advances in pushing its own telecoms and other advanced technology, the so-called 'digital silk road', which has seen, for example, Huawei's cutting-edge 5G infrastructure dominate in many countries. President Biden is also pushing for changes to the way global supply chains are structured, to wean US companies off dependence on small numbers of specialised suppliers, many in China. These issues will have much more appeal in South East Asia than the Trump administration's focus on projecting US military power in the South China Sea, and on escalating trade disputes with China. None of the countries in this region wants to be asked to choose between the US and China.

https://www.bbc.com/news/business-58300897 More than 80 private Covid travel test providers listed on the government's website will be issued two-strike warnings over misleading prices, Health Secretary Sajid Javid has announced. A further 57 firms will be removed from the website on Monday, because they either no longer exist or do not actually provide the relevant tests. The health secretary said the move was to clamp down on "cowboy behaviour". The government will also introduce spot checks on the test providers. Government was told in April of PCR test 'rip-off' Anger at overflowing Covid test drop boxes Tui to subsidise Covid tests for customers The UK government has made it a condition of international travel to England that tests before travel, and on your arrival in the UK are mandatory. The number of tests that are needed is dependent on your arrival from either a green or amber country or your vaccination status. Arrivals from red countries must still use quarantine hotel facilities. The government website has a list of private companies that offer such tests - but a recent review by the Department of Health found the prices displayed were lower on the Gov.UK site than the actual amount they cost. Some of the most common complaints from travellers also mention tests listed on the government's list of providers that do not exist at the price advertised, whilst others allege poor service. Mr Javid said: "It is absolutely unacceptable for any private testing company to be taking advantage of holidaymakers and today's action clamps down on this cowboy behaviour. "57 firms will be removed from the Gov.UK list and a further 82 will be given a two-strike warning - if they advertise misleading prices ever again, they're off." He added that the spot checks being introduced were to ensure that all private providers "follow the rules" and meet the government's "high standards of transparency". 'We haven't met anyone who's had a £20 test' But consumer group Which? said that it had warned the government about the problems with private travel test providers six months ago. "It's welcome news that the government is finally taking responsibility for its list of test providers and carrying out an audit, but it's six months late," Rory Boland, travel editor at consumer association Which?, told the BBC. "There should not have been providers listed on the Gov.UK website that don't exist. We found this in our first investigation in April, when providers were telling us that the system would collapse if larger numbers of people were travelling." He added that Which? had repeatedly reported some Covid test providers to the government: "In our second investigation, we looked at the 10 cheapest providers and we found that none of the tests listed below £80, were actually attainable for less than that. "We submitted the names to the government and they removed three of those 10 names in June." While the government has not named the providers that it intends to remove from the Gov.UK website, or the firms that will be receiving warnings, Which? says it is certain that the test providers offering Covid tests that start from £20 will be targeted. Mr Boland said: "You can't get the £20 tests. We haven't met anyone who's had a £20 test. Generally the price you pay, at the cheaper end, is £40-£50. "A lot of these firms offering £20 tests require you to drive to somewhere in England on a specific day, such as in Middlesbrough. When you try to book the test online, the booking calendar is almost always full." In April, Transport Secretary Grant Shapps told MPs that some travel tests had fallen to below £45, saying he was "very anxious" to reduce the cost of the tests for consumers. Last week, the government accused the Competition and Markets Authority of not doing enough to protect consumers, saying that PCR testing for travel had become a "predictable Covid rip-off". In response, the business and competition regulator told the BBC it warned government officials that consumers could face risks from the fast-growing travel testing industry in April and May.

