Piled up with worries

(Baonghean) - Last week, many countries around the world were struggling with a myriad of worries. “Misfortunes never come singly” is perhaps the most accurate phrase to describe the situation in France, Greece or Brazil these days.

Floods in France. Photo: CNN.

The strike is not over yet, the flood has come

It was a “disaster” that pushed the French government into a stalemate and misery over the past week. The Seine River, which runs through the capital Paris, burst its banks after days of heavy rain, causing unprecedented chaos in the city. Some public transport services and businesses along the riverbanks had to stop operating. The famous Louvre Museum had to mobilize manpower to move 150,000 works of art to higher ground, remaining closed until June 4.

Perhaps never before has the City of Light seen more than 19,000 residents of its suburbs suffer from hours of power outage. For days, images of people on boats trying to rescue their neighbors trapped in the floodwaters were broadcast across the country's television channels. The French Interior Minister confirmed that more than 3,000 firefighters and 200 national security personnel had been mobilized to assist in the rescue work, as the government declared a state of natural disaster.

Although by June 4, the Seine River water level had returned to normal, the flood was receding, and thousands of evacuees were beginning to return home, the possessions they could salvage after the flood were probably not much. Certainly, many French people fell into poverty after the natural disaster.

The floods have exacerbated the French government’s dilemma, which has been racking its brains for weeks trying to keep fuel supplies running low and prevent major cities from losing power, with workers at oil refineries and nuclear power plants on strike for weeks in anger over proposed changes to labor laws. Transport workers have also joined the strike, leaving only a third of France’s trains running and causing major disruptions.

And with the month-long Euro 2016 football championship kicking off next week in France, expected to attract some 2.5 million visitors to the massive tournament, it’s hard to see how much more trouble the country could be in if the current mess isn’t quickly sorted out. It’s hard to see a positive scenario, as it’s possible that more air traffic controllers and pilots will respond to the strike call on June 11.

Brazil is the host country of this year's Summer Olympics. Photo: AFP.

When Zika is just a secondary concern

Recently, 150 health experts from around the world sent an open letter urging the World Health Organization (WHO) to delay or cancel the Olympics in Brazil due to concerns that the Zika virus, which is "storming" this South American country, could threaten the health of athletes and spectators flocking to the Olympics next August.

The WHO has dismissed the experts’ warnings, pointing out that Zika is already present in 60 countries and will continue to spread. The agency said that August is the start of winter in the southern hemisphere, when mosquitoes will not be a problem in Rio. Instead, there may be bigger concerns that threaten human life and health, such as dengue fever and intestinal infections.

Furthermore, health concerns are only one part of the dangers, as Brazilians always see the Olympics as something that causes a lot of controversy and trouble. They think that they have to spend too much money on this event, but the return is not worth much, it is simply a vanity project of politicians in a country that is still suffering from many things, needing better housing, schools, and medical facilities for the people. Experience shows that organizing the Olympics will be very expensive, affecting the national economy. Rarely does a sporting event of this magnitude generate profits, millions of dollars are poured into high-class stadiums but are mostly "shelved" after the end of the tournament.

On the eve of the opening ceremony, in addition to the economic crisis, the host country is also facing political turmoil, as President Dilma Rousseff was impeached and the Vice President temporarily took over. The corruption scandal of the Petrobras oil corporation has caused lasting consequences and eroded the peace in this South American country.

Therefore, in the current context, although it is an urgent issue, Zika is still only a secondary concern in the list of thorny problems for the host country of this year's Olympics.

Migrants at Greek resettlement camps. Photo: DW.

Disillusioned migrants

When they were moved out of Idomeni, many migrants in Greece believed that their hopes and dreams for a bright future had officially been shattered. Because, Idomeni in their minds was the symbol of a fragile light of hope in the context of being stuck in the mythical land after the Balkan route was suddenly closed. Although the authorities encouraged them to move voluntarily, promised better living conditions, with a more systematic resettlement program, once again the drifting lives continued to sigh heavily.

Living conditions in the new camps are miserable, but the biggest concern for migrants is whether they will be granted asylum in these resettlement centers. Many have sadly given up their dream of reaching the promised land of Germany, "narrowing" their wishes to stay in Greece, being granted asylum and then going to Istanbul.

So now, with these miserable fates, all they expect is to be accepted by a country, provided with the most basic living conditions, enough food and clothing, education, and jobs to support themselves.

For the Greek government, the ongoing construction of the Lagkadikia camp is seen as a positive sign for the future. However, it is also evidence that the authorities are not yet well prepared to provide fully functional temporary accommodation and life support facilities for those stranded. With the hot summer days approaching, more than ever the land of the gods needs to speed up the process, bringing a simple “miracle” to ease the migration crisis.

Thu Giang