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The Philippine Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) announced that 31 roads in eight regions were impassable due to landslides and flooding caused by the typhoon.The Philippine News Agency (PNA) reported that DPWH Secretary Vince Dizon mobilized all available resources to reopen the affected roads, emphasizing the need for swift action to ensure rescue, relief, and transportation operations in the disaster-stricken areas. He added that DPWH's Disaster and Incident Management Teams were working continuously to address the damage and clear main roads that were hindering aid delivery.Meanwhile, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration reported that the typhoon was gradually weakening as it moved away from Luzon Island toward the western Philippine Sea today.The Philippine Weather Bureau also reported that the eye of the typhoon was located 135 km west-northwest of Bacnotan, with maximum sustained winds of 130 km per hour and gusts of up to 160 km per hour, a central pressure of 970 hectopascals, and was moving west-northwest at 20 km per hour.Typhoon Uwan has left at least 241 people dead or missing, making it the worst natural disaster to hit the Philippines this year.

Hurricane Melissa picked up strength as it bore down on Cuba, where it is expected to make landfall Wednesday after carving a path of destruction through Jamaica as one of the most powerful hurricanes on record there, lashing the island nation with brutal winds and torrential rain. The monster storm was still 110 miles (175 kilometers) away from Guantanamo late Tuesday but was “re-strengthening” to a Category 4 hurricane “as it approaches eastern Cuba,” the National Hurricane Center (NHC) said in its latest advisory. The storm took hours to pass over Jamaica — a crossing that weakened its winds, dropping them to Category 3 strength from the maximum level 5 — before intensifying again. “Melissa is expected to remain a powerful hurricane as it moves across Cuba, the Bahamas, and near Bermuda,” the NHC said, adding that the storm is forecast to make landfall in Cuba “as an extremely dangerous major hurricane in the next few hours.” Jamaican Prime Minister Andrew Holness declared the island a “disaster area,” and authorities urged residents to remain sheltered amid continued risks of flooding and landslides, as dangerous weather persisted even after the hurricane’s core moved on. Lisa Sangster, a 30-year-old communications specialist in Kingston, said her home was devastated by the storm. “My sister explained that parts of our roof were blown off and other parts caved in, and the entire house was flooded,” she told AFP. “Outside structures like our outdoor kitchen, dog kennel, and animal pens were also gone — destroyed.” The full scale of Melissa’s damage in Jamaica was not yet clear; a comprehensive assessment could take days. Much of the island remained without power, and communications networks were badly disrupted. At its peak, the storm packed ferocious sustained winds of 185 miles per hour (295 kilometers per hour). Immediate details regarding casualties were not available. Government minister Desmond McKenzie said several hospitals had been damaged, including those in Saint Elizabeth, a coastal district he said was “underwater.” “The damage to Saint Elizabeth is extensive, based on what we have seen,” he told a briefing. “Saint Elizabeth is the breadbasket of the country, and it has taken a beating. The entire Jamaica has felt the brunt of Melissa.” The hurricane was the strongest ever to strike Jamaica, hitting land with maximum wind speeds surpassing even some of recent history’s most destructive storms, including 2005’s Katrina, which devastated New Orleans. **media[374802]** Severely Damaged Infrastructure Even before Melissa slammed into Jamaica, seven deaths — three in Jamaica, three in Haiti, and one in the Dominican Republic — had been attributed to the worsening conditions. Jamaica’s climate change minister told CNN that Melissa’s impact was “catastrophic,” citing flooded homes and “severely damaged public infrastructure” and hospitals. Mathue Tapper, 31, told AFP from Kingston that those in the capital were “lucky” but feared for fellow Jamaicans in the island’s rural areas. “My heart goes out to the folks living on the western end of the island,” he said. Climate Change Impact **media[374801]** Broad scientific consensus holds that human-driven climate change is responsible for the intensification of storms like Melissa, which are becoming increasingly frequent and bring greater potential for destruction and deadly flooding. Melissa lingered over Jamaica long enough that the rainfall was particularly devastating. “Human-caused climate change is making all of the worst aspects of Hurricane Melissa even worse,” said climate scientist Daniel Gilford. The Jamaican Red Cross, which was distributing drinking water and hygiene kits ahead of infrastructure disruptions, said Melissa’s “slow nature” exacerbated anxiety among residents. The UN is planning an airlift of some 2,000 relief kits to Jamaica from a relief supply station in Barbados once air travel resumes. Assistance is also planned for other affected countries, including Cuba and Haiti, UN spokesperson Stephane Dujarric told journalists. Jamaican officials said around 25,000 tourists were in the country, famed for its normally crystalline waters.

