Britain said it will pledge $227 million in annual civilian and food aid for Afghanistan at a conference on Tuesday in Geneva where officials from about 70 countries and humanitarian organisations will pledge billions of dollars for the war-torn nation.

Dependent on foreign aid, Afghanistan is at risk of receiving 15-20% less funding than it received at the previous donor conference four years ago, diplomats say, as governments are under intense pressure to make savings as they ramp up spending to help their own economies recover from impact of the coronavirus pandemic.

Also read|&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/boris-johnson-says-escape-route-from-coronavirus-in-sight-344966">Boris Johnson says 'escape route' from coronavirus 'in sight'</a>

Withholding funds at this point, diplomats say, could at least provide foreign governments with some leverage to inject a greater sense of urgency into peace talks between the Afghan government and Taliban representatives that began in Qatar in September.

Britain, a country with a long and difficult history of involvement in Afghanistan, is the country's third largest bilateral donor, and the amount being pledged in Geneva will be slightly higher than it pledged at the last donor conference in Brussels four years ago.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/no-normal-christmas-this-year-says-britains-finance-minister-rishi-sunak-344710">No 'normal' Christmas this year, says Britain's Finance Minister Rishi Sunak</a>

The statement issued by the UK Mission to the United Nations and World Trade Organisation in Geneva said 155 million pounds ($207 million) would be pledged to support peace and stability in Afghanistan and "improve access to education and vital infrastructure."

Britain would "also announce an extra 15 million pounds ($20 million) to the United Nations' World Food Programme" for Afghanistan.

The latest monetary commitment is separate from the 70 million pounds ($93.32 million) security pledge for Afghan forces for 2021, which Britain announced last month.

In Brussels in 2016, Britain had pledged a total of 750 million pounds for four years, which translated into 187.5 million pounds annually.

At the Brussels conference, Afghanistan obtained total pledges of $15.2 billion for 2017 to 2020, equivalent to $3.8 billion a year.

Britain said it will pledge $227 million in annual civilian and food aid for Afghanistan at a conference on Tuesday in Geneva where officials from about 70 countries and humanitarian organisations will pledge billions of dollars for the war-torn nation.

Britain said it will pledge $227 million in annual civilian and food aid for Afghanistan at a conference on Tuesday in Geneva where officials from about 70 countries and humanitarian organisations will pledge billions of dollars for the war-torn nation. Dependent on foreign aid, Afghanistan is at risk of receiving 15-20% less funding than it received at the previous donor conference four years ago, diplomats say, as governments are under intense pressure to make savings as they ramp up spending to help their own economies recover from impact of the coronavirus pandemic. Also read| Boris Johnson says 'escape route' from coronavirus 'in sight' Withholding funds at this point, diplomats say, could at least provide foreign governments with some leverage to inject a greater sense of urgency into peace talks between the Afghan government and Taliban representatives that began in Qatar in September. Britain, a country with a long and difficult history of involvement in Afghanistan, is the country's third largest bilateral donor, and the amount being pledged in Geneva will be slightly higher than it pledged at the last donor conference in Brussels four years ago. Also read | No 'normal' Christmas this year, says Britain's Finance Minister Rishi Sunak The statement issued by the UK Mission to the United Nations and World Trade Organisation in Geneva said 155 million pounds ($207 million) would be pledged to support peace and stability in Afghanistan and "improve access to education and vital infrastructure." Britain would "also announce an extra 15 million pounds ($20 million) to the United Nations' World Food Programme" for Afghanistan. The latest monetary commitment is separate from the 70 million pounds ($93.32 million) security pledge for Afghan forces for 2021, which Britain announced last month. In Brussels in 2016, Britain had pledged a total of 750 million pounds for four years, which translated into 187.5 million pounds annually. At the Brussels conference, Afghanistan obtained total pledges of $15.2 billion for 2017 to 2020, equivalent to $3.8 billion a year.

Britain pledges $227 million annual civilian and food aid to Afghanistan

United Nations' World Food Programme has warned people across Burkina Faso, Mali & Niger will face catastrophic levels of hunger if the international community fails to act soon.

World Food Programme appeals for access as famine appears in Sahel

The World Food Programme(WFP)&nbsp;has been awarded the Nobel Peace Prize 2020. The United Nations food assistance branch has been honoured for feeding millions of people.

"The need for international solidarity and multilateral cooperation is more conspicuous than ever. The Norwegian Nobel Committee has decided to award the Nobel Peace Prize for 2020 to the World Food Programme for its efforts to combat hunger, for its contribution to bettering conditions for peace in conflict-affected areas and for acting as a driving force in efforts to prevent the use of hunger as a weapon of war and conflict," Berit Reiss-Andersen, chair of the Norwegian Nobel Committee, said.

The World Food Programme is the world's largest humanitarian organisation addressing hunger and promoting food security. In 2019, the WFP provided assistance to close to 100 million people in 88 countries, who are victims of acute food insecurity and hunger. The World Food Programme delivers food and assistance to conflict and disaster-torn area. It also focuses on nutrition, especially for mothers and children.

The programme is funded by voluntary donations. It has over 17,000 staff worldwide and at a time when more and more people are sleeping hungry courtesy the Wuhan virus, the Nobel Peace Prize to the World Food Programme seems just.

It also goes down the history as one of the less controversial Nobel Peace Prizes, since the word "peace" is pretty relative. This relativity has been exploited by the Nobel committee who have awarded less deserving people raising multiple eyebrows worldwide and somewhere eroded the charm of the award.

Critics say the Nobel Peace Prize is a "political tool" which is used by the West to promote its narrative. The prize is sometimes given to those with violent pasts, sometimes it was presented to those who cannot even justify the award.

Former US President Barack Obama was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2009 just nine months after taking office. The nomination of the awards had closed 12 days after he had assumed office.

The Dalai Lama in 1989 won the award for being a Tibetan exile.

The Nobel Peace Prize website reads: "The award of the Peace Prize gave the Dalai Lama the opportunity to present a plan for the restoration of peace and human rights in Tibet. In the plan, he had recommended that the country be turned into an ecologically stable and demilitarized zone that might serve as a buffer between major Asian powers."

However, 31 years on, there is still no peace in Tibet. It is not the only Peace Prize that was extremely hasty. In 1991, Aung San Suu Kyi was awarded the Nobel Prize for "her non-violent struggle for democracy and human rights" back then she was a political prisoner. Today, she is the de-facto leader of Myanmar and under her at least 24,000 Rohingya Muslims have been killed in the country's Rakhine State and 700,000 others have fled Myanmar.

The biggest irony of the Nobel Peace Prize is that one of the world's strongest symbols of peace was never honoured - Mahatma Gandhi's nomination was never considered. He was nominated for the Peace Prize in 1937, 1938, 1939, 1947 and shortly before he was assassinated in 1948. However, the year he died the Norwegian Nobel Committee decided to make no award.

It said: "There was no suitable living candidate." The Nobel Committee now calls Gandhi the "missing laureate".

The World Food Programme(WFP) has been awarded the Nobel Peace Prize 2020. The United Nations food assistance branch has been honoured for feeding millions of people.

The World Food Programme(WFP) has been awarded the Nobel Peace Prize 2020. The United Nations food assistance branch has been honoured for feeding millions of people. "The need for international solidarity and multilateral cooperation is more conspicuous than ever. The Norwegian Nobel Committee has decided to award the Nobel Peace Prize for 2020 to the World Food Programme for its efforts to combat hunger, for its contribution to bettering conditions for peace in conflict-affected areas and for acting as a driving force in efforts to prevent the use of hunger as a weapon of war and conflict," Berit Reiss-Andersen, chair of the Norwegian Nobel Committee, said. The World Food Programme is the world's largest humanitarian organisation addressing hunger and promoting food security. In 2019, the WFP provided assistance to close to 100 million people in 88 countries, who are victims of acute food insecurity and hunger. The World Food Programme delivers food and assistance to conflict and disaster-torn area. It also focuses on nutrition, especially for mothers and children. The programme is funded by voluntary donations. It has over 17,000 staff worldwide and at a time when more and more people are sleeping hungry courtesy the Wuhan virus, the Nobel Peace Prize to the World Food Programme seems just. It also goes down the history as one of the less controversial Nobel Peace Prizes, since the word "peace" is pretty relative. This relativity has been exploited by the Nobel committee who have awarded less deserving people raising multiple eyebrows worldwide and somewhere eroded the charm of the award. Critics say the Nobel Peace Prize is a "political tool" which is used by the West to promote its narrative. The prize is sometimes given to those with violent pasts, sometimes it was presented to those who cannot even justify the award. Former US President Barack Obama was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2009 just nine months after taking office. The nomination of the awards had closed 12 days after he had assumed office. The Dalai Lama in 1989 won the award for being a Tibetan exile. The Nobel Peace Prize website reads: "The award of the Peace Prize gave the Dalai Lama the opportunity to present a plan for the restoration of peace and human rights in Tibet. In the plan, he had recommended that the country be turned into an ecologically stable and demilitarized zone that might serve as a buffer between major Asian powers." However, 31 years on, there is still no peace in Tibet. It is not the only Peace Prize that was extremely hasty. In 1991, Aung San Suu Kyi was awarded the Nobel Prize for "her non-violent struggle for democracy and human rights" back then she was a political prisoner. Today, she is the de-facto leader of Myanmar and under her at least 24,000 Rohingya Muslims have been killed in the country's Rakhine State and 700,000 others have fled Myanmar. The biggest irony of the Nobel Peace Prize is that one of the world's strongest symbols of peace was never honoured - Mahatma Gandhi's nomination was never considered. He was nominated for the Peace Prize in 1937, 1938, 1939, 1947 and shortly before he was assassinated in 1948. However, the year he died the Norwegian Nobel Committee decided to make no award. It said: "There was no suitable living candidate." The Nobel Committee now calls Gandhi the "missing laureate".

