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Gulf Today
17 hours ago
- General
- Gulf Today
Food rations are halved in refugee camps after US aid cuts
Martin Komol sighs as he inspects his cracked, mud-walled house that is one rain away from fully collapsing. Nothing seems to last for him and 300,000 other refugees in this remote Kakuma camp in Kenya — now, not even food rations. Funding for the UN World Food Program has dropped after the Trump administration paused support in March, part of the widespread dismantling of foreign aid by the United States, once the world's biggest donor. That means Komol, a widowed father of five from Uganda, has been living on handouts from neighbors since his latest monthly ration ran out two weeks ago. He said he survives on one meal a day, sometimes a meal every two days, reported Associated Press. "When we can't find anyone to help us, we become sick, but when we go to the hospital, they say it's just hunger and tell us to go back home," the 59-year-old said. His wife is buried here. He is reluctant to return to Uganda, one of the more than 20 home countries of Kakuma's refugees. Food rations have been halved. Previous ration cuts led to protests in March. Monthly cash transfers that refugees used to buy proteins and vegetables to supplement the rice, lentils and cooking oil distributed by WFP have ended this month. It was reported by Associated Press. Each refugee now receives 3 kilograms of rice per month, far below the 9 kilograms recommended by the UN for optimal nutrition. WFP hopes to receive the next donation of rice by August. That's along with 1 kilogram of lentils and 500 milliliters of cooking oil per person. "Come August, we are likely to see a more difficult scenario, observed by Associated Press. If WFP doesn't receive any funding between now and then, it means only a fraction of the refugees will be able to get assistance. It means only the most extremely vulnerable will be targeted," said Colin Buleti, WFP's head in Kakuma. WFP is seeking help from other donors. As dust swirls along paths between the camp's makeshift houses, the youngest children run and play, largely unaware of their parents' fears. But they can't escape hunger. Komol's 10-year-old daughter immerses herself in schoolbooks when there's nothing to eat. "When she was younger she used to cry, but now she tries to ask for food from the neighbours, and when she can't get any she just sleeps hungry," Komol said. In recent weeks, they have drunk water to try to feel full. The shrinking rations have led to rising cases of malnutrition among children under 5 and pregnant and breastfeeding mothers. At Kakuma's largest hospital, run by the International Rescue Committee, children with malnutrition are given fortified formula milk. Nutrition officer Sammy Nyang'a said some children are brought in too late and die within the first few hours of admission. The 30-bed stabilization ward admitted 58 children in March, 146 in April and 106 in May. Fifteen children died in April, up from the monthly average of five. He worries they will see more this month. "Now with the cash transfers gone, we expect more women and children to be unable to afford a balanced diet," Nyang'a said. The hospital had been providing nutrient-dense porridge for children and mothers, but the flour has run out after stocks, mostly from the U.S., were depleted in March. A fortified peanut paste given to children who have been discharged is also running out, with current supplies available until August. In the ward of whimpering children, Susan Martine from South Sudan cares for her 2-year-old daughter, who has sores after swelling caused by severe malnutrition. The mother of three said her family often sleeps hungry, but her older children still receive hot lunches from a WFP school feeding program. For some children in the camp, it's their only meal. The program also faces pressure from the aid cuts.
