In a message conveyed during a commemorative event, UN High Representative for Disarmament Affairs Izumi Nakamitsu delivered Guterres' dire warning: "The drums of nuclear war are beating again; mistrust and division are on the rise." Nakamitsu emphasized the alarming resurgence of a "nuclear shadow," reminiscent of the Cold War era, with certain nations recklessly brandishing the "tools of annihilation."
Speaking at a prominent nonproliferation conference in Vienna, Nakamitsu underscored the gravity of the current situation, asserting that the risk of a nuclear weapon being deployed had reached levels not seen "since the depths of the Cold War."
The 1968 Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT) remains the only international accord of its kind, endorsed by both nuclear-armed and non-nuclear states. Having come into effect in 1970, the treaty has garnered the signatures of 191 nations.
As Japan observed the solemn occasion of the 78th anniversary of the Hiroshima bombing, the nation reflected on the harrowing consequences of the US atomic attack. Launched with the intent of hastening Japan's surrender in World War II, the bombing inflicted unparalleled devastation and civilian death. The detonation obliterated a significant portion of the city and claimed the lives of approximately 140,000 of its residents.
The explosion, marked by an immense shockwave, instantly killed an estimated 70,000 individuals, with tens of thousands succumbing later to injuries and radiation.
On August 9, 1945, the Japanese city of Nagasaki faced a similar fate when the US military deployed another nuclear bomb, resulting in the obliteration of a large portion of the city and the tragic loss of some 74,000 lives from immediate injuries or long-term radiation sickness.
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Source: PAP
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