The Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo is raising fresh concerns among global health experts, with Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) warning that the true scale of the crisis may still be unknown. More than 780 confirmed cases have been reported, while aid groups say dangerous gaps remain in surveillance, testing and containment efforts. MSF has described the situation as deeply worrying, cautioning that the outbreak could become one of the most challenging public health emergencies the country has faced in recent years.


Ebola Crisis Deepens: Congo Faces Unprecedented Outbreak Warning

South Sudan faces a severe humanitarian crisis, with millions affected by conflict and food insecurity. Doctors Without Borders (MSF) is calling for immediate humanitarian access to provide medical care and relief to those in urgent need. Stay updated on the latest developments from South Sudan.

Humanitarian Crisis in South Sudan | Doctors Without Borders Urge Urgent Aid Access

An aid organization said that in less than two weeks, more than 100 people have died in a key Darfur area city in Sudan as the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) and the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and their allies have been engaged in heavy combat.

Deadly conflict continues to burn Sudan: 134 killed in hospital at El-Frasher

Afghanistan's healthcare system is on the verge of collapse, reported Reuters quoting two major aid agencies. Foreign donors have stopped donations after Taliban takeover.

International donors including the World Bank and European Union froze funding to Afghanistan shortly after Taliban took control.

"One of the great risks for the health system here is basically to collapse because of lack of support," said Filipe Ribeiro, Afghanistan representative for Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF), one of the largest medical aid agencies in the country.

"The overall health system in Afghanistan is understaffed, under-equipped and underfunded, for years. And the great risk is that this underfunding will continue over time."

Necephor Mghendi, Afghanistan head of the International Federation of the Red Cross and Red Crescent (IFRC), said the healthcare system, which was already fragile and heavily reliant on foreign aid, had been left under additional strain.

"The humanitarian needs on the ground are massive," he said.

Increased demand

Both aid agencies said that they have seen significant increase in demand as other facilities are unable to fully function.

Mghendi said closures of Afghan banks had meant almost all humanitarian agencies have been unable to access funds, leaving vendors and staff unpaid.

Compounding the issue, medical supplies will now need to be restocked earlier than expected.

"Supplies that were supposed to last for three months will not be able to last three months. We may need to replenish much earlier than that," Mghendi said.

Ribeiro said MSF had stockpiled medical supplies before the takeover but that with flights disrupted and land borders in disarray, it was unclear when more might reach the country.

(With inputs from agencies)

Afghanistan's healthcare system is on the verge of collapse, reported Reuters quoting two major aid agencies. Foreign donors have stopped donations after Taliban takeover.

Afghanistan's healthcare system is on the verge of collapse, reported Reuters quoting two major aid agencies. Foreign donors have stopped donations after Taliban takeover. International donors including the World Bank and European Union froze funding to Afghanistan shortly after Taliban took control. "One of the great risks for the health system here is basically to collapse because of lack of support," said Filipe Ribeiro, Afghanistan representative for Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF), one of the largest medical aid agencies in the country. "The overall health system in Afghanistan is understaffed, under-equipped and underfunded, for years. And the great risk is that this underfunding will continue over time." Necephor Mghendi, Afghanistan head of the International Federation of the Red Cross and Red Crescent (IFRC), said the healthcare system, which was already fragile and heavily reliant on foreign aid, had been left under additional strain. "The humanitarian needs on the ground are massive," he said. Increased demand Both aid agencies said that they have seen significant increase in demand as other facilities are unable to fully function. Mghendi said closures of Afghan banks had meant almost all humanitarian agencies have been unable to access funds, leaving vendors and staff unpaid. Compounding the issue, medical supplies will now need to be restocked earlier than expected. "Supplies that were supposed to last for three months will not be able to last three months. We may need to replenish much earlier than that," Mghendi said. Ribeiro said MSF had stockpiled medical supplies before the takeover but that with flights disrupted and land borders in disarray, it was unclear when more might reach the country. (With inputs from agencies)

Aid agencies warn Afghanistan's healthcare system near collapse

Three&nbsp;employees&nbsp;working for the Spanish branch of Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF) were&nbsp;killed&nbsp;by unknown assailants in&nbsp;Ethiopia's&nbsp;Tigray&nbsp;region, the medical charity said&nbsp;on Friday.

MSF-Spain lost contact with a vehicle carrying the team on Thursday afternoon, it said&nbsp;in a statement. "This morning the vehicle was found empty and a few metres away, their lifeless bodies."

