53 migrants die in latest shipwreck tragedy off Libya coast

According to the International Organization for Migration (IOM), the boat overturned in the perishingly cold waters of the central Mediterranean Sea, north of the coastal town of Zuwara last Friday.  It is just the latest deadly incident involving vulnerable people on the move who are frequently mistreated and trafficked by smuggling gangs that have flourished […]

World News in Brief: Gaza aid crisis latest, deadly floods in India and Pakistan, funding cuts exacerbate Somalia drought

World News in Brief: Gaza aid crisis latest, deadly floods in India and Pakistan, funding cuts exacerbate Somalia drought

In an alert from the World Food Programme (WFP), the agency said that half a million people “are on the brink of famine”, a claim backed up by multiple humanitarian agencies. The latest worrying data is showing widespread acute malnutrition. A ceasefire is the only way to scale up aid deliveries, the UN agency insisted. It explained […]

UN chief condemns latest Houthi attacks on Red Sea shipping

UN chief condemns latest Houthi attacks on Red Sea shipping

According to news reports, the Yemen-based rebel group – which has been battling the internationally-recognised Government for control of the country since the early 2010s – attacked the Liberian-flagged, Greek-operated Eternity C on Monday and again on Tuesday, causing it to sink on Wednesday morning. Four crew members are reported to have died. With 15 […]

Plague of rats and insects provide latest challenge for war-shattered Gazans

Plague of rats and insects provide latest challenge for war-shattered Gazans

One displaced woman told UN News’s correspondent in Gaza: “In all camps, we suffer from biting insects, especially fleas,” adding that “our children suffer from severe pain due to itching and stinging. “We tried to treat it in simple ways, but the right medicines are not available at the medical centre.” While biting insects found in […]