Latest news with #UN-affiliated
Saba Yemen
a day ago
- Politics
- Saba Yemen
PFLP: "Death traps kill our people in Gaza through U.S.-zionist partnership"
Gaza – Saba: The Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP) affirmed that the alleged food distribution mechanism in the Gaza Strip, approved by the United States in partnership with the Zionist entity, has become a primary weapon in the genocide against the Palestinian people in Gaza. In a statement received by the Yemeni News Agency (SABA), the PFLP stated that the genocide against the starving Palestinian masses in Gaza is being carried out through "starvation corridor massacres," which serve as death traps where the Zionist enemy forces kill dozens of Palestinians daily. The Front added, "The death trap policy employed by the enemy against our people in Gaza is one of the most heinous crimes, reflecting unprecedented terror and brutality. The Zionist enemy deliberately lures civilians with false promises of obtaining alleged aid, only to then bombard and open fire on them to maximize casualties." The PFLP held the United States primarily responsible, alongside the Zionist enemy, for starving the people of Gaza and killing them through genocide and death traps—a systematic partnership led by U.S. President Donald Trump and his colonial administration. It further emphasized that the international community, with all its institutions and states, has become complicit through its silence and collusion in these crimes, the ongoing starvation, siege, and genocide in Gaza. The statement continued, "The continued silence of the international community on the siege, starvation, and genocide will completely undermine the legitimacy of the entire global system, exposing its lies, bias, and false claims." The PFLP also stressed that attempts to dismantle the role of UNRWA and other UN-affiliated agencies, preventing them from fulfilling their duties toward Gaza's population, are part of the Zionist enemy's systematic efforts to forcibly displace Gazans. The statement concluded by asserting that Arab nations and peoples bear a great responsibility to rise up against these crimes, which violate Arab lives and dignity, and to break the siege on Gaza—a disgrace on the entire Arab nation and humanity as a whole. Whatsapp Telegram Email Print more of (International)
India Today
08-06-2025
- Health
- India Today
4 killed by Israel near aid distribution site in Gaza, claim Palestinian medics
Four people were killed and others injured by Israeli forces on Sunday as Palestinians making their way towards an aid distribution site in the southern Gaza Strip came under fire, according to Palestinian was the latest deadly incident near sites run by the Israeli-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation. Palestinians have described areas around the sites as chaotic and dangerous, with dozens of fatal shootings over the past Israeli military said in a statement that troops had opened fire in southern Gaza but said that it had directed warning shots at a group that was moving towards soldiers and deemed a threat to them. Palestinian paramedics said they had evacuated the bodies of four people who were killed early on Sunday near an aid distribution venue in the southern Gaza City of affiliated with Gaza's dominant Hamas militant group reported that the Israeli military had opened fire near a distribution site in Rafah operated by the Israeli military statement said the people towards whom warning shots were fired before dawn on Sunday had been verbally warned to leave the area, which was considered an active military zone at the military has said people should only move to and from the GHF distribution centres between 6 a.m. and 6 p.m., with non-daylight hours considered a closed military Palestinian Health Ministry said that at least 104 people were killed over the past 24 hours, including five near aid hubs in southern and central Gaza. It did not specify how all 104 had been killed or exactly Doghmah said her husband, Khaled, 36, was fatally shot in the head while trying to reach a distribution site in Rafah to collect food for their five children."He was going to get food for his children and himself, to make them live, feed them because they don't have a pinch of flour at home," Khaled's aunt, Salwah, said at his Palestinian factions said in a statement the new aid distribution sites had "turned into death traps" and called for the aid to be distributed through UN-affiliated GHF, which is providing aid under an Israeli initiative that is bypassing traditional relief agencies who say their deliveries into Israeli-blockaded Gaza have been restricted, said it had handed out 1.15 million meals across three sites in southern and central Gaza without incident on OF FOODThe US-based organisation said it was also piloting a direct-to-community model, delivering 11 truckloads of food to community leaders for distribution in areas north of are continuing to adapt and improve our operations to ensure the safety of the Palestinian people we aim to serve," interim GHF Executive Director John Acree said in a had handed out no aid on Saturday, accusing Hamas of making threats that "made it impossible" to operate in the enclave, which the Islamist group GHF uses private American military contractors to operate its sites and has been accused of a lack of neutrality and independence by UN and other international humanitarian agencies. It has denied such relented to international pressure to allow limited UN-led operations to resume on May 19 after an 11-week blockade in the enclave of 2.3 million people where malnutritionhas become widespread. The UN has described aid let in so far as a "drop in the ocean."While the GHF has said there have been no incidents at its distribution points set up in late May, Palestinians seeking aid have described scenes of disorder and access routes to the sites have been beset by deadly of Palestinians were killed near GHF sites on June 1-3, Gaza health authorities said. Israel's military has said it was investigating the incidents but that warning shots were fired in each war erupted after Hamas-led militants took 251 hostages and killed 1,200 people, most of them civilians, in the October 7, 2023 attack, Israel's single deadliest military campaign has since killed more than 54,000 Palestinians, most of them civilians, according to health authorities in Gaza, and flattened much of the heavily built-up coastal Reel