Nobel Peace Prize politics and the 'missing laureate'

The World Food Programme (WFP) has been awarded the Nobel Peace Prize 2020 for its efforts to combat hunger and improve conditions for peace in conflict areas.

WFP this year fed&nbsp;millions of people from Yemen to North Korea, with the coronavirus pandemic seen pushing millions more into hunger.

The WFP was honoured for "its efforts to combat hunger, for its contribution to bettering conditions for peace in conflict-affected areas and for acting as a driving force in efforts to prevent the use of hunger as a weapon of war and conflict," the Nobel committee said on Friday.

"Deepest thanks NobelPrize for honouring the World Food Programme with the 2020 #NobelPeacePrize.This is a powerful reminder to the world that peace and #ZeroHunger go hand-in-hand," WFP posted&nbsp;on Twitter in response to the honour.

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Deepest thanks <a href="https://twitter.com/NobelPrize?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@NobelPrize</a> for honouring the World Food Programme with the 2020 <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NobelPeacePrize?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#NobelPeacePrize</a>. 
 
This is a powerful reminder to the world that peace and <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ZeroHunger?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#ZeroHunger</a> go hand-in-hand. <a href="https://t.co/1CYXPcnvlF">https://t.co/1CYXPcnvlF</a>
— World Food Programme (@WFP) <a href="https://twitter.com/WFP/status/1314495961771716608?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 9, 2020</a></blockquote>
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"This is humbling," Tomson Phiri told reporters during a regular briefing in Geneva, adding it was "really a proud moment" for the UN organisation.

"One of the beauties of WFP activities is that not only do we provide food for today and tomorrow, but we also are equipping people with the knowledge, the means to sustain themselves for the next day and the days after."

Founded in 1961, the UN organisation helped 97 million people last year, distributing 15 billion rations to people in 88 countries last year.

Whether delivering food by helicopter or on the back of an elephant or a camel, the WFP prides itself on being "the leading humanitarian organisation" in a world where, by its own estimates, some 690 million people -- one in 11 -- go to bed on an empty stomach.

War can be caused by hunger, but hunger is also a consequence of war, with people living in areas of conflict three times more likely to be undernourished than those living in countries at peace, the WFP says.

Yemen, which is living through what the UN has described as the "largest humanitarian crisis in the world", is a stark example of this.

Both the UN and aid agencies have repeatedly raised the alarm over the disastrous consequences of the conflict which has claimed tens of thousands of lives since 2015, when a powerful military coalition led by Saudi Arabia joined the government's fight against Iran-backed Huthi rebels.

The conflict has displaced three million people and pushed the country to the verge of famine.

Two-thirds of Yemen's 30 million people don't know where their next meal will come from, WFP figures show.

The outlook for the world has grown even bleaker this year due to the Covid-19 pandemic, which has led to earnings losses, made food more expensive and disrupted supply chains.

"The coronavirus pandemic has contributed to a strong upsurge in the number of victims of hunger in the world," the Nobel committee said.

"In countries such as Yemen, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Nigeria, South Sudan and Burkina Faso, the combination of violent conflict and the pandemic has led to a dramatic rise in the number of people living on the brink of starvation," it said.

In April, Beasley raised the alarm, saying: "We could be facing multiple famines of biblical proportions within a short few months."&nbsp;

The global recession caused by the virus risks pushing an additional 83 to 132 million people into hunger, the UN said in a report published in mid-July.

This is the 12th time the Peace Prize has gone to the UN, one of its agencies or personalities -- more than any other laureate.

The virus will also affect the Nobel Peace Prize ceremony on December 10 in Oslo, which has been scaled back due to corona restrictions.

The award consists of a gold medal, a diploma and a cheque for 10 million Swedish kronor (950,000 euros, $1.1 million).

(with inputs)

The World Food Programme (WFP) has been awarded the Nobel Peace Prize 2020 for its efforts to combat hunger and improve conditions for peace in conflict areas. WFP this year fed millions of people from Yemen to North Korea, with the coronavirus pandemic seen pushing millions more into hunger.

The World Food Programme (WFP) has been awarded the Nobel Peace Prize 2020 for its efforts to combat hunger and improve conditions for peace in conflict areas. WFP this year fed millions of people from Yemen to North Korea, with the coronavirus pandemic seen pushing millions more into hunger. The WFP was honoured for "its efforts to combat hunger, for its contribution to bettering conditions for peace in conflict-affected areas and for acting as a driving force in efforts to prevent the use of hunger as a weapon of war and conflict," the Nobel committee said on Friday. "Deepest thanks NobelPrize for honouring the World Food Programme with the 2020 #NobelPeacePrize.This is a powerful reminder to the world that peace and #ZeroHunger go hand-in-hand," WFP posted on Twitter in response to the honour. Deepest thanks @NobelPrize for honouring the World Food Programme with the 2020 #NobelPeacePrize. This is a powerful reminder to the world that peace and #ZeroHunger go hand-in-hand. https://t.co/1CYXPcnvlF — World Food Programme (@WFP) October 9, 2020 × "This is humbling," Tomson Phiri told reporters during a regular briefing in Geneva, adding it was "really a proud moment" for the UN organisation. "One of the beauties of WFP activities is that not only do we provide food for today and tomorrow, but we also are equipping people with the knowledge, the means to sustain themselves for the next day and the days after." Founded in 1961, the UN organisation helped 97 million people last year, distributing 15 billion rations to people in 88 countries last year. Whether delivering food by helicopter or on the back of an elephant or a camel, the WFP prides itself on being "the leading humanitarian organisation" in a world where, by its own estimates, some 690 million people -- one in 11 -- go to bed on an empty stomach. War can be caused by hunger, but hunger is also a consequence of war, with people living in areas of conflict three times more likely to be undernourished than those living in countries at peace, the WFP says. Yemen, which is living through what the UN has described as the "largest humanitarian crisis in the world", is a stark example of this. Both the UN and aid agencies have repeatedly raised the alarm over the disastrous consequences of the conflict which has claimed tens of thousands of lives since 2015, when a powerful military coalition led by Saudi Arabia joined the government's fight against Iran-backed Huthi rebels. The conflict has displaced three million people and pushed the country to the verge of famine. Two-thirds of Yemen's 30 million people don't know where their next meal will come from, WFP figures show. The outlook for the world has grown even bleaker this year due to the Covid-19 pandemic, which has led to earnings losses, made food more expensive and disrupted supply chains. "The coronavirus pandemic has contributed to a strong upsurge in the number of victims of hunger in the world," the Nobel committee said. "In countries such as Yemen, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Nigeria, South Sudan and Burkina Faso, the combination of violent conflict and the pandemic has led to a dramatic rise in the number of people living on the brink of starvation," it said. In April, Beasley raised the alarm, saying: "We could be facing multiple famines of biblical proportions within a short few months." The global recession caused by the virus risks pushing an additional 83 to 132 million people into hunger, the UN said in a report published in mid-July. This is the 12th time the Peace Prize has gone to the UN, one of its agencies or personalities -- more than any other laureate. The virus will also affect the Nobel Peace Prize ceremony on December 10 in Oslo, which has been scaled back due to corona restrictions. The award consists of a gold medal, a diploma and a cheque for 10 million Swedish kronor (950,000 euros, $1.1 million). (with inputs)

UN's World Food Progamme wins Nobel Peace Prize 2020

Worsening violence by militants with links to Islamic State in northern Mozambique are causing thousands to go hungry as they flee their homes and abandon farms, the U.N. World Food Programme (WFP) warned on Tuesday.

WION Dispatch: UN World Food Programme warns of food security crisis in Mozambique

United Nations' food relief agency has warned that the&nbsp;world is at risk of widespread famines "of biblical proportions" caused by the coronavirus pandemic.

More than 30 countries in the developing world could experience widespread famine, and in 10 of those countries there are already more than 1 million people on the brink of starvation, said David Beasley, executive director of the World Food Programme (WFP).

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/how-covid-19-can-push-half-a-billion-people-into-poverty-291463">How COVID-19 can push half a billion people into poverty?</a>

He also said that ''with a short time to act before hundreds of millions starve, urgent action is needed to avoid a catastrophe''.

According to the fourth annual&nbsp;Global Report on Food Crisis,&nbsp;the number suffering from hunger could go from 135 million to more than 250 million.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/no-benefit-higher-death-rate-for-malaria-drug-in-coronavirus-study-293900" hreflang="en">No benefit, higher death rate for malaria drug in coronavirus study</a>

The countries highlighted in this report include,&nbsp;Yemen, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Afghanistan, Venezuela, Ethiopia, South Sudan, Sudan, Syria, Nigeria and Haiti.

Addressing the UN Security Council during a video conference, Beasley said ''we could be facing multiple famines of biblical proportions within a short few months," he said. "The truth is we do not have time on our side."

In a call to action, he added: "I do believe that with our expertise and our partnerships, we can bring together the teams and the programmes necessary to make certain the Covid-19 pandemic does not become a human and food crisis catastrophe."

The World Food Programme claimed&nbsp;that those most at risk are in 10 countries affected by conflict, economic crisis and climate change.

United Nations' food relief agency has warned that the world is at risk of widespread famines "of biblical proportions" caused by the coronavirus pandemic. More than 30 countries in the developing world could experience widespread famine, and in 10 of those countries there are already more than 1 million people on the brink of starvation, said David Beasley, executive director of the World Food Programme (WFP).

