Failure and Famine

This summary of the coverage of famine in Gaza provides insight into the cliche that truth is often the first casualty of war. 

Addressing Famine

 UN World Food Programme  urges action now. Children are dying. Act now.

Urgent appeal. Famine is real. Donate and help us reach families on the edge of...

Famine confirmed in Gaza (Famine Is Confirmed in Gaza, n.d.)

UNICEF Canada issues Emergency Appeal and declares the Situation Is Urgent.

Help us respond fast to natural disasters and humanitarian emergencies around the world.

10K+ visits in past month

Famine confirmed in Gaza City is 'failure of humanity', (Situation Is Urgent, n.d.)

BBC reports a UN-backed body confirms famine in Gaza Strip and surrounding areas, and says half a million are facing "catastrophic" conditions. The report indicates how Israel's policies created famine in Gaza. (UN-Backed Body Confirms Famine in Gaza, n.d.)

BBC reports Israel has systematically obstructed food entering Gaza, aid agencies say, as a UN-backed body confirms a famine. The famine in Gaza: 'A failure of humanity itself', says UN chief. (Israel Has Systematically Obstructed Food Entering Gaza, n.d.)

UN News on 2025/08 reports more than half a million people in Gaza are trapped in famine, marked by widespread starvation, destitution and preventable deaths, ...

Gaza City is officially in famine, with hunger spreading. (Half a Million People in Gaza Are Trapped in Famine, Marked by Widespread Starvation, n.d.)

Reuters reports that Gaza City and surrounding areas are officially suffering from famine, and it will likely spread, a global hunger monitor determined on ..UN officially declares famine in Gaza, Netanyahu slams 'lie'. (UN Officially Declares Famine in Gaza, Netanyahu Slams 'Lie'., n.d.)

Le Monde.fr reports the IPC report says 'over half a million people in the Gaza Strip are facing catastrophic conditions characterized by starvation, ... ('Over Half a Million People in the Gaza Strip Are Facing Catastrophic Conditions, n.d.)

Al Jazeera declares two Palestinians have starved to death in Gaza in the past 24 hours, which also saw 71 people killed in Israeli attacks across the enclave, … Famine confirmed for first time in Gaza (Two Palestinians Have Starved to Death in Gaza in the Past 24 Hours, 2025)

World Health Organization (WHO) presents a Statement by Commissioner Lahbib on Gaza famine that more than half a million people in Gaza are trapped in famine, marked by widespread starvation, destitution and preventable deaths. (Half a Million People in Gaza Are Trapped in Famine, n.d.)

European Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations reports famine is no longer a risk in Gaza. It is a reality. Children are dying from hunger and disease, while families are going days without food. UN-backed experts declare famine in and around Gaza City. (Lahbib, n.d.)

The Guardian reports that the IPC (Integrated Food Security Phase Classication)  says famine is 'entirely man-made' and immediate response is needed or avoidable deaths will soar. (Fox, n.d.)

References

Famine is confirmed in Gaza. (n.d.). UN World Food Programme (WFP). Retrieved August 22, 2025, from https://www.wfp.org/news/famine-confirmed-first-time-gaza 

Fox, J. (n.d.). IPC says famine is 'entirely man-made'. Latest news, sport and opinion from the Guardian. Retrieved August 22, 2025, from https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/aug/22/ipc-declares-famine-gaza-city 

half a million people in Gaza are trapped in famine. (n.d.). World Health Organization (WHO). Retrieved August 22, 2025, from https://www.who.int/news/item/22-08-2025-famine-confirmed-for-first-time-in-gaza 

half a million people in Gaza are trapped in famine, marked by widespread starvation. (n.d.). UN News | Global perspective Human stories. Retrieved August 22, 2025, from https://news.un.org/en/story/2025/08/1165702 

Israel has systematically obstructed food entering Gaza. (n.d.). BBC Home - Breaking News, World News, US News, Sports, Business, Innovation, Climate, Culture, Travel, Video & Audio. Retrieved August 22, 2025, from https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c05ed5rgld3o 

Lahbib, C. (n.d.). Children are dying from hunger and disease. European Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations (ECHO). Retrieved August 22, 2025, from https://civil-protection-humanitarian-aid.ec.europa.eu/news-stories/news/statement-com missioner-lahbib-gaza-famine-2025-08-22_en

'over half a million people in the Gaza Strip are facing catastrophic conditions. (n.d.). Retrieved August 22, 2025, from https://www.lemonde.fr/en/international/article/2025/08/22/un-declares-famine-in-gaza_6744612_4.html 

