Haitian earthquake relief effort

100,000 dead in Hatian earthquake

The UN says that between 50,000 and 100,000 people may have been killed in Haiti's 7.0 magnitude earthquake.

The UN has launched an appeal to raise $562m (£364m) for the victims of the disaster. The head of the the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs , John Holmes, said that the money would be used to help support 3 million people for 6 months. So far $360 million has been donated, half of which, Holmes says, will be spent on food. The chief of OCHA, also said that a further amount of between $20 and $50 million would be needed for "health, water and sanitation, nutrition, emergency shelter, early recovery and agriculture."

Aid has been pouring in to the capital, Port-au-Prince's airport but is not able to be distributed to all who need it. The lack of essential supplied has angered many Haitians and let to reports of looting in the capital. US defence officials have said that around 10,000 US troops will arrive in on the ground or off Haiti's coast by Monday.

The US has led to the relief effort and US Secretary of State, Hillary Clinton, will visit the country on Saturday. In a statement President Obama said that "The scale of devastation is extraordinary" and that the United States should "do what it takes to save lives and help people get back on their feet".


Meanwhile Amnesty International has urged the UN to ensure that human rights are protected along side the humanitarian efforts. Amnesty commended the UN for its rapid relief effort, stressing that Haiti's vulnerable must be protected. A statement from Gerardo Ducos, Haiti researcher at Amnesty International, said "“The current situation of lawlessness in Haiti and the increased vulnerability of women and children creates the perfect environment for human rights abuses and crimes such as rape and sexual abuse to take place undetected and go unpunished".

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In the UK, the DEC has launched an appeal for the victims of the earthquake, you can give by visiting the DEC website or by phoning 0370 60 60 900

Silent rush hour after heavy snow

Heavy snow causes UK travel chaos

Heavy snow and ice has caused widespread travel disruption across the UK.

Many roads across the country are treacherous and even some main roads have not be gritted and are now impassable. Airports across the North of England, including Leeds-Bradford and Manchester, have closed while runways are cleared. Rail travel has also been affect with delays on many lines.

Hundreds of thousands of school children have been sent home as hundreds of schools close in the worst hit areas.

So far Northern England has seen the heaviest snow fall but the wintry weather will move South to the Midlands, Wales and the South-West. Snow began falling in Scotland, which saw overnight temperatures dip to -15C. A further 10cm of snow is forecast over most of the UK with heavier snow on elevated ground.

Local councils have said they have sufficient grit supplies to keep main roads open, however, reports from some areas say that many main roads have been left untreated. Roads in North Worcestershire were covered with snow, ice and slush this morning as many drivers attempted to get home early. The untreated surfaces caused treacherous driving conditions and left roads gridlocked.