"We condemn this attack on our colleagues in the strongest possible terms and will be relentless in understanding what happened," the statement said.

It identified the victims as emergency coordinator Maria Hernandez, 35, from Madrid, assistant coordinator Yohannes Halefom Reda, 31, from Ethiopia, and their Ethiopian driver Tedros Gebremariam Gebremichael, also 31.

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They are among at least 12&nbsp;aid&nbsp;workers reported&nbsp;killed&nbsp;since fighting broke out in November between&nbsp;Ethiopia's&nbsp;military and forces loyal to the region's former ruling party, the&nbsp;Tigray&nbsp;People's Liberation Front (TPLF). The conflict has&nbsp;killed&nbsp;thousands of people and displaced more than 2 million.

Ethiopia's&nbsp;foreign ministry sent condolences via Twitter but said&nbsp;it had been urging&nbsp;aid&nbsp;agencies to secure military escorts in the area. The ministry said&nbsp;TPLF forces were active in the town of Abiy Addi where the attack occurred.&nbsp;MSF&nbsp;did not confirm the location.

A TPLF spokesman could not immediately be reached for comment.

Spain's foreign ministry said&nbsp;it was engaging with the&nbsp;aid&nbsp;agency&nbsp;and the Ethiopian government on the attack.

"A heartfelt hug to the family and colleagues of Maria ... who has been murdered in Ethiopia where she was helping the population," Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez wrote on Twitter, also sending condolences to the families of Yohannes and Tedros.

The U.S. State Department called for an independent investigation of the killings and said&nbsp;the Ethiopian government "ultimately bears full responsibility for ensuring the safety of humanitarian workers."

Three employees working for the Spanish branch of Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF) were killed by unknown assailants in Ethiopia's Tigray region, the medical charity said on Friday.

Three employees working for the Spanish branch of Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF) were killed by unknown assailants in Ethiopia's Tigray region, the medical charity said on Friday. MSF-Spain lost contact with a vehicle carrying the team on Thursday afternoon, it said in a statement. "This morning the vehicle was found empty and a few metres away, their lifeless bodies." "We condemn this attack on our colleagues in the strongest possible terms and will be relentless in understanding what happened," the statement said. It identified the victims as emergency coordinator Maria Hernandez, 35, from Madrid, assistant coordinator Yohannes Halefom Reda, 31, from Ethiopia, and their Ethiopian driver Tedros Gebremariam Gebremichael, also 31. Also Read | Chauvin gets 22 1/2 years in prison for George Floyd's death They are among at least 12 aid workers reported killed since fighting broke out in November between Ethiopia's military and forces loyal to the region's former ruling party, the Tigray People's Liberation Front (TPLF). The conflict has killed thousands of people and displaced more than 2 million. Ethiopia's foreign ministry sent condolences via Twitter but said it had been urging aid agencies to secure military escorts in the area. The ministry said TPLF forces were active in the town of Abiy Addi where the attack occurred. MSF did not confirm the location. A TPLF spokesman could not immediately be reached for comment. Spain's foreign ministry said it was engaging with the aid agency and the Ethiopian government on the attack. "A heartfelt hug to the family and colleagues of Maria ... who has been murdered in Ethiopia where she was helping the population," Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez wrote on Twitter, also sending condolences to the families of Yohannes and Tedros. The U.S. State Department called for an independent investigation of the killings and said the Ethiopian government "ultimately bears full responsibility for ensuring the safety of humanitarian workers."

Three MSF employees killed in Ethiopia's Tigray, aid agency says

The medical charity Doctors Without Borders/ Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF) urged rich countries to not block a patent waiver plan in the upcoming meeting of World Trade Organisation (WTO). The member of WTO are due to meet informally to talk about this waiver. The patent waiver will boost global production of coronavirus vaccines.

"In this COVID-19 pandemic, we are once again faced with issues of scarcity, which can be addressed through diversification of manufacturing and supply capacity and ensuring the temporary waiver of relevant intellectual property,” said Dr Maria Guevara, MSF’s International Medical Secretary.&nbsp;

“We urge all countries in opposition to this, including the US and the EU, to stand on the right side of history and join hands with those in support. It is about saving lives at the end, not protecting systems.”&nbsp;

This 'TRIPS waiver proposal was put forward by India and South Africa in October last year. Now, the proposal has official backing of 59 sponsoring governments. Around 100 countries support the proposal overall. However, the proposal continues to be stonewalled by a small number of governments.

