http://www.irinnews.org/irin-fp.aspxUpdated everydayen-gbTue, 07 Feb 2012 15:30:45 GMTMon, 06 Feb 2012 00:00:00 GMT]]>DAKAR 06 February 2012 (IRIN) - This year donors are stepping up more quickly to meet Sahel’s humanitarian needs compared to 2010, when they were slow to respond. However, they are still at fault for taking a quick-fix approach rather than addressing long-term disaster prevention and resilience needs, say aid groups.Mon, 06 Feb 2012 00:00:00 GMThttp://www.irinnews.org/report.aspx?ReportId=94799DAKAR 06 February 2012 (IRIN) - This year donors are stepping up more quickly to meet Sahel’s humanitarian needs compared to 2010, when they were slow to respond. However, they are still at fault for taking a quick-fix approach rather than addressing long-term disaster prevention and resilience needs, say aid groups.]]>Mon, 06 Feb 2012 00:00:00 GMT]]>BAMAKO/DAKAR 06 February 2012 (IRIN) - Some 12,000 Malians have fled fighting in the towns of Ménaka and Anderamboucane in northern Mali and reached already food-insecure villages around Tillabéri in western Niger, according to the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) in Niger’s capital, Niamey.Mon, 06 Feb 2012 00:00:00 GMThttp://www.irinnews.org/report.aspx?ReportId=94803BAMAKO/DAKAR 06 February 2012 (IRIN) - Some 12,000 Malians have fled fighting in the towns of Ménaka and Anderamboucane in northern Mali and reached already food-insecure villages around Tillabéri in western Niger, according to the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) in Niger’s capital, Niamey.]]>Mon, 30 Jan 2012 00:00:00 GMT]]>JOHANNESBURG 30 January 2012 (IRIN) - About 40 people have died and more than 100,000 are affected by twin storms that struck Mozambique 18-26 January, according to the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA).Mon, 30 Jan 2012 00:00:00 GMThttp://www.irinnews.org/report.aspx?ReportId=94759JOHANNESBURG 30 January 2012 (IRIN) - About 40 people have died and more than 100,000 are affected by twin storms that struck Mozambique 18-26 January, according to the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA).]]>Mon, 30 Jan 2012 00:00:00 GMT]]>HARARE 30 January 2012 (IRIN) - Over the past few weeks some 900 residents of the Zimbabwean capital Harare have been diagnosed with typhoid, and about 60 have been admitted to hospital, say health authorities.Mon, 30 Jan 2012 00:00:00 GMThttp://www.irinnews.org/report.aspx?ReportId=94758HARARE 30 January 2012 (IRIN) - Over the past few weeks some 900 residents of the Zimbabwean capital Harare have been diagnosed with typhoid, and about 60 have been admitted to hospital, say health authorities.]]>Thu, 26 Jan 2012 00:00:00 GMT]]>BUNDIMASOLI 26 January 2012 (IRIN) - The marginalized western Ugandan Basua community is fighting extinction; forcibly removed from their forest home two decades ago, they have struggled to cope with modern life and have been ravaged by health crises, including HIV.Thu, 26 Jan 2012 00:00:00 GMThttp://www.irinnews.org/report.aspx?ReportId=94732BUNDIMASOLI 26 January 2012 (IRIN) - The marginalized western Ugandan Basua community is fighting extinction; forcibly removed from their forest home two decades ago, they have struggled to cope with modern life and have been ravaged by health crises, including HIV.]]>Wed, 25 Jan 2012 00:00:00 GMT]]>JOHANNESBURG 25 January 2012 (IRIN) - Two tropical storms in quick succession in Mozambique in recent days have left at least 25 dead, tens of thousands affected by flooding, and communications infrastructure damaged.Wed, 25 Jan 2012 00:00:00 GMThttp://www.irinnews.org/report.aspx?ReportId=94722JOHANNESBURG 25 January 2012 (IRIN) - Two tropical storms in quick succession in Mozambique in recent days have left at least 25 dead, tens of thousands affected by flooding, and communications infrastructure damaged.]]>Wed, 25 Jan 2012 00:00:00 GMT]]>JOHANNESBURG 25 January 2012 (IRIN) - In the past five years, “resilience” (the ability to absorb shocks and recover) has become quite a buzzword in the aid community. Discussions on adapting to a changing climate are increasingly peppered with the “need to build resilience” of people, infrastructure and governments in the face of shocks such as soaring temperatures, rising sea levels, severe storms and flooding.Wed, 25 Jan 2012 00:00:00 GMThttp://www.irinnews.org/report.aspx?ReportId=94714JOHANNESBURG 25 January 2012 (IRIN) - In the past five years, “resilience” (the ability to absorb shocks and recover) has become quite a buzzword in the aid community. Discussions on adapting to a changing climate are increasingly peppered with the “need to build resilience” of people, infrastructure and governments in the face of shocks such as soaring temperatures, rising sea levels, severe storms and flooding.]]