United Nations' food relief agency has warned that the world is at risk of widespread famines "of biblical proportions" caused by the coronavirus pandemic. More than 30 countries in the developing world could experience widespread famine, and in 10 of those countries there are already more than 1 million people on the brink of starvation, said David Beasley, executive director of the World Food Programme (WFP). Also read: How COVID-19 can push half a billion people into poverty? He also said that ''with a short time to act before hundreds of millions starve, urgent action is needed to avoid a catastrophe''. According to the fourth annual Global Report on Food Crisis, the number suffering from hunger could go from 135 million to more than 250 million. Also read: No benefit, higher death rate for malaria drug in coronavirus study The countries highlighted in this report include, Yemen, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Afghanistan, Venezuela, Ethiopia, South Sudan, Sudan, Syria, Nigeria and Haiti. Addressing the UN Security Council during a video conference, Beasley said ''we could be facing multiple famines of biblical proportions within a short few months," he said. "The truth is we do not have time on our side." In a call to action, he added: "I do believe that with our expertise and our partnerships, we can bring together the teams and the programmes necessary to make certain the Covid-19 pandemic does not become a human and food crisis catastrophe." The World Food Programme claimed that those most at risk are in 10 countries affected by conflict, economic crisis and climate change.

World at risk of 'biblical famines' due to COVID-19, says UN

Devastating flooding in South Sudan following a fierce drought could tip parts of the country into famine in the next few months, the World Food Programme (WFP) warned on Thursday.

According to the UN refugee agency nearly one million people were affected by floodwaters that submerged entire towns, compounding an already dire humanitarian situation after six years of war.

The WFP said that 5.5 million people are expected to be going hungry in early 2020 -- the time at which the population is generally benefiting from their harvest in October and November of the previous year.

An earlier harvest failed due to drought. This time crops have been washed away.&nbsp;

"The number of people in need is likely to increase because of the catastrophic level of destruction caused by floods since October following a drought that hammered parts of the country earlier in the year," the agency said in a statement.

The floods wiped out 73,000 metric tons of potential harvests as well as tens of thousands of cattle and goats, said the WFP.

"We know the problems that we've been having in South Sudan, but the rains and the floods have led to a national disaster and are much worse than anyone could have anticipated," said WFP Executive Director David Beasley.&nbsp;

"In fact, if we don't get funding in the next few weeks and months, we are literally talking about famine. We need support, we need help and we need it now."

The agency estimated its needs at $270 million (242 million euros) for the first half of 2020.

South Sudan declared a "man-made" famine affecting around 100,000 people in 2017.&nbsp;

The term "famine" is used according to a scientific system agreed upon by global agencies when at least 20 per cent of the population in a specific area has extremely limited access to basic food; acute malnutrition exceeds 30 per cent, and the death rate exceeds two per 10,000 people per day for the entire population.

"Famine in South Sudan was defeated after four months in 2017 by a concerted large-scale humanitarian response," said the WFP.

"Experts now say the country's food security outlook has never been so dire."

Political instability is also high as President Salva Kiir and his rival Riek Machar have again delayed their formation of a power-sharing government, this time by 100 days until February 2020.

Devastating flooding in South Sudan following a fierce drought could tip parts of the country into famine in the next few months, the World Food Programme (WFP) warned on Thursday.

Devastating flooding in South Sudan following a fierce drought could tip parts of the country into famine in the next few months, the World Food Programme (WFP) warned on Thursday. According to the UN refugee agency nearly one million people were affected by floodwaters that submerged entire towns, compounding an already dire humanitarian situation after six years of war. The WFP said that 5.5 million people are expected to be going hungry in early 2020 -- the time at which the population is generally benefiting from their harvest in October and November of the previous year. An earlier harvest failed due to drought. This time crops have been washed away. "The number of people in need is likely to increase because of the catastrophic level of destruction caused by floods since October following a drought that hammered parts of the country earlier in the year," the agency said in a statement. The floods wiped out 73,000 metric tons of potential harvests as well as tens of thousands of cattle and goats, said the WFP. "We know the problems that we've been having in South Sudan, but the rains and the floods have led to a national disaster and are much worse than anyone could have anticipated," said WFP Executive Director David Beasley. "In fact, if we don't get funding in the next few weeks and months, we are literally talking about famine. We need support, we need help and we need it now." The agency estimated its needs at $270 million (242 million euros) for the first half of 2020. South Sudan declared a "man-made" famine affecting around 100,000 people in 2017. The term "famine" is used according to a scientific system agreed upon by global agencies when at least 20 per cent of the population in a specific area has extremely limited access to basic food; acute malnutrition exceeds 30 per cent, and the death rate exceeds two per 10,000 people per day for the entire population. "Famine in South Sudan was defeated after four months in 2017 by a concerted large-scale humanitarian response," said the WFP. "Experts now say the country's food security outlook has never been so dire." Political instability is also high as President Salva Kiir and his rival Riek Machar have again delayed their formation of a power-sharing government, this time by 100 days until February 2020.

Catastrophic' floods could provoke famine in South Sudan: World Food Programme

Ahead of World Food Day, the World Food Programme (WFP) said more than 800 million people, one in nine people globally, are facing chronic hunger and are unable to meet their basic food requirements. WFP. World Food Day is marked on Wednesday (16 Oct). WFP said, for the most part, the causes of hunger remain the same – conflict, the climate crisis and economic marginalization.

More than 800 million people facing chronic hunger: World Food Programme

Bahamas authorities have updated the death toll from <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/amid-fears-of-higher-dorian-death-toll-islanders-vie-to-leave-248405">Hurricane Dorian to 50</a> with the number expected to climb, local media reported, as thousands are evacuated from the archipelago's hardest-hit islands.

Police Commissioner Anthony Ferguson said 42 deceased persons on the island of<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/mosquito-spray-diapers-flashlights-cannot-beat-cash-for-dorian-relief-248036"> Abaco and eight on Grand Bahama</a> had been recovered as of Sunday, in an article published in The Nassau Guardian.

"We anticipate the discovery of more deceased persons, as the process of search and recovery progresses," he said.

The news comes as the UN's International Organization for Migration (IOM) reported "particularly startling" devastation in places like Marsh Harbour in the Abacos, particularly in its shantytowns.

"Communities such as The Mudd and Pigeon Pea, where 70 per cent of informal housing in Abaco existed, and where an overwhelming majority of Haitian migrants resided, has been decimated," it said in a statement.

"The Mudd is gone," said IOM's Brian Kelly, who is leading the UN Disaster Assessment and Coordination team in the area.

The Haitians migrants "are in a very tough situation, just as many of the Bahamians," he said.

Some 90 per cent of housing and infrastructure is damaged or destroyed on Abaco, the World Food Programme (WFP) said in a statement, reporting thousands of houses leveled, telecommunications towers down and roads blocked.

Approximately 76,000 people were affected by Dorian, the IOM said, citing official reports. Of these, thousands have been evacuated and about 860 are in emergency shelters in the capital city of Nassau.

"The rest of the people remain in the affected areas," said Vynliz Dailey, IOM assessment mission officer.

An estimated 5,000 people had been evacuated by the Bahamas, the WFP said, citing data provided by the government.

The organization said it had distributed 1,000 tarpaulin coats to serve as temporary roofs for destroyed homes in Marsh Harbour while the World Food Programme said it had passed out more than 1,500 ready-to-eat meals, after offloading 13,800 at Marsh Harbour. 
&nbsp;

Bahamas authorities have updated the death toll from Hurricane Dorian to 50 with the number expected to climb, local media reported, as thousands are evacuated from the archipelago's hardest-hit islands.

Bahamas authorities have updated the death toll from Hurricane Dorian to 50 with the number expected to climb, local media reported, as thousands are evacuated from the archipelago's hardest-hit islands. Police Commissioner Anthony Ferguson said 42 deceased persons on the island of Abaco and eight on Grand Bahama had been recovered as of Sunday, in an article published in The Nassau Guardian. "We anticipate the discovery of more deceased persons, as the process of search and recovery progresses," he said. The news comes as the UN's International Organization for Migration (IOM) reported "particularly startling" devastation in places like Marsh Harbour in the Abacos, particularly in its shantytowns. "Communities such as The Mudd and Pigeon Pea, where 70 per cent of informal housing in Abaco existed, and where an overwhelming majority of Haitian migrants resided, has been decimated," it said in a statement. "The Mudd is gone," said IOM's Brian Kelly, who is leading the UN Disaster Assessment and Coordination team in the area. The Haitians migrants "are in a very tough situation, just as many of the Bahamians," he said. Some 90 per cent of housing and infrastructure is damaged or destroyed on Abaco, the World Food Programme (WFP) said in a statement, reporting thousands of houses leveled, telecommunications towers down and roads blocked. Approximately 76,000 people were affected by Dorian, the IOM said, citing official reports. Of these, thousands have been evacuated and about 860 are in emergency shelters in the capital city of Nassau. "The rest of the people remain in the affected areas," said Vynliz Dailey, IOM assessment mission officer. An estimated 5,000 people had been evacuated by the Bahamas, the WFP said, citing data provided by the government. The organization said it had distributed 1,000 tarpaulin coats to serve as temporary roofs for destroyed homes in Marsh Harbour while the World Food Programme said it had passed out more than 1,500 ready-to-eat meals, after offloading 13,800 at Marsh Harbour.

Bahamas Dorian toll climbs to 50; thousands evacuated

The World Food Programme (WFP) on Wednesday (August 21) resumed distributing food to 850,000 people in Yemen's capital Sanaa after a two-month stoppage, having reached an agreement with the Iran-aligned Houthi authorities who control the city.

WFP resumes food distribution in Yemen's Sanaa after deal with Houthis

The<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/saudi-led-forces-israel-among-states-rapped-by-un-for-killing-children-239735"> United Nations</a> and Yemen's<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/saudi-led-airstrike-on-market-kill-13-in-northern-yemen-239413"> Huthi rebels</a> announced Sunday an agreement to resume delivery of food aid suspended for six weeks in areas controlled by the group.

The agreement was signed on Saturday in the rebel-held capital Sanaa, Huthi controlled media said.&nbsp;

The UN World Food Programme (WFP) "signed a high-level agreement that is an important step towards safeguards that guarantee the accountability of our humanitarian operation in Yemen", WFP spokesperson Herve Verhoosel said in an email to AFP.

"We are hopeful that technical details can be agreed in the coming days," he added.