2 days ago
- Politics
Food rations are halved in one of Africa's largest refugee camps after US aid cuts
KAKUMA, Kenya -- Martin Komol sighs as he inspects his cracked, mud-walled house that is one rain away from fully collapsing. Nothing seems to last for him and 300,000 other refugees in this remote Kakuma camp in Kenya — now, not even food rations. Funding for the U.N. World Food Program has dropped after the Trump administration paused support in March, part of the widespread dismantling of foreign aid by the United States, once the world's biggest donor. That means Komol, a widowed father of five from Uganda, has been living on handouts from neighbors since his latest monthly ration ran out two weeks ago. He said he survives on one meal a day, sometimes a meal every two days. 'When we can't find anyone to help us, we become sick, but when we go to the hospital, they say it's just hunger and tell us to go back home,' the 59-year-old said. His wife is buried here. He is reluctant to return to Uganda, one of the more than 20 home countries of Kakuma's refugees. Food rations have been halved. Previous ration cuts led to protests in March. Monthly cash transfers that refugees used to buy proteins and vegetables to supplement the rice, lentils and cooking oil distributed by WFP have ended this month. Each refugee now receives 3 kilograms (6 pounds) of rice per month, far below the 9 kilograms recommended by the U.N. for optimal nutrition. WFP hopes to receive the next donation of rice by August. That's along with 1 kilogram of lentils and 500 milliliters of cooking oil per person. 'Come August, we are likely to see a more difficult scenario. If WFP doesn't receive any funding between now and then, it means only a fraction of the refugees will be able to get assistance. It means only the most extremely vulnerable will be targeted,' said Colin Buleti, WFP's head in Kakuma. WFP is seeking help from other donors. As dust swirls along paths between the camp's makeshift houses, the youngest children run and play, largely unaware of their parents' fears. But they can't escape hunger. Komol's 10-year-old daughter immerses herself in schoolbooks when there's nothing to eat. 'When she was younger she used to cry, but now she tries to ask for food from the neighbors, and when she can't get any she just sleeps hungry,' Komol said. In recent weeks, they have drunk water to try to feel full. The shrinking rations have led to rising cases of malnutrition among children under 5 and pregnant and breastfeeding mothers. At Kakuma's largest hospital, run by the International Rescue Committee, children with malnutrition are given fortified formula milk. Nutrition officer Sammy Nyang'a said some children are brought in too late and die within the first few hours of admission. The 30-bed stabilization ward admitted 58 children in March, 146 in April and 106 in May. Fifteen children died in April, up from the monthly average of five. He worries they will see more this month. 'Now with the cash transfers gone, we expect more women and children to be unable to afford a balanced diet,' Nyang'a said. The hospital had been providing nutrient-dense porridge for children and mothers, but the flour has run out after stocks, mostly from the U.S., were depleted in March. A fortified peanut paste given to children who have been discharged is also running out, with current supplies available until August. In the ward of whimpering children, Susan Martine from South Sudan cares for her 2-year-old daughter, who has sores after swelling caused by severe malnutrition. The mother of three said her family often sleeps hungry, but her older children still receive hot lunches from a WFP school feeding program. For some children in the camp, it's their only meal. The program also faces pressure from the aid cuts. 'I don't know how we will survive with the little food we have received this month,' Martine said. The funding cuts are felt beyond Kakuma's refugee community. Businessman Chol Jook recorded monthly sales of 700,000 Kenyan shillings ($5,400) from the WFP cash transfer program and now faces losses. Those who are hungry could slip into debt as they buy on credit, he said.
Yahoo
15-05-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
Scientists raise concerns after discovering peculiar phenomenon affecting entire country's terrain: 'Strong correlations'
As rising sea levels erode South Africa's coastline, droughts are raising the country's land in other areas, DW reported. According to a recent study published in the AGU's Advancing Earth and Space Sciences journal, South Africa's land is rising by 2 millimeters annually. The research challenged the prevailing view that the shifts on the continent were caused by activity related to the Quathlamba hotspot under the Earth's surface. However, the team identified a different cause: groundwater loss caused by persistent droughts. As the study's summary stated: "Our GPS-derived water mass changes show strong correlations with other hydrological data sets. We suggest that the uplift in South Africa is largely due to drought." Last year, South Africa and its neighbors experienced what the U.N.'s Food Program called the "worst drought in a century," per Al Jazeera. It has put a massive strain on the country's food security. Around the same time, extreme events, including hurricanes, wildfires, and heavy rainfall, are battering the southwestern cape. Experts emphasize the importance of treating the two divergent situations as part of the same problem. David Willima, an ocean governance policy researcher in South Africa, told DW: "The problem has been that South Africa hasn't successfully linked climate and ocean discussions, they're often treated as separate issues." Human activity is driving both phenomena. Harmful pollution from burning fossil fuels is warming ocean temperatures, accelerating sea ice loss, raising sea levels, and making extreme weather events more frequent and severe. Sub-Saharan Africa is particularly vulnerable to rising global temperatures, as many smaller farms depend on rain-fed agriculture. Without regular rainfall, the region faces a food insecurity crisis. Aside from water shortages, South Africa is vulnerable to other natural disasters. Riverine flooding, wildfires, and tropical storms all present significant risks, according to a report commissioned by the World Bank. South Africa still relies heavily on fossil fuels, especially coal, to meet its energy needs. Although coal is the dirtiest energy source, it provides 86% of the country's energy, according to the International Institute for Sustainable Development. Ending fossil fuel subsidies and supporting clean, renewable energy should be prioritized. Additionally, adopting more sustainable agricultural methods will help ease the water crisis. Some farmers are already reaping the benefits of no-till farming, which uses less water and chemical fertilizers while boosting crop yields. Do you think America has a plastic waste problem? Definitely Only in some areas Not really I'm not sure Click your choice to see results and speak your mind. Join our free newsletter for good news and useful tips, and don't miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet.
