UN: Forced Displacement from Conflicts Soaring Despite Pandemic
GENEVA – The U.N. refugee agency, which just released its 2020 Global Trends report, said the number of people forcibly displaced last year by wars, violence, persecution and human rights violations hit a record high of 82.4 million, 4% more than in 20…
Read MoreFamine Stalks Millions as Acute Hunger Rises Globally
GENEVA – The World Food Program warns tens of millions of people, mainly in Africa, are teetering on the brink of famine because of conflict, climate shocks and economic downturn due to the COVID-19 pandemic.The U.N. food agency estimates more than 270…
Read MoreEnvironmentalists: Demand for Somali Charcoal Fueling Desertification, Drought
MOGADISHU – Environmentalists are warning that the demand for charcoal in Somalia is fueling desertification and drought. The U.N. Convention to Combat Desertification, known as UNCCD, says an estimated 8.2 million trees were cut down for charcoal in S…
Read MoreWith Media Blocked, Burkina Faso’s Displaced Denied a Voice, Journalists Say
In the West African country of Burkina Faso, a de facto ban is preventing journalists from visiting sites for internally displaced people. For at least a year, the Ministry of Women, National Solidarity, Family and Humanitarian Action has been turning …
Read MoreFormer President Gbagbo Back in Ivory Coast After Acquittal
ABIDJAN, IVORY COAST – Former President Laurent Gbagbo returned home to Ivory Coast on Thursday, a decade after his refusal to concede defeat in a presidential election sparked months of violence that left more than 3,000 people dead.Gbagbo was extradi…
Read MoreUN Calls for Better Remittance Services at Lower Cost
The United Nations is urging reforms that make it easier for migrants to send money back to their home countries, as it observes its annual International Day of Family Remittances. “Migrants have shown their continued commitment to their families and c…
Read MoreUN Chief Criticizes Central African Republic Forces’ Actions
UNITED NATIONS – Secretary-General Antonio Guterres strongly criticized the Central African Republic’s security and allied forces in a new report for an “unprecedented increase in hostile threats and incidents” targeting U.N. peacekeepers and alleged h…
Read MoreBill Gates highlights role of data and technology to end hunger at FAO Conference
Philanthropist delivered biennial McDougall Memorial Lecture15 June 2021, Rome – Helping smallholder farmers, especially in low-income countries, invest in results-oriented climate-resilient agriculture is essential to achieving the Sustainable Develop…
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