Live updates: Follow the latest on Israel-Gaza
A hunger crisis facing everyone in wartime Gaza tops a list of worsening food issues affecting 37 million people in the Middle East, a report has found.
Syrian refugees in Jordan, Egypt and Lebanon are also among the hardest hit by trends of poverty, instability and soaring food prices, the UN and EU-led Global Report on Food Crises says.
It found the entire population of Gaza was at "crisis" levels, with more than a quarter at the highest "catastrophe" stage – both unprecedented proportions.
Experts fear the north of Gaza could slip into famine at "any time", potentially affecting more than a million people, between now and July.
The report, which found more than 280 million people living in high food insecurity worldwide, was described by UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres as a "roll call of human failures".
"The conflicts erupting over the past 12 months compound a dire global situation," said Mr Guterres, who addressed a launch event at the Food and Agriculture Organisation's Sheikh Zayed Centre in Rome.
"Humanity can and must do better."
Cindy McCain, head of the UN's World Food Programme, said the goal of ending global hunger by 2030 was "slipping further out of our reach".
"Conflict has plunged millions more people into acute food security in Gaza and Sudan," she said. "Famine is a real, real possibility in the months ahead."
The report said more than 500,000 people in Gaza face an "extreme lack of food, starvation and exhaustion" as hostilities with Israel continue.
That puts them at the highest "catastrophe" level on a five-tier scale, which covers 26 per cent of Gaza's population.
A full 100 per cent are in either "catastrophe" or the next two stages of "emergency" and "crisis", all of which are considered high levels of food insecurity.
Israel has repeatedly been urged to allow more aid to reach Palestinians, while efforts to broker a ceasefire have yet to bear fruit.
The report said the risk of famine increases "each day" that there is intense fighting and a lack of humanitarian access to Gaza.
It said fighting in Gaza since October had only worsened what was already a picture of high unemployment and reliance on aid in Gaza due to a prewar Israeli blockade.
Israel denies obstructing aid supplies, saying Hamas is to blame for the dire humanitarian toll and accusing aid agencies of not doing enough.
Beyond Gaza, the report warned of rising instability, growing poverty, high unemployment, soaring food prices and widespread displacement fuelling hunger across the region.
Syrian refugees were the worst affected outside Gaza – with 69 per cent of those in Jordan living in the higher tiers of food insecurity, and 62 per cent of those in Egypt.
Many refugees are living in countries going through hard economic times and funding for the Syrian crisis is dwindling, experts warn.
In Syria itself, 55 per cent are living in high food insecurity, fuelled partly by economic strife spilling over from Lebanon, where the figure is 42 per cent.
Lebanon had by far the region's highest inflation in food prices, with a rate of more than 350 per cent, coupled with fuel shortages.
While Lebanon's forecast has improved slightly for 2024, this assumes that tensions at its southern border with Israel will not escalate into a broader conflict.
Meanwhile, Yemen remains the scene of the region's biggest food crisis, with 18 million people – about 60 per cent of the population – facing acute insecurity.
The Gaza conflict is also affecting food security in the occupied West Bank, the report said, due to an increased Israeli military presence, road closures and acts of violence.
The outlook for the year "depends on whether geopolitical tensions in the region escalate and on the dynamic of hostilities in Palestine", the report said.
It warned that if regional tensions continue to rise, shipping and insurance costs in the Red Sea could further reduce food imports and push up prices.
In total, about 36.7 million people in nine countries and territories in the Middle East are facing high levels of food insecurity.
In Gaza, the conflict "makes it difficult and sometimes impossible to reach affected people", WFP official Gian Caro Cirri said.
"We need to scale up massively our assistance ... but under the current conditions, I'm afraid the situation will further deteriorate."
MATCH INFO
BRIGHTON 0
MANCHESTER UNITED 3
McTominay 44'
Mata 73'
Pogba 80'
What's in the deal?
Agreement aims to boost trade by £25.5bn a year in the long run, compared with a total of £42.6bn in 2024
India will slash levies on medical devices, machinery, cosmetics, soft drinks and lamb.