The agreement includes a biometric database of civilians in need of aid to guarantee "effective and efficient distribution" and to "benefit the neediest", according to the Huthis' Alsyasiah website.

The agreement also stipulates "total transparency" in the registration of beneficiaries and distribution of aid, it added.&nbsp;

On July 18, WFP head David Beasley announced an agreement in principle was reached with the Huthis to resume food aid to the areas they control. 
&nbsp; 
The UN had suspended deliveries of food aid to rebel-held areas on June 20 following accusations of "diversion of food" meant for Yemeni civilians.&nbsp;

Fighting between Iran backed Huthis and government forces aided by a Saudi led coalition has killed tens of thousands of people, most of them civilians, aid agencies say.

The conflict has also forced some 3.3 million people from their homes and 24.1 million, some 80 per cent of the population, needs aid, according to the UN.

The United Nations and Yemen's Huthi rebels announced Sunday an agreement to resume delivery of food aid suspended for six weeks in areas controlled by the group.

The United Nations and Yemen's Huthi rebels announced Sunday an agreement to resume delivery of food aid suspended for six weeks in areas controlled by the group. The agreement was signed on Saturday in the rebel-held capital Sanaa, Huthi controlled media said. The UN World Food Programme (WFP) "signed a high-level agreement that is an important step towards safeguards that guarantee the accountability of our humanitarian operation in Yemen", WFP spokesperson Herve Verhoosel said in an email to AFP. "We are hopeful that technical details can be agreed in the coming days," he added. The agreement includes a biometric database of civilians in need of aid to guarantee "effective and efficient distribution" and to "benefit the neediest", according to the Huthis' Alsyasiah website. The agreement also stipulates "total transparency" in the registration of beneficiaries and distribution of aid, it added. On July 18, WFP head David Beasley announced an agreement in principle was reached with the Huthis to resume food aid to the areas they control. The UN had suspended deliveries of food aid to rebel-held areas on June 20 following accusations of "diversion of food" meant for Yemeni civilians. Fighting between Iran backed Huthis and government forces aided by a Saudi led coalition has killed tens of thousands of people, most of them civilians, aid agencies say. The conflict has also forced some 3.3 million people from their homes and 24.1 million, some 80 per cent of the population, needs aid, according to the UN.

United Nations finalises accord with Yemen rebels to resume food aid

UN-linked aid groups have suspended activities in parts of violence-plagued northwest Syria, where stepped-up bombardment by the regime and Russia is jeopardising the safety of humanitarian workers.&nbsp;

"As of 8 May, at least 16 humanitarian partners have suspended their operations in areas impacted by conflict," the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, or OCHA said Friday.

The World Food Programme said it has suspended "deliveries to about 47,000 people in towns and villages... (that) have come under bombardment".

Since late April, government forces have mounted a major bombardment of southern Idlib and neighbouring areas with Russian support.

The uptick in air strikes and shelling on the region dominated by Syria's former Al-Qaeda affiliate has displaced 180,000 people between 29 April and 9 May, OCHA said.

It has also affected 15 health facilities and 16 schools, it added.&nbsp;

"Some organisations suspended activities as their premises were damaged, destroyed or rendered unsafe by the violence," OCHA said.

"Others have suspended activities in order to keep their staff and beneficiaries safe, or because the beneficiary population has left," it added.&nbsp;

OCHA said five humanitarian workers, including two health professionals, have been reportedly killed due to air strikes and shelling.

WFP also said that some of its partners inside Idlib have been "displaced due to the violence, while a few others have sustained injuries".

The northwestern part of Syria controlled by jihadists is made up of a large part of Idlib province, as well as adjacent parts of the Aleppo and Hama provinces.

It has been protected from a massive regime offensive by a September deal inked by Damascus ally Russia and rebel backer Turkey.&nbsp;

The region of some three million people has come under increasing bombardment since Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, which is dominated by jihadists from Al-Qaeda's former Syrian branch, took full control of it in the beginning of the year.&nbsp;

Western powers are concerned that the Russia-backed Syrian government will launch a full-scale assault.

On Friday, air strikes and shelling killed 10 civilians, the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said.

The civil war in Syria has killed more than 370,000 people and displaced millions since it started with the brutal repression of anti-government protests in 2011.

UN-linked aid groups have suspended activities in parts of violence-plagued northwest Syria, where stepped-up bombardment by the regime and Russia is jeopardising the safety of humanitarian workers.

UN-linked aid groups have suspended activities in parts of violence-plagued northwest Syria, where stepped-up bombardment by the regime and Russia is jeopardising the safety of humanitarian workers. "As of 8 May, at least 16 humanitarian partners have suspended their operations in areas impacted by conflict," the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, or OCHA said Friday. The World Food Programme said it has suspended "deliveries to about 47,000 people in towns and villages... (that) have come under bombardment". Since late April, government forces have mounted a major bombardment of southern Idlib and neighbouring areas with Russian support. The uptick in air strikes and shelling on the region dominated by Syria's former Al-Qaeda affiliate has displaced 180,000 people between 29 April and 9 May, OCHA said. It has also affected 15 health facilities and 16 schools, it added. "Some organisations suspended activities as their premises were damaged, destroyed or rendered unsafe by the violence," OCHA said. "Others have suspended activities in order to keep their staff and beneficiaries safe, or because the beneficiary population has left," it added. OCHA said five humanitarian workers, including two health professionals, have been reportedly killed due to air strikes and shelling. WFP also said that some of its partners inside Idlib have been "displaced due to the violence, while a few others have sustained injuries". The northwestern part of Syria controlled by jihadists is made up of a large part of Idlib province, as well as adjacent parts of the Aleppo and Hama provinces. It has been protected from a massive regime offensive by a September deal inked by Damascus ally Russia and rebel backer Turkey. The region of some three million people has come under increasing bombardment since Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, which is dominated by jihadists from Al-Qaeda's former Syrian branch, took full control of it in the beginning of the year. Western powers are concerned that the Russia-backed Syrian government will launch a full-scale assault. On Friday, air strikes and shelling killed 10 civilians, the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said. The civil war in Syria has killed more than 370,000 people and displaced millions since it started with the brutal repression of anti-government protests in 2011.

UN-linked aid groups suspend activities in parts of northwest Syria

Heavy rain battered northern Mozambique on Monday as residents and relief workers confronted the widespread devastation wrought by <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/rain-grounds-aid-flights-in-cyclone-hit-mozambique-214476">Cyclone Kenneth</a>, the strongest cyclone to ever hit Africa, which killed 38 people and destroyed thousands of homes.

Roads have been washed away, fields submerged and many buildings wrecked by the storm, which came weeks after Cyclone Idai hit the Mozambican city of Beira, 1,000 kilometres (620 miles) to the south.

Cyclone Kenneth made landfall late on Thursday in Cabo Delgado province, packing wind gusts of up to 220 kilometres per hour.

The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) described it as the strongest cyclone to ever lash the continent, and predicted further heavy rain over the coming days.

"Cyclone Kenneth made landfall at the end of the rainy season, when river levels were already high, increasing the risk of river flooding," the UN agency said in its latest update.

"Humanitarian needs in Mozambique have sky-rocketed, and the humanitarian response will need to rapidly scale-up."

According to figures provided by the Mozambique authorities to NGOs, around 200,000 people in Pemba city, the capital of Cabo Delgado, are in danger.

According to a preliminary toll from the National Institute of Disaster Management (INGC), 38 people have died, 39 have been injured, more than 23,000 people are without shelter and nearly 35,000 homes have been either partly or completely destroyed.

'We don't know what we'll do'

"The water came inside the house and all the way to the backyard," said Sumala Cabila, 23, standing in his family home in Pemba's working-class Piquite suburb which flooded on Sunday morning.

As rain poured down and roads in the district became unpassable except for 4-wheel-drive vehicles, Cabila's sister struggled to look after her one-month-old child.

"If it continues to rain. we don't know what we'll do," he said as water streamed of his slanted roof.

In Pemba, a tourist destination, staff mopped up pools of water at a hotel and cleared tree branches out of the lobby fountain, while labourers struggled to clear out the city's drainage system blocked by flood debris.

"(We) planned to mobilise as much aid as possible to Ibo and also from there to Quissanga via Roa," said UN OCHA official Saviano Abreu, naming two areas outside Pemba worst hit by storm damage and flooding.

"It was the priority for government and humanitarian organisations, as these two areas are in urgent need.

"We managed to send one flight with World Food Programme (WFP) supplies of rice and biscuits, and some non-food items. But unfortunately the weather conditions are changing too fast and threatening the operation. It's raining again and the second flight couldn't go."

To the north of Pemba, the town of Macomia was also badly hit, with homes and businesses destroyed, roofs torn off, trees and electric pylons uprooted.

"We have grave fears for the thousands of families currently taking shelter under the wreckage of their homes. They urgently need food, water and shelter to survive the coming days," said Nicholas Finney, head of Save the Children's response team in Mozambique.

The northern region hit by Cyclone Kenneth is more sparsely populated than Beira, which was hit by Cyclone Idai in mid-March.

But the area has also been hard hit by deadly raids by a jihadist group over the past 18 months that the army has been unable to control.&nbsp;

Before smashing into Mozambique, Kenneth passed by the Comoros islands.

Heavy rain battered northern Mozambique on Monday as residents and relief workers confronted the widespread devastation wrought by Cyclone Kenneth, the strongest cyclone to ever hit Africa, which killed 38 people and destroyed thousands of homes.

