Latest news with #InternationalFederationofRedCrossand
Saba Yemen
07-05-2025
- Health
- Saba Yemen
International Federation of Red Cross & Red Crescent: Humanitarian situation in Gaza worsens hour by hour
Geneva - Saba: Tomaso Della Longa, spokesperson for the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC), stated on Wednesday that the humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip is deteriorating not by the month but hour by hour due to the genocide committed by the Zionist enemy. The remarks came in a press statement addressing the worsening humanitarian crisis in Gaza as a result of the ongoing genocide and the blockade imposed for over two months, restricting the entry of humanitarian aid and medical supplies for Palestinians. Della Longa described the daily lives of Palestinians in Gaza as a "continuous nightmare" due to starvation, stressing that millions lack basic necessities such as food, water, and healthcare. He emphasized that the Palestinian Red Crescent continues its work with limited resources, adding, "Aid entry into Gaza has been halted for over 60 days—nothing is getting in." He continued, "Only less than half of the Palestinian Red Crescent's ambulances are operational in Gaza, medical equipment in hospitals and clinics is rapidly depleting. The situation is worsening not by the month but hour by hour." Whatsapp Telegram Email Print
Malay Mail
29-04-2025
- Politics
- Malay Mail
Malaysia and Vietnam vow continued humanitarian aid for Myanmar citizens, says PM Anwar
KUALA LUMPUR, April 29 — Malaysia and Vietnam unanimously agreed to continue humanitarian assistance to all Myanmar citizens without restrictions to ensure the well-being of the people in the country. Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim said the matter was agreed during talks with his Vietnamese counterpart, Pham Minh Chinh, yesterday. 'In this regard, it is important that all parties continue the ceasefire to ensure the safety of humanitarian aid workers,' he said in a Facebook post today. Weeks after a devastating earthquake struck Myanmar in late March, the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) reportedly warned that humanitarian needs remain urgent, particularly in terms of shelter, clean water supply, sanitation and healthcare. Apart from the issue, the two leaders also discussed the latest developments and Asean joint actions on the trade tariffs imposed by the United States. 'On the issue of trade tariffs imposed by the United States, I informed that Malaysia has sent a representative through the Minister of Investment, Trade and Industry (MITI) (Tengku Datuk Seri Zafrul) in an effort to reach a mutually beneficial solution for both countries. 'As the Asean Chairman, Malaysia requests the consideration of the United States so that Asean member states are given the space to use the mechanism of bilateral relations in reaching a good solution to this reciprocal tariff issue,' he said. He said Malaysia is committed to continuing to strengthen regional and international relations based on the principles of mutual respect, cooperation, and mutual well-being. Anwar hopes that all these efforts would yield results that would bring peace, prosperity and harmony to the people throughout the region. — Bernama
Barnama
28-04-2025
- Politics
- Barnama
Malaysia-Vietnam Agree To Continue Humanitarian Assistance In Myanmar
GENERAL KUALA LUMPUR, April 28 (Bernama) -- Malaysia and Vietnam unanimously agreed to continue humanitarian assistance to all Myanmar citizens without restrictions to ensure the well-being of the people in the country. Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim said the matter was agreed during talks with his Vietnamese counterpart, Pham Minh Chinh, today. "In this regard, it is important that all parties continue the ceasefire to ensure the safety of humanitarian aid workers," he said in a Facebook post today. Weeks after a devastating earthquake struck Myanmar in late March, the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) reportedly warned that humanitarian needs remain urgent, particularly in terms of shelter, clean water supply, sanitation and healthcare. Apart from the issue, the two leaders also discussed the latest developments and ASEAN joint actions on the trade tariffs imposed by the United States. "On the issue of trade tariffs imposed by the United States, I informed that Malaysia has sent a representative through the Minister of Investment, Trade and Industry (MITI) (Tengku Datuk Seri Zafrul) in an effort to reach a mutually beneficial solution for both countries. "As the ASEAN Chairman, Malaysia requests the consideration of the United States so that ASEAN member states are given the space to use the mechanism of bilateral relations in reaching a good solution to this reciprocal tariff issue," he said. He said Malaysia is committed to continuing to strengthen regional and international relations based on the principles of mutual respect, cooperation, and mutual well-being. Anwar hopes that all these efforts would yield results that would bring peace, prosperity and harmony to the people throughout the region.