India is struggling with huge spike in coronavirus cases. Indian health ministry on Thursday reported a spike of more than 300,000 fresh infections within 24 hours. This is the highest recorded number for any country.

The medical charity Doctors Without Borders/ Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF) urged rich countries to not block a patent waiver plan in the upcoming meeting of World Trade Organisation (WTO).

The medical charity Doctors Without Borders/ Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF) urged rich countries to not block a patent waiver plan in the upcoming meeting of World Trade Organisation (WTO). The member of WTO are due to meet informally to talk about this waiver. The patent waiver will boost global production of coronavirus vaccines. "In this COVID-19 pandemic, we are once again faced with issues of scarcity, which can be addressed through diversification of manufacturing and supply capacity and ensuring the temporary waiver of relevant intellectual property,” said Dr Maria Guevara, MSF’s International Medical Secretary. “We urge all countries in opposition to this, including the US and the EU, to stand on the right side of history and join hands with those in support. It is about saving lives at the end, not protecting systems.” This 'TRIPS waiver proposal was put forward by India and South Africa in October last year. Now, the proposal has official backing of 59 sponsoring governments. Around 100 countries support the proposal overall. However, the proposal continues to be stonewalled by a small number of governments. India is struggling with huge spike in coronavirus cases. Indian health ministry on Thursday reported a spike of more than 300,000 fresh infections within 24 hours. This is the highest recorded number for any country.

MSF urges rich countries to back Covid vaccine patent waiver

Doctors without Borders, usually referred to by its French initials MSF, said in a statement that its staff had seen Ethiopian soldiers kill four men in a summary execution.

MSF also said in a statement that three staff members were attacked&nbsp;while travelling in a clearly marked MSF vehicle on Tuesday on the road from regional capital Mekele to Adigrat.

"Along the journey they encountered what appeared to be the aftermath of an ambush of an Ethiopian military convoy by another armed group, in which soldiers were injured and killed. Military vehicles were still on fire," said Karline Kleijer, head of emergency programs for the charity.

The testimony comes as Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed said atrocities have been reported in Tigray province, his first public acknowledgment of possible war crimes there.

"The soldiers then forced the passengers to leave the minibuses. The men were separated from the women, who were allowed to walk away. Shortly afterward, the men were shot."

The MSF team was allowed to leave, but their vehicle was again stopped by soldiers not long after.

"They pulled the MSF driver out of the vehicle, beat him with the back of a gun and threatened to kill him. Eventually the driver was allowed to get back into the vehicle and the team could return to Mekele."

Ethiopia's army could not be immediately contacted for comment on the statement.

Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed launched a military campaign in Tigray last year after blaming the region's ruling party, the Tigray People's Liberation Front (TPLF), for attacks on army camps.

Abiy, winner of the 2019 Nobel Peace Prize, declared victory when federal forces entered the regional capital Mekele in late November however fighting continues.

After weeks of efforts to assert that normalcy is returning to Tigray, Abiy conceded Tuesday that there had been atrocities committed in the semi-autonomous region.

"Battle is destructive, it hurts many, and there is no question about it. There have been damages that happened in Tigray region..." he said.

Residents of Tigray have told human rights groups and journalists of massacres, widespread sexual violence and indiscriminate killings of civilians by security forces.&nbsp;

Abiy also admitted soldiers from neighbouring Eritrea were in the region.

Ethiopia's rights body on Tuesday corroborated studies by international rights groups that a bloody massacre had taken place in the historic town of Axum in November, saying over 100 had been killed by Eritrean soldiers.

(With inputs from agencies)

Doctors without Borders, usually referred to by its French initials MSF, said in a statement that its staff had seen Ethiopian soldiers kill four men in a summary execution.

