NICKERIE – Surgeon Arie van der Ham who is a member of  surgeon’s Chanderban Mahabier team in the Mungra Medical Center (MMC) managed to get his hands on brand-new machines for the MMC. These machines will arrive in the MMC soon. Reports indicate that the Dutch surgeon managed to acquire 10 oxygen concentrators and 4 Elisa 500 intensive care ventilators. All of the machines are worth about 100,000 euros.

Last Tuesday the surgeon had already donated 4 different machines with an estimated value of 40,000 euros to the MMC. The donors thanked Stichting Vrienden van Suriname and in particular the chairman of this foundation, W.J.P. van Rhee, for covering the transportation costs of the medical equipment and medicines.

The compact-class device Elisa 500 features top-shelf performance characteristics, while offering a full therapeutic range of clinical ventilation options in turbine-driven devices. With a peak flow of up to 300 litres per minute, the high-performance, noise-optimised turbine guarantees sufficient flow capacities for mask ventilation. An oxygen concentrator is a medical device that separates nitrogen from the air around you so you can breathe up to 95 percent pure oxygen. You may need an oxygen concentrator if you have a condition that affects your breathing. …[+]

SAO PAULO – Brazil’s federal police said on Friday that 20 people have been formally accused following an investigation into a sinking ground disaster related to salt mining activities in Maceio, where petrochemicals firm Braskem has been active for decades.

The police did not name the company, or those who were formally accused after concluding its investigation. Braskem’s mines began extracting rock salt in the 1970s in the northeastern city of Maceio, but operations were halted from 2019 after authorities said it contributed to five neighborhoods sinking. Thousands of families had to be removed from the affected areas.

Over the past few years, the company has been paying billions of reais in reparations to the city and its residents. In response to a Reuters request for comment, Braskem said that it had not analyzed the entire police report. “Since the beginning of the investigation the company has contributed with the information and clarifications within its reach,” it said, adding that it “has always acted in line with the laws and regulations of the sector.” The police did not clarify what the 20 people were formally accused of. The authorities only said the accusations include six different transgressions, three of which are listed in the country’s environmental crimes law. Braskem said it had “confidence in the members mentioned in the investigation.” (Reuters)…[+]

Photo: Jose Rinaldo Januario, 47, shows a damage in his house linked to rock salt mining by the petrochemical company Braskem in Maceio, Brazil. (Reuters)

VALENCIA – Adan Ortell Mor had a 7:30 p.m. appointment to cut a client’s hair at his salon in La Torre, Valencia, on Tuesday night. But when the client called to cancel because traffic was bad, it may have saved Mor’s life. Instead, he went home and saw reports of cars floating in floodwaters in a town upriver. “I said to myself: That water is headed this way,” he told CNN as he shoveled mud from his home. “I don’t think it’ll take long. I rushed to the balcony, looked around the side and there the water was coming. It was already at my door.”

No warning. No alerts. That came about an hour later on his mobile phone. A blaring alarm sent to all residents in Valencia, telling them of heavy rains and to stay at home. Far too late for the many people already trapped in rising floodwaters. This is the worst natural disaster Valencia has seen in decades. A year’s worth of rain dumped in less than 8 hours, according to Spain’s meteorological agency. The water came rushing down the rivers and tributaries towards the Mediterranean Sea, picking up cars and destroying bridges along the way. More than 200 people have been killed, with authorities warning the death toll is likely to rise.

But it is not unprecedented. Valencia suffered a similar deadly flood in October 1957 caused by the same seasonal weather phenomenon known as a Gota Fria or a Cold Drop. That disaster killed dozens of people when the Turia burst its banks in the crowded neighborhoods of Valencia city. It was so deadly that the city spent millions to reroute the river years later. (CNN)…[+]

Photo: A man reacts in front of houses affected by floods in Valencia. (AP)

PORT OF SPAIN –  Scotiabank in Trinidad has announced new measures for providing foreign exchange to its customers, saying they are necessary “as we continue to navigate the foreign exchange considerations” prevailing in the country. In a letter to its customers, the bank said that effective December 1, 2024, the maximum US dollar spending limit per calendar month on their Scotiabank credit cards will be reduced to US$5,000 and US$2,000 respectively until further notice. “This change includes all transactions conducted outside of Trinidad and Tobago along with all international online transactions. All local TT dollar transactions conducted online or at merchants remain unaffected,” it added. But it noted that “the option to use your ScotiaCard Visa debit for overseas point of sale (POS) transactions and ATM withdrawals will no longer be available. “We recognise that the situation has been challenging and we thank you for your continued understanding throughout these changes,” Scotiabank said in its communication to customers. In addition, the bank also announced that as of December 8 this year, there will be an increase in the annual fees and interest rates on credit cards. The annual membership fees will now range from TT$180 to TT$4,200  annually, while the interest rates will be between 26.20 to 28.99 per cent. (Jamaica-gleaner)…[+]