Qatar has stressed the importance of full and complete implementation of all international conventions and treaties related to the prohibition and disarmament of weapons of mass destruction of all kinds, to maintain the safety of future generations and protect the planet.This came in a statement delivered by Ahmed Abdullah al-Obaidly, a member of the Qatari delegation participating in the 80th session of the UN General Assembly, before the First Committee of the General Assembly during its 80th session, on the item entitled 'Other Weapons of Mass Destruction', at the UN Headquarters in New York.Al-Obaidly explained at the beginning of the statement that the existence and use of weapons of mass destruction, including nuclear, chemical, and biological weapons, threatens the security of states and the safety of peoples and violates fundamental human rights, foremost among which is the right to life.He noted that this danger increases with the possibility of non-state actors obtaining these weapons and their means of delivery. He pointed out that Qatar, at the national level, continues to develop and update national legislation related to weapons of mass destruction, in line with its obligations under the international conventions to which it has acceded.He explained that Qatar co-operates closely with the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) and is working to strengthen its role in supporting the implementation of the convention. He added that Qatar is currently hosting the 12th Annual Meeting of Representatives of the Chemical Industry and National Authorities of States Parties to the Chemical Weapons Convention, from Oct 21 to 24 in Doha, with the aim of enhancing co-operation between the chemical industry and national authorities to support the full and effective implementation of the convention.He expressed Qatar's welcome to the adoption by the Executive Council of the OPCW, at its 110th session, of the resolution entitled "The Accelerated Destruction of Any Remaining Chemical Weapons in the Syrian Arab Republic," which was adopted by consensus among Member States.He said that Qatar, as the state representing the interests of Syria within the OPCW, had submitted the draft resolution to the Executive Council in support of the international community's efforts to eliminate any remnants of chemical weapons and promote constructive cooperation between States Parties and the OPCW.The resolution was co-sponsored by more than 50 countries. The statement indicated that Qatar, in support of regional efforts to exchange knowledge and raise awareness of the importance of disarmament, organized and hosted three sessions of the Arab Forum on Arms Control, Disarmament, and Non-Proliferation, the last of which was held in Doha from June 4 to 6, 2024.Al-Obaidly said that Qatar hosted a regional training course for national focal points on the implementation of the Biological Weapons Convention at the UN House in Doha in 2024, with the aim of enhancing the implementation of the Convention and exchanging information and expertise between national focal points and stakeholders in the Middle East and North Africa.

After two years of war, Gaza is buried under more than 61 million tonnes of debris and three quarters of buildings have been destroyed, according to UN data analysed by AFP.The fragile ceasefire between Hamas and Israel, which came into effect on October 10 under pressure from US President Donald Trump, opens the way for the reconstruction of the devastated territory.This will require managing the immense amount of rubble.As of July 8, 2025, the Israeli army had damaged or destroyed nearly 193,000 buildings in the densely populated territory, representing about 78 percent of existing structures before the conflict began on October 7, 2023, according to satellite analysis by the United Nations' UNOSAT programme.In an assessment of images from September 22-23 of Gaza City, the UN agency estimated that an even higher proportion -- 83 percent -- of buildings there had been damaged or destroyed.The total 61.5 million tonnes of debris is nearly 170 times the weight of New York's Empire State Building and is equivalent to over 169 kilogrammes of debris for each square metre of Gaza's small territory.Nearly two-thirds of the debris was made in the first five months of the war, according to the UN Environment Programme (UNEP).The destruction of buildings also accelerated in the months leading up to the current ceasefire.Eight million tonnes of debris were generated from April to July 2025, mostly in the southern part of the territory between Rafah and Khan Yunis.A preliminary analysis published by UNEP in August warned the debris poses a serious health risk to the exposed population.The UN agency suggests that at least 4.9 million tonnes of debris could be contaminated with asbestos from old buildings, particularly near refugee camps such as those in Jabaliya in the north, Nuseirat and al-Maghazi in the centre, and Rafah and Khan Yunis in the south.UNEP also reports at least 2.9 million tonnes of debris could be contaminated with "hazardous waste from known industrial sites".