Doctors without Borders, usually referred to by its French initials MSF, said in a statement that its staff had seen Ethiopian soldiers kill four men in a summary execution. MSF also said in a statement that three staff members were attacked while travelling in a clearly marked MSF vehicle on Tuesday on the road from regional capital Mekele to Adigrat. "Along the journey they encountered what appeared to be the aftermath of an ambush of an Ethiopian military convoy by another armed group, in which soldiers were injured and killed. Military vehicles were still on fire," said Karline Kleijer, head of emergency programs for the charity. The testimony comes as Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed said atrocities have been reported in Tigray province, his first public acknowledgment of possible war crimes there. "The soldiers then forced the passengers to leave the minibuses. The men were separated from the women, who were allowed to walk away. Shortly afterward, the men were shot." The MSF team was allowed to leave, but their vehicle was again stopped by soldiers not long after. "They pulled the MSF driver out of the vehicle, beat him with the back of a gun and threatened to kill him. Eventually the driver was allowed to get back into the vehicle and the team could return to Mekele." Ethiopia's army could not be immediately contacted for comment on the statement. Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed launched a military campaign in Tigray last year after blaming the region's ruling party, the Tigray People's Liberation Front (TPLF), for attacks on army camps. Abiy, winner of the 2019 Nobel Peace Prize, declared victory when federal forces entered the regional capital Mekele in late November however fighting continues. After weeks of efforts to assert that normalcy is returning to Tigray, Abiy conceded Tuesday that there had been atrocities committed in the semi-autonomous region. "Battle is destructive, it hurts many, and there is no question about it. There have been damages that happened in Tigray region..." he said. Residents of Tigray have told human rights groups and journalists of massacres, widespread sexual violence and indiscriminate killings of civilians by security forces. Abiy also admitted soldiers from neighbouring Eritrea were in the region. Ethiopia's rights body on Tuesday corroborated studies by international rights groups that a bloody massacre had taken place in the historic town of Axum in November, saying over 100 had been killed by Eritrean soldiers. (With inputs from agencies)

Ethiopian troops execute civilians in Tigray region: MSF

While the world is battling the coronavirus crisis, Afghanistan continues to grapple from endless warfare.

The scale of violence has escalated in the country even during the&nbsp;pandemic.&nbsp;A series of attacks in the past few days reflects the level of bloodshed across the country.

The innocent women and children of the country were targetted during the&nbsp;demonic attacks.&nbsp;In a terror attack at a hospital in Kabul on May 12, armed men rampaged through a maternity ward, shooting dead mothers, pregnant women and even babies. At least 24 people died in&nbsp;the&nbsp;gruesome attack.

The United States on Thursday blamed Taliban terrorists for the attack and&nbsp;it renewed calls for Afghans to embrace a troubled peace push with the Taliban insurgency.

There was another attack at a funeral for a martyred police commander in Nangarhar where a suicide bomber killed at least 15 people and wounded 50.&nbsp;Taliban terrorists were behind these attacks.

On May 14,&nbsp;a truck packed with explosives blew up near a court in the city of Gardez. Five&nbsp;people were killed while&nbsp;15 civilians were wounded in the&nbsp;attack. Taliban claimed responsibility for the attack. 
&nbsp; 
It is ironic that the Taliban&nbsp;demands peace and wants the Afghan government to conduct an impartial investigation to&nbsp;find out who are the real culprits of such gruesome attacks&nbsp;when they themselves are responsible for it. 
&nbsp; 
It&nbsp;signifies that the very idea of a peace process is dead even before it got underway. This violence is only a terrible preview of the future. 
&nbsp; 
Holding a peace dialogue with such terrorists will not shape Afghanistan's future.&nbsp;Afghan President&nbsp;Ashraf Ghani believes that these terrorists can only be dealt with on the battlefield. 
&nbsp; 
He wants his troops to switch from a defence mode to active offensive and punish&nbsp;those responsible for the deaths of innocent babies.

While the world is battling the coronavirus crisis, Afghanistan continues to grapple from endless warfare. The scale of violence has escalated in the country even during the pandemic.

While the world is battling the coronavirus crisis, Afghanistan continues to grapple from endless warfare. The scale of violence has escalated in the country even during the pandemic. A series of attacks in the past few days reflects the level of bloodshed across the country. The innocent women and children of the country were targetted during the demonic attacks. In a terror attack at a hospital in Kabul on May 12, armed men rampaged through a maternity ward, shooting dead mothers, pregnant women and even babies. At least 24 people died in the gruesome attack. The United States on Thursday blamed Taliban terrorists for the attack and it renewed calls for Afghans to embrace a troubled peace push with the Taliban insurgency. There was another attack at a funeral for a martyred police commander in Nangarhar where a suicide bomber killed at least 15 people and wounded 50. Taliban terrorists were behind these attacks. On May 14, a truck packed with explosives blew up near a court in the city of Gardez. Five people were killed while 15 civilians were wounded in the attack. Taliban claimed responsibility for the attack. It is ironic that the Taliban demands peace and wants the Afghan government to conduct an impartial investigation to find out who are the real culprits of such gruesome attacks when they themselves are responsible for it. It signifies that the very idea of a peace process is dead even before it got underway. This violence is only a terrible preview of the future. Holding a peace dialogue with such terrorists will not shape Afghanistan's future. Afghan President Ashraf Ghani believes that these terrorists can only be dealt with on the battlefield. He wants his troops to switch from a defence mode to active offensive and punish those responsible for the deaths of innocent babies.

