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South Asia

pakistan floods: Floods caused by cyclone Yemyin and rain devastated southwestern Pakistan in the last week of June. As of July 1, 2007, official reports claim 100 people were dead with thousands missing and homeless. The government has appealed for donations of tents to shelter the homeless. Many casualties had occurred with people drowning and getting trapped under the debris of their collapsing homes. Thirteen districts of Baluchistan were hit the hardest. The floodwaters breached a dam in Khuzdar district drowning 42 people. A dam also burst in Sorab, wiping out 95 per cent of the 500 homes in a village.

afghan smoking ban: The Afghanistan government recently took steps to ban smoking in public places, though the country is the world's largest producer of poppy.On July 3, the council of ministers ordered a campaign through media and mosques to inform people that smoking in educational institutions, hospitals and government offices has been banned. Later, the ban will also cover hotels and restaurants. However, details about the monitoring of the ban and how and what penalties will be charged has still not been provided.

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