In 2021, over 193 million people in 53 countries/territories faced acute food insecurity (IPC/CH Phase 3-5; see Chart 1), according to the Global Report on Food Crises (GRFC 2022). In comparison to the already record numbers of 2020, this is an almost 40 million increase. Over half a million people (570,000) in Ethiopia, southern Madagascar, South Sudan, and Yemen were identified as being in the most critical phase of acute food insecurity (IPC/CH Phase 5; see Chart 1) and required immediate assistance to avoid widespread livelihood collapse, famine, and death. The number of people encountering crisis or worse (IPC/CH Phase 3 or higher; see Chart 1) approximately doubled between 2016 and 2021 when looking at the same 39 countries/territories represented in all editions of the report, with persistent increases each year since 2017.
Read moreCategory: Middle East
News and Analyses of events in the Middle East
Bangladesh can gain from changing Middle East
Young men from Bangladesh travel to the Middle East in search of work. Over time, they transfer money to their family back home, and our nation benefits from these labor-intensive foreign exchange transactions. Over 10 million Bangladeshis, mostly in the Middle East, reside and work abroad. After the clothing industry, they constitute the country’s second-largest source of remittances from abroad.
Read moreIran-Israel shadow war a threat to Arab-Russia-China collaboration
The Iran-Israel standoff sends mixed message across a volatile Middle East, which is reeling from the Arab Spring fallout. US is facing stiff and formidable challenge from Russia. The balance between Iran, Israel, and Saudi Arabia is the most difficult test for Russia’s newfound role as a Middle East balancer.
Read moreHow much does a greater bond with Turkey benefit Bangladesh?
Turkey and Bangladesh share a lot in common in terms of historical relations, values and culture. Relations between Turkish and Bengali-speaking peoples have deep historical and cultural roots, reaching back to the late Ottoman Empire and decades before the establishment of Bangladesh’s People’s Republic. During the First World War and the Turkish War of Liberation,…
Read moreThe history and dreadful future of Israel and Palestine’s endless conflict
The never-ending Israel-Palestine conflict is the most burning geopolitical conflict topic, which now and then erupts like an active volcano. The latest outbreak lies in the coincidence of a Jewish celebration of the reunification of Jerusalem in the brief, brutal, decisive six-day war of 1967, the Islamic month of Ramadan and the eviction of some…
Read moreOil collapse and COVID-19 crisis: demand plummeting vis-a-vis future of oil politics
World’s future holds much uncertainty due to rapidly expanding COVID-19 outbreak all over the world. Its drastic impacts will be out of control as well as unimaginable in today’s context. The post COVID-19 period will be remembered as tragic event of the twenty first century with numerous looming challenges. Emergency in health care system, economic…
Read moreCrash! Oil price nosedives into negative territory for the first time in history amid Coronavirus pandemic
United States oil futures plunges below zero for first time in history in unprecedented wipeout on Monday with traders dumping May contracts as analysts warn that crude storage will fill to the brim by next month, and US shale firms weigh the real possibility of shutting down production. Oil producers are running out of room…
Read moreBitter lessons Corona keeps teaching us
Never before in the history of mankind, had a pandemic inflicted with such horrendous cost. A pandemic is also an epidemic that spreads over several countries and continents while affecting a large group of people. On that note – all pandemics are epidemics but not all epidemics turn into pandemics. On the spreading of novel…
Read moreA short analysis on the future of Assad Jr. and Syria
Syrian President Bashar Al Assad has pledged to recapture ‘every inch’ of Syrian territory and regaining control of major highways at Idlib which would ease Syria’s sanctions-hit economy. The point here, Mr. Assad’s forces depend heavily on the support from Russia and militias backed by Iran. Speaking on Russian news outlet Russia 24, Mr. Assad…
Read moreTurkey seems optimistic about the ceasefire deal with Russia on Idlib, Syria
In Moscow, Russian and Turkish leaders held a press conference after coming to an agreement to de-escalate the situation in Idlib. The decision have come after hours of negotiation between Russian President Vladimir Putin and Recep Tayyip Erdogan in Moscow. Both leaders agreed on a ceasefire in Idlib starting from 6 March 2020 midnight. According…
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