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https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-scotland-scotland-politics-58272209 The SNP and Scottish Greens have published details of their new power sharing arrangement. The deal will take the Greens into government for the first time anywhere in the UK. It includes a commitment to hold a referendum on Scottish independence within the next five years, and preferably by the end of 2023. First Minister Nicola Sturgeon gave details at a briefing alongside the two Scottish Greens co-leaders. Opposition parties have described the arrangement as a "nationalist coalition of chaos" that will be a "disaster" for Scotland. What could the SNP-Green deal mean for Scotland? The agreement will see two Green MSPs appointed as junior ministers in Ms Sturgeon's government. These ministers could be invited to attend cabinet meetings when their portfolios are being discussed, with the Green co-leaders attending cabinet at least twice a year. BBC Scotland's political editor, Glenn Campbell, said the arrangement will "look like a coalition but fall short of a coalition". What is in the agreement? The pro-independence Greens have signed up to the bulk of the government's policy - but there will also be areas where they are in disagreement with the SNP, and they will be able to criticise it on those points. These excluded areas include aviation policy, international relations, policy on fee-paying schools, fox hunting and Nato membership if Scotland becomes independent. The co-operation agreement says the two parties will work together to provide "effective and responsible leadership for Scotland for this session of the Scottish Parliament, in the interests of Scotland, of the people who live in Scotland, and of future generations". It says they will secure a referendum on Scottish independence "within the current parliamentary session on a specific date to be determined by the Scottish Parliament". If the Covid crisis has passed, their intention would be for the referendum to be within the first half of the five-year parliamentary session. UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson is adamant that another referendum should not happen any time soon - with BBC political correspondent Nick Eardley saying that stance is unlikely to change. The partnership agreement also includes commitments to: Increase investment in active travel and public transport, with the aim of providing a "realistic and affordable" alternative to car use More support for the marine renewables and offshore wind sectors A 10-year £500m Just Transition Fund for the north east and Moray Increasing the level of the Scottish Child Payment to the full £20 within this parliamentary term Investing at least £1.8bn over this parliamentary session in energy efficiency and renewable heating Enhancing tenants rights and delivering 110,000 affordable homes by 2032 It is a new form of government at Holyrood and a first in the UK, and is based on the arrangements the New Zealand Greens have with Jacinda Ardern's government. The Greens are the fourth largest party in the Scottish Parliament after winning eight seats in the election in May, while the SNP won 64 seats - leaving them one short of an overall majority. The SNP had formed a minority government for the previous five years, and had relied on the support of the Greens to pass its annual budget. Ms Sturgeon said the agreement was about "doing politics and governance better to find the solutions needed to solve the problems confronting the world today". She added: "The spirit of co-operation and consensus-building is very much in keeping with the founding principles of our Scottish Parliament. "We do not agree on everything but we are coming out of our comfort zones to focus on what we do agree on." Scottish Greens co-leader Patrick Harvie said the "historic" arrangement could not have come at a more important time. He said: "We must build a fairer and compassionate country and we must do everything in our power to tackle the escalating climate and nature emergencies to deliver a just transition for all. That is what this deal will do". The deal has been struck with less than three months to go until the COP26 climate conference in Glasgow. The Greens have been pressing the Scottish government to go further in tackling global warming in exchange for their support, and wants it to oppose any new oil and gas exploration in the North Sea. But the agreement does not do this, and instead offers support for a "pre-production oil and gas licence climate checkpoint review". The UK government is expected to announce soon whether extraction of oil and gas at the Cambo site near Shetland will be given approval. The GMB union said workers across the energy sector were "looking on with real concern" and would be seeking assurances that the SNP-Green deal will not be a "one-way ticket to the dole queue". The Greens are also opposed to the government's road building programme, and some businesses including fish farming have warned that Green policies could damage the economy if they are adopted by the government.

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-58289893 Greece has installed a 40km (25-mile) fence and surveillance system on its border with Turkey amid concern over a surge of migrants from Afghanistan. "We cannot wait, passively, for the possible impact," Greece's Citizens' Protection Minister Michalis Chrisochoidis said on a visit to the region of Evros on Friday. "Our borders will remain inviolable." His comments came as Turkey called on European countries to take responsibility for Afghan migrants. In a telephone conversation with Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said a sharp increase in people leaving Afghanistan could pose "a serious challenge for everyone". "A new wave of migration is inevitable if the necessary measures are not taken in Afghanistan and in Iran," Mr Erdogan said. EXPLAINER: Ten days that shook Afghanistan ON THE GROUND: Desperate scramble to escape VOICES: Uncertain times ahead for Afghan women The rapid takeover of Afghanistan by the Taliban, an Islamist militant group, has left some fearing for their lives and seeking to escape the country, often by any means necessary. Mr Chrisochoidis said the crisis had created new "possibilities for migrant flows" into Europe. Greece, which was on the frontline of the migrant crisis in 2015 when more than a million people fleeing war and poverty in the Middle East crossed from Turkey into the EU, has said it may send back any Afghans that arrive illegally through the country. Of those who arrived in Greece during the migrant crisis, many travelled further north throughout Europe, but about 60,000 have remained in the country. Last year, Athens temporarily blocked new asylum applications after Mr Erdogan said Turkey had "opened the doors" for migrants to travel to the EU. Mr Mitsotakis said at the time that Greece had increased "the level of deterrence at our borders to the maximum", with security personnel deployed to the Evros land border.