Why the Afghan peace process is dead even before getting underway

Pakistan&nbsp;on Wednesday&nbsp;told medical charity Medecins Sans Frontieres&#39; (MSF) to stop work and leave its impoverished tribal areas that border Afghanistan, the health organisation said, ending its 14-year stay in the volatile region.

MSF works out of two health facilities in the Kurram district of Pakistan&#39;s Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA) region, which has been plagued by militancy over the past decade and was the location of many US drone strikes targeting commanders from al Qaeda and other militant groups.

Though security has improved in FATA in recent years, sectarian militant attacks, primarily targeting Shi&#39;ite Muslims, still occur. Twin blasts in the Kurram&#39;s most populous town, Parachinar killed more than 75 people in June.

Local officials say MSF provides essential healthcare facilities in FATA, an area with some of Pakistan&#39;s poorest health care and lowest literacy rates.

&quot;We have been asked to close our medical activities in Kurram Agency,&quot; MSF said in a statement to the media, adding that Pakistan had refused to issue a No Objection Certificate (NOC) for the charity to work in the tribal areas.

&quot;MSF is saddened by the decision from the authorities responsible for NGOs working in Kurram Agency. The closure brings to an end 14 years of MSF working with the FATA Health Services in Kurram Agency,&quot; country representative Catherine Moody said in the statement.

Foreign nationals and organizations working in Pakistan require NOCs to operate in certain areas. Pakistani NGOs and journalists also face restrictions when working in the tribal areas.

&quot;MSF provides diagnosis and treatment facilities to the community for Leishmaniasis, immunisation for children, as well ... responding to emergencies, disease outbreaks, and mass casualties,&quot; the organisation said.

The region&#39;s health directorate did not respond to requests for comment but Dr. Mohammad Ishaq, who works there, said MSF was asked to leave because they did not have a valid NOC.

&quot;I personally think MSF was doing a great job for the patients in FATA,&quot; he said, adding that he did not know why its licence to work there was revoked.

&quot;We have been working in FATA since 2004. We were never denied an NOC in&lrm; the past. This will affect many patients in the area,&quot; one MSF employee said, asking not to be identified.

He added that the organization had 70 staff members working at the two health facilities.

The official who notified MSF that their operations would need to be shut down added: &quot;I did what I was directed to by my bosses in Peshawar but really don&#39;t know the reason behind MSF being stopped.&quot;

MSF works out of two health facilities in the Kurram district of Pakistan's Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA) region

Pakistan on Wednesday told medical charity Medecins Sans Frontieres' (MSF) to stop work and leave its impoverished tribal areas that border Afghanistan, the health organisation said, ending its 14-year stay in the volatile region. MSF works out of two health facilities in the Kurram district of Pakistan's Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA) region, which has been plagued by militancy over the past decade and was the location of many US drone strikes targeting commanders from al Qaeda and other militant groups. Though security has improved in FATA in recent years, sectarian militant attacks, primarily targeting Shi'ite Muslims, still occur. Twin blasts in the Kurram's most populous town, Parachinar killed more than 75 people in June. Local officials say MSF provides essential healthcare facilities in FATA, an area with some of Pakistan's poorest health care and lowest literacy rates. "We have been asked to close our medical activities in Kurram Agency," MSF said in a statement to the media, adding that Pakistan had refused to issue a No Objection Certificate (NOC) for the charity to work in the tribal areas. "MSF is saddened by the decision from the authorities responsible for NGOs working in Kurram Agency. The closure brings to an end 14 years of MSF working with the FATA Health Services in Kurram Agency," country representative Catherine Moody said in the statement. Foreign nationals and organizations working in Pakistan require NOCs to operate in certain areas. Pakistani NGOs and journalists also face restrictions when working in the tribal areas. "MSF provides diagnosis and treatment facilities to the community for Leishmaniasis, immunisation for children, as well ... responding to emergencies, disease outbreaks, and mass casualties," the organisation said. The region's health directorate did not respond to requests for comment but Dr. Mohammad Ishaq, who works there, said MSF was asked to leave because they did not have a valid NOC. "I personally think MSF was doing a great job for the patients in FATA," he said, adding that he did not know why its licence to work there was revoked. "We have been working in FATA since 2004. We were never denied an NOC in‎ the past. This will affect many patients in the area," one MSF employee said, asking not to be identified. He added that the organization had 70 staff members working at the two health facilities. The official who notified MSF that their operations would need to be shut down added: "I did what I was directed to by my bosses in Peshawar but really don't know the reason behind MSF being stopped."