Yahoo
02-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Lawsuit: U-M fired 8 pro-Palestinian staffers and forever banned them from working there
A group of eight University of Michigan employees has filed a federal lawsuit against the university, alleging they were unlawfully fired and forever barred from working on campus because of their support of Palestinians, and calls on U-M to divest from Israel over the ongoing war in Gaza. At issue for the plaintiffs is why were they disciplined over their protected free speech, when, they contend, such measures were never taken before — not during the civil rights movement, the Vietnam War era or when students pushed for the university to divest from apartheid-ruled South Africa, which U-M ultimately did in the late 1970s. "During the previous half century, no such measures are known to have been taken at any time by the University against students or alumni who, while students, had engaged in speech and related activities on other important issues of public concern," the 64-page lawsuit states. "In fact," the suit continues, "the University has encouraged its students and employees to speak out on a variety of issues of public concern," and promotes its "long history of activism by students — in brochures directed to prospective students, on murals on campus buildings, in classroom instruction, in social media posts and through emails to the entire University network." The lawsuit also cites the University's Free Speech on Campus policy, which states: "The university has long welcomed dissent, advocacy, and the expression of the broadest array of ideas, even those that could be unpopular, upsetting or critical of the university." U-M Director of Public Affairs Kay Jarvis, citing university policy on pending litigation, on May 2 declined to comment on the lawsuit, which was filed the day before in U.S. District Court. The plaintiffs include an academic program specialist at the university's Center for South Asian Studies, a nuclear energy researcher, a manager within U-M's Sustainable Food Program, a teacher's assistant at the North Campus Children's Center and undergraduate students who worked various jobs at the university, including research assistant and customer service rep for the Campus Information Center. According to the lawsuit, three plaintiffs were fired over their participation in a Nov. 7, 2023, peaceful protest at the Ruthven Building, where 42 students were arrested by day's end on minor charges of not obeying police instructions to leave. Five plaintiffs were fired over their attendance at a May 3, 2024, peaceful demonstration outside the U-M Museum of Art. In both events, the demonstrators were protesting violence in Gaza and calling on the university to divest from Israel. The lawsuit is the latest such case filed against the university, which has been the site of numerous protests over the Israel-Gaza war. In February, five people, including two students, sued the university alleging it violated their constitutional rights by effectively banning them from campus after they attended pro-Palestine demonstrations. In December, another group of students sued, claiming the college selectively targeted peaceful pro-Palestinian demonstrators for their beliefs, subjecting them to disciplinary proceedings and suspensions. Meanwhile, pro-Palestinian activities have also triggered criminal charges and multiple raids by the FBI and other law enforcement groups. Last month, police and FBI raided three homes as part of an investigation into a string of vandalism cases involving pro-Palestinian, anti-Israel and antisemitic graffiti. Among the vandalism cases under investigation involve U-M Regent Jordan Acker, who is Jewish. Vandals spray-painted his car and smashed a window at his home while he and his family slept. In September, Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel filed criminal charges against 11 pro-Palestinian protesters at U-M, alleging that several of them used "physical force to counter" police officers clearing a tent encampment in Ann Arbor. One of the protesters was charged with ethnic intimidation after he allegedly attacked a pro-Israel rally. "The right to free speech and assembly is fundamental, and my office fully supports every citizen's right to free speech under the First Amendment," Nessel has previously said. "However, violent and criminal behavior, or acts that trample on another's rights cannot be tolerated. I hope (these) charges are a reminder to everyone who chooses to assemble, regardless of the cause, that the First Amendment does not provide a cover for illegal activity." In the latest lawsuit, the plaintiffs maintain that they engaged in no acts of violence, only peaceful demonstrations. They allege that U-M wrongfully accused them of violating a university policy prohibiting violent behavior, put an "indelible stain on their employment record," and failed to give them proper notice or a fair opportunity to be heard before firing them. "Each of these actions were taken and based, in whole or part, on speech and activities — occurring outside Plaintiffs' work hours and unrelated to their work responsibilities — to advocate for the human rights of Palestinians, to call for an end to the genocide against the Palestinian people, and to petition