A goal remained elusive for Bengaluru FC despite a late onslaught as they played out a 0-0 draw with Bashundhara Kings of Bangladesh in their second group match in the AFC Cup on Saturday. Bengaluru thought they had scored the decisive goal in the 74th minute only to see Alan Henrique Costa’s header hit the crossbar. With just one point from two matches, the Sunil Chhetri-led team is now in a difficult position to advance to the knock-out stage with only the group winners making the grade. Bashundhara, on four points now, should thank their goalkeeper Anisur Rahman for making a series of saves late in the match to help the Bangladesh Premier League champions earn a potentially crucial draw. In a match where both sides had enough chances to claim all three points, Rahman and his Bengaluru opposite Gurpreet Singh Sandhu both proved unbeatable, with Bashundhara’s share of the spoils proving far more valuable in the group standings. Bashundhara came into the match hoping to build on their opening win over Maziya Sports & Recreation, while Bengaluru had no room for failure following their defeat against ATK Mohun Bagan, and neither side gave anything away in a cagey opening period. A mazy run from Bashundhara’s Brazilian star Robinho gave a glimpse of the talent the Bangladeshi champions had at their disposal but it was Bengaluru defender Yrondu Musavu-King who had the first real scoring chance of the game when his header was well saved by Anisur Rahman. Rahman’s opposite Gurpreet was called upon for the first time when he kept out a swerving effort from another of Bashundhara’s Brazilians, Fernandes, in the 33rd minute, before Bengaluru forward Bidyashagar Singh lashed a volley over the crossbar at the other end as the first half finished goalless. The game burst into life with a thrilling sequence in the 56th minute, when Robinho wriggled into the penalty and forced a save from Gurpreet, with Roshan Singh Naroem launching himself to make a looping goal-line clearance. While Robinho was at the heart of all things positive from Bashundhara, Bengaluru looked to Chhetri for inspiration, and the veteran striker was not too far away from breaking the deadlock when he sent an effort narrowly over the crossbar just after the hour mark. Bashundhara had been denied in a goalmouth scramble earlier, and it was Bengaluru’s turn to suffer in a drama-filled 74th minute, when a deflected Chhetri strike was kept out by a desperate Anisur save. The Indian side went even closer when Alan Costa’s header from the resulting corner hammered into the crossbar and onto the goal-line without going in. With Bashundahra visibly tiring, it took a fabulous low save from the superb Anisur to keep Cleiton’s Silva’s goal-bound effort out with eight minutes remaining. Danish Farooq’s volley flew high and wide three minutes later to leave Bengaluru’s knockout hopes hanging by the thinnest of threads.

Flynn can’t believe his luck. Autocar’s photographer needs a picture of the 12-year-old at the wheel of the Vauxhall Corsa as he steers it around the driving route laid out at Kempton Park Racecourse in Sunbury, Surrey. The thing is, the lad has only just returned from doing the same thing – a gift from his dad, Steve, who bought the 30-minute driving experience offered by Young Driver, an organisation that offers 10-to-17-year-olds their first taste of driving in a dual-control car. In the company of a qualified instructor, Flynn and his fellow youngsters follow a route on a closed circuit marked out with cones and road signs and which, depending on the venue (there are 70 across the UK) might also feature a hill start and other technical challenges. Flynn returned from his first drive cock-a-hoop at the experience – “I got the car to 26mph in third gear and did an emergency stop!” – and now he’s being offered another go, which, frankly, has stunned him. I’ve dropped by Kempton Park this hot Saturday morning to see a Young Driver experience for myself and to find out, against a backdrop of conflicting attitudes towards the car, what today’s youngsters – the drivers of tomorrow – think about this mode of transport and, crucially, its future. Obviously, the many youngsters who, over the course of the day, will guide Young Driver’s 17 Corsas around Kempton Park are already sold on driving, but even so, their views are bound to be nuanced. I’m expecting to hear Greta Thunberg’s name mentioned… By the time the youngest drivers at today’s event begin their driving lessons on the road at 17, the current drift to EVs will have gathered pace and their instructor’s car could very well be an electric model with an automatic gearbox. That’s fine if mum and dad can afford to furnish them with a new or used EV when they pass their test, but most will have to make sure they learn in a manual car to take advantage of the many thousands of used petrol models that will still be around at lower prices. They can always step up to an EV later. Not that Flynn is thinking EV. “My favourite cars are the Mazda RX-7 and the Koenigsegg Agera RS,” he says. “I like the old petrol cars with their big engines, but I think that when I pass my test [in 2025 at the earliest], around 50% of new cars will be hybrid or electric, so I had better get used to the fact that when I’m older, I’ll be driving one.” His acceptance is borne out by the 2020 RAC Report on Motoring, which found that people aged 17 to 24 are almost twice as likely to consider buying a pure EV than older drivers. Apparently, the same age group is also more concerned about the environment than older drivers. On that point, as Flynn heads off for his second spin of the day, I spy 13-year-old twins Immie and Issie returning from their half-hour drives. How do they square concern for the environment with driving a metal box on already congested roads? A certain Swedish activist’s name is quickly forthcoming… “I think what Greta Thunberg says about our responsibility to the environment and making greener choices is right,” says Immie. “She hasn’t put me off the car or driving, though. Electric cars are the answer.”

