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In Libya's new interim government, voted in on 10 March, Khalifa Haftar and the Muslim Brotherhood are poorly represented, while prime minister Abdulhamid al-Dabaiba has managed to strengthen his position.

This marks a turning point in the Libyan political landscape. Torn apart since 2015 between the western camp, dominated by the Muslim Brotherhood, and the eastern camp, under Khalifa Haftars control, Libya is finally regaining a semblance of unity in the composition of its new government.

On 10 March in Sirte, Prime Minister Abdulhamid al-Dabaiba managed to win the vote of confidence held in the House of Representatives. This trial by fire was passed successfully before the 19 March deadline, of which only two government ministers voted against and 36 were absent.

Obtaining the approval of the elected representatives from the east was not easy, but the Prime Ministers plan worked. The composition of the government illustrates that it is the product of a broad coalition of interests. In this sense it very much represents a power sharing formula, says Tim Eaton, a researcher for the think-tank Chatham House. It also directly advocates a form of what is known as muhassasa, or quotas, i.e. Dabaibas government has sought to distribute positions among interest groups and locales.

Composed of two deputy prime ministers, 35 ministers and six ministers of state, this new government offers a balanced representation of the three Libyan regions: Tripolitania in the west, Cyrenaica in the east and Fezzan in the south. This is one of the keys to Abdulhamid al-Dabaibas success in convincing government ministers to validate his list, says Mohamed Eljarh, a Libyan affairs specialist and co-founder of Libya Outlook for Research and Consulting. But it also seems clear that Abdulhamid al-Dabaiba has managed to rally support from key players, including Aguila Saleh and Khalifa Haftar, he says.

Even though pro-Haftar deputies approved the government list, Haftar has nonetheless lost big time. The strong man of the east did not succeed in placing his men in strategic government positions. He fought hard behind the scenes to obtain the role of minister of defence, but this job remained in the end in Dabaibas hands. This decision allows the prime minister to avoid alienating one of the Libyan camps, as this position was also requested by the various Islamist factions.

However, according to Jalel Harchaoui, a senior fellow at the Global Initiative against Transnational Organised Crime, Dabaiba will probably leave the field open to Haftar. The absence of a Minister of Defence will allow Haftar to maintain his military supremacy in the East, even if it is increasingly challenged by internal actors in Cyrenaica, he says.

Haftar suffered another setback. His candidate for deputy prime minister, Saqr Bujwari, the mayor of Benghazi, lost at the last minute. Initially included in the government list drawn up by Dabaiba, Bujwari was dropped in favour of Hussein Al Qatrani, who is close to Aguila Saleh. Dabaiba granted this favour to the speaker of the House of Representatives in order to facilitate the validation of his government by Parliament.

Pillars of former prime minister Fayez al-Sarrajs government, the Muslim Brotherhood is less represented in this new formation. From 2011 to 2016, Dabaiba was mainly associated with the Misrata revolutionaries and the Muslim Brotherhood, says Harchaoui.

But this year, in order to come to power, he ignored his usual friends, focusing instead on seducing their enemies: the eastern factions, the Qaddafists, the Zintanis, the Fezzazna of the south, etc., he says. According to Harchaoui, Dabaiba has especially made efforts to reassure, please and seduce the anti-Muslim Brotherhood camp in eastern Libya and in a part of Tripolitania.

The Muslim Brotherhood also emerged divided after the prime ministers last election. A large part of them had voted for minister of the interior Fathi Bachagha, rather than for al-Dabaiba. However, the latter still has the support of the Islamist preacher Ali al-Sallabi, close to the Dabaiba family.

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The prime minister has thus undoubtedly been strengthened by this first test. Perceived as ingenious and calculating by connoisseurs of Libyan political circles, Dabaiba has formed a weak government composed of ineffective government ministers. As a result, he will have the upper hand when it comes to introducing his policies. His main objective, according to Harchaoui, will be to focus on reconstruction efforts in general, as this is his primary job. And Abdulhamid al-Dabaiba believes that it is the Lybian populations top priority.

