Leaders Rip Mugabe's 'Obscene' Trip to Food Talks

But US, others, not so sure that's a great idea

(NEWSER) - North Korea is so hungry that it has, for the moment at least, abandoned its trademark bluster and started begging foreign governments for food, the Washington Post reports. But the US, which was the largest provider of food aid to North Korea until it shut off shipments two years ago, “has no plans for any contributions at this time,” a top State Department official says. The UN World Food Program says it only has enough food to sustain the country for another month. More»

Danger of hijacking has raised costs dramatically, WFP official says

(NEWSER) - Piracy off the coast of Somalia is making relief organizations' work even more difficult, Reuters reports. The UN’s World Food Program today decried both the hijacking of ships bearing aid supplies—the Maersk Alabama, for example, had 232 WFP containers on board when it was seized this week—and indirect costs, like higher insurance rates and the growing unwillingness of some shipping companies to make the trip. More»

Starving country's ruling party gets tough to tackle champagne, caviar shortage

(NEWSER) - Aggressive supporters of Zimbabwe's ruling party have been pressing the country's farmers and businesses for "donations" to fund Robert Mugabe's ultra-luxe 85th birthday bash, the Times of London reports. A wish list supplied to the Times includes 8,000 bottles of champagne, 8,000 lobsters, and 4,000 portions of caviar. It specifies "no mealy meal"—the ground corn staple that 7 million Zimbabweans on food aid count themselves lucky to receive. More»

(NEWSER) - Robert Mugabe has backtracked on his denial of the Zimbabwean cholera crisis, AFP reports. “He is acknowledging there is a problem,” said a UNICEF official who met with him today. “He recognizes there is a problem with the water and the sewer systems.” The admission comes as opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai returned to the country, Voice of America reports. More»

(NEWSER) - Pressure from nonprofits and watchdogs is mounting on the UN to intercede in Zimbabwe’s humanitarian crisis, GlobalPost reports. Physicians for Human Rights asserts that Robert Mugabe intentionally dismantled the country’s health and sanitation infrastructure, and is directly responsible for the cholera outbreak that has claimed 1,800 lives. The group urges a UN tribunal or the International Criminal Court to charge the president with crimes against humanity. More»