India will also cut automotive tariffs to 10% under a quota from over 100% currently.
Indian employees in the UK will receive three years exemption from social security payments
India expects 99% of exports to benefit from zero duty, raising opportunities for textiles, marine products, footwear and jewellery
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Quarter-finals
Saturday (all times UAE)
England v Australia, 11.15am
New Zealand v Ireland, 2.15pm
Sunday
Wales v France, 11.15am
Japan v South Africa, 2.15pm
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MATCH INFO
Norwich City 1 (Cantwell 75') Manchester United 2 (Aghalo 51' 118') After extra time.
Man of the match Harry Maguire (Manchester United)
Defence review at a glance
• Increase defence spending to 2.5% of GDP by 2027 but given “turbulent times it may be necessary to go faster”
• Prioritise a shift towards working with AI and autonomous systems
• Invest in the resilience of military space systems.
• Number of active reserves should be increased by 20%
• More F-35 fighter jets required in the next decade
• New “hybrid Navy” with AUKUS submarines and autonomous vessels
Defending champions
World Series: South Africa
Women’s World Series: Australia
Gulf Men’s League: Dubai Exiles
Gulf Men’s Social: Mediclinic Barrelhouse Warriors
Gulf Vets: Jebel Ali Dragons Veterans
Gulf Women: Dubai Sports City Eagles
Gulf Under 19: British School Al Khubairat
Gulf Under 19 Girls: Dubai Exiles
UAE National Schools: Al Safa School
International Invitational: Speranza 22
International Vets: Joining Jack
Chelsea 2 Burnley 3
Chelsea Morata (69'), Luiz (88')
Burnley Vokes (24', 43'), Ward (39')
Red cards Cahill, Fabregas (Chelsea)
What is a Ponzi scheme?
A fraudulent investment operation where the scammer provides fake reports and generates returns for old investors through money paid by new investors, rather than through ligitimate business activities.
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Friday February 18: v Ireland
Saturday February 19: v Germany
Monday February 21: v Philippines
Tuesday February 22: semi-finals
Thursday February 24: final
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Started: April 2017
Founders: Mostafa Kandil, Ahmed Sabbah and Mahmoud Nouh
Based: Cairo, Egypt
Sector: transport
Size: 450 employees
Investment: approximately $80 million
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Family: She is the youngest of seven siblings
Time in the UAE: 10 years
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Heavily-sugared soft drinks slip through the tax net
Some popular drinks with high levels of sugar and caffeine have slipped through the fizz drink tax loophole, as they are not carbonated or classed as an energy drink.
Arizona Iced Tea with lemon is one of those beverages, with one 240 millilitre serving offering up 23 grams of sugar - about six teaspoons.
A 680ml can of Arizona Iced Tea costs just Dh6.
Most sports drinks sold in supermarkets were found to contain, on average, five teaspoons of sugar in a 500ml bottle.
Roger Federer's record at Wimbledon
Roger Federer's record at Wimbledon
1999 - 1st round
2000 - 1st round
2001 - Quarter-finalist
2002 - 1st round
2003 - Winner
2004 - Winner
2005 - Winner
2006 - Winner
2007 - Winner
2008 - Finalist
2009 - Winner
2010 - Quarter-finalist
2011 - Quarter-finalist
2012 - Winner
2013 - 2nd round
2014 - Finalist
2015 - Finalist
2016 - Semi-finalist
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German intelligence warnings
- 2002: "Hezbollah supporters feared becoming a target of security services because of the effects of [9/11] ... discussions on Hezbollah policy moved from mosques into smaller circles in private homes." Supporters in Germany: 800
- 2013: "Financial and logistical support from Germany for Hezbollah in Lebanon supports the armed struggle against Israel ... Hezbollah supporters in Germany hold back from actions that would gain publicity." Supporters in Germany: 950
- 2023: "It must be reckoned with that Hezbollah will continue to plan terrorist actions outside the Middle East against Israel or Israeli interests." Supporters in Germany: 1,250
Source: Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution
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