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WORLD NEWS Tuesday 17 March 2020
A year after deadly cyclone, Mozambique now braces for virus

By ANDREW MELDRUM tional disaster after dozens
Associated Press of confirmed cases.
JOHANNESBURG (AP) — A Mozambican health offi-
year after hundreds of peo- cials are increasing surveil-
ple were killed by one of lance and working to im-
the southern hemisphere's prove hospitals.
worst cyclones, Mozam- But the high levels of mal-
bique's port city of Beira is nutrition make many Mo-
rebounding, but more than zambicans especially vul-
a million people need food nerable. An estimated 1.6
aid there and in the sur- million people don't have
rounding countryside. enough to eat, according
"A year ago much of Beira to UNICEF. More than 3,000
was flooded by Cyclone children under 5 have been
Idai. Buildings were inun- diagnosed with life-threat-
dated, homes collapsed or ening severe acute malnu-
were washed away," said trition in Beira and the sur-
Daniel Timme of UNICEF, rounding plains of central
who was in the southern Mozambique, Timme said.
African city at the time. The extreme weather disas-
"People were desperately ters have left Mozambique,
seeking family members In this photo supplied by United Nations Capital Development Fund (UNCDF) and taken Friday, as well as neighboring Zim-
and hunting for safe shelter Feb. 28 2020, children and a teacher walk past a United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) health babwe and Malawi, with-
and food." centre in the Mandruzi resettlement neighbourhood, in Beira, Mozambique. out adequate housing for
Back in Beira now, he Associated Press thousands of families, ac-
marveled at the progress cording to Amnesty Inter-
made in the city, Mozam- Poverty and hunger are at Ocean, is especially prone This year's harvest is expect- national. It called on the
bique's fourth largest, as high levels in Mozambique, to climate change disas- ed to be poor. Already we international community
residents repaired build- one of the world's poorest ters, he said. see cases of severe malnu- and the Mozambican gov-
ings and roads have been countries. "The country is experienc- trition and we are distribut- ernment to "step up recon-
rebuilt. Seasonal rains have "Under the surface, and on ing more extreme weather ing nutrition supplements, struction ... in a way that
returned, but flood canals the fringes of the city, there events, such as two major such as peanut butter truly delivers human rights."
are channeling the waters are widespread shortages cyclones last year in central paste," Timme said. "One year after the cy-
away and the city center is of food. We are finding and northern Mozambique, Now another health chal- clone hit Beira, the recon-
bustling. that the levels of severe while the country's south lenge looms large: the new struction is taking place,
"There is a buzz of activity acute malnutrition are still had a drought," Timme coronavirus. but it's growing very slowly
in Beira's port and market- high, especially among said. Cyclone Kenneth So far Mozambique has and people are rebuild-
places now," Timme said in children," Timme said. roared in just six weeks af- not recorded a case of ing, they've put a tin roof
a phone interview. "There's Low-lying Mozambique, ter Idai, surprising a region COVID-19 but the disease on their home and they are
a great spirit of resilience with a population of 30 mil- of northern Mozambique is spreading across Africa. trying to replant," said Deb-
here, although significant lion and a thousand-mile rarely struck by cyclones. Neighboring South Africa orah Nguyen of the World
problems remain." coastline on the Indian "The food situation is bad. on Sunday declared a na- Food Program. q

Lebanon military court orders Lebanese-American be released

By BASSEM MROUE lowed in his home state of been officially at war since
Associated Press New Hampshire, where U.S. Israel's creation in 1948.
BEIRUT (AP) — A military tri- Sen. Jeanne Shaheen and Lebanon bans it citizens
bunal in Beirut on Monday other officials have called from traveling to Israel or
ordered the release of a for imposing sanctions on having contact with Israelis.
Lebanese-American held Lebanon to pressure Beirut His lawyer and family say
in the country for nearly six to release him. he fled Lebanon in 2001
months on charges of work- Fakhoury has not been at- through Israel and eventu-
ing for an Israeli-backed tending questioning ses- ally to the United States be-
militia two decades ago, sions in Lebanon over the cause of death threats he
Lebanon's state-run news past few months, after be- and many other SLA mem-
agency said. ing hospitalized with stage bers received after Israel
Amer Fakhoury was or- 4 lymphoma. ended its occupation of
dered released because It was not immediately Lebanon in 2000.
more than 10 years had clear if he will be set free, In February, Fakhoury was
passed since he allegedly as he's facing another case In this Aug. 16, 2006 file photo, a Lebanese flag flies over Khiam charged by a military in-
tortured prisoners at a jail filed by former prisoners prison, in the southern town of Khiam, Lebanon. vestigative judge with the
run by the so-called South who say they were tortured Associated Press murder and torture of in-
Lebanon Army, the Nation- by him. mates at Khiam Prison. Hun-
al News Agency said. Fakhoury has been jailed den at Khiam Prison, which Fakhoury's family and law- dreds of former Lebanese
Fakhoury, 57, is is a former since Sept. 12 after return- was run by the SLA during yer, however, say he had members of the SLA militia
SLA member who became ing to Lebanon on vaca- Israel's 18-year occupation no direct contact with in- had fled to Israel, fearing
a U.S. citizen last year, and tion to visit family. Leba- of southern Lebanon. mates and was never in- reprisals if they remained
is now a restaurant owner in non's intelligence service Human rights groups have volved in any interrogation in Lebanon. Others stayed
Dover, New Hampshire. His said he confessed during described the prison as a or torture. and faced trial, receiving
case has been closely fol- questioning to being a war- center for torture. Lebanon and Israel have lenient sentences.q