Pacific 

Bangladesh: Second fire in a week tears through vast Rohingya refugee camp

The blaze was first reported just before 5 pm local time and caused considerable damage to sections of the largest camp of its kind in the world, affecting both refugees and members of the host community.  Response teams were deployed to protect refugees and bring the situation back under control, in coordination with the local authorities and fire brigade.  Coordinating… Read More
Pacific 

Forensic lab aids crack down on illegal wildlife trade in Viet Nam

The limited research lab worked on almost 250 criminal cases last year, representing hundreds of individual samples from high-profile cases related to rhino horns, pangolin scales, elephant ivory, big cats, fish, bear parts, turtles and lion bones.  Lab upgrade  The facility is based at the Institute of Ecology and Biological Resources (IEBR), located in the capital, Hanoi, and has undergone… Read More
Pacific 

Myanmar: WFP plans to aid 4 million through 2022 

According to the agency, the rise is driven by the ongoing political crisis, poverty, displacement, and the economic fallout from COVID-19.  Needs are now widespread, from areas affected by conflict in border regions where humanitarian action has been focused for years, to impoverished urban areas where families have seen jobs vanish, incomes dry up, and destitution.  Assistance  In this context, WFP… Read More
Pacific 

UN urges restraint in Kazakhstan, with dozens reportedly killed 

Speaking to journalists on Thursday in New York, the Spokesperson for the Secretary-General, Stéphane Dujarric, said the Organization continues to follow the situation “very closely.”  Mr. Dujarric confirmed several contacts between the UN and the authorities in the country, including a call on Thursday morning between Special Representative Natalia Gherman and the Deputy Foreign Minister, Mukhtar Tileuberdi.   During these exchanges, appeals… Read More
Pacific 

Cambodia: Arrests of strikers may be breach of human rights law 

Most of the strikers were women and many of the arrests were conducted in “a violent way”, the experts added. The arrests appeared to contravene the right to freedom of association, assembly and expression.  “We also strongly condemn the manner in which the first arrests took place, after dark, on a day where multiple other events diverted public attention”, the experts said.   For them, this could be seen as “an underhanded way to clamp down… Read More
Pacific 

Bangladesh: Fire rips through COVID treatment centre for Myanmar refugees  

In a tweet, IOM said that no-one was hurt at the health facility, part of the vast Cox’s Bazar camp complex, after the blaze began suddenly on Sunday evening.   Parts of the hospital were badly damaged, but health services are expected to “resume soon”, the agency said.   Response  Field teams have been working around the clock to save the hospital… Read More
Pacific 

Bangladesh: Fire rips through COVID treatment centre for Myanmar refugees  

In a tweet, IOM said that no-one was hurt at the health facility, part of the vast Cox’s Bazar camp complex, after the blaze began suddenly on Sunday evening.   Parts of the hospital were badly damaged, but health services are expected to “resume soon”, the agency said.   Response  Field teams have been working around the clock to save the hospital… Read More
Pacific 

Harsh winter fuels ongoing humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan

In the past 24 hours, heavy snowfall and rain have impacted a number of areas, disrupting flights to and from Kabul Airport, according to the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA). Heavy snowfall and rain have affected many parts of Afghanistan in the past 24 hours. The harsh winter is compounding the severe conditions that many people are… Read More
Social media & sharing icons powered by UltimatelySocial