Global news

Almost 1,700 civilians were killed by conflict in Afghanistan in the first half of 2018 – the highest number for this period in any of the past 10 years – according to new UN data released yesterday.

The quarterly civilian casualty figures from the UN Assistance Mission to Afghanistan (UNAMA) also revealed that for the third year in a row, more than 5,000 civilians were killed or injured between January and June. Among these, 363 children were killed and 992 were injured, a 15 percent reduction from the same period last year.

Amman, July 13 – Save the Children is calling for a ceasefire and urgent humanitarian access to children displaced by fighting in Dera’a in southwestern Syria. Tens of thousands of civilians have been displaced to Quneitra on the border with the Occupied Golan Heights and parts of Western Dera’a under the blazing summer heat.

Today, EU member states have published their position on the 2019 EU budget. While they propose a spending increase of 10 percent for the EU’s external policies compared to this year’s budget, governments are focusing on the wrong issues, Oxfam, Save the Children, DSW and IPPF EN say. The organizations argue a strong focus on human development is needed to counter increasing inequalities and make sure no one is left behind.

The alliance of five organisations working on development and humanitarian aid said:

Residents in Eastern China, Taiwan and Japan’s Ryukyu islands are bracing for the arrival of Typhoon Maria, which is expected to drop up to 200mm of rain in some parts and bring destructive winds up to 176km/h.

After forming in the Pacific Ocean near Guam, the storm has already reached category five ‘super’ typhoon status twice, and is predicted to hit China’s central coast as a category two typhoon on Wednesday.

Save the Children Japan has deployed its emergency response team to assess the needs of children in the Mabi district of Kurashiki city, Okayama prefecture, after record rainfall left more than 4,600 houses there flooded.

More than 100 people have died and over 80 people are still missing after heavy rains caused landslides, as well as flooding, in western Japan.