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Australia on Thursday named a strong 15-man squad for the Twenty20 World Cup, recalling paceman Pat Cummins and leading batsmen Steve Smith and David Warner for the global tournament in the United Arab Emirates and Oman. The squad quashed speculation that Australia might spare some of its top players from the October-November World Cup ahead of a big summer highlighted by an Ashes series against England. “We are confident this squad has the ability to take the side deep into what will be an extremely competitive tournament,” said selector George Bailey in a team release. “We have some of the best players in the world in their respective roles combined with the collective experience to succeed against the very best T20 sides in the world.” All-rounders Glenn Maxwell and Marcus Stoinis, and seamer Kane Richardson return to the squad having missed the tours of the West Indies and Bangladesh. Smith returns from an elbow injury. Captain Aaron Finch was also named in the squad while recovering from recent knee surgery. Uncapped West Australian Josh Inglis has been included as back-up wicketkeeper to Matthew Wade. “Josh has been on our radar for some time with his performances in white ball cricket,” Bailey said. “He offers the squad flexibility in the batting order with his adaptability, counter-attacking ability and power striking. He is a player we are excited about for the future.” Squad: Aaron Finch (capt), Ashton Agar, Pat Cummins, Josh Hazlewood, Josh Inglis, Mitchell Marsh, Glenn Maxwell, Kane Richardson, Steve Smith, Mitchell Starc, Marcus Stoinis, Mitchell Swepson, Matthew Wade, David Warner, Adam Zampa.

Small SUVs may not be everyone’s cup of tea, but they’ve gone from strength to strength. With their funky looks, compact size and low running costs, it’s not hard to see why they’re so po[CENSORED]r. The C3 Aircross is Citroën’s offering in this class. With chunky styling and off-roader-inspired accessories, including roof bars and extra black plastic body cladding, it’s a tough-looking and desperately cute little thing that neatly superseded the boxy, MPV-like C3 Picasso. The engine options start with an 82bhp 1.2-litre petrol, then get more exciting with two turbocharged 1.2-litre petrols that make 108bhp and 128bhp. There are also two 1.5-litre diesel offerings, producing 99bhp and 118bhp. Post-2020 models give you three engines to choose from: the same 1.2-litre turbo petrols plus an updated 1.5-litre diesel with 108bhp. The more potent units offer a six-speed automatic gearbox as well as the standard six-speed manual. There were initially three trim levels: Feel, Origins and Flair. Even the most basic is well equipped, with a touchscreen infotainment system, air conditioning and cruise control. Origins offers mainly cosmetic upgrades, while Flair owners can boast of keyless entry and start, rain-sensing wipers and climate control. Citroëns ride well, right? Well, the C3 Aircross’s soft suspension and squishy seat cushions do initially seem inviting, but you find yourself being tossed from side to side on rougher surfaces and the body rolls quite a lot when you’re cornering. It’s quite refined, though, and it’s pleasant enough to drive, although the steering is vague and the numb clutch takes some getting used to. There’s more to get excited about inside the C3 Aircross than in most small SUVs. From the art-deco air vents to the silver accents below the touchscreen, everything has been designed to be interesting to look at rather than purely functional.

