Famine

North Korea's food shortage worsens amid Covid-19, but no famine yet

There's little doubt that North Korea's chronic food shortages worsened due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and speculation about the country's chronic food insecurity has flared as its top leaders prepare to discuss the "very important and urgent task" of formulating a correct agricultural policy. Unconfirmed reports say an unspecified number of North Koreans have been dying of hunger. But experts say there is no sign of mass deaths or famine. They say the upcoming ruling Workers' Party meeting is likely intended to shore up support for North Korean leader Kim Jong Un as he pushes ahead with his nuclear weapons program in defiance of intense US-led pressure and sanctions. "Kim Jong Un can't advance his nuclear program stably if he fails to resolve the food problem fundamentally because public support would be shaken," said Lim Eul-chul, a professor at Kyungnam University's Institute for Far Eastern Studies in Seoul. "The meeting is being convened to solidify internal unity while pulling

IOM seeks over $50 mn for assistance to 2.5 mn Somalis as famine looms

The UN migration agency, the International Organisation for Migration (IOM), has said it requires more than $50 million to reach 2.5 million people affected by the drought by the end of 2023

At least $1 bn needed to avert famine in Somalia: UN humanitarian chief

The UN humanitarian chief has predicted that at least USD 1 billion will be needed urgently to avert famine in Somalia in the coming months and early next year when two more dry seasons are expected to compound the historic drought that has hit the Horn of Africa nation. Martin Griffiths said in a video briefing from Somalia's capital Mogadishu that a new report from an authoritative panel of independent experts says there will be a famine in Somalia between October and December if we don't manage to stave it off and avoid it as had been the case in 2016 and 2017. The undersecretary-general for humanitarian affairs told UN correspondents that more than USD 1 billion in new funds is needed in addition to the UN appeal of about USD 1.4 billion. That appeal has been very well-funded, he said, thanks to the US Agency for International Development, which announced a USD 476 million donation of humanitarian and development aid in July. The Famine Early Warning Systems Network, created by

UN warns 6 mn Afghans at risk of famine, urges donors to restore funding

Warning that Afghanistan faces deepening poverty with 6 million people at risk of famine, the U.N. humanitarian chief on Monday urged donors to restore funding for economic development and immediately provide $770 million to help Afghans get through the winter as the United States argued with Russia and China over who should pay. Martin Griffiths told the U.N. Security Council that Afghanistan faces multiple crises -- humanitarian, economic, climate, hunger and financial. Conflict, poverty, climate shocks and food insecurity have long been a sad reality in Afghanistan, but he said what makes the current situation so critical is the halt to large-scale development aid since the Taliban takeover a year ago. More than half the Afghan population -- some 24 million people -- need assistance and close to 19 million are facing acute levels of food insecurity, Griffiths said. And we worry that the figures will soon become worse because winter weather will send already high fuel and food ..

Amid famine threats, WFP seeks $418 mn to ramp up aid in Horn of Africa

The World Food Programme has said that nearly $418 million are urgently needed over the next six months to scale up assistance in the Horn of Africa as levels of hunger soar

Full-scale nuclear war could kill 5 billion people, shows new study

Five billion people would die in a modern nuclear war with the impact of a global famine, likely to far exceed the casualties caused by lethal blasts, a new study showed

Zelenskyy says Russia hopes for famine crisis as sea ports blocked

Ukraineian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy says the Russian blockade of Ukrainian sea ports prevents Kyiv from exporting 22 million tons of grain

UN warns of impending famine in war-ravaged Yemen due to economic collapse

UNICEF warned Friday that millions of Yemeni people are at risk of famine as a result of the country's years-long military conflict and sharp deterioration of its economy, calling for urgent action

Shock-proofing the economy: Quality jobs the best possible safety net

Since jobs will remain scarce for the foreseeable future, an unemployment allowance should be the next big social-security initiative, writes T N Ninan

1 million Afghan children may die if urgent action not taken: Unicef

The Unicef has warned that 1 million children in Afghanistan may die of acute malnutrition if urgent action wasn't taken.

UNWFP warns 3 million more now 'teetering on the edge of famine'

This number has risen from 42 million earlier in the year, and 27 million in 2019, the agency said, in a news release.

11 people die of hunger each minute around globe, 155 mn in crisis: Oxfam

Group says global military spending increased by $51 billion during the pandemic: an amount that exceeds by at least six times what the U.N. needs to stop hunger.

Pak's Sindh heading fast towards famine due to water shortage: Minister

Pakistan's Sindh Irrigation Minister Sohail Anwar Khan Siyal on Tuesday warned that the province is heading fast towards famine due to the water shortage

T'gana constructed Kaleshwaram project to overcome famine conditions: KCR

Telangana constructed the Kaleshwaram project to overcome the famine conditions so that water is available in abundance in any season, said the state's Chief Minister K Chandrashekhar Rao

Yemen heading toward biggest famine in modern history, says UN WFP

Around 400,000 children may die in Yemen this year without urgent intervention

UN: Yemen faces world's worst famine and needs $3.85 billion

Conflict-torn Yemen is falling off a cliff and will face the worst famine the world has seen for decades unless donors, and especially its Gulf neighbours, contribute generously

2021 to see 40% surge in people needing humanitarian aid due to Covid: UN

The UN humanitarian office says needs for assistance have ballooned to unprecedented levels this year because of Covid-19, projecting that a staggering 235 million people will require help in 2021

UN World Food Program warns 2021 is going to be worse than 2020

The head of the World Food Program says the Nobel Peace Prize has given the UN agency a spotlight and megaphone to warn world leaders that next year is going to be worse than this year

Chronicler of distress from another time

Mumbai-based Chittaprosad reported on the Bengal famine after he was asked by the Communist Party of India for their journal, People's War

Covid-19 may cause hunger, famine, $8.5 trn loss in global output: UN chief

Guterres told the high-level meeting that the UN is asking for immediate, collective action in six critically important areas to deal with the crisis