>Tue, 24 Jan 2012 00:00:00 GMT]]>JOHANNESBURG 24 January 2012 (IRIN) - Agriculture has been seen either as a cause or victim of global warming at the UN climate change talks over the past few years - something that has thwarted efforts to attract the investment it needs, say scientists.Tue, 24 Jan 2012 00:00:00 GMThttp://www.irinnews.org/report.aspx?ReportId=94711JOHANNESBURG 24 January 2012 (IRIN) - Agriculture has been seen either as a cause or victim of global warming at the UN climate change talks over the past few years - something that has thwarted efforts to attract the investment it needs, say scientists.]]>Thu, 19 Jan 2012 00:00:00 GMT]]>ABIDJAN 19 January 2012 (IRIN) - A severe shortage of clean drinking water in parts of Côte d’Ivoire is reaching critical levels and threatening public health, say residents and officials.Thu, 19 Jan 2012 00:00:00 GMThttp://www.irinnews.org/report.aspx?ReportId=94674ABIDJAN 19 January 2012 (IRIN) - A severe shortage of clean drinking water in parts of Côte d’Ivoire is reaching critical levels and threatening public health, say residents and officials.]]>Wed, 18 Jan 2012 00:00:00 GMT]]>MBABANE 18 January 2012 (IRIN) - Recently hundreds of dead fish floated to the surface of a stream which was the only water source for a rural community in Swaziland's drought-prone eastern region. A local sugar processing plant admitted to accidentally discharging toxic effluent into the stream, and brought in water tanks to supply the community until clean-up operations could be completed.Wed, 18 Jan 2012 00:00:00 GMThttp://www.irinnews.org/report.aspx?ReportId=94660MBABANE 18 January 2012 (IRIN) - Recently hundreds of dead fish floated to the surface of a stream which was the only water source for a rural community in Swaziland's drought-prone eastern region. A local sugar processing plant admitted to accidentally discharging toxic effluent into the stream, and brought in water tanks to supply the community until clean-up operations could be completed.]]>Thu, 05 Jan 2012 00:00:00 GMT]]>CAGAYAN DE ORO 05 January 2012 (IRIN) - Hospitals in Northern Mindanao are preparing for more cases of Leptospirosis, a bacterial disease spread by rodents, following tropical storm Washi.Thu, 05 Jan 2012 00:00:00 GMThttp://www.irinnews.org/report.aspx?ReportId=94590CAGAYAN DE ORO 05 January 2012 (IRIN) - Hospitals in Northern Mindanao are preparing for more cases of Leptospirosis, a bacterial disease spread by rodents, following tropical storm Washi.]]>Tue, 03 Jan 2012 00:00:00 GMT]]>MHONDORO 03 January 2012 (IRIN) - Barbra Phiri, 20, a single mother living on a farm settlement in rural Mhondoro, about 45km southwest of the Zimbabwean capital Harare, does not think twice about letting her two-year-old twins splash about in a pool of greenish water close to her hut.Tue, 03 Jan 2012 00:00:00 GMThttp://www.irinnews.org/report.aspx?ReportId=94575MHONDORO 03 January 2012 (IRIN) - Barbra Phiri, 20, a single mother living on a farm settlement in rural Mhondoro, about 45km southwest of the Zimbabwean capital Harare, does not think twice about letting her two-year-old twins splash about in a pool of greenish water close to her hut.]]>Thu, 29 Dec 2011 00:00:00 GMT]]>JOHANNESBURG 29 December 2011 (IRIN) - In 2011 the global economic crisis combined with poor governance, financial mismanagement and unpredictable rainfall to push several southern African countries to the point of crisis. Others responded to rising unemployment and increased pressure on national budgets by hardening their attitude towards immigrants and closing their borders to asylum-seekers. IRIN covered developments from all over the region, but the following stories consistently grabbed headlines:Thu, 29 Dec 2011 00:00:00 GMThttp://www.irinnews.org/report.aspx?ReportId=94564JOHANNESBURG 29 December 2011 (IRIN) - In 2011 the global economic crisis combined with poor governance, financial mismanagement and unpredictable rainfall to push several southern