Shafaq News
24-05-2025
- Politics
- Shafaq News
New life for ancient rivers: Iraq's water initiative gains UN acclaim
Shafaq News/ Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani unveiled a regional initiative to protect the Tigris and Euphrates rivers, as Iraq faces one of its most critical water crises in decades. Speaking at the 5th Baghdad International Water Conference, held on Saturday under the theme Water and Technology: Partnership for Development, al-Sudani outlined a strategy focused on joint water management, modernized irrigation, and cross-border cooperation. 'We live through economic, social, and security challenges, all of which depend on the availability of water,' al-Sudani said. 'This is not just an infrastructure issue—it touches every part of life and demands collective responsibility.' The initiative drew praise from Marco Arcieri, president of the UN-affiliated International Commission on Irrigation and Drainage (ICID), who commended Iraq's historic leadership in water systems. 'Iraq has always been a pioneer in water management,' Arcieri said. 'With today's technologies and regional collaboration, it can lead once again.' He emphasized that global partners are actively supporting Iraq in deploying advanced technologies to bolster water and food security. Iraq's water supply has been shrinking rapidly. Flows from the Tigris and Euphrates—its main water sources—have dropped by up to 40% due to upstream dams, climate change, and prolonged droughts, leading to shrinking reservoirs, dying farmlands, polluted water, and the growing displacement of rural communities. Supporting the prime minister's call, Water Resources Minister Aoun Diab described Iraq as one of the most water-stressed nations in the world, grappling with 'complex and overlapping challenges.' 'The biggest threat isn't just water scarcity—it's the lack of cooperation,' Diab said, urging neighboring countries to engage in joint river basin management. Diab also noted that Iraq is pursuing a plan to improve water governance and align with sustainable development goals. Speaking on behalf of President Abdul Latif Rashid, Presidential Advisor Mohammed Amin underscored Iraq's downstream vulnerability in both river basins, calling for a binding agreement with Turkiye to secure a fair water share. 'This is not a temporary challenge—it is a national crisis,' Amin said, adding that climate change and unregulated water usage are accelerating the problem.
Rudaw Net
16-05-2025
- Business
- Rudaw Net
Green Climate Fund approves Iraq's $1.3bn climate program
Also in Iraq Iraqi electoral body to open candidate registration May 25 Over 100 public figures denounce trial of Kirkuk Kurdish farmer as 'political' UN hails Iraq's repatriations from Syria ISIS detention camps Erdogan vows to monitor PKK disarmament, thanks Trump for lifting Syria sanctions A+ A- ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - The United Nations-affiliated Green Climate Fund (GCF) has approved Iraq's $1.3 billion climate program, a five-year initiative that includes 18 projects aimed at reducing greenhouse gas emissions and limiting the impacts of climate change across the country, Iraqi officials said on Thursday. 'The program aims to reduce the impacts of climate change and covers all provinces of Iraq, including the Kurdistan Region,' said Iraqi Environment Minister Halo Askari. The goal of the program is to help Iraq meet the commitments it made when it joined the Paris Climate Agreement and is part of Iraq's broader effort to enhance its climate adaptation and mitigation strategies. It includes measures to cut greenhouse gas emissions in the energy, industrial and transport sectors, as well as to adapt to climate change in the fields of agriculture and water resources, Askari said. GCF, established in 2010, is a UN-affiliated initiative that finances climate-related projects in developing countries with backing from UN member states. Yousif Muayad, director general of the Climate Change Directorate at Iraq's Ministry of Environment, told Rudaw the five-year program includes a range of projects involving the ministries of agriculture, municipalities, water resources and other government bodies. One proposed initiative, he said, focuses on 'planting trees and establishing green belts across the provinces.' 'We have proposed projects to the fund requiring $1.3 billion to secure our budget, and they have approved our program, but it's unclear whether all the proposed projects will be accepted,' Muayad explained. A delegation from the fund is expected to visit Iraq in September to make a final decision on the proposed projects. The program builds on a $39 million project approved by the GCF in October 2024 to strengthen climate resilience among vulnerable agricultural communities. That project, implemented by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), aimed to improve the livelihoods of two million Iraqis through better water management, modern irrigation systems, and renewable energy solutions. The UN's Global Environment Outlook 6 (GEO-6) ranked Iraq as the fifth most vulnerable country globally to reduced water availability and extreme temperatures, based on data from 2020 to 2021. Torhan al-Mufti, an advisor to the prime minister, told Rudaw in an interview in March that 'Iraq is among the 15 most climate-affected countries globally,' adding that the country is going through a period of water scarcity but has not slid into drought yet.