Heavy rain battered northern Mozambique on Monday as residents and relief workers confronted the widespread devastation wrought by Cyclone Kenneth, the strongest cyclone to ever hit Africa, which killed 38 people and destroyed thousands of homes. Roads have been washed away, fields submerged and many buildings wrecked by the storm, which came weeks after Cyclone Idai hit the Mozambican city of Beira, 1,000 kilometres (620 miles) to the south. Cyclone Kenneth made landfall late on Thursday in Cabo Delgado province, packing wind gusts of up to 220 kilometres per hour. The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) described it as the strongest cyclone to ever lash the continent, and predicted further heavy rain over the coming days. "Cyclone Kenneth made landfall at the end of the rainy season, when river levels were already high, increasing the risk of river flooding," the UN agency said in its latest update. "Humanitarian needs in Mozambique have sky-rocketed, and the humanitarian response will need to rapidly scale-up." According to figures provided by the Mozambique authorities to NGOs, around 200,000 people in Pemba city, the capital of Cabo Delgado, are in danger. According to a preliminary toll from the National Institute of Disaster Management (INGC), 38 people have died, 39 have been injured, more than 23,000 people are without shelter and nearly 35,000 homes have been either partly or completely destroyed. 'We don't know what we'll do' "The water came inside the house and all the way to the backyard," said Sumala Cabila, 23, standing in his family home in Pemba's working-class Piquite suburb which flooded on Sunday morning. As rain poured down and roads in the district became unpassable except for 4-wheel-drive vehicles, Cabila's sister struggled to look after her one-month-old child. "If it continues to rain. we don't know what we'll do," he said as water streamed of his slanted roof. In Pemba, a tourist destination, staff mopped up pools of water at a hotel and cleared tree branches out of the lobby fountain, while labourers struggled to clear out the city's drainage system blocked by flood debris. "(We) planned to mobilise as much aid as possible to Ibo and also from there to Quissanga via Roa," said UN OCHA official Saviano Abreu, naming two areas outside Pemba worst hit by storm damage and flooding. "It was the priority for government and humanitarian organisations, as these two areas are in urgent need. "We managed to send one flight with World Food Programme (WFP) supplies of rice and biscuits, and some non-food items. But unfortunately the weather conditions are changing too fast and threatening the operation. It's raining again and the second flight couldn't go." To the north of Pemba, the town of Macomia was also badly hit, with homes and businesses destroyed, roofs torn off, trees and electric pylons uprooted. "We have grave fears for the thousands of families currently taking shelter under the wreckage of their homes. They urgently need food, water and shelter to survive the coming days," said Nicholas Finney, head of Save the Children's response team in Mozambique. The northern region hit by Cyclone Kenneth is more sparsely populated than Beira, which was hit by Cyclone Idai in mid-March. But the area has also been hard hit by deadly raids by a jihadist group over the past 18 months that the army has been unable to control. Before smashing into Mozambique, Kenneth passed by the Comoros islands.

38 killed as floods worsen in Mozambique after second cyclone

The United Nations is making plans to help Bangladesh relocate thousands of Rohingya refugees to a remote island off its coast, documents seen by Reuters show, a move opposed by many refugees and that some human rights experts fear could spark a new crisis.

Bangladesh says transporting refugees to Bhasan Char – a Bay of Bengal island hours by boat from the mainland – will ease chronic overcrowding in its camps at Cox's Bazar, which are home to more than 1 million Rohingya, members of a Muslim minority who have fled neighbouring Myanmar.

Humanitarian and human rights groups have criticized the relocation proposal, saying the island is flood-prone, vulnerable to frequent cyclones and could be completely submerged during high tide.

A document was drawn up by the World Food Programme (WFP), the UN's food aid arm, shows the agency has supplied the Bangladesh government with detailed plans – including a timeline and budget – of how it could provide for thousands of Rohingya transported to the island within weeks. It stresses that any relocation should be voluntary and done "in accordance with humanitarian principles and code of conduct".

The document, labelled as a "Concept of Operations" and dated March 12, outlines how the organization and its partners "may facilitate the identification, staging, forward movement, reception, and sustainment of refugees" on Bhasan Char, estimating an initial appeal for donor funding of between $8.6 and $19 million.

More detailed operational planning would be needed it says, noting the Concept of Operations had been "developed quickly and without the benefit of any recent on-site assessment".

Gemma Snowdon, communications officer for WFP in Cox's Bazar, said the organization was part of "ongoing discussions" with the government over the future of the refugee response.

"The viability of safely relocating people to Bhasan Char needs to be thoroughly assessed and WFP is investigating the potential operational needs, financial costs, and challenges in several areas that we traditionally support in emergencies: food security, emergency telecommunications and logistics," she said.

Refugee influx

The numbers of refugees in the Cox's Bazar camps have grown dramatically since August 2017, when a Myanmar military-led crackdown that UN investigators have said was conducted with "genocidal intent" prompted some 730,000 Rohingya to flee. Myanmar has denied almost all allegations of atrocities made by refugees during what is says was a legitimate counterterrorism operation by its security forces.

Bangladesh says it is struggling to cope with the influx and wants to start relocating thousands of refugees to the island, which it says has been secured with flood defence embankments and cyclone shelters.

A senior UN official told reporters in the Bangladeshi capital Dhaka on Thursday the organization welcomed the fact the government had "taken steps to identify alternative settlements".

"As you also know if you have been to Kutapalong and the various camps in Cox's Bazar area, it is clear that there is huge congestion," said Volker Turk, Assistant High Commissioner for the UN refugee agency.

Mozammel Haque, the head of Bangladesh's cabinet committee on law and order and a senior government minister, told Reuters in an interview the government planned to start moving refugees next month.

"We are in talks with UN agencies and they have agreed," he said. "Now we are working on other things like how to move them and other strategies. We are the host country. We will decide where to keep them. And we are doing everything to ensure their safety and security."

Abul Kalam, the Relief and Repatriation Commission chief based in Cox's Bazar, told Reuters preparations were "still going on" and the site was not ready.

Flood-prone island

Bhasan Char, a flat and featureless island that emerged from the sea 20 years ago, has never been inhabited.

Humanitarians have not visited since a four-hour trip in September 2018, according to WFP. An internal report produced after that visit, also seen by Reuters, found a 1,500-acre area of the 13,000-acre island had been encircled by a nine-foot (3 metre) embankment, short of the 21-foot barrier recommended by WFP.

Housing with corrugated iron roofs and concrete floors and walls for about 70,000 people had been built, but there were only enough cyclone shelters for 17,000.

A UN human rights investigator who visited in January said earlier this month she feared a "new crisis" if Rohingya were taken to the island.

"There are a number of things that remain unknown to me even following my visit, chief among them being whether the island is truly habitable," said Yanghee Lee, the UN special rapporteur on human rights in Myanmar.

In Cox's Bazar, local officials are compiling lists of the first refugees to be moved, District Administrator Mohammad Kamal Hossain told Reuters.

On Thursday, a poem by a Rohingya refugee titled 'Do Not Send Me to the Island' was posted to social media. "I'm a human being, I deserve all human rights," it read.

"You know, we are refugees, surviving in refugee camp for two years," the author, 22-year-old Mohammed Rezuwan, told Reuters in a message. "Still we are tolerating so much tragedies."

The United Nations is making plans to help Bangladesh relocate thousands of Rohingya refugees to a remote island off its coast, documents seen by Reuters show, a move opposed by many refugees and that some human rights experts fear could spark a new crisis.

The United Nations is making plans to help Bangladesh relocate thousands of Rohingya refugees to a remote island off its coast, documents seen by Reuters show, a move opposed by many refugees and that some human rights experts fear could spark a new crisis. Bangladesh says transporting refugees to Bhasan Char – a Bay of Bengal island hours by boat from the mainland – will ease chronic overcrowding in its camps at Cox's Bazar, which are home to more than 1 million Rohingya, members of a Muslim minority who have fled neighbouring Myanmar. Humanitarian and human rights groups have criticized the relocation proposal, saying the island is flood-prone, vulnerable to frequent cyclones and could be completely submerged during high tide. A document was drawn up by the World Food Programme (WFP), the UN's food aid arm, shows the agency has supplied the Bangladesh government with detailed plans – including a timeline and budget – of how it could provide for thousands of Rohingya transported to the island within weeks. It stresses that any relocation should be voluntary and done "in accordance with humanitarian principles and code of conduct". The document, labelled as a "Concept of Operations" and dated March 12, outlines how the organization and its partners "may facilitate the identification, staging, forward movement, reception, and sustainment of refugees" on Bhasan Char, estimating an initial appeal for donor funding of between $8.6 and $19 million. More detailed operational planning would be needed it says, noting the Concept of Operations had been "developed quickly and without the benefit of any recent on-site assessment". Gemma Snowdon, communications officer for WFP in Cox's Bazar, said the organization was part of "ongoing discussions" with the government over the future of the refugee response. "The viability of safely relocating people to Bhasan Char needs to be thoroughly assessed and WFP is investigating the potential operational needs, financial costs, and challenges in several areas that we traditionally support in emergencies: food security, emergency telecommunications and logistics," she said. Refugee influx The numbers of refugees in the Cox's Bazar camps have grown dramatically since August 2017, when a Myanmar military-led crackdown that UN investigators have said was conducted with "genocidal intent" prompted some 730,000 Rohingya to flee. Myanmar has denied almost all allegations of atrocities made by refugees during what is says was a legitimate counterterrorism operation by its security forces. Bangladesh says it is struggling to cope with the influx and wants to start relocating thousands of refugees to the island, which it says has been secured with flood defence embankments and cyclone shelters. A senior UN official told reporters in the Bangladeshi capital Dhaka on Thursday the organization welcomed the fact the government had "taken steps to identify alternative settlements". "As you also know if you have been to Kutapalong and the various camps in Cox's Bazar area, it is clear that there is huge congestion," said Volker Turk, Assistant High Commissioner for the UN refugee agency. Mozammel Haque, the head of Bangladesh's cabinet committee on law and order and a senior government minister, told Reuters in an interview the government planned to start moving refugees next month. "We are in talks with UN agencies and they have agreed," he said. "Now we are working on other things like how to move them and other strategies. We are the host country. We will decide where to keep them. And we are doing everything to ensure their safety and security." Abul Kalam, the Relief and Repatriation Commission chief based in Cox's Bazar, told Reuters preparations were "still going on" and the site was not ready. Flood-prone island Bhasan Char, a flat and featureless island that emerged from the sea 20 years ago, has never been inhabited. Humanitarians have not visited since a four-hour trip in September 2018, according to WFP. An internal report produced after that visit, also seen by Reuters, found a 1,500-acre area of the 13,000-acre island had been encircled by a nine-foot (3 metre) embankment, short of the 21-foot barrier recommended by WFP. Housing with corrugated iron roofs and concrete floors and walls for about 70,000 people had been built, but there were only enough cyclone shelters for 17,000. A UN human rights investigator who visited in January said earlier this month she feared a "new crisis" if Rohingya were taken to the island. "There are a number of things that remain unknown to me even following my visit, chief among them being whether the island is truly habitable," said Yanghee Lee, the UN special rapporteur on human rights in Myanmar. In Cox's Bazar, local officials are compiling lists of the first refugees to be moved, District Administrator Mohammad Kamal Hossain told Reuters. On Thursday, a poem by a Rohingya refugee titled 'Do Not Send Me to the Island' was posted to social media. "I'm a human being, I deserve all human rights," it read. "You know, we are refugees, surviving in refugee camp for two years," the author, 22-year-old Mohammed Rezuwan, told Reuters in a message. "Still we are tolerating so much tragedies."