African countries to the point of crisis. Others responded to rising unemployment and increased pressure on national budgets by hardening their attitude towards immigrants and closing their borders to asylum-seekers. IRIN covered developments from all over the region, but the following stories consistently grabbed headlines:]]>Thu, 29 Dec 2011 00:00:00 GMT]]>NAIROBI 29 December 2011 (IRIN) - Computers and mobile phones are already essential to humanitarian planning, and 2011 saw the growth of technology-based humanitarian interventions, from the use of GPS (global positioning systems) to provide early weather warnings to real-time health reporting.Thu, 29 Dec 2011 00:00:00 GMThttp://www.irinnews.org/report.aspx?ReportId=94565NAIROBI 29 December 2011 (IRIN) - Computers and mobile phones are already essential to humanitarian planning, and 2011 saw the growth of technology-based humanitarian interventions, from the use of GPS (global positioning systems) to provide early weather warnings to real-time health reporting.]]>Wed, 28 Dec 2011 00:00:00 GMT]]>HANOI 28 December 2011 (IRIN) - Rising sea levels and saltwater intrusion in Vietnam’s fertile Mekong Delta are forcing farmers and development agencies to rethink how livelihoods can be maintained, using methods such as agricultural genetics, changing crop varieties and simple farming fixes.Wed, 28 Dec 2011 00:00:00 GMThttp://www.irinnews.org/report.aspx?ReportId=94552HANOI 28 December 2011 (IRIN) - Rising sea levels and saltwater intrusion in Vietnam’s fertile Mekong Delta are forcing farmers and development agencies to rethink how livelihoods can be maintained, using methods such as agricultural genetics, changing crop varieties and simple farming fixes.]]>Fri, 23 Dec 2011 00:00:00 GMT]]>DAKAR 23 December 2011 (IRIN) - While severely high food prices and lower-than-average cereal outputs are already forcing some vulnerable Sahelians into distress responses, the US Agency for International Development (USAID) food security website FEWSNET says messaging on the situation needs to be more nuanced.Fri, 23 Dec 2011 00:00:00 GMThttp://www.irinnews.org/report.aspx?ReportId=94531DAKAR 23 December 2011 (IRIN) - While severely high food prices and lower-than-average cereal outputs are already forcing some vulnerable Sahelians into distress responses, the US Agency for International Development (USAID) food security website FEWSNET says messaging on the situation needs to be more nuanced.]]>Thu, 22 Dec 2011 00:00:00 GMT]]>MANILA 22 December 2011 (IRIN) - Survivors of Tropical Storm Washi in Mindanao are in desperate need of water and sanitation facilities, say aid workers and officials.Thu, 22 Dec 2011 00:00:00 GMThttp://www.irinnews.org/report.aspx?ReportId=94524MANILA 22 December 2011 (IRIN) - Survivors of Tropical Storm Washi in Mindanao are in desperate need of water and sanitation facilities, say aid workers and officials.]]>Wed, 21 Dec 2011 00:00:00 GMT]]>GOROKA 21 December 2011 (IRIN) - Unchecked population growth is fast proving an additional source of conflict in Papua New Guinea (PNG), a country with a history of clan violence and clashes over land, experts say.Wed, 21 Dec 2011 00:00:00 GMThttp://www.irinnews.org/report.aspx?ReportId=94512GOROKA 21 December 2011 (IRIN) - Unchecked population growth is fast proving an additional source of conflict in Papua New Guinea (PNG), a country with a history of clan violence and clashes over land, experts say.]]>Fri, 16 Dec 2011 00:00:00 GMT]]>JOHANNESBURG 16 December 2011 (IRIN) - In the popular 1960s science fiction TV series Star Trek, set in the 23rd century, a handheld medical “tricorder” scans a person’s internal body organs for the presence of any infections, providing an instant diagnosis.Fri, 16 Dec 2011 00:00:00 GMThttp://www.irinnews.org/report.aspx?ReportId=94483JOHANNESBURG 16 December 2011 (IRIN) - In the popular 1960s science fiction TV series Star Trek, set in the 23rd century, a handheld medical “tricorder” scans a person’s internal body organs for the presence of any infections, providing an instant diagnosis.]]