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December 2, 2008 4:54:33 AM CST

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humanitarian crisis

humanitarian crisis news stories

12 Stories

Zimbabwe Bars Carter,
Annan, Mandela's Wife

Ex-prez, Annan aimed to work on humanitarian crisis

Reuters Reuters Nov 22, 08 10:57 AM CST
(Newser) - Zimbabwe has denied Jimmy Carter, former UN chief Kofi Annan, and the wife of Nelson Mandela entry to the country to review its humanitarian crisis, Reuters reports. Even the support of former South African president Thabo Mbeki, who's been trying to mediate an end to the ongoing political stalemate, wasn’t enough to get the trio visas. “The government has made it clear they will not cooperate,” Annan said. More »

More about:  Zimbabwe • Robert Mugabe • Morgan Tsvangirai • Thabo Mbeki • Jimmy Carter • visa • Kofi Annan • humanitarian crisis • The Elders

 UN Boss Jets 
 to Congo Amid 
 New Fighting 

Fears of a wider conflict grow as rebel leader threatens to take Goma

Guardian (UK) Guardian (UK) Nov 5, 08 4:32 AM CST
(Newser) - UN chief Ban Ki-Moon is traveling to the Democratic Republic of Congo to press for a peace deal just as new fighting breaks out, the Guardian reports. The Congolese government has rejected peace talks with the rebels, who have vowed to attack the provincial capital of Goma and continue a march across the nation. New fighting erupted between rebels led by Laurent Nkunda and Hutu militias, despite a week-old ceasefire. More »

More about:  United Nations • Ban Ki-Moon • Rwanda • Democratic Republic of Congo • peacekeeping force • humanitarian crisis • Congo • Laurent Nkunda

 Congo's Crisis 
 at Breaking Point 

EU, African Union scramble to broker peace deal as Nkunda attacks

Guardian (UK) Guardian (UK) Nov 3, 08 7:27 AM CST
(Newser) - European and African officials held crisis talks last night to avert a complete meltdown in the Democratic Republic of Congo, where the civil war risks degenerating into genocide. The diplomatic push came as Laurent Nkunda, the Tutsi general, led 10,000 rebels into battle in a province bordering Rwanda, which supports him. Thousands of refugees have been displaced once again, and the UN called the humanitarian situation "catastrophic." More »

More about:  refugee • civil war • Rwanda • Democratic Republic of Congo • David Miliband • humanitarian crisis • Tutsi • Laurent Nkunda

Junta Leader Visits Nargis Victims as UN Envoy Arrives

General meets survivors for first time since cyclone hit

CNN CNN May 18, 08 2:48 PM CDT
(Newser) - The head of Burma's junta emerged today for the first time since cyclone Nargis struck two weeks ago to meet with survivors, CNN reports. Gen. Than Shwe visited a refugee camp 200 miles south of Yangon, touching the faces of infant survivors. The visit came as the UN's humanitarian secretary began a three-day tour meant to pressure Burma to accept more foreign aid, the AP reports. More »

More about:  United Nations • Burma • Myanmar • natural disaster • Cyclone Nargis • humanitarian aid • survivors • humanitarian crisis • foreign aid • Than Shwe

 300,000 Dead in Darfur: UN 

Security Council told that situation is worsening

Los Angeles Times Los Angeles Times Apr 23, 08 6:27 AM CDT
(Newser) - The UN's humanitarian chief has painted a grim picture of the situation in Darfur, estimating that disease, war, and famine have claimed 300,000 lives in the region since conflict broke out in 2003—100,000 of them since 2006. People are continuing to die as efforts to solve the crisis have stalled, he warned the Security Council. More »

More about:  United Nations • Sudan • Darfur • genocide • UN Security Council • humanitarian crisis

Iraq Still Lacks Clean Water, Health Care

Medical system worse than ever at 5-year mark, says Red Cross

Reuters Reuters Mar 17, 08 11:23 AM CDT
(Newser) - Five years after the US-led invasion of Iraq, its health care system is “now in worse shape than ever,” and millions of Iraqis still don’t have clean water and medical care, Reuters reports. “The humanitarian situation in most of the country remains among the most critical in the world,” the Red Cross said in a new report. More »