UN draws up plans to ‘facilitate’ Rohingya relocation to island

The number of people in Zimbabwe affected by a devastating cyclone and flooding has jumped to 200,000, with most of the damage occurring near the Mozambique border, the UN said Thursday.

The initial estimate of those hit in Zimbabwe was 15,000 but World Food Programme (WFP) spokesman Herve Verhoosel told reporters in Geneva that the numbers had surged following an overnight assessment.&nbsp;

The situation in Zimbabwe's eastern district of Chimanimani on the Mozambique border "is very bad," Verhoosel said.&nbsp;

"Some 90 per cent of the district has been significantly damaged," he added.&nbsp;

Zimbabwe's state broadcaster ZBC has also raised the death toll to 139, up from 100 on Wednesday.&nbsp;

Five days after tropical cyclone Idai cut a swathe through Mozambique, Zimbabwe and Malawi, the full extent of the devastation is not yet clear.&nbsp;

In hardest-hit Mozambique, an estimated 400,000 people have been displaced, according to the UN.&nbsp;

As of now, the number of people in Mozambique affected by the storm and floods is 600,000, Verhoosel said, citing government figures.&nbsp;

But "that number will definitely go up," he told reporters.&nbsp;

The WFP believes it is possible that a total of 1.7 million people in Mozambique will need assistance as a result of the weather-related disasters, Verhoosel added.&nbsp;

Aid workers are racing to locate survivors, some of whom may still be stranded on rooftops or in trees.&nbsp;

The number of people in Zimbabwe affected by a devastating cyclone and flooding has jumped to 200,000, with most of the damage occurring near the Mozambique border, the UN said Thursday.

The number of people in Zimbabwe affected by a devastating cyclone and flooding has jumped to 200,000, with most of the damage occurring near the Mozambique border, the UN said Thursday. The initial estimate of those hit in Zimbabwe was 15,000 but World Food Programme (WFP) spokesman Herve Verhoosel told reporters in Geneva that the numbers had surged following an overnight assessment. The situation in Zimbabwe's eastern district of Chimanimani on the Mozambique border "is very bad," Verhoosel said. "Some 90 per cent of the district has been significantly damaged," he added. Zimbabwe's state broadcaster ZBC has also raised the death toll to 139, up from 100 on Wednesday. Five days after tropical cyclone Idai cut a swathe through Mozambique, Zimbabwe and Malawi, the full extent of the devastation is not yet clear. In hardest-hit Mozambique, an estimated 400,000 people have been displaced, according to the UN. As of now, the number of people in Mozambique affected by the storm and floods is 600,000, Verhoosel said, citing government figures. But "that number will definitely go up," he told reporters. The WFP believes it is possible that a total of 1.7 million people in Mozambique will need assistance as a result of the weather-related disasters, Verhoosel added. Aid workers are racing to locate survivors, some of whom may still be stranded on rooftops or in trees.

200,000 people in Zimbabwe affected by floods, cyclone: United Nations

About 150,000-200,000 Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh's Cox's Bazar are at risk from flooding and landslides during the monsoon season, the UN has said.

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres' spokesperson St phane Dujarric told reporters here yesterday that more than 7,000 Rohingya refugees were affected by storms or landslides earlier this month, at the start of the monsoon season.

The monsoons typically deposit 2.5 meters of rain on Cox's Bazar, resulting in significant flooding. As a result, 150,000-200,000 refugees and 883 community facilities are at risk from flooding and landslides during the monsoon season, including 25,000 refugees at critical risk,&nbsp;he said.

Dujarric said UN Agencies have ramped up preparedness activities to mitigate the effects of the rains on refugees.&nbsp;

While Bangladesh has been dealing with monsoons annually and has developed some experience in these matters, the situation present in the refugee camps is unique in scope and volume, and the international humanitarian community is working to support and protect the refugee communities most at risk, he said.

"The lack of sufficient safe space for at-risk refugees and of safe shelters limits the UN's risk mitigation possibilities," Dujarric said.

Meanwhile, the United Nations migration agency said a major canal dredging project underway in Southern Bangladesh to protect Rohingya refugees from monsoon floods will have the added benefit of boosting local agriculture.

The International Organization for Migration (IOM) is overseeing the dredging of more than nine kilometres of abandoned canals, which will then be renovated, in the Cox's Bazar area, which is home to around 700,000 mainly-Muslim Rohingya who has fled violence in northern Myanmar.

The IOM said the project in Ukhiya sub-district would prevent flooding and allow water runoff during the annual heavy rains that come with the arrival of monsoon season.

Moreover, the UN agency has employed 50 Bangladeshi labourers locally, to carry out the work, as part of a wider IOM-supported disaster-preparedness programme.

The project will not only help safeguard lives and livelihoods when the monsoon hits by reducing the risk of flooding, it will also provide much-needed irrigation channels during the dry season.&nbsp;

There was no water flow in the canal, as it hadn't been maintained for years, said the agency's, Damon Elsworth.&nbsp;

This resulted in flooding in the surrounding communities during the monsoon as the rainwater coming down from the adjacent hills couldn't flow through, Elsworth said.

Cox's Bazar was already prone to landslides and flooding, even before hundreds of thousands of Rohingya refugees began arriving at the end of last August.

IOM, the World Food Programme (WFP) and the UN human rights office (OHCHR) are participating in the USD 20,000 canal clearing project.

Other IOM projects include bridge building, access roads, steps, drains, and slope protection work, to enable communities to cope with the monsoon.

The agency is also stockpiling emergency aid, such as tarpaulins, food, water and medical supplies to ensure that urgent needs of both the refugee and host communities are met.

Dujarric said UN Agencies have ramped up preparedness activities to mitigate the effects of the rains on refugees

About 150,000-200,000 Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh's Cox's Bazar are at risk from flooding and landslides during the monsoon season, the UN has said. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres' spokesperson St phane Dujarric told reporters here yesterday that more than 7,000 Rohingya refugees were affected by storms or landslides earlier this month, at the start of the monsoon season. The monsoons typically deposit 2.5 meters of rain on Cox's Bazar, resulting in significant flooding. As a result, 150,000-200,000 refugees and 883 community facilities are at risk from flooding and landslides during the monsoon season, including 25,000 refugees at critical risk, he said. Dujarric said UN Agencies have ramped up preparedness activities to mitigate the effects of the rains on refugees. While Bangladesh has been dealing with monsoons annually and has developed some experience in these matters, the situation present in the refugee camps is unique in scope and volume, and the international humanitarian community is working to support and protect the refugee communities most at risk, he said. "The lack of sufficient safe space for at-risk refugees and of safe shelters limits the UN's risk mitigation possibilities," Dujarric said. Meanwhile, the United Nations migration agency said a major canal dredging project underway in Southern Bangladesh to protect Rohingya refugees from monsoon floods will have the added benefit of boosting local agriculture. The International Organization for Migration (IOM) is overseeing the dredging of more than nine kilometres of abandoned canals, which will then be renovated, in the Cox's Bazar area, which is home to around 700,000 mainly-Muslim Rohingya who has fled violence in northern Myanmar. The IOM said the project in Ukhiya sub-district would prevent flooding and allow water runoff during the annual heavy rains that come with the arrival of monsoon season. Moreover, the UN agency has employed 50 Bangladeshi labourers locally, to carry out the work, as part of a wider IOM-supported disaster-preparedness programme. The project will not only help safeguard lives and livelihoods when the monsoon hits by reducing the risk of flooding, it will also provide much-needed irrigation channels during the dry season. There was no water flow in the canal, as it hadn't been maintained for years, said the agency's, Damon Elsworth. This resulted in flooding in the surrounding communities during the monsoon as the rainwater coming down from the adjacent hills couldn't flow through, Elsworth said. Cox's Bazar was already prone to landslides and flooding, even before hundreds of thousands of Rohingya refugees began arriving at the end of last August. IOM, the World Food Programme (WFP) and the UN human rights office (OHCHR) are participating in the USD 20,000 canal clearing project. Other IOM projects include bridge building, access roads, steps, drains, and slope protection work, to enable communities to cope with the monsoon. The agency is also stockpiling emergency aid, such as tarpaulins, food, water and medical supplies to ensure that urgent needs of both the refugee and host communities are met.

United Nations: 2 lakh Rohingya refugees at risk from flooding, landslides

The head of the UN's World Food Programme said today it appeared North Korea was "turning a new page in history", following a four-day visit to the country.

David Beasley said he had enjoyed unprecedented access to the secretive state, spending two days in the capital Pyongyang and two in the countryside, accompanied by government minders.

He said there was undoubtedly a hunger problem in North Korea but it was not on the scale of the 1990s famine.