Medical charity MSF asked to leave Pakistan's tribal region

More than 2,000 migrants trying to reach Europe were plucked from the Mediterranean on Friday in a series of dramatic rescues and one person was found dead, officials and witnesses said.

An Italian coast guard spokesman said 19 rescue operations by the coast guard or ships operated by non-governmental organisations had saved a total of 2,074 migrants on 16 rubber dinghies and three small wooden boats.

The medical charity Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF) said in a tweet that one teenager was found dead in a rubber boat whose passengers were rescued by its ship Aquarius.

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
A very difficult rescue today for the <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Aquarius?src=hash">#Aquarius</a> with one teenager found dead in a rubber boat. In 2017, the sea continues to be a graveyard. <a href="https://t.co/2gVh5AOOcd">pic.twitter.com/2gVh5AOOcd</a>
&mdash; MSF Sea (@MSF_Sea) <a href="https://twitter.com/MSF_Sea/status/852877130346221568">April 14, 2017</a></blockquote>
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<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">&times;</a></div>

&quot;The sea continues to be a graveyard,&quot; MSF said in a Tweet. The coast guard spokesman confirmed that one person had died but gave no details.

MSF said two of their ships, Aquarius and Prudence, had rescued about 1,000 people in nine boats.

Desperate refugees struggled to stay afloat after they slid off their rubber boat during a rescue operation by the Phoenix, a ship of the rescue group Migrant Offshore Aid Station (MOAS).

Video footage showed rescuers jumping into the water off the coast of Libya to help them.

&quot;In 19 years of covering the migration story, I have never experienced anything like today,&quot; said Reuters photographer Darrin Zammit Lupi, who was aboard the Phoenix.

In one operation, the Phoenix rescued 134 people, all from sub-Saharan counties, he said.

Those rescued by the MOAS and MSF ships were transferred to Italian coast guard ships, which had rescued other migrants, to be taken to Italian ports.

According to the International Organisation for Migration, nearly 32,000 migrants have arrived in Europe by sea so far this year. More than 650 have died or are missing.

(Reuters)

19 rescue operations were carried out by the Italian coast guard or ships operated by NGOs, using 16 rubber dinghies and 3 wooden boats

More than 2,000 migrants trying to reach Europe were plucked from the Mediterranean on Friday in a series of dramatic rescues and one person was found dead, officials and witnesses said. An Italian coast guard spokesman said 19 rescue operations by the coast guard or ships operated by non-governmental organisations had saved a total of 2,074 migrants on 16 rubber dinghies and three small wooden boats. The medical charity Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF) said in a tweet that one teenager was found dead in a rubber boat whose passengers were rescued by its ship Aquarius. A very difficult rescue today for the #Aquarius with one teenager found dead in a rubber boat. In 2017, the sea continues to be a graveyard. pic.twitter.com/2gVh5AOOcd — MSF Sea (@MSF_Sea) April 14, 2017 × "The sea continues to be a graveyard," MSF said in a Tweet. The coast guard spokesman confirmed that one person had died but gave no details. MSF said two of their ships, Aquarius and Prudence, had rescued about 1,000 people in nine boats. Desperate refugees struggled to stay afloat after they slid off their rubber boat during a rescue operation by the Phoenix, a ship of the rescue group Migrant Offshore Aid Station (MOAS). Video footage showed rescuers jumping into the water off the coast of Libya to help them. "In 19 years of covering the migration story, I have never experienced anything like today," said Reuters photographer Darrin Zammit Lupi, who was aboard the Phoenix. In one operation, the Phoenix rescued 134 people, all from sub-Saharan counties, he said. Those rescued by the MOAS and MSF ships were transferred to Italian coast guard ships, which had rescued other migrants, to be taken to Italian ports. According to the International Organisation for Migration, nearly 32,000 migrants have arrived in Europe by sea so far this year. More than 650 have died or are missing. (Reuters)

More than 2,000 migrants rescued in dramatic day in Mediterranean

25 men and women were found dead in the Central Mediterranean, French aid group Doctors without Borders (MSF) said on Wednesday.&nbsp;

According to MSF, the bodies were found in an overcrowded rubber boat some 26 nautical miles from the Libyan coastline.