Yahoo
28-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Myanmar marks month of misery since historic quake
Devastation centred on the second most populous city of Mandalay (Sai Aung MAIN) (Sai Aung MAIN/AFP/AFP) Myanmar marked one month since suffering its fiercest earthquake in more than a century on Monday, with military bombardments unabated despite a humanitarian truce as thousands of survivors camp in makeshift shelters. The magnitude-7.7 tremor was the strongest with an epicentre on Myanmar's land mass since 1912, the United States Geological Survey reported, killing nearly 3,800 according to an official toll still rising daily. Devastation centred on the second most populous city of Mandalay where apartments, tea shops, hotels and religious institutes were razed or heavily damaged. "It's been a month but we are still very busy trying to get back what we lost," said one Mandalay resident who asked to remain anonymous. ADVERTISEMENT "I am not the only one still in difficulty, it's everyone around me as well." With tens of thousands people still homeless as monsoon season approaches, aid agencies are warning of major challenges to come. "People are extremely concerned about what will happen in the next few weeks," the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) Myanmar chief Nadia Khoury told AFP. Meanwhile she said the organisation was planning a two-year relief plan because "the geographical magnitude of this earthquake has been absolutely huge". - Air strikes go on - The military -- which sparked a civil war by snatching power in a 2021 coup -- declared a ceasefire to spur relief efforts starting on April 2. But since then monitors from the Britain-based Centre for Information Resilience have logged 65 air attacks by the junta. ADVERTISEMENT A strike on Wednesday killed five people and wounded eight more in a village on the outskirts of the town of Tabayin, residents told AFP, 100 kilometres (62 miles) northwest of the earthquake's epicentre. "I managed to hide immediately after I heard explosions but my elder sister couldn't," said 40-year-old Ko Aung. "She ran randomly in a panic during the strike and a piece of shrapnel hit her head. She died on the spot." Cho Tint, 46, said she sheltered in a cow shed as a fighter jet dropped two bombs. "The military announced a ceasefire for the quake but they broke it already and are still attacking civilians," she said. "That's them crossing the line." In eastern Myanmar residents also said they were forced from their homes in an offensive by opposition armed groups attempting to seize towns on a lucrative trade route to Thailand during the truce, due to last until Wednesday. ADVERTISEMENT After four years of war, half the population were already living in poverty and 3.5 million were displaced before the quake, which sheared the ground up to six metres (20 feet) in places according to NASA analysis. Khoury said some of the badly-hit regions already had a high level of humanitarian need because they were hosting people displaced by fighting. "Now it's become even higher with this earthquake," she said. Ahead of the tremor the nation of more than 50 million was also bracing for the impact of international aid cuts following US President Donald Trump's campaign to slash Washington's humanitarian budget. The World Food Programme had said it would cut off one million from vital food aid starting in April as a result of "critical funding shortfalls". bur-jts/pdw/rsc
New Straits Times
26-04-2025
- Health
- New Straits Times
IFRC: Urgent humanitarian response continues in Myanmar following devastating earthquakes
KUALA LUMPUR: Weeks after powerful earthquakes ripped through Myanmar in late March, the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) warns that urgent humanitarian needs persist, particularly for shelter, water, sanitation, and healthcare. Concerns over disease outbreaks remain high, with the World Health Organisation (WHO) warning of risks from overcrowded shelters and poor sanitation — a warning echoed by the IFRC's call for urgent clean water and proper sanitation in makeshift shelters. Speaking to Bernama via Zoom, Farah Atiqah Ag Ismail, Delegate for Planning, Monitoring, Evaluation and Reporting (PMER) with the IFRC Myanmar Country Delegation, said the magnitude 7.7 quake had left a significant trail of destruction across both urban and rural areas, particularly in Mandalay and Sagaing near the epicentre. "Even within cities, the impact is inconsistent. Some buildings remain intact while others beside them are completely destroyed," she said, adding that damage was also reported as far as Bago and Naypyidaw. "People are still living in makeshift shelters using tarpaulins. Access to clean water and proper sanitation remains an urgent need," she said. In response, Farah said the IFRC has deployed mobile health clinics and three water distribution units in the Sagaing and Naypyidaw regions. However, gaps in funding continue to limit the scale of the response. "The emergency appeal has received only a fraction of what is needed. But national societies have started contributing in-kind donations like tarpaulins, kitchen sets and hygiene items," she said, noting that over 4,000 households have received basic aid so far. Six states and regions, namely, Sagaing, Mandalay, Naypyidaw, Bago, Northeastern Shan State, and Magway, were declared emergency zones by the Myanmar authorities. Statistics released by the IFRC as of April 23 indicate that the disaster has resulted in 3,800 deaths, 116 people still missing, 5,100 injured, and over 207,000 internally displaced. More than 400 aftershocks have been recorded since March 28. Despite the complex political landscape in Myanmar, including an ongoing civil conflict, Farah said operations have been largely unaffected due to the Myanmar Red Cross Society's (MRCS) neutral and impartial standing. She said the IFRC launched an emergency appeal of 100 million Swiss francs (US$120.77 million) on March 30 to support relief efforts, while mobilising technical support from both within and outside Myanmar. Farah also highlighted that the IFRC's long-term recovery plans are underway, with transitional shelters being prioritised alongside debris clearance to enable rebuilding efforts. "However, the trauma from aftershocks means many survivors are afraid to return indoors, even when their homes remain intact." Farah said that the IFRC will continue to strengthen the MRCS's capacity by restocking emergency supplies and enhancing contingency planning. She said the IFRC's role is to provide technical and coordination support to national societies such as MRCS, which leads engagement with communities and implements relief operations on the ground. According to the IFRC, humanitarian assistance has steadily scaled up since the earthquake, with 3,354 people reached through three mobile health clinics and over 64,000 individuals gaining access to clean water via MRCS water distribution efforts. Emergency sanitation support has been provided to 32 households in Naypyidaw through the installation of latrines, while 114 households across two camps received hand-washing basins to promote hygiene. In terms of shelter and basic needs, 17,477 people, comprising 3,577 households, have received emergency relief items, and an additional 3,385 people (755 households) were supported with both relief items and cash as part of an emergency shelter package. More than 250 metric tonnes of relief supplies have been delivered to Myanmar from global national societies and humanitarian partners to support ongoing operations. – Bernama