Also read: <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/very-smart-and-gracious-gesture-trump-thanks-north-korea-for-promising-to-destroy-nuclear-test-site-136434">Trump thanks North Korea for promising to destroy nuclear test site</a>

North Korea's economy has been devastated by its own mismanagement and crippling international sanctions over its nuclear weapons programme. However, its relations with the rest of the world are rapidly changing, with leader Kim Jong Un on a charm offensive.

Beasley told BBC radio that North Korea's leaders had a "sense of optimism".

Dialogue brokered by Seoul has seen US-North Korea relations go from trading personal insults and threats of war last year to a summit between Kim and President Donald Trump due in Singapore on June 12.

"There is a sense of turning a new page in history," said Bealsey, 61, the former governor of South Carolina.

He described the farming he witnessed outside the capital, in a country where only around a fifth of the land is arable.

"One of the most powerful things that I saw was out in the countryside -- it's spring, they're planting -- there's not mechanisation. You've got oxen pulling ploughs, men and women in the fields," said Beasley.

"It's very structured, very organised, every foot and inch of dirt is being toiled with rakes and hoes and shovels, and they're literally planting crops up to the edge of the road, down embankments, using every available space because it is a land that's mostly mountainous." North Korea has periodically been hit by famine, and hundreds of thousands of people died -- estimates range into the millions -- in the mid-1990s.

Beasley said: "I didn't see starvation like you had in the famine back in the 1990s, that's the good news. But is there a hunger issue, is there under-nutrition? There's no question about it." A United Nations-led report in March said chronic food shortages and malnutrition were widespread.

Around 41 percent -- 10.5 million people -- were undernourished, it said Around 18 million North Koreans, or 70 percent of the population including 1.3 million children aged under five, depend on the government-run Public Distribution System for rations of cereal and potatoes.

But most people do not consume a sufficiently diverse diet for healthy development, the report said. (AFP)&nbsp

The comment came from the chief of the UN's World Food Programme after a four-day visit to the country

The head of the UN's World Food Programme said today it appeared North Korea was "turning a new page in history", following a four-day visit to the country. David Beasley said he had enjoyed unprecedented access to the secretive state, spending two days in the capital Pyongyang and two in the countryside, accompanied by government minders. He said there was undoubtedly a hunger problem in North Korea but it was not on the scale of the 1990s famine. Also read: Trump thanks North Korea for promising to destroy nuclear test site North Korea's economy has been devastated by its own mismanagement and crippling international sanctions over its nuclear weapons programme. However, its relations with the rest of the world are rapidly changing, with leader Kim Jong Un on a charm offensive. Beasley told BBC radio that North Korea's leaders had a "sense of optimism". Dialogue brokered by Seoul has seen US-North Korea relations go from trading personal insults and threats of war last year to a summit between Kim and President Donald Trump due in Singapore on June 12. "There is a sense of turning a new page in history," said Bealsey, 61, the former governor of South Carolina. He described the farming he witnessed outside the capital, in a country where only around a fifth of the land is arable. "One of the most powerful things that I saw was out in the countryside -- it's spring, they're planting -- there's not mechanisation. You've got oxen pulling ploughs, men and women in the fields," said Beasley. "It's very structured, very organised, every foot and inch of dirt is being toiled with rakes and hoes and shovels, and they're literally planting crops up to the edge of the road, down embankments, using every available space because it is a land that's mostly mountainous." North Korea has periodically been hit by famine, and hundreds of thousands of people died -- estimates range into the millions -- in the mid-1990s. Beasley said: "I didn't see starvation like you had in the famine back in the 1990s, that's the good news. But is there a hunger issue, is there under-nutrition? There's no question about it." A United Nations-led report in March said chronic food shortages and malnutrition were widespread. Around 41 percent -- 10.5 million people -- were undernourished, it said Around 18 million North Koreans, or 70 percent of the population including 1.3 million children aged under five, depend on the government-run Public Distribution System for rations of cereal and potatoes. But most people do not consume a sufficiently diverse diet for healthy development, the report said. (AFP)

North Korea 'turning a new page'

A vessel carrying the first shipment of food aid in three weeks docked today at the rebel-controlled Red Sea port of Saleef in western Yemen, a United Nations official said.

Abeer Etefa, a spokesperson for the World Food Programme for the Middle East and North Africa region, said some 25,000 tonnes of wheat will be offloaded early tomorrow.&nbsp;

She said&nbsp;that &quot;strong winds&quot; were preventing the offloading from taking place today.

Saleef port is around 70 km north of the key port of Hodeida, also on the Red Sea and in rebel hands.

Hodeida port is the main conduit for UN-supervised deliveries of food and medicine and vital to UN efforts as it is closest to the majority of people in need.

Earlier this month, a Saudi-led coalition battling Iran- backed Huthi rebels imposed a blockade on Yemeni ports and airports in response to a missile fired by the Huthis that was intercepted near Riyadh airport.

The UN humanitarian affairs office had said yesterday that it had been given clearance by the coalition that has been fighting the rebels since 2015 to resume flights into Sanaa.

But it added that desperately needed shipments of food and medicines to Hodeida remained blocked.

Today, a ship did dock at Hodeida, but the WFP&#39;s Etefa said it did not belong to the UN aid agency, and that it might be a &quot;commercial&quot; vessel.

The deputy head of Hodeida port, Yahya Sharafeddine, confirmed to AFP over the phone that it was indeed a &quot;commercial&quot; ship not linked to WFP aid.

&quot;The ship in Hodeida is for traders. The one in Saleef is for WFP,&quot; he said.

UN officials have warned that Yemen could face the world&#39;s largest famine in decades unless the crippling blockade by the coalition is lifted.

A UN plane carrying desperately needed vaccines landed in the rebel-held Yemeni capital Sanaa yesterday after coalition forces partly lifted the blockade, after warnings that thousands of people could die.

The coalition intervened to prop up Yemen&#39;s government after the Iran-backed Huthis drove it from Sanaa.

The devastating war has since killed some 8,600 people, while a further 2,000 have died of cholera.

Yemen is highly dependent on imported wheat for its basic needs, and aid groups have warned that humanitarian deliveries cover only a small portion of what is required.

The UN says more than 11 million children in war-torn Yemen are in desperate need of humanitarian aid.

Abeer Etefa, a spokesperson for the World Food Programme for the Middle East and North Africa region, said that some 25,000 tonnes of wheat will be offloaded early tomorrow

A vessel carrying the first shipment of food aid in three weeks docked today at the rebel-controlled Red Sea port of Saleef in western Yemen, a United Nations official said. Abeer Etefa, a spokesperson for the World Food Programme for the Middle East and North Africa region, said some 25,000 tonnes of wheat will be offloaded early tomorrow. She said that "strong winds" were preventing the offloading from taking place today. Saleef port is around 70 km north of the key port of Hodeida, also on the Red Sea and in rebel hands. Hodeida port is the main conduit for UN-supervised deliveries of food and medicine and vital to UN efforts as it is closest to the majority of people in need. Earlier this month, a Saudi-led coalition battling Iran- backed Huthi rebels imposed a blockade on Yemeni ports and airports in response to a missile fired by the Huthis that was intercepted near Riyadh airport. The UN humanitarian affairs office had said yesterday that it had been given clearance by the coalition that has been fighting the rebels since 2015 to resume flights into Sanaa. But it added that desperately needed shipments of food and medicines to Hodeida remained blocked. Today, a ship did dock at Hodeida, but the WFP's Etefa said it did not belong to the UN aid agency, and that it might be a "commercial" vessel. The deputy head of Hodeida port, Yahya Sharafeddine, confirmed to AFP over the phone that it was indeed a "commercial" ship not linked to WFP aid. "The ship in Hodeida is for traders. The one in Saleef is for WFP," he said. UN officials have warned that Yemen could face the world's largest famine in decades unless the crippling blockade by the coalition is lifted. A UN plane carrying desperately needed vaccines landed in the rebel-held Yemeni capital Sanaa yesterday after coalition forces partly lifted the blockade, after warnings that thousands of people could die. The coalition intervened to prop up Yemen's government after the Iran-backed Huthis drove it from Sanaa. The devastating war has since killed some 8,600 people, while a further 2,000 have died of cholera. Yemen is highly dependent on imported wheat for its basic needs, and aid groups have warned that humanitarian deliveries cover only a small portion of what is required. The UN says more than 11 million children in war-torn Yemen are in desperate need of humanitarian aid.

First food aid in weeks docks at rebel-held Yemen port: WFP

It was looting on an epic scale, a month&#39;s worth of food aid for over 220,000 South Sudanese along with the giant warehouses that stored it,&nbsp;were stolen in two days. 
 
As fighting raged between rival forces in the capital Juba last week, the UN&#39;s World Food Programme&#39;s main logistics hub was picked clean. 
 
WFP says it is &quot;outraged&quot; by the theft of more than 4,500 tonnes of food &quot;intended for the poorest and most vulnerable people&quot; in a country trying to stave off famine. 
 
At least 300 people were killed in the city between July 8 and 11 during clashes pitting government forces against former rebels, and in the anarchy of war, many took advantage to steal what they could. 
 
On Saturday, an angry soldier waving a gun stopped anyone entering or photographing the fenced compound, but it was clear to see that nothing of value remained. Men hammered at broken trucks for spare parts, while others ripped off electrical wires from an office block. 
 
Some of the looters tore down at the remaining few sections of thick plastic sheeting that had covered the metal frames of rows of warehouses, now standing out like the bare bones of a ribcage. 
 
Several people walked away balancing boxes of looted cooking oil or rolls of tin roofing sheets on their heads. 
 
Army spokesman Lul Ruai Koang has said the looting in Juba was &quot;unfortunate&quot;, blaming it on opposition troops, part of a 1,400-force of ex-rebel turned Vice-President Riek Machar. 
 
The capital has been relatively calm since late Monday, when Machar&#39;s men were forced to flee after government troops in tanks and helicopter gunships pounded their positions with overwhelming firepower. 
 