107 people from the same boat were picked up by rescue ship, Bourbon Argos, MSF said, adding that an additional 139 people were rescued from a nearby rubber raft.

&ldquo;When we got to the first boat, we brought the 107 survivors on board but couldn&rsquo;t recover what we thought were up to 11 dead bodies because we were called to another urgent rescue nearby,&rdquo; Michele Telaro, MSF&rsquo;s field coordinator of the rescue ship said in a statement.

The crew returned to the first vessel and found on closer examination that in fact, 25 people had died, probably from suffocation, burns or drowning.

Among the rescued people, 23 were in need of medical treatment for chemical burns; 11 of the cases were classified as severe, MSF said.

(WION)

 
&nbsp;

MSF said its chartered rescue ship picked up 107 people aboard the boat 26 nautical miles off Libya on Tuesday

25 men and women were found dead in the Central Mediterranean, French aid group Doctors without Borders (MSF) said on Wednesday. According to MSF, the bodies were found in an overcrowded rubber boat some 26 nautical miles from the Libyan coastline. 107 people from the same boat were picked up by rescue ship, Bourbon Argos, MSF said, adding that an additional 139 people were rescued from a nearby rubber raft. “When we got to the first boat, we brought the 107 survivors on board but couldn’t recover what we thought were up to 11 dead bodies because we were called to another urgent rescue nearby,” Michele Telaro, MSF’s field coordinator of the rescue ship said in a statement. The crew returned to the first vessel and found on closer examination that in fact, 25 people had died, probably from suffocation, burns or drowning. Among the rescued people, 23 were in need of medical treatment for chemical burns; 11 of the cases were classified as severe, MSF said. (WION)

25 found dead in Mediterranean migrant boat: MSF

Medecins Sans Frontieres (Doctors Without Borders) said today that Nigerian children are dying at high rates from malnutrition and disease in a growing humanitarian emergency in the northeast. 
 
The medical charity called on the United Nations (UN) to set up a steady food pipeline to the area being reclaimed by the Nigerian army from Boko Haram militants, where MSF said more than 500,000 people and possibly 800,000 have been cut off. 
 
&quot;The situation is a large-scale humanitarian disaster,&quot; MSF general director Bruno Jochum told a news briefing in Geneva. &quot;We are talking at least about pockets of what is close to a famine situation.&quot; 
 
(Reuters)&nbsp;

The medical charity called on the United Nations (UN) to set up a steady food pipeline to the area ?

Medecins Sans Frontieres (Doctors Without Borders) said today that Nigerian children are dying at high rates from malnutrition and disease in a growing humanitarian emergency in the northeast. The medical charity called on the United Nations (UN) to set up a steady food pipeline to the area being reclaimed by the Nigerian army from Boko Haram militants, where MSF said more than 500,000 people and possibly 800,000 have been cut off. "The situation is a large-scale humanitarian disaster," MSF general director Bruno Jochum told a news briefing in Geneva. "We are talking at least about pockets of what is close to a famine situation." (Reuters)

Nigerian children dying due to malnutrition: MSF sounds alert?

Medical aid charity Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF) said it will reject all funding from the European Union and its member states in protest against&nbsp;a deal to stem the influx of migrants and refugees that the EU reached with Turkey.

Under the deal, struck in March to cut off a human tide that brought a million refugees and migrants to Europe in 2015, Turkey agreed to halt illegal migration through its territory in return for financial and political rewards.

Jerome Oberreit,&nbsp;MSF&#39;s International Secretary General, said the agreement went against the fundamental principles of providing assistance to people in need.

&quot;This is jeopardising the very concept of the refugee,&quot; he told Reuters in an interview on Friday.

Oberreit said&nbsp;MSF, also known as Doctors Without Borders and active in disaster zones across the world, will lose Euro&nbsp;37 million ($41.6 million) of funding from EU states and Euro 19 million&nbsp;from EU institutions.