The United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) stated that Israeli occupying forces are carrying out destruction operations in the northern West Bank, forcing citizens to undergo forced displacement from their homes. In a statement issued Wednesday, UNRWA confirmed that the refugee camps in Jenin, Tulkarm, and Nur Shams have been evacuated, and their residents have been prevented from returning. The agency pointed out that settler violence and the expansion of settlements have led to the forcible displacement of Palestinians from their land, warning that these actions pave the way for annexation operations. UNRWA further added that Israeli laws targeting the agency have led to the closure of UN schools in the West Bank and the expulsion of international staff from their positions.

Two years after Israel's devastating war on the Gaza Strip, the full scope of what observers describe as one of the most extensive acts of cultural erasure in modern history is becoming increasingly clear, as the destruction has not only leveled buildings but also torn through the collective memory, identity, and heritage of an entire people. Libraries have been burned, museums demolished, and cultural institutions leveled, in what Palestinian officials and rights groups describe as a systematic assault on the cultural and intellectual foundations of Palestinian society, aimed at erasing history and dismantling the cultural identity of Gaza and its people. Observers note that the Israeli occupation has long pursued policies designed to undermine Palestinian identity and suppress cultural expression, as part of a broader strategy targeting the intellectual and social pillars of Palestinian society. The repeated bombardment of cultural, artistic, educational, archaeological, and religious landmarks across Gaza serves, they say, as a tool for achieving wider political objectives. Gaza's cultural and historical heritage now faces severe peril amid ongoing destruction and deliberate targeting. The extensive bombing of cultural centers, museums, theaters, art galleries, historical landmarks, public and private libraries, printing presses, publishing houses, and places of worship has drastically reduced the ability of future generations to access their history and cultural legacy. All of Gaza's museums have been damaged or destroyed during the war. Among them is the National Museum housed in Qasr al-Basha, which contains tens of thousands of artifacts, and the Deir al-Balah Museum, operated by the local municipality. Many collections were either destroyed or looted and later transferred to Israeli museums. The offensive also wiped out dozens of public, private, and university libraries, as well as printing presses and publishing houses, an act cultural experts describe as a deliberate obliteration of Gaza's intellectual record. The destruction has also extended to hundreds of historical buildings and archaeological sites. According to local heritage authorities, at least 226 archaeological sites have been damaged, including Tell al-Ajjul, which dates back to the Middle and Late Bronze Ages. More than 1,000 mosques were completely or partially destroyed, among them the Great Omari Mosque, one of the oldest and most significant in historical Palestine. Additionally, eight cemeteries, including the Roman Cemetery dating back nearly 2,000 years, were obliterated. The education sector has faced unprecedented devastation. Around 18,000 students, 750 teachers, and more than 230 university professors have been martyred since the start of the war. Nearly 95% of schools, universities, and kindergartens have sustained damage or total destruction, depriving over 650,000 students of access to education. The deliberate targeting of Gaza's academics, artists, journalists, and scientists poses a grave threat to its cultural and intellectual future. The loss of these figures — the very transmitters of heritage and innovation — together with the destruction of their cultural and educational institutions and means of expression, has severely weakened Gaza's cultural, artistic, and academic foundations.

The Israeli occupation army continued its heavy bombardment across various areas of the Gaza Strip on Sunday, resulting in multiple injuries and extensive damage to property, including the complete destruction of Al-Azhar University in Gaza City. Local sources reported that Israeli warplanes targeted displaced people's tents east of Asda neighborhood, north of Khan Yunis in the southern Gaza Strip, causing injuries to several civilians. Israeli artillery also shelled gatherings of Palestinians waiting for humanitarian aid east of Wadi Gaza, in central Gaza, leading to multiple injuries. In Gaza City, Israeli warplanes carried out consecutive airstrikes on the neighborhoods of Sabra, Al-Jalaa, and Al-Thalathini. Meantime, residential buildings near the Tayaran intersection were targeted, resulting in injuries and widespread destruction to the targeted buildings and neighboring homes. Additionally, Israeli fighter jets struck Al-Maghazi refugee camp in central Gaza, causing injuries and damage to residents' homes. Simultaneously, intense shelling targeted Al-Azhar University in Gaza City, completely destroying the facility amid the ongoing assault on civilian infrastructure and facilities across the Gaza Strip. The ongoing Israeli aggression on Gaza since October 2023 has so far resulted in at least 67,074 Palestinians martyred, with over 169,430 others injured. Thousands of victims are feared trapped under rubble, inaccessible to emergency and civil defense teams due to Israeli attacks.