their public University to divest from Israel and from companies complicit in violating the human rights of Palestinians," the lawsuit states. As the suit notes, activities on the U-M campus — both in support of and against Israel's actions in Gaza — have dramatically increased since Oct. 7, 2023. That's the day the terrorist group Hamas launched a surprise attack in Isreal, killing nearly 1,200 people and kidnapping at least 240. Israel retaliated in a series of attacks that has devastated the Gaza region, killing 42,000 Palestinians, including 13,000 children in what Amnesty International has described as "genocide" in a December 2024 report. The plaintiffs allege that the university has "solely targeted, discriminated against and punished" pro-Gaza demonstrators in an effort to deter others from expressing pro-Palestinian viewpoints." Moreover, their lawsuit states, demonstrators calling for divesture by the university isn't a new concept. In fact, students have led other campaigns calling on the university to divest on other issues of public concern, including: After years of protest, the University's Board of Regents passed its first resolution to divest from South Africa in the late 1970s. In 2000, the University divested from tobacco companies. In 2002, the University began the process of divesting from fossil fuels. In 2022, the University divested from Russia. The plaintiffs maintain that the methods of divestment advocacy haven't changed at U-M, but that the university's response "has changed dramatically when students advocate for divestment from Israel." According to the lawsuit, this is how one of the plaintiffs learned she could never work at U-M again: Nine months after the sit-in at the Ruthven Building, Arwa Hassaballa, a 2023 U-M graduate from Lake Orion who held several part-time jobs at U-M, including research assistant, student life facilitator and teaching assistant, received a letter from the university human resources department. The letter stated that she was 'ineligible for rehire' at the university and that her 'record will reflect that she violated the Violence in the University Community (police).' At the time the letter was sent, Hassaballa was no longer a student or employed by the university, though she had planned to apply for post-graduate work. On Oct. 22, 2024, she received evidence that the university allegedly used to fire her: a heavily redacted police report, and an incident report about her conduct. A November grievance hearing followed, with a university official claiming there was video showing Hassaballa had violated university policy. No video was shown at the hearing, nor was it provided to Hassaballa, and no witnesses spoke. Still, the university upheld the decision to fire her and rendered her permanently ineligible for rehire. On Nov. 22, 2024, Hasssaballa finally saw the video in question. It showed a crowd of protesters outside the Ruthven Building, and other protesters walking through the doors. Hassaballa was seen walking into the building without issue. She does not appear in the second video at all. Another plaintiff, Rhea Chappel, a building manager at the university's Michigan League, has a similar story: Her conduct at the sit-in was deemed as being in violation of university policy and she was let go. She denied engaging in any violence, but to no avail. Her termination would stick and she was deemed permanently ineligible for rehire. The plaintiffs who attended the subsequent demonstration outside the museum saw a similar fate. During that protest, several regents were attending a private event inside the museum as protesters stood in front of the building, linked arms and chanted. University of Michigan police arrived and set up a barricade surrounding the museum entrance. The plaintiffs complied with orders from police, stood on the public sidewalk behind the barricade, and chanted for a free Palestine while calling on the university to divest from Israel. According to the lawsuit, police sought to disburse the protesters by using pepper spray, pushing protesters with bikes, and physically assaulting individuals. The plaintiffs maintain that they engaged in no sort of violence, but the university concluded otherwise. Zainab Hakim, of Canton, a 2024 U-M graduate and full-time academic program specialist at the university's Center for South Asian Studies. His job duties included planning events, lectures, programs and conferences, and coordinating academic programs for students. Henry Mackeen-Shapiro, of Ann Arbor, an undergraduate student at U-M who also worked as a student program assistant at the English Language Institute, where he provided feedback and advice to international graduate students on their coursework and other academic materials to improve their English writing and verbal skills. Eaman Ali, of Ann Arbor, an undergraduate student at U-M and campus information assistant at the university's Campus Information Center. Her job included providing in-person customer service at the university unions. Assmaa Eidy, of Ann Arbor, an undergraduate student at U-M and research assistant in the American Culture Department whose job included conducting research on Arab American social issues, archiving sources and assisting on a documentary film project. As a community leadership