logo
Hunger must never be ‘weapon of war': UN

Hunger must never be ‘weapon of war': UN

ADDIS ABABA: UN chief Antonio Guterres on Monday said food must not be used as a weapon of war as world leaders gathered for a food summit in Africa, where 280 million people face hunger and starvation.
The African Union, for its part, urged donors to provide greater support for the world's poorest continent, which is struggling with poverty, unrest and the effects of climate change.
'Hunger fuels instability and undermines peace. We must never accept hunger as a weapon of war,' Antonio Guterres told the UN Food Systems Summit (UNFSS) in the Ethiopian capital Addis Ababa via video link.
'Climate change is disrupting harvests, supply chains and humanitarian aid,' he said.
'Conflict continues to spread hunger from Gaza to Sudan and beyond,' he warned amid a severely deteriorating crisis in Gaza, whose population of more than two million is facing famine and malnutrition.
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Day of Exploitation
Day of Exploitation

Express Tribune

time2 hours ago

  • Express Tribune

Day of Exploitation

Listen to article New Delhi's extra-constitutional and illegal act of abrogating Articles 370 and 35A of the Indian constitution six years ago, which granted special status to occupied Kashmir, is now threatening regional peace and stability. The four-day war between India and Pakistan in May this year testifies that New Delhi has not been able to come to terms with the imbroglio in the occupied territory, and its tall claims of restoring normalcy are no more than a hoax. On August 5, Pakistan observed the 'Day of Exploitation' to reaffirm its solidarity with Kashmiris. The country reaffirmed its commitment to UN-backed right to self-determination and political and human rights of over 15 million Kashmiris languishing under Hindutva-driven rule. Pakistan once again made the world realise that resolution of the longstanding dispute is essential and will remain a cornerstone of its foreign policy. The political posturing on August 5, driven by the RSS's ideology of hate and segregation, has dealt a severe blow to regional peace and the rights of the Kashmiri people. Subsequent measures — such as altering demography, granting millions of domiciles to non-residents and economically marginalising the locals — are what the so-called democratic India represents today. The day must solicit the civilised world's attention towards the detention of hundreds of Kashmiris, and the 'cordon and search' operations that are a new normal in the dispute region under Delhi's rule. It is irksome to note that New Delhi does not even trust its own political edifices in the occupied valley, and that the local political forces there too are in a quandary. That the occupied Kashmir is being treated as a colony goes without saying. It stands as a shameful indictment of India's acclaimed credentials of secularism and its image as a "shining" democracy. India, rather than endeavouring to browbeat Pakistan on flimsy contexts, as it did in the case of Pahalgam, must rescind its August 5 acts and talk it out with Islamabad for a perpetual bilateral solution.

Afghan card holders to be deported from Sept 1
Afghan card holders to be deported from Sept 1

Express Tribune

time3 hours ago

  • Express Tribune

Afghan card holders to be deported from Sept 1

Police officers, along with workers from the National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA), check the identity cards of Afghan citizens during a door-to-door search and verification drive for undocumented Afghan nationals, in an Afghan Camp on the outskirts of Karachi, Pakistan, November 21, 2023. Photo: Reuters Listen to article The interior ministry has initiated a process for the voluntary repatriation of Afghan nationals holding Proof of Registration (PoR) cards, setting September 1 as the starting date for formal deportations, Radio Pakistan reported. The decision was taken during a high-level meeting on Tuesday held under the ongoing Illegal Foreigners Repatriation Plan (IFRP), citing security concerns and the increasing strain on national resources. A notification from the ministry confirmed that registered PoR card holders—whose documents expired on June 30, 2025—will officially be repatriated from next month. The home ministry had previously allowed PoR holders to remain in Pakistan until June 30 as part of an earlier extension, but since then over 1.3 million people have been returned home. Also Read: Govt invites opposition for dialogue on 26th Amendment More than 800,000 Afghans hold an Afghan Citizen Card in Pakistan, according to UN data. Another roughly 1.3 million are formally registered with the Pakistan government and hold a separate Proof of Residence card. In total, Pakistan hosted around 2.8 million Afghan refugees who crossed the border during 40 years of conflict in their homeland. Meanwhile, figures from UN agencies show roughly 1.3 million refugees remain, mostly in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa. Pakistan launched the IFRP in November 2023, initially targeting undocumented immigrants and Afghan Citizen Card holders. Since then, about 1.3 million Afghans have been repatriated, but approximately 1.6 million remain in the country—many hoping for a policy change. Also Read: Dying Delta: Pakistan's Indus sinks and shrinks Afghan refugees have responded with alarm: many own assets or businesses built over decades and fear forced sales at minimal prices should extensions not be granted. Despite legal challenges, including a recent request rejected by the Islamabad High Court for a stay on repatriation of PoR holders, the government has maintained its stance. The court had affirmed the June 30 deadline as per policy. In an effort to ease the pressure, Minister of State Talal Chaudhry hinted at a forthcoming visa policy for foreign nationals, which would provide investment incentives—an opportunity Afghan residents may be eligible for should they choose to remain. International entities, including the UNHCR, IOM, and Amnesty International, have expressed serious concern over the scale and humanitarian impact of the expedited repatriation campaign. Critics warn that forced returns could violate the principle of non-refoulement, imperil vulnerable populations, and destabilise regional security.

Israel to allow gradual and controlled entry of goods to Gaza through local merchants
Israel to allow gradual and controlled entry of goods to Gaza through local merchants

Business Recorder

time14 hours ago

  • Business Recorder

Israel to allow gradual and controlled entry of goods to Gaza through local merchants

Israel will allow gradual and controlled entry of goods to Gaza through local merchants, COGAT, the Israeli military agency that coordinates aid, said on Tuesday. 'This aims to increase the volume of aid entering the Gaza Strip, while reducing reliance on aid collection by the UN and international organisations,' the agency said. On Sunday, Hamas said it was prepared to coordinate with the Red Cross to deliver aid to hostages it holds in Gaza, if Israel meets certain conditions, after a video it released showing an emaciated captive drew sharp criticism from Western powers. Palestinian and UN officials said Gaza needs around 600 aid trucks to enter per day to meet the humanitarian requirements - the number Israel used to allow into Gaza before the war. The Gaza war began when Hamas killed 1,200 people and took 251 hostage in an attack on southern Israel on October 7, 2023, according to Israeli figures. Hamas says it will allow aid for hostages if Israel halts airstrikes, opens permanent humanitarian corridors Israel's offensive has since killed more than 60,000 Palestinians, according to Gaza health officials who do not distinguish between fighters and non-combatants. According to Israeli officials, 50 hostages now remain in Gaza, only 20 of whom are believed to be alive. Hamas, thus far, has barred humanitarian organisations from having any kind of access to the hostages and families have little or no details of their conditions.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store