More about:  Iraq • Iraq war • health care • civilian casualties • Red Cross • Iraqi refugees • drinking water • humanitarian crisis

Gaza, Israel Spar Over Power Outage, Embargo

Israel resolute amid condemnations, worries situation could spin out of control

Associated Press Associated Press Jan 21, 08 8:16 AM CST
(Newser) - Gazans awoke to a second day without its main power plant or fuel as international leaders condemned the “collective punishment of the people of Gaza,” and Israeli PM Ehud Olmert resolutely said Gazans "will walk, without gas for their cars" until their "murderous regime's" rocket attacks cease. World leaders, meanwhile, worry the situation will spiral out of control, the AP reports. More »

More about:  Israel • Hamas • Ehud Olmert • Gaza • Arab Israeli conflict • fuel • rocket attacks • humanitarian crisis • blockade

Humanitarian Relief is a Text Message Away

Social sites like Twitter, Facebook part of Google's new venture

CNET CNET Jan 17, 08 6:33 PM CST
(Newser) - A Google-funded website that uses technology to spread the word about emergencies launches today, CNET reports. The company's charitable arm has put $5 million into InSTEDD, which will use social software like Twitter and Facebook to alert humanitarian groups to crises and organize rescue operations. “Social networking in the humanitarian space, that's something you're going to see,” InSTEDD’s CEO said. More »

More about:  Google • Facebook • relief • open source • Google Earth • humanitarian crisis • UNICEF • twitter

Kenyan Prez  Agrees to Form Unity Gov't

Top US diplomat in
talks as humanitarian crisis grows

BBC BBC Jan 5, 08 6:08 AM CST
(Newser) - Kenyan President Mwai Kibaki today pledged to form a unity government, after talks with the top US diplomat for Africa aimed at solving the country's violent post-election crisis, the BBC reports. Jendayi Frazer met first with opposition leader Raila Odinga, who has said he will not negotiate unless Kibaki steps down. Another meeting is planned. More »

More about:  Kenya • diplomacy • Mwai Kibaki • Raila Odinga • diplomat • humanitarian crisis • Jendayi Frazer

Ethiopia Forces Untrained Civilians Into War

Clerks, teachers, administrators sent into action against Ogaden rebels

New York Times New York Times Dec 15, 07 11:08 AM CST
(Newser) - Ethiopa's overstretched army is forcing untrained civilians into the bush to fight guerrillas, the New York Times reports. Office clerks, teachers, and other white-collar workers face imprisonment or torture if they refuse to comply, but many have been killed in battle, say aid workers. “We don’t know how to operate guns, but the government sent us to the front lines,” said one civil servant. More »

More about:  United Nations • soldier • Ethiopia • humanitarian crisis

UN to Increase Iraq Presence

US praises decision, but adds it too will continue to be involved

Associated Press Associated Press Aug 10, 07 1:20 PM CDT
(Newser) - The UN will expand its role in Iraq and try to help quell the sectarian violence that has hobbled the country, after a Security Council vote today. Iraq's government says it'll help peacekeepers mediate disputes between the feuding sectarian groups and among Iraq’s neighbors in the region; the blue helmets will also address the country’s humanitarian crisis. More »

More about:  Iraq • Great Britain • United Nations • United States • Baghdad • sectarian violence • Security Council • humanitarian crisis

Iraq Refugees Spark
Crisis for Neighbors

BBC BBC Jul 26, 07 4:08 PM CDT
(Newser) - Over 2 million Iraqis have fled their war-torn homeland, with 50,000 more leaving each month for neighboring countries—primarily Jordan and Syria. A UN official is terming the exodus a "humanitarian crisis," and the organization is calling for extra funding to cover medical supplies and shelter for the refugees. More »

More about:  Iraq • Syria • immigrant • refugee • Jordan • humanitarian crisis

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