However, there is a shadow over the prime ministers head. He has been accused of bribing several members of the Forum de Dialogue Politique Libyen (LPDF), in order to secure their votes on 5 February. The UN Panel of Experts is due to publish a report on this subject within the next few days, which may call into question al-Dababais legitimacy.

Beyond Libyas borders, Dabaibas political strategy has seduced foreign countries intervening in Libya. Egypt, Turkey and Russia are satisfied with Dabaiba, says Eljarh. He cultivated his relationship with Russia, which he had already visited several times. But he was especially quick to spare Egypt, which had supported Haftar. The prime minister made his first trip abroad to Cairo on 18 February, for a very symbolic visit.

This reconciliation does not prevent Dabaiba from guaranteeing Turkeys interests. An influential businessperson from Misrata, Dabaiba is very close to Ankara, an ally of the former Government of National Accord (GNA). According to Harchaoui, the Prime Minister will moreover ensure three things that Turkey considers sacrosanct: accepting the permanent nature of its military presence; signing many contracts; preserving the November 2019 maritime memorandum.

The government has just nine months before the presidential and legislative elections scheduled for December.Dabaibas priority will be to manage the withdrawal of foreign troops.

In Tripoli, the euphoria felt upon the formation of this reunified government is already being counterbalanced by the fear of a resurgence of militias. The latter had welcomed Dabaibas seizure of power against Bachagha, who had instigated a policy to dismantle the katibas.

Eaton sees a risk in the composition of this government, the power sharing simply serves to underpin greater expenditure by the state to placate warring parties and sustain a status quo. This makes the negotiation of the budget, and the conditions attached to any new budget over access to resources to actors like Haftar, critical. For now, the reunification of the Libyan government provides a window of opportunity to unify the country. The next major undertaking will be to unite the two rival central banks.

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Libya: Haftar and Muslim Brotherhood big losers of new government - The Africa Report

For the first time in Libya's recent history, five women will hold important ministries in the new government led by Abdelhamid al-Dabaiba, including the key foreign affairs and justice posts.

A UN-sponsored transitional government backed by parliament has emerged in Libya after several years of failed attempts. Composed of 33 ministers and two deputy prime ministers, led by Misrati businessman Abdulhamid al-Dabaiba, it will succeed the Government of National Accord (GNA) led by Fayez al-Sarraj and is expected to lead the country to elections in late December.

Among the ministers chosen 10 names have changed from the initial list proposed to the house of representatives following discussions in parliament five women will be part of the government, with three of them holding key posts.

They are:

At a session of the Libyan Political Dialogue in Geneva, Dabaiba promised a 30% quota for women in the government. In the end, they represent only 15% of the ministers, a record in the countrys recent history.

The new Prime Minister justified this shortfall by explaining that there were not enough female candidates for ministerial positions to meet his initial commitment. In his speech in the house of representatives, however, Dabaiba reaffirmed his support for women in politics.

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For the first time since Libyas independence in 1951, a woman will hold the post of foreign minister. Najla Mangouch will have the difficult task of guiding the foreign policy decisions of a country torn between the interests of international powers interested in Libyas fate, including Turkey, Russia, Egypt and the United Arab Emirates.

A law graduate from Benghazi University, although originally from Tripolitania, Mangouch is a professor of criminal law. This peacekeeper also trained in the United States, where she attended the Centre for Justice and Peacebuilding at Virginias private Eastern Mennonite University before continuing her studies with a PhD in conflict resolution at George Mason University in Virginia. During the 2011 revolution, she was a member of the National Transitional Council (NTC), responsible for coordinating Libyan cities opposed to Muammar Gaddafis regime.

According to the daily newspaper Al-Arabiya, Mangouch is a resident in Benghazi but has been living in Harrisonburg, Virginia, since 2012 and has worked in the field of executive training in several countries in the Arab world. Mangouch has also represented Libya at the United States Institute of Peace, an independent institute founded by the US Congress to resolve international conflicts.