>Tue, 13 Dec 2011 00:00:00 GMT]]>DURBAN 13 December 2011 (IRIN) - The UN talks in Durban, South Africa, got adaptation and the response to climate change “approximately right”, which is better than “being precisely wrong”, a tired Naderev Sano, Philippines’ chief climate change negotiator, said as he emerged from two consecutive emotionally charged all-night sessions.Tue, 13 Dec 2011 00:00:00 GMThttp://www.irinnews.org/report.aspx?ReportId=94464DURBAN 13 December 2011 (IRIN) - The UN talks in Durban, South Africa, got adaptation and the response to climate change “approximately right”, which is better than “being precisely wrong”, a tired Naderev Sano, Philippines’ chief climate change negotiator, said as he emerged from two consecutive emotionally charged all-night sessions.]]>Tue, 13 Dec 2011 00:00:00 GMT]]>DHAKA 13 December 2011 (IRIN) - Experts warn rapid depletion of Bangladesh’s underground water table could jeopardize food and water security for millions throughout the country and also endanger the biodiversity of one of the world’s largest mangrove forests within the next two decades.Tue, 13 Dec 2011 00:00:00 GMThttp://www.irinnews.org/report.aspx?ReportId=94454DHAKA 13 December 2011 (IRIN) - Experts warn rapid depletion of Bangladesh’s underground water table could jeopardize food and water security for millions throughout the country and also endanger the biodiversity of one of the world’s largest mangrove forests within the next two decades.]]>Mon, 12 Dec 2011 00:00:00 GMT]]>HARARE 12 December 2011 (IRIN) - Waterborne diseases, such as typhoid, dysentery and watery diarrhoea - all approaching epidemic levels - are creating concerns that conditions exist for a reprise of the 2008/09 cholera epidemic, which killed more than 4,000 people and infected nearly 100,000 others.Mon, 12 Dec 2011 00:00:00 GMThttp://www.irinnews.org/report.aspx?ReportId=94452HARARE 12 December 2011 (IRIN) - Waterborne diseases, such as typhoid, dysentery and watery diarrhoea - all approaching epidemic levels - are creating concerns that conditions exist for a reprise of the 2008/09 cholera epidemic, which killed more than 4,000 people and infected nearly 100,000 others.]]>Mon, 12 Dec 2011 00:00:00 GMT]]>CONAKRY 12 December 2011 (IRIN) - With just two cholera cases reported in 2011 Guinea escaped a West and Central Africa-wide cholera epidemic that infected 85,000 people and killed 2,500 in the first ten months of 2011. Luck, as well as targeted prevention efforts on the part of aid agencies and the government, brought this about, specialists told IRIN, but a far deeper overhaul of the water and sanitation system is needed country-wide to diminish the likelihood of such disease outbreaks in the long term.Mon, 12 Dec 2011 00:00:00 GMThttp://www.irinnews.org/report.aspx?ReportId=94449CONAKRY 12 December 2011 (IRIN) - With just two cholera cases reported in 2011 Guinea escaped a West and Central Africa-wide cholera epidemic that infected 85,000 people and killed 2,500 in the first ten months of 2011. Luck, as well as targeted prevention efforts on the part of aid agencies and the government, brought this about, specialists told IRIN, but a far deeper overhaul of the water and sanitation system is needed country-wide to diminish the likelihood of such disease outbreaks in the long term.]]>Wed, 07 Dec 2011 00:00:00 GMT]]>TAIZ 07 December 2011 (IRIN) - Yemen's southern city of Taiz – scene of mass protests demanding the resignation of President Ali Abdullah Saleh - is facing an increasingly serious humanitarian situation, with dozens killed and injured, and limited access to water, health and education after several days of fierce fighting.Wed, 07 Dec 2011 00:00:00 GMThttp://www.irinnews.org/report.aspx?ReportId=94419TAIZ 07 December 2011 (IRIN) - Yemen's southern city of Taiz – scene of mass protests demanding the resignation of President Ali Abdullah Saleh - is facing an increasingly serious humanitarian situation, with dozens killed and injured, and limited access to water, health and education after several days of fierce fighting.]]>Tue, 06 Dec 2011 00:00:00 GMT]]>NAIROBI 06 December 2011 (IRIN) - Heavy rains in Kenya have washed away bridges and rendered many roads impassable, complicating efforts to reach thousands of people made homeless by the flooding, an official of the Kenya Red Cross Society (KRCS) told IRIN.Tue, 06 Dec 2011 00:00:00 GMThttp://www.irinnews.org/report.aspx?ReportId=94402NAIROBI 06 December 2011 (IRIN) - Heavy rains in Kenya have washed away bridges and rendered many roads impassable, complicating efforts to reach thousands of people made homeless by the flooding, an official of the Kenya Red Cross Society (KRCS) told IRIN.]]>