World News in Brief: Gaza relief ‘an impossible mission’, COVID spreading fast again, food prices fall

World News in Brief: Gaza relief ‘an impossible mission’, COVID spreading fast again, food prices fall

“Its people are witnessing daily threats to their very existence – while the world watches on”, warned Emergency Relief Coordinator Martin Griffiths in a statement, adding that “hope has never been more elusive” amidst deteriorating conditions. “The humanitarian community has been left with the impossible mission of supporting more than two million people, even as…

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World News in Brief: Food aid relief for Rohingya, 5 new Security Council members, jailing of Russian poets draws rebuke from rights expert

World News in Brief: Food aid relief for Rohingya, 5 new Security Council members, jailing of Russian poets draws rebuke from rights expert

“The entire Rohingya population” from Myanmar will benefit, according to the UN agency, which increased the value of its monthly food voucher from $8 to $10 per person on 1 January. Until early last year vouchers were worth $12 but WFP was forced to reduce their value in March to $10 because of funding gaps….

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World News in Brief: WFP forced to halt some food aid in Sudan, DR Congo elections, peacekeeping chief visits CAR

World News in Brief: WFP forced to halt some food aid in Sudan, DR Congo elections, peacekeeping chief visits CAR

WFP described the decision taken on safety grounds as a major setback to humanitarian efforts in the country’s breadbasket, where staff had been regularly providing aid to over 800,000 people, including many who had escaped the fighting in Khartoum. The ongoing fighting makes it extremely challenging for humanitarian agencies to safely deliver assistance, especially with…

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'Desperate, hungry, terrified': Gazans stopping aid trucks in search of food

‘Desperate, hungry, terrified’: Gazans stopping aid trucks in search of food

Speaking later in the day at UN Headquarters, the deputy head of the UN World Food Programme (WFP), confirmed that following a food assessment, around half of all Gazans “are starving”, with no idea where their next meal is coming from. Briefing journalists in Geneva uon his return from Rafah governorate, Philippe Lazzarini, Commissioner-General of…

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COP28: The UN’s net-zero food plan to save the 1.5-degree goal, combat climate ‘doomisim’

COP28: The UN’s net-zero food plan to save the 1.5-degree goal, combat climate ‘doomisim’

The UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) has identified 10 priority areas – such as livestock, soil and water, crops, diets and fisheries – where following the roadmap can help push the world closer to achieving ‘Zero Hunger’, the second of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)  The aim: to transform agrifood systems – which…

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World News in Brief: WFP ‘pauses’ north Yemen food aid, human rights and sport, Myanmar latest

World News in Brief: WFP ‘pauses’ north Yemen food aid, human rights and sport, Myanmar latest

The region has been under the control of opposition Houthi forces since the internationally recognized Government were driven out of the city in 2015. WFP said that despite negotiating with the authorities for nearly a year to provide a more limited aid programme that would reach around 6.5 million in need, versus the current 9.5…

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As record warming puts climate targets at risk, young people’s ‘green skills’ may help save the planet

World News in Brief: Delivering on health at COP28, aid for north Darfur, food standards watchdog turns 60

That’s the message from UN health agency WHO, which said on Monday that negotiators at the upcoming meeting must recognize their responsibility “for the health of populations worldwide”. “Leaders must deliver in Dubai, providing the strong health outcomes their peoples expect and their economies urgently need,” said WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.  According to the…

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World News in Brief: Ethiopia food aid resumes, ‘Stop the Lies’ campaign against big tobacco, Syria ruling, climate action – key to peace

World News in Brief: Ethiopia food aid resumes, ‘Stop the Lies’ campaign against big tobacco, Syria ruling, climate action – key to peace

WFP food aid in the country, which was suspended in June, will aim to reach 3.2 million people after the relaunch. ‘Working around the clock’ WFP chief Cindy McCain said that the agency’s teams and partners “have been working around the clock to get to this point.” The UN agency’s new approach will rely on…

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Human right to food needs ‘massive investment’: Guterres

Human right to food needs ‘massive investment’: Guterres

Addressing the UN-backed body meeting in Rome on Monday, António Guterres underscored that the session was taking place “at a moment of crisis for global food security” and provided some sobering statistics.  “Last year, 735 million people went hungry. More than 3 billion cannot afford a healthy diet,” said the Secretary-General in a video message, adding…

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