Mangouch becomes one of the first women in the Arab world to hold this prestigious post, the fourth after two Mauritanians (Naha Bint Mouknass in 2009 and Vatma Vall Mint Soueina in 2015) and a Sudanese (Asma Mohamed Abdullah). Her name was a last-minute replacement for Lamia Bousadra, former undersecretary at the ministry of information under the government of Ali Zeidan (2012-2014), who appeared in the first version of the list of new Libyan ministers released on 6 March before the vote of confidence in parliament.

The post of justice minister goes to Halima Ibrahim Abderrahmane, a native of the town of Gharyan, about 100km from Tripoli. A law graduate, she has worked in the judiciary and in Libyan courts.

As for social affairs minister Wafaa Abou Bakr Muhammad Al-Kilani and womens affairs minister Houria Khalifa Miloud al-Turman, they remain largely unknown.

This is not the case for the new culture minister, Mabrouka Tuffi Othman Aoki, who is from southern Libya. From the Toubou community, she has a degree in economics and is very active in civil society.

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Libya: Who are the five influential women ministers in the new government? - The Africa Report

Outraged by the injustice faced by people with disabilities and vulnerable populations, we aspire to a world of solidarity and inclusion, enriched by our differences, where everyone can live in dignity

Humanity & Inclusion (HI) is an independent and impartial aid and development organisation with no religious or political affiliations operating in situations of poverty and exclusion, conflict and disaster. We work alongside people with disabilities and vulnerable people to help meet their essential needs, improve their living conditions and promote respect for their dignity and fundamental rights.

Since the organisation was first founded in 1982, we have set up development programmes in more than 60 countries and responded to many emergencies. Today we have a budget of around 150 million euros, with 3500 employees worldwide.

HI is engaged in an employment policy in favour of disabled workers.

For further information about the association: http://www.hi.org.

JOB CONTEXT :

HI is currently implementing several programmes in Tripoli, Misrata and Benghazi, supporting vulnerable persons and their families such as people with disabilities (including people living with mental health problems), people with chronic diseases, older persons, displaced persons and families, migrants and refugees. Activities include provision of comprehensive rehabilitation services including physical therapy and psychosocial support, provision of assistive & mobility devices as per needed; capacity building, technical support and donations of assistive devices and/or materials and equipment to health partners; training on inclusion principles to other humanitarian actors and health workers;

Since early 2019 HI is implementing a three-year project entitled Action for Mental Health Assistance in Libya (AMAL) as part of wider initiatives to improve the access and quality of health care services in Libya. Implemented in partnership with the Libyan Ministry of Health and a Tunisian NGO, the overall objective of the project is to allow the most vulnerable people in Libya from host communities, those internally displaced and returnees and migrants, suffering from mental health disorders/psychosocial disabilities to regain or to preserve good mental health by accessing quality interventions at community level, primary health care level, and secondary and tertiary level.

From July 2020, HI also started a one-year project in partnership with UNDP, which aims to enhance the development of a culture of peace, cooperation and responsibility - with a focus on youth (male and female) - through improved provision of MHPSS services at community level. This project will strongly rely on Libyan Civil Society Organisations.

HI is also involved in Humanitarian Mine Action (HMA) activities, HI supports the Libyan Mine Action Centre (LibMAC), UNMAS and other ministries in developing a victim assistance strategy and action plan. Given the recent events and increase in EO related accidents, HI also seeks to resume quickly EORE activities in greater Tripoli and has developed several proposals in this regard.

YOUR MISSION:

Under the responsibility of the Country Manager and in collaboration with the Operations Manager, the Explosive Ordnance Risk Education (EORE) Field Technical Specialist contributes within the country where he/she is based to the implementation of the mandate and the 10-year strategy of Humanity & Inclusion. He/she ensures optimal quality and impact of the projects implemented in the country, through a delegation system with appropriate control mechanisms.

