Pacific Island Countries to develop Advanced Warning System for tuna migration

19/04/2023 0 Comments read Climate Change, Environment & Development, Health & Science

By Neena Bhandari

Sydney, 19.04.2023 (IPS): Climate change and warming ocean waters are causing tuna fisheries to migrate to international waters, away from a country’s jurisdiction, thereby putting the food and economic security of many Pacific Island countries and territories at risk. Now a Pacific Community (SPC) led regional initiative will help ensure that these countries are equipped to cope with climate change-induced tuna migration.

“All the climate change projections indicate that there will be a redistribution of tuna from the western and central Pacific to the more eastern and towards the polar regions, that is not Antarctica or the Arctic, but to regions outside of the equatorial zones where they primarily occur at the moment,” says SPC’s Principal Fisheries Scientist, Dr Simon Nicol.

“This has really important implications for the Pacific Island countries. Our projections suggest that about one-fifth or about USD 100 million of the income derived from the tuna industry directly is likely to be lost by 2050 by these countries,” Nicol tells IPS.

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Celebrating the splendour of Sydney Opera House

19/03/2023 1 Comment read Arts, Entertainment & Lifestyle, Travel

Sydney Opera House at Bennelong Point. Photo Credit: ©Neena Bhandari

By Neena Bhandari

Sydney, 19.03.2023 (Khaleej Times): Sydney conjures images of the Sydney Harbour Bridge, Bondi beach and the world-renowned Sydney Opera House. This year, the Opera House celebrates its 50^th anniversary, offering visitors an array of events to witness its splendour up close. Recognised as a UNESCO World Heritage listed site, the Opera House is regarded as “one of the indisputable masterpieces of human creativity, not only in the 20th century but in the history of humankind.”

Aglow in the mellow morning sunrays, the Opera House sails are an unforgettable sight for the thousands of visitors who visit this harbour city each year and the daily commuters on Sydney ferries. Describing the luminous effect, Louis Kahn, one of the most influential American architects of the mid-20th century once said, “The sun did not know how beautiful its light was, until it was reflected off this building.”

The Opera House precinct provides a fusion of art, culture and nature for everybody to enjoy — whether it is for a stroll or a jog around the building, taking one of the many guided tours tailored to one’s interest, viewing one of the performances or simply savouring the breathtaking views of the harbour and the city skyline from the forecourt.

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Why polio survivors may benefit from a lung function test

14/03/2023 0 Comments read Disability, Health & Science, Poliomyelitis

By Neena Bhandari

Sydney, 14.03.2023 (Allergy and Respiratory Republic): Basic lung function tests could go a long way in preventing complications in polio survivors as they age. These patients often require specific respiratory assessment and recommendations for physiotherapy, orthotics and assistive technology to manage their condition, experts say.

“It is only in the last 20 to 30 years that there has been a better recognition of respiratory compromise in polio survivors,” Dr Stephen de Graaff, director of Pain Services and senior rehabilitation physician at Epworth Healthcare in Melbourne, tells ARR. “Respiratory physicians have a better knowledge and understanding of Late Effects of Polio and Post Polio Syndrome than previously, but we are still learning. Even within the universities and the medical fraternity, teaching emphasises the acute poliomyelitis condition rather than the Late Effects of Poliomyelitis or PPS.”

“The commonest cause of respiratory compromise in polio survivors relates to restrictive lung disease (a decrease in the total volume of air that the lungs are able to hold), but this is often confused with having obstructive lung disease as in asthma, chronic bronchitis or emphysema. However, it doesn’t exclude them from having obstructive lung disease”, says Dr de Graaff.

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