Situation Is Urgent. (n.d.). Donate to Help Children Around the World. Retrieved August 22, 2025, from https://secure.unicef.ca/ 

two Palestinians have starved to death in Gaza in the past 24 hours. (2025, August 22). Breaking News, World News and Video from Al Jazeera. Retrieved August 22, 2025, from https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2025/8/23/israeli-attacks-kill-37-in-gaza-as-more-palestinians-die-from-starvation 

UN-backed body confirms famine in Gaza. (n.d.). BBC Home - Breaking News, World News, US News, Sports, Business, Innovation, Climate, Culture, Travel, Video & Audio. Retrieved August 22, 2025, from https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/ckg4p90z1kxo 

UN officially declares famine in Gaza, Netanyahu slams 'lie'. (n.d.). Reuters.com. Retrieved August 22, 2025, from https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/gaza-city-officially-famine-with-hunger-spreading-says-global-hunger-monitor-2025-08-22/ 

Health Homes and Climate

The relationships between health services, housing needs, and the climate crisis are many. The tension between market based action and government control in these areas compels us to carefully analyze trends and progress.

Health and Housing in Climate Crisis

The Ottawa Citizen reports on privatization of orthopedic surgery that may be impacting staffing for hospital health care. Elizabeth Payne reports:

“We are not able to provide the service we want for oncology patients because nurses are working in a higher paid environment,” said the unnamed source. “My view is that this is confirming the concerns that we are limited in terms of the service we can provide in the public system because nurses are obviously being poached by this private clinic.” (Payne, 2023)

Nicole Munro, at Saltwire, contributes an article on West End Mall redevelopment in Halifax.

By the time the master plan is finished, Coun. Shawn Cleary (Halifax West Armdale) said, the inclusionary zoning bylaw should be in place at about the same time, giving HRM the power to ensure there is a percentage of affordable units included.

While Cleary suspects most of the units will be market-based rents, he said the inclusionary zoning bylaw would allow some affordable units.

“We’ll have the power to actually say, ‘No, no, you don’t have a choice. You’re going to have this per cent of those units that have to be affordable.’” (Halifax's West End Mall Redevelopment Will Go on Despite Pushback, Councillor Says, 2023)

Matt McGrath, environment correspondent for BBC News, contributes an article about fossil fuel emissions falling in worldwide electricity generation.

One significant player impacting the overall trend is China. Around 50% of the global addition of wind power came from China and about 40% of the world's new solar came from from the country that's also the world's biggest use of coal power.

"There is a chance that at the rate that China is building wind and solar and all types of clean generation, that they achieve that peak in coal generation earlier than 2025, which would be significant," said Mr Jones.

Energy experts acknowledge that curbing fossil fuels in power generation could well be a "turning point", but much more remains to be done. (McGrath, 2023)

We monitor important trends as we ponder the best economic approach to address these serious concerns that impact the common good.

References

Halifax's West End Mall redevelopment will go on despite pushback, councillor says. (2023, April 12). SaltWire. Retrieved April 14, 2023, from https://www.saltwire.com/nova-scotia/business/halifaxs-west-end-mall-redevelopment-will-go-on-despite-pushback-councillor-says-100843479/ 

McGrath, M. (2023, April 11). Climate change: Fossil fuel emissions from electricity set to fall - report. BBC. Retrieved April 14, 2023, from https://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-65240094 

Payne, E. (2023, March 21). Surgeries at for-profit orthopedic clinic already impacting hospital staffing, some insiders say. Ottawa Citizen. Retrieved April 14, 2023, from https://ottawacitizen.com/news/surgeries-at-for-profit-orthopedic-clinic-already-impacting-hospital-staffing-some-insiders-say 

COVID Compared in Canada and USA

Bernd Debusmann Jr  reporting for BBC News, asks the question of why is Canada's Covid death rate so much lower than the US?

 

The BBC article has a number of graphic presentations comparing case rates, reported COVID deaths and ICU patients over the past year.

Canadian public health experts and many government officials believe that the more gradual relaxation of these rules - which are dependent on improvements in public heath data - has allowed it to avoid the same the high levels of infections and deaths that have been experienced in the US, where numbers spiked in a number of locations that rushed to ease regulations.1

The categories of data reported by the BBC, especially numbers of ICU patients and deaths, are trends that public health must monitor to modulate our relaxation of COVID restrictions as we move to living with COVID using an abundance of caution.

Watching with abundance of caution

 

 

References

1(2022, February 14). Why is Canada's Covid death rate so much lower than US? - BBC. Retrieved February 16, 2022, from https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-60380317

Many Mayors on the ocean with poor citizens