Red Cross elects US humanitarian to lead network after rocky meeting
Geneva, SwiterzlandReuters The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies elected a US candidate on Monday as its new president after an acrimonious meeting that nearly saw the vote postponed amid a controversy involving a rival candidate. Kate Forbes, an existing IFRC board member, became the second woman to ever hold the top […]
Gaza aid distribution struggles amid overcrowding, debris, lack of fuel
Reuters Distribution of food and medical supplies is faltering in Gaza due to a chronic lack of fuel, looting of stores, the choking of streets with rubble from Israeli shelling and overcrowding caused by displacement of civilians. And despite an uptick in the trickle of supplies, the number of aid trucks entering Gaza remains tiny […]
Aid agencies call for urgent funds in aftermath of deadly Afghan earthquakes; US announces it will provide $US12 million
Kabul, Afghanistan Reuters Aid agencies launched fresh appeals for funds to deal with the fallout of deadly earthquakes in Afghanistan as local authorities called on Thursday for urgent help for thousands of people left homeless in the aftermath of the tremors. Multiple earthquakes struck in the western province of Herat on Saturday and Wednesday, destroying […]
Heavy gunfire quickly shatters Sudan truce pushed by US
Khartoum, SudanReuters Heavy gunfire shattered a 24-hour truce in Sudan on Tuesday shortly after it was due to take effect under US pressure on warring military factions to halt fighting that has touched off a humanitarian crisis. Loud shooting reverberated in the background of live feeds by Arab television news channels in the Khartoum capital […]
Red Cross official warns of “serious problems” with remote Bangladesh island housing Rohingya refugees
Reuters A senior Red Cross official warned that “serious problems” remain with a remote island off southern Bangladesh housing Rohingya refugees, as officials prepared to ship thousands more people there this week. Since last December, Bangladesh has moved about 19,000 Rohingya refugees, members of a persecuted mostly Muslim minority from Myanmar, to the island of […]
Wildfires: “a new part of our reality” in warming Europe
Thomson Reuters Foundation Wildfires are burning across southern Europe, a new fact of life in fast-warming Europe, with eight dead in Turkey, 100-plus fires in Greece and mass evacuations across Italy. For the woman leading the Red Cross in Europe, which has been spearheading rescue efforts, the spate of summer wildfires – as well as floods […]
Over 10 million displaced by climate disasters in six months – report
SingaporeReuters About 10.3 million people were displaced by climate change-induced events such as flooding and droughts in the last six months, the majority of them in Asia, a humanitarian organisation said on Wednesday. The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies said about 2.3 million others were displaced by conflict in the same […]
Red Cross to help poor countries with vaccines
Geneva, SwitzerlandAP A top international Red Cross organisation has announced a 100-million Swiss franc ($US110 million) plan to help support the immunisation of 500 million people worldwide against COVID-19 amid concerns about vast inequalities in the rollout of coronavirus vaccines between rich and poor countries. Seniors wait to be vaccinated with China’s Sinovac Biotech COVID-19 […]
Record climate disasters in Asia-Pacific push millions to “breaking point”
Kuala Lumpur, MalaysiaThomson Reuters Foundation Asia-Pacific has faced a record number of climate-related disasters in 2020, affecting tens of millions of vulnerable people already hit hard by the COVID-19 pandemic, the Red Cross said on Wednesday. The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies said it had responded to 24 climate-linked crises this […]
Airbnb non-profit to focus on finding housing for disaster, pandemic workers
Washington DC, USThomson Reuters Foundation Home-sharing giant Airbnb will enlist its global network of millions of participants to help house aid workers and health care staff working to fight COVID-19, it said on Monday, aiming to fill a gap in shelter options amid the pandemic. Its planned program will find housing for workers who before […]