#south-sudan

#south-sudan

FILE - Somalis who have been displaced due to drought settle at a camp on the outskirts of Dollow, Somalia, Sept. 19, 2022.An international team of climate scientists says the ongoing drought in Eastern Africa has been made worse by human-induced climate change according to a report from World Weather Attribution.

Around 140 people have celebrated Scotland's national bard at the biggest-ever Burns Supper held in Antarctica.Haggis was specially transported to the continent aboard the UK's exploration ship RRS Sir David Attenborough so workers at the British Antarctic Survey's Rothera Research Station could mark the event.

Coffee is uniquely vulnerable to climate change.It grows in tropical regions, where temperatures and rainfall are becoming increasingly erratic; it is grown by small farms, which do not have the resources available to weather the coming literal and figurative storms; and despite the fact that coffee is among the most highly traded commodities in the world, little agricultural research time or money has been devoted to it.

The UN's humanitarian chief arrived in Sudan's main seaport on Wednesday, as thousands of Sudanese and foreign nationals gathered there in hopes of fleeing the conflict-torn east African country.Martin Griffiths, the under-secretary-general for humanitarian affairs and emergency relief coordinator at the UN, tweeted that his visit to the city of Port Sudan is to affirm the body's commitment to the Sudanese people.

The final evacuation flight bringing Britons out of Sudan left the country on Monday evening as fighting continued to rage between warring factions.British nationals were told by the Foreign Office that those looking to flee the war-torn nation had until 11am UK time midday local time to reach the city Port Sudan, on the eastern coast to be given the chance to board the last two flights.

It's not just Britain.Europe, too, has a refugee problem with which it is failing to cope, as do the US and other wealthy countries.Rishi Sunak's new, 500m payment to French police to curb Channel crossings ignores this bigger picture.How does confining desperate, blameless people in yet another detention centre help anyone?

People tend to be social in nature and there's a reason to celebrate.As we are in the year 2023, it would be beneficial to reflect on the past year to determine the things that can be done now and in the years ahead.This is especially true since we have just made a major milestone of having 8 billion people in the world as of November 2022.

The West African country Equatorial Guinea is experiencing its first-ever outbreak of Marburg fever.At least nine people had died from the highly contagious viral disease, said the World Health Organisation (WHO) in a statement on February 13.There were a further 16 suspected cases, involving symtoms such as fever, fatigue, diarrhea and vomiting.

Some 141 members of the UN General Assembly back resolution, a year after Russia invaded its neighbour.The United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) has voted overwhelmingly in favour of a resolution demanding Moscow withdraw its troops from Ukraine and end the fighting, a year after Russia launched its invasion.

Pope Francis blesses a guest on March 29, 2023 during the weekly general audience at St. Peter's square in The Vatican.Vincenzo Pinto/AFP via Getty Images ROME The Vatican says Pope Francis has been taken to a Rome hospital after complaining of breathing difficulties.Earlier the Vatican claimed the visit was for a previously scheduled check-up.

ROME Pope Francis went to a Rome hospital on Wednesday for planned medical tests, the Vatican said, raising concerns over the health of the pontiff, who is 86 and has a recent history of medical challenges.The Holy Father has since this afternoon been at the Gemelli for some previously planned tests, said the Vatican spokesman Matteo Bruni in a statement, referring to the Rome hospital that traditionally treats popes.

secured a place at the next Africa Cup of Nations finals with a 1-0 away win over on Monday that ensured a top-two finish in their qualifying group with two games to go.They will join neighbours Morocco, who qualified last Friday without kicking a ball, in the field of 24-team for the finals in the Ivory Coast next January.

Russia and Algeria have kicked off joint military maneuvers in a desert region in the northwest of Algeria.With the participation of some 80 soldiers from Russian special forces, the troops are simulating the detection and elimination of terrorist groups during the weeks-long exercises.It's the first time that soldiers from both countries have trained together on Algerian soil, and it's the third time this year that Russia and Algeria have held joint drills.

The former directors of a notorious Iranian prison where Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe was held have been put on a list of UK sanctions against human rights abusers.Survivors of incarceration of Evin jail  where Nazanin and other British-Iranian joint nationals have been wrongly imprisoned  have described how torture, electrocution and even rape are used on dissidents.

Britain has targeted individuals accused of human rights abuses, corruption and sexual violence in 30 sanctions across nearly a dozen countries.Foreign Secretary James Cleverly said the asset freeze and travel bans announced on Friday expose those behind the heinous violations.Ten officials connected to Iran's judicial and prisons systems, including those linked to handing protesters death penalties, were targeted.