fellow, Eidy also conducted a public service project on behalf of the university with a local nonprofit organization. Harrison Rhoades, of Ann Arbor, 2024 U-M graduate and part-time manager within the University of Michigan's Sustainable Food Program, which is part of the Student Life Sustainability Office. This job included event planning, collaborating with partnering organizations and and supporting a grant program. Hassaballa, of Lake Orion, a 2023 U-M graduate who held several part-time roles at U-M, including research assistant, student life facilitator for M-STEM Academics, Arab Heritage Month Student Coordinator and teacher's assistant at the North Campus Children's Center. A severe foot injury forced her to leave her teaching assistant job in 2023. Chappel, of Ann Arbor, an undergraduate student at U-M and part-time student building manager at the Michigan League, which involved managing and preparing rooms for events, including student meetings, conferences and weddings. Zaynab Omar Ibn Al-Khattab Elkolaly, of Ypsilanti, a 2024 U-M graduate who conducted research on nuclear energy at U-M and held several part-time positions at the university, including administrative assistant at Michigan Medicine, and research assistant and diversity, equity and inclusion officer in the Nuclear Engineering and Radiological Sciences Department. Tresa Baldas: tbaldas@ This is a developing story. This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: University of Michigan sued for firing staffers who support Palestine
Al Arabiya
09-04-2025
- General
- Al Arabiya
Six weeks since Israel imposed cut off all supplies to Gaza, last food is running out
The bombs still haven't killed Rehab Akhras and her family. But if the checkpoints that Israel has sealed off since the start of March are not opened soon, she says hunger surely will. Six weeks since Israel completely cut off all supplies to the 2.3 million residents of the Gaza Strip, food stockpiled during a ceasefire at the start of the year has all but run out. Emergency meal distributions are ending, bakeries are closed, markets are empty. On a spot of packed ground in a camp of plastic sheets where she lives with her displaced family in Khan Younis, Akhras, 64, used cardboard to light a fire and boil a can of beans. It is all they have left. 'We're a family of 13 people, what will one can of fava beans do for us?' she said. 'We have survived the war and we survived the airstrikes as we wake up and go to sleep. But we can't survive the hunger, neither us nor our children.' To the north in Nuseirat, hundreds of Palestinians queued up for hot cooked rice at an outdoor emergency kitchen. Small children jammed the front of the queue, waving buckets to bring something home for their families. Aid agencies that have been supplying those emergency meals say they will have to stop within days unless they can bring in more food. The World Food Program used to provide bread at 25 bakeries across the Gaza Strip. All of those bakeries are now shut. It will soon have to halt distribution of food parcels at reduced rations. 'Very, very deep hunger' 'All basic supplies are running out,' said Juliette Touma from UNRWA, the U.N. agency for Palestinian aid. 'The prices of commodities have exponentially increased over the past one month plus since the Israeli authorities put the siege on the Gaza Strip. 'It means babies, children are going to bed hungry. Every day without these basic supplies, Gaza inches closer towards very, very deep hunger.' Every Gazan can now quote the fantastical prices for the little food remaining in markets: a 25 kilo sack of flour that used to sell for $6 now costs ten times as much. A litre of cooking oil, if you can find it, costs $10 instead of $1.50. The lucky few might stumble on a tin of sardines if they can afford $5. 'Food distributions have almost stopped altogether, with remaining stocks now diverted to keep hot meal distributions going for a few more days, but that will soon finish too,' said Gavin Kelleher, an access manager for the Norwegian Refugee Council in Deir al-Balah. Medical charity Medicins sans Frontiers says it is encountering children and pregnant women with severe malnutrition. Lactating mothers are themselves too hungry to be able to breast feed. Israel denies that Gaza is facing a hunger crisis. The military accuses the Hamas militants who have run Gaza of exploiting aid, and says it must keep all supplies out to prevent the fighters from getting it. 'The [Israeli army] is acting in accordance with the directives of the political echelon. Israel is not transferring and will not transfer aid to the hands of terrorist organizations,' the military said. The ministry of foreign affairs said 25,000 aid trucks had entered Gaza in the 42 days of the ceasefire - before it shut the border at the start of March - and that Hamas had used the aid to rebuild its war machine. Hamas denies exploiting aid and accuses Israel of using starvation as a military tactic. In Nuseirat, Neama Farjalla goes out every day at 6:00 a.m., trekking with her children across the war zone from soup kitchen to soup kitchen in the hope of a bowl of rice. 'If we don't die of airstrikes, we will die of hunger,' she said. 'When my young son tells me, 'Mama I want a glass of milk', my heart breaks.'