Much of the stolen food was trucked away from the sprawling base on the outskirts of Juba: a large-scale, well organised operation that would have required hundreds of trips. 
 
Nearby residents said &quot;men in uniform&quot; even used a truck mounted with a crane to steal the minibus-sized generators that once powered the giant site. 
 
&quot;After the soldiers left, then ordinary citizens came to see what they could take,&quot; said James Keri, who lives in the nearby Gudele district, an area dotted with burnt-out houses destroyed during the fighting. 
 
Other goods were carted away in cars, motorbikes, wheelbarrows and on people&#39;s heads. 
 
More than a third of South Sudan&#39;s population are expected to face severe food shortages over the coming months and the war-torn nation runs the risk of a &quot;hunger catastrophe,&quot; according to the UN. 
 
WFP warned that the loss of the &quot;vital&quot; aid &quot;will severely hamper&quot; its efforts to support those caught up in the fighting. 
 
Three-quarters of people need some form of humanitarian aid, WFP&#39;s top chief Ertharin Cousin said earlier this week, warning that the &quot;latest conflict is going to push even more people into hunger and despair. 
 
&quot;WFP has other stores in the country and the region, but the loss of the food is another blow to efforts to support those hardest hit by over two years of war. 
 
&quot;The dire humanitarian crisis in other parts of South Sudan has not abated,&quot; WFP warned. 
 
The WFP base was only one of many places ransacked.&nbsp;Civilians reported houses and shops broken into as they fled for safety to churches or the surrounding countryside. 
 
&quot;The fighting was so much, we spent a day under our beds as bullets came through the walls of house,&quot; said Mary Wani, now seeking shelter in a church.&nbsp;Then they forced us from our homes, and as we left, they were taking all they could from inside.&quot; 
 
Not far from the looted WFP warehouse, the Doctors Without Borders (MSF) medical aid agency has set up a small tent operating as a mobile clinic, supporting those who fled their homes in the fighting.&nbsp;Civilians with bullet wounds came to the clinic immediately after the fighting, said MSF clinical officer Isaac Badi, sweating in the heat of the tent, where women held crying babies. 
 
&quot;Now we are seeing cases of malnutrition in the children,&quot; Badi said.&nbsp; 
 
Over 100,000 children have been treated for severe malnutrition this year, a 40 per cent increase compared to 2015, and a 150 per cent increase since 2014, the UN children&#39;s agency UNICEF says. 
 
Food prices have soared in the marketplace since the fighting, coupled with runaway inflation. 
 
&quot;We don&#39;t have food,&quot; said Wani, cradling a crying baby girl. &quot;There is almost nothing for us to eat.&quot; 
 
(AFP)

More than 4,500 tonnes of food 'intended for the poorest and most vulnerable' stolen as at least 300 killed and famine threatens Juba

It was looting on an epic scale, a month's worth of food aid for over 220,000 South Sudanese along with the giant warehouses that stored it, were stolen in two days. As fighting raged between rival forces in the capital Juba last week, the UN's World Food Programme's main logistics hub was picked clean. WFP says it is "outraged" by the theft of more than 4,500 tonnes of food "intended for the poorest and most vulnerable people" in a country trying to stave off famine. At least 300 people were killed in the city between July 8 and 11 during clashes pitting government forces against former rebels, and in the anarchy of war, many took advantage to steal what they could. On Saturday, an angry soldier waving a gun stopped anyone entering or photographing the fenced compound, but it was clear to see that nothing of value remained. Men hammered at broken trucks for spare parts, while others ripped off electrical wires from an office block. Some of the looters tore down at the remaining few sections of thick plastic sheeting that had covered the metal frames of rows of warehouses, now standing out like the bare bones of a ribcage. Several people walked away balancing boxes of looted cooking oil or rolls of tin roofing sheets on their heads. Army spokesman Lul Ruai Koang has said the looting in Juba was "unfortunate", blaming it on opposition troops, part of a 1,400-force of ex-rebel turned Vice-President Riek Machar. The capital has been relatively calm since late Monday, when Machar's men were forced to flee after government troops in tanks and helicopter gunships pounded their positions with overwhelming firepower. Much of the stolen food was trucked away from the sprawling base on the outskirts of Juba: a large-scale, well organised operation that would have required hundreds of trips. Nearby residents said "men in uniform" even used a truck mounted with a crane to steal the minibus-sized generators that once powered the giant site. "After the soldiers left, then ordinary citizens came to see what they could take," said James Keri, who lives in the nearby Gudele district, an area dotted with burnt-out houses destroyed during the fighting. Other goods were carted away in cars, motorbikes, wheelbarrows and on people's heads. More than a third of South Sudan's population are expected to face severe food shortages over the coming months and the war-torn nation runs the risk of a "hunger catastrophe," according to the UN. WFP warned that the loss of the "vital" aid "will severely hamper" its efforts to support those caught up in the fighting. Three-quarters of people need some form of humanitarian aid, WFP's top chief Ertharin Cousin said earlier this week, warning that the "latest conflict is going to push even more people into hunger and despair. "WFP has other stores in the country and the region, but the loss of the food is another blow to efforts to support those hardest hit by over two years of war. "The dire humanitarian crisis in other parts of South Sudan has not abated," WFP warned. The WFP base was only one of many places ransacked. Civilians reported houses and shops broken into as they fled for safety to churches or the surrounding countryside. "The fighting was so much, we spent a day under our beds as bullets came through the walls of house," said Mary Wani, now seeking shelter in a church. Then they forced us from our homes, and as we left, they were taking all they could from inside." Not far from the looted WFP warehouse, the Doctors Without Borders (MSF) medical aid agency has set up a small tent operating as a mobile clinic, supporting those who fled their homes in the fighting. Civilians with bullet wounds came to the clinic immediately after the fighting, said MSF clinical officer Isaac Badi, sweating in the heat of the tent, where women held crying babies. "Now we are seeing cases of malnutrition in the children," Badi said. Over 100,000 children have been treated for severe malnutrition this year, a 40 per cent increase compared to 2015, and a 150 per cent increase since 2014, the UN children's agency UNICEF says. Food prices have soared in the marketplace since the fighting, coupled with runaway inflation. "We don't have food," said Wani, cradling a crying baby girl. "There is almost nothing for us to eat." (AFP)

UN's food-aid in South Sudan stolen as fighting rages

Pope Francis today condemned the use of hunger as a &quot;weapon of war&quot; and lamented the fact that it was easier to move weapons across borders than the aid needed to keep civilians alive. 
 
Days after aid agencies were allowed to deliver food to the besieged Syrian town of Daraya for the first time since 2012, Francis said preventing supplies from reaching war zones was a violation of international law. 
 
On a visit to the headquarters of the World Food Programme (WFP), the pope said the world faced a &quot;strange paradox&quot;. 
 
&quot;Whereas forms of aid and development projects are obstructed by involved and incomprehensible political decisions, skewed ideological visions and impenetrable customs barriers, weaponry is not.&quot; 
 
&quot;In some cases, hunger itself is used as a weapon of war,&quot; he said in an address to the WFP, the Rome-based UN agency which is the largest provider of food aid worldwide. 
 
&quot;(Weapons) circulate with brazen and virtually absolute freedom in many parts of the world. As a result, wars are fed, not people,&quot; said Francis, who has often condemned arms manufacturing and trafficking. 
 
In January, UN secretary-general Ban Ki-moon accused both the Syrian government and rebels of using starvation as a weapon, calling the practice a war crime.. 
 
The Argentine pope said the rich world was increasingly desensitised, &quot;growing immune to other people&rsquo;s tragedies, seeing them as something &#39;natural&#39; ... all those human lives turn into one more news story.&quot; 
 
Francis, who in the past has condemned speculation in food commodities as undermining the fight against poverty and hunger, also condemned rich countries&#39; wasteful use of food. 
 
&quot;We have made the fruits of the earth &ndash; a gift to humanity &ndash; commodities for a few, thus engendering exclusion. The consumerism in which our societies are immersed has made us grow accustomed to excess and to the daily waste of food,&quot; he said. 
 
&quot;We need to be reminded that food discarded is, in a certain sense, stolen from the table of poor and the starving.&quot; 
 
&nbsp;

After four years aid agencies were allowed to deliver food to the besieged town of Daraya

Pope Francis today condemned the use of hunger as a "weapon of war" and lamented the fact that it was easier to move weapons across borders than the aid needed to keep civilians alive. Days after aid agencies were allowed to deliver food to the besieged Syrian town of Daraya for the first time since 2012, Francis said preventing supplies from reaching war zones was a violation of international law. On a visit to the headquarters of the World Food Programme (WFP), the pope said the world faced a "strange paradox". "Whereas forms of aid and development projects are obstructed by involved and incomprehensible political decisions, skewed ideological visions and impenetrable customs barriers, weaponry is not." "In some cases, hunger itself is used as a weapon of war," he said in an address to the WFP, the Rome-based UN agency which is the largest provider of food aid worldwide. "(Weapons) circulate with brazen and virtually absolute freedom in many parts of the world. As a result, wars are fed, not people," said Francis, who has often condemned arms manufacturing and trafficking. In January, UN secretary-general Ban Ki-moon accused both the Syrian government and rebels of using starvation as a weapon, calling the practice a war crime.. The Argentine pope said the rich world was increasingly desensitised, "growing immune to other people’s tragedies, seeing them as something 'natural' ... all those human lives turn into one more news story." Francis, who in the past has condemned speculation in food commodities as undermining the fight against poverty and hunger, also condemned rich countries' wasteful use of food. "We have made the fruits of the earth – a gift to humanity – commodities for a few, thus engendering exclusion. The consumerism in which our societies are immersed has made us grow accustomed to excess and to the daily waste of food," he said. "We need to be reminded that food discarded is, in a certain sense, stolen from the table of poor and the starving."

"Feed people,not wars," pope says in address to UN food agency

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