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-latin-america-58245047 The prettily named village of Marceline is 30 minutes' drive north of Les Cayes. Before the earthquake hit it had two churches - Catholic and Baptist - a medical centre, a school and a voodoo community centre. A tarmac road runs through the village, and off that tight paths cross banana trees, meandering by cinder block houses. The town we arrive in is unrecognisable. The drive up to Marceline is marked by landslides, and huge fissures in the road. The driver at times slows the car to a stop so he can negotiate the cracks. The town of Les Cayes was badly affected by the magnitude 7.2 earthquake on 14 August. Perhaps one in six buildings collapsed. Here it's hard to find a house that is standing. Kelly Phildor was a 15-year-old boy who was preparing for a new school term. He was cheeky and full of life. His nickname was Kelly Forever, and he had scrawled that moniker on to his shirt. "I didn't realise his life would be so short," his mother, Marie Rose, says. Kelly had woken up early, and had left his home on Saturday morning. But his phone needed charging so he decided to return. When the quake hit, a wall made of chunks of heavy cement and rock fell on top of him. It broke both of his legs and his skull. He didn't stand a chance. "I don't know what to do. I have his shirt wrapped around my waist to give me strength," Marie Rose says. The level of destruction here is hard to comprehend. Both churches were obliterated. In the voodoo community centre, people were getting ready for a dance in the chapel. They were waiting for the priestess to start proceedings when the quake struck. The building caved in on itself. A neighbour tells us that they managed pull out the body of the priestess, but there could be more than 25 people still under the rubble. What everyone asks is why there is no help - no medicine, no search and rescue teams, no food and water - nothing. Margaret Maurice and her eight children managed to survive their house collapsing with only minor injuries. However, they are now left to fend for themselves, squatting on the rubble of their former homes. "Do I have to scream to get the government's attention," she says, "or are we being left to die?" She says she has little food and water, and the few aid trucks she's seen have passed them by. The government, aid agencies and the international community have all promised help. But those promises mean little to people here. The medical centre - a place where people could perhaps have sorted supplies - was also flattened. Here in the mountains it can get cold and wet at night. Some people have flimsy tarpaulins, and some don't even have that. Occasionally there are short jolts, aftershocks, that add to the stress. People here aren't thinking about their long-term future - they're focused on surviving. But with all the village's infrastructure utterly destroyed it's hard to see how Marcilene will recover. Haiti is currently in political turmoil. The former president was assassinated last month. The country simply isn't able to give villages like Marcilene the assistance they need. Everyone here has multiple friends and family members lost to this earthquake, which killed more than 2,000 Haitians. But now, there are worries that more could die - not from the earthquake - but because basic supplies that were needed, never came.

https://www.economist.com/graphic-detail/2021/08/18/haitis-lack-of-preparedness-makes-bad-disasters-worse IF THERE were a prize for the world’s unluckiest country, then Haiti would surely be a contender. On August 14th the Caribbean country was hit by a 7.2-magnitude earthquake, killing at least 2,000 people; the final death toll could be in the tens of thousands. (A slightly weaker earthquake in 2010 killed between 100,000 and 300,000 Haitians.) Just two days later, rescue efforts were paused when Tropical Storm Grace swept through. But as the poorest economy in the Americas, it is Haiti’s inability to cope with such disasters—rather than the frequency of the disasters themselves—that causes so much grief. Every year Bündnis Entwicklung Hilft (the “Development Helps Alliance”), a network of German humanitarian outfits, produces a World Risk Report. They crunch 27 different types of data to score countries on various metrics, including “exposure”, ”susceptibility”, “adaptation” and “lack of coping” capabilities. In a report published in 2020, Haiti did not rank as the country hit most by extreme weather. On its measurement of exposure—the number and severity of natural disasters—Haiti took 32nd place out of 181 countries. Japan (10th), the Netherlands (16th) and Greece (30th) are all more disaster-prone. Even when compared with other countries in the Caribbean, Haiti is less exposed than countries such as Dominica and Trinidad and Tobago—countries that are rarely in the news for their earthquakes. But Haiti did come out worst among Caribbean countries on one metric: its lack of ability to cope with natural disasters. Its emergency services and hospitals do not have enough capacity when a catastrophe strikes. Its airports are so tiny it struggled to accept all the aid it was offered after the earthquake in 2010. On the global ranking for shortage of coping capacity, it comes ninth, behind countries such as Afghanistan and Syria, which are plagued by conflict. The most po[CENSORED]r explanation for Haiti’s bad luck is its poverty. It lacks the resources to recover from disasters or to protect against future ones. But history also plays a part. “Why Nations Fail: The Origins of Power, Prosperity, and Poverty” by Daron Acemoglu and James Robinson, two economists, argues that countries where colonialists introduced “extractive institutions” (ie, the elites extracted wealth from the rest of the po[CENSORED]tion) still suffer from poverty and poor governance. Haiti under French rule, the authors suggested in a subsequent blog post, was one of the most extractive colonies ever established by Europeans. Since the country achieved full independence in 1804, it has suffered from cycles of political instability. Last month the president was assassinated. A country that cannot govern itself can hardly cope with other disasters that nature puts in its way.

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