An eight-year-old girl in Jamaica has been denied a visa to join her parents in the UK after Hurricane Melissa left her homeless, while Japan faces a record number of bear attacks. In Hong Kong, the death toll from a devastating apartment fire has risen to 94, and in Australia, a man has died following a shooting in Sydney. These incidents reflect a growing trend of danger stemming from both natural disasters and human actions across the globe.

Hurricane Melissa and Visa Denial
Lati-Yana Stephanie Brown, an eight-year-old girl from Jamaica, has been barred from joining her parents in the UK after Hurricane Melissa devastated her home. Her mother, Kerrian Bigby, and father, Jerome Hardy, applied for a £4,000 visa after the hurricane destroyed their daughter's house and left her without care. The Home Office rejected the application, citing insufficient evidence that Lati-Yana could not be cared for by relatives in Jamaica. The couple plans to appeal, but a backlog of 106,000 cases could delay the process for up to two years. Bigby expressed her emotional distress over the separation, emphasizing the necessity of reunification for their family's well-being.

Bear Attacks in Japan
In Japan, a 69-year-old man was attacked by a bear in a public toilet in Gunma prefecture, marking a continuation of a record wave of bear attacks this autumn. The man fought off the bear, sustaining minor injuries. Since April, Japan has reported 197 bear attacks, leading to 13 fatalities. Experts attribute the surge in bear encounters to food shortages in their natural habitats, prompting the government to deploy self-defense forces to assist local hunters in managing the bear population.

Fire Disaster in Hong Kong
Rescue operations at a Hong Kong apartment complex ravaged by fire are nearing completion, with the death toll now at 94 and many still missing. The fire, which began on Wednesday, spread rapidly due to ongoing renovations at the Wang Fuk Court housing estate. Fire officials are working to ensure no additional casualties remain unaccounted for. Indonesia's consul-general confirmed that at least one Indonesian national is among the deceased, and authorities are investigating the cause of the fire, which has become one of the city's deadliest incidents.

Shooting Incident in Sydney
In Sydney, a man in his early 20s was shot and killed on Carinya Street, prompting a swift police response. Authorities reported that the victim suffered multiple gunshot wounds and died at the scene. Two suspects were arrested following a brief vehicle pursuit that ended in a crash. Police have established a crime scene and are currently investigating the circumstances surrounding the shooting, assuring the public that there is no ongoing threat.

Wrap-up
These incidents across different regions underscore the urgent need for improved safety measures and support systems to address both natural disasters and human-related violence. As families face the consequences of these events, the calls for compassion and action become increasingly vital.

Sources
theguardian.com
kyodonews.net
mainichi.jp
abc.net.au
news.com.au

@hoju-korean.com Editorial Team