Arab Times
13-05-2025
- Health
- Arab Times
Kuwait has taken tangible steps to enhance food security and safety: Health Minister
KUWAIT CITY, May 13: Minister of Health Dr. Ahmad Al-Awadhi affirmed on Tuesday that Kuwait has taken significant steps to bolster its food security and safety framework, beginning with the launch of the National Food Security Strategy and the update of regulations governing imported foods and school canteens. Speaking at the opening of the 4th Annual Food Safety and Nutrition Summit, Dr. Al-Awadhi emphasized Kuwait's commitment to improving food systems. The two-day summit, held at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, is organized by the Ministry of Health, the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the Public Authority for Food and Nutrition, and the US Embassy in Kuwait. It includes broad participation from representatives across Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries. Dr. Al-Awadhi highlighted that the Public Authority for Food and Nutrition regularly conducts inspection campaigns and monitors facilities across Kuwait's governorates to foster a culture of prevention and ensure adherence to the highest safety standards. He stressed that ensuring universal access to safe and adequate food, along with improving nutrition and its safety, are essential to achieving both national and international sustainable development goals. Placing human health and dignity at the center of public policy, he noted, aligns with the United Nations' 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. This includes eradicating hunger, enhancing food security, improving nutrition, and promoting sustainable agriculture—all aimed at building a more just, equitable, and sustainable world for future generations. Dr. Al-Awadhi said the summit reflects a shared vision and commitment to improving global food security and public health. He described it as a meaningful platform that emphasizes collective awareness of the importance of food safety and nutrition as cornerstones of health, economic growth, and social development. Citing scientific studies and real-world experience, he warned that the consequences of neglecting food safety go beyond statistics and are reflected in human suffering. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), foodborne illnesses affect over 600 million people annually, resulting in more than 420,000 deaths. Alarmingly, 125,000 of those deaths—nearly 30 percent—are among children under the age of five, even though children make up just 9 percent of the global population. These figures, Dr. Al-Awadhi noted, underscore the urgent need to strengthen national and global food safety systems and expand public awareness, especially to protect children, who are particularly vulnerable to foodborne illnesses. He also pointed to the Gulf region's investments in training expert personnel in food inspection and laboratory analysis as a critical factor in advancing national food security—a "priceless investment" for a healthier and more sustainable future. The health minister praised international cooperation, especially the efforts of UN-affiliated bodies, the United States, and other partners in supporting Kuwait's development of effective food security and safety systems. In her remarks at the summit, U.S. Ambassador to Kuwait Karen Sasahara emphasized the strong and expanding bilateral relationship between Kuwait and the United States, particularly in agriculture and food security. She noted that bilateral trade in this sector reached $275 million last year, with a total of $3.6 billion in trade between the U.S. and GCC countries. Ambassador Sasahara said that American agricultural sector representatives regularly engage with their Kuwaiti counterparts to explore the application of US technologies and products in advancing sustainable agricultural solutions. She explained that the summit seeks to deepen mutual understanding and align visions on best practices in food safety and security between the United States and GCC countries. This year's theme focuses on food safety as a fundamental pillar of community health and sustainable food security. The ambassador also described the summit as an opportunity to enhance U.S.-Kuwait collaboration and to strengthen partnerships with other participating nations in areas of food security and sustainable agriculture. She acknowledged shared health challenges, including obesity, diabetes, and other chronic diseases, faced by both the US and GCC nations. The United States, she said, is working to improve its food system's nutritional quality by addressing the root causes of these issues and promoting international cooperation. The summit includes expert-led panel discussions featuring specialists in food security, health, and agriculture from the United States, the United Nations, and the GCC. Topics include national policy development and strategies for enhancing food safety and nutrition across the region.
