In January, 2023, the Science and Security Board of the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists moved the hands of the Doomsday Clock forward to 90’s before midnight, reflecting the growing risk of nuclear war.1 In August, 2022, the UN Secretary-General António Guterres warned that the world is now in “a time of nuclear danger not seen since the height of the Cold War.2 The danger has been underlined by growing tensions between many nuclear armed states.1,3 As editors of health and medical journals worldwide, we call on health professionals to alert the public and our leaders to this major danger to public health and the essential life support systems of the planet—and urge action to prevent it.
Armed Conflicts ; Nuclear Energy ; Radiation

Background: This research aimed to examine the association between resilience and lifestyle in line with H.M. King Bhumibol Aduyadej’s sufficiency economy philosophy (SEP) among university students studying in restive insurgent areas of Southern Thailand. Methods: Data were collected on a single occasion between 8 August 2018 and 8 October 2018, at Prince of Songkla University, Pattani campus, located in the restive areas of Southern Thailand. A total of 443 university students were assessed using the 20-item Thai Resilience Quotient screening test, and 35-item questionnaire for lifestyle following H.M. King Bhumibol Aduyadej’s SEP. Data were analyzed by using R software package for descriptive analysis, Chi-square and logistic regression. Results: Of the 443 university students who participated in the survey, most participants were Thai, female and Muslim (94.1%, 80.3% and 75.5%, respectively). Most of them perceived that they lived sufficiently, following H.M. King Bhumibol Aduyadej’s SEP, together with normal or higher than normal level of resilience (67.9% and 64.8%, respectively). The association between resillience in total to perception of lifestyle, in line with H.M. King Bhumibol Aduyadej’s SEP , was statistically significant. Resilience was categorized by domains of emotional stability, willpower and coping skill (all p-values<0.001). Sufficient living according to the late king’s SEP was found to be 3.42 times higher than in students who lived non sufficiently (95%CI=2.24, 5.22). Conclusion Resilience and self-perceived lifestyle according to H.M. King Bhumibol Aduyadej’s SEP were found to have a statistically significant association among university students who studied in restive insurgent areas of South Thailand.
Resilience, Psychological ; Armed Conflicts ; Thailand

The Russian military invasion of Ukraine on February 24, 2022, and Hamas’ terror attack on Israel on October 7, 2023, signaled the beginning of two of the most recent wars to make international headlines. To date, over 110 armed conflicts are taking place: over 45 in the Middle East and North Africa (Cyprus, Egypt, Iraq, Israel, Libya, Morocco, Palestine, Syria, Turkey, Yemen, Western Sahara); over 35 in Africa (Burkina Faso, Cameroon, the Central African Republic, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ethiopia, Mali, Mozambique, Nigeria, Senegal, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan); 21 in Asia (Afghanistan, India, Myanmar, Pakistan, the Philippines); seven in Europe (Russia, Ukraine, Moldova, Georgia, Armenia, Azerbaijan); and six in Latin America (three each in Mexico and Colombia); with two more international armed conflicts (between India and Pakistan, and between India and China) in Asia.1 This list does not even include such problematic situations as those involving China and the South East Asia region. As though these situations of armed violence were not enough, mankind has already passed or is on the verge of passing several climate tipping points – a recent review lists nine Global core tipping elements (and their tipping points) - the Greenland Ice Sheet (collapse); West Antarctic Ice Sheet (collapse); Labrador-Irminger Seas / SPG Convection (collapse); East Antarctic Subglacial Basins (collapse); Amazon Rainforest (dieback); Boreal Permafrost (collapse); Atlantic M.O. Circulation (collapse); Arctic Winter Sea Ice (collapse); and East Antarctic Ice Sheet (collapse); and seven Regional impact tipping elements (and their tipping points) – Low-latitude Coral Reefs (die-off); Boreal Permafrost (abrupt thaw); Barents Sea Ice (abrupt loss); Mountain Glaciers (loss); Sahel and W. African Monsoon (greening); Boreal Forest (southern dieback); and Boreal Forest (northern expansion).2 Closer to home, how can we forget the disaster and devastation wrought by Super Typhoon Haiyan (Yolanda) 10 years ago to date? Whether international or non-international, armed conflicts raise the risk of nuclear war. Russia has already “rehearsed its ability to deliver a ‘massive’ nuclear strike,” conducting “practical launches of ballistic and cruise missiles,” and stationed a first batch of tactical nuclear weapons in Belarus,3 and the possibility of nuclear escalation in Ukraine cannot be overestimated.4 Meanwhile, in a rare public announcement, the U.S. Central Command revealed that an Ohio- class submarine (560 feet long, 18,750 tons submerged and carrying as many as 154 Tomahawk cruise missiles) had arrived in the Middle East on November 5, 2023.5 Indeed, “the danger is great and growing,” as “any use of nuclear weapons would be catastrophic for humanity.”
Armed Conflicts ; Nuclear Energy ; Radiation ; Climate Change ; Global Warming

Over 200 health journals call on the United Nations, political leaders, and health professionals to recognise that climate change and biodiversity loss are one indivisible crisis and must be tackled together to preserve health and avoid catastrophe. This overall environmental crisis is now so severe as to be a global health emergency.
Armed Conflicts ; Nuclear Energy ; Radiation ; Climate Change ; Global Warming