In the short term it would cover the shortfall from emergency reserves.

&quot;It&#39;s really important to see the real people instead of the political football that they have become,&quot; he said. &quot;We&#39;re talking about Europe&#39;s refugee shame.&quot;

European Commission spokesman Margaritis Schinas said&nbsp;MSF&nbsp;was not an implementing partner of EU humanitarian aid in Turkey and&nbsp;MSF&#39;s decision would not affect life-saving EU humanitarian aid for refugees in Turkey or&nbsp;MSF&#39;s operations that currently get EU funding.

&quot;As to ...the legality of the EU-Turkey agreement, the Commission prefers the interpretation of our 28 member states... and of the United Nations that are closer to our analysis of the deal rather than the one&nbsp;MSF&nbsp;did today.&quot;

Many EU officials acknowledge privately that the measures taken to curb migration have stretched the limits of legality but they also defend the strategy as a political imperative driven by European voters who have made clear their unwillingness to accept large numbers of migrants.

Oberreit said the deal with Turkey did nothing to address the chronic deficiencies of EU policy, but simply outsourced European obligations.

It also set a precedent that risked triggering a global domino effect as other countries also turned their backs on their obligations. &quot;It&#39;s clearly sending a message that caring for people forced from their homes is optional, that you can buy your way out.&quot;

The EU was in talks for similar deals with 16 other countries &quot;with the single goal of denying people their right to asylum&quot;. The talks include Eritrea, Somalia, Sudan and Afghanistan, four of the biggest sources of refugees, he said.

&quot;This would potentially mean locking people into war zones or places where they face persecution.&quot;

Kenya has also cited the EU-Turkey deal as a justification for its plans to close the world&#39;s largest refugee camp. &quot;This would involve ...sending 330,000 people back into Somalia, a country at war,&quot; Oberreit said.

MSF&nbsp;gets 92 percent of its funding from private donations, Oberreit said. 
 
(Reuters)

The medical aid charity is protesting against EU's march deal with Turkey aimed at cutting off the influx of migrants

Medical aid charity Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF) said it will reject all funding from the European Union and its member states in protest against a deal to stem the influx of migrants and refugees that the EU reached with Turkey. Under the deal, struck in March to cut off a human tide that brought a million refugees and migrants to Europe in 2015, Turkey agreed to halt illegal migration through its territory in return for financial and political rewards. Jerome Oberreit, MSF's International Secretary General, said the agreement went against the fundamental principles of providing assistance to people in need. "This is jeopardising the very concept of the refugee," he told Reuters in an interview on Friday. Oberreit said MSF, also known as Doctors Without Borders and active in disaster zones across the world, will lose Euro 37 million ($41.6 million) of funding from EU states and Euro 19 million from EU institutions. In the short term it would cover the shortfall from emergency reserves. "It's really important to see the real people instead of the political football that they have become," he said. "We're talking about Europe's refugee shame." European Commission spokesman Margaritis Schinas said MSF was not an implementing partner of EU humanitarian aid in Turkey and MSF's decision would not affect life-saving EU humanitarian aid for refugees in Turkey or MSF's operations that currently get EU funding. "As to ...the legality of the EU-Turkey agreement, the Commission prefers the interpretation of our 28 member states... and of the United Nations that are closer to our analysis of the deal rather than the one MSF did today." Many EU officials acknowledge privately that the measures taken to curb migration have stretched the limits of legality but they also defend the strategy as a political imperative driven by European voters who have made clear their unwillingness to accept large numbers of migrants. Oberreit said the deal with Turkey did nothing to address the chronic deficiencies of EU policy, but simply outsourced European obligations. It also set a precedent that risked triggering a global domino effect as other countries also turned their backs on their obligations. "It's clearly sending a message that caring for people forced from their homes is optional, that you can buy your way out." The EU was in talks for similar deals with 16 other countries "with the single goal of denying people their right to asylum". The talks include Eritrea, Somalia, Sudan and Afghanistan, four of the biggest sources of refugees, he said. "This would potentially mean locking people into war zones or places where they face persecution." Kenya has also cited the EU-Turkey deal as a justification for its plans to close the world's largest refugee camp. "This would involve ...sending 330,000 people back into Somalia, a country at war," Oberreit said. MSF gets 92 percent of its funding from private donations, Oberreit said. (Reuters)

Medecins Sans Frontieres spurns EU funding in protest against refugee deal

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