He/she will be responsible for the following:

EXPERTISE

-You contribute to the Liya mission strategies and if relevant, the regional strategies, in line with the global strategies

-You ensure technical support to projects in line with the global technical frameworks and standards on EORE

-You ensure technical learning from projects

-You ensure the control & monitoring of the technical quality and the relevance of HIs activities in the programmes under EORE activities

-You ensure compliance of the technical proposition qith nexus stakes

-You contributes to the development of research and innovation projects at country and region level, when relevant in the EORE expertise

-You contribute to the technical divisions professional channel animation

INFLUENCE

-You contribute to the local external prestige and influence of HIs expertise in the field of EORE

BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT

-You ensure the development of major opportunities or new projects in the region in EORE

YOUR PROFILE :

You hold a bachelors degree or preferably Masters degree

You have at least 3 years of field experience in humanitarian mine action. You have 7 years of professional experience in low-to-middle-income countries. Previous experience in the Middle East (and in Libya) would be a strong plus

You have previous experience in design and implementation of community focused and community based EORE activities

You master training and coaching field teams on the job

You show high level of motivation and proactivity

You show ability to work in a tensed and volatile context with strict security measures

You are able to produce clear, concise and responsible communication suited to the interlocutor in English. Arabic language would be a strong asset

CHARACTERISTICS OF THE POSITION :

The post holder will be expected to spend at least 50% of their time in Libya including traveling between operational bases in Tripoli, Misrata and Benghazi, along with other international staff. This being said, the challenges to access the country remained challenging throughout the year 2019 and first half of 2020, particularly in relation to the security situation but also the administrative barriers to obtain visas and access authorizations. In addition, since March 2020, most humanitarian organisations have faced new challenges in terms of delivering services due to the COVID-19 pandemic and relating sanitary measures such as border closures and travel restrictions, and disruption of supply chain, lockdown, curfews, movements restrictions and social distancing - all being various measures taken by the Libyan authorities in place. The access to the country is thus likely to be very irregular in the coming months. As a result, the Libya mission is currently working on a semi-remote management mode and the senior country team is expected to adapt accordingly its management style, communication and support / control mechanisms.**

CONDITIONS:

At HI, the conditions offered are up to your commitment and adapted to the context of your mission. Particular attention is paid to health issues and your personal situation.We offer an induction and training path adapted to our staff members and we have a HR policy oriented toward mobility and professional development.

5 months International contract starting ASAP

The international contract provides social cover adapted to your situation:

o Unemployment insurance benefits for EU nationals

o Pension scheme adapted to the situation of our employees: If you already have a personal pension scheme HI will contribute at the same level of your personal monthly contribution with a maximum of 272.53/month ; If you do not have a personal pension scheme, we will open a private pension account with your contribution of 272.53/month and a contribution of HI of the same amount

o Medical coverage with 50% of employee contribution

o Repatriation insurance paid by HI

Salary from 2757 gross/month upon experience

Perdiem : 13,30 net/day in Tunisia - paid in the field

22,72 net/day in Libya - paid in the field

Hardship : 500 net/month paid with your salary when employee is actually present at least 16 calendar days per month in Libya.

Paid leaves : 25 days per year;

R&R : 1 day per month in Tunisia // 1 day for 8 days spent inside Libya

Position:

o unaccompanied

Payment for travel costs (air ticket & visa)

o open to couples

Support travel costs (air ticket & visa) for accompanying dependent and health/ repatriation insurance if the dependent has no income/

Housing : Collective or individual taken in charge by HI**

If you are resident in the country : local package

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Explosive Ordonance Risk Education Specialist - LIBYA - ReliefWeb

Libyan warlord Khalifa Haftar on Wednesday said in a letter addressed to the Ports and Maritime Transport Administration that his forces do not oppose the docking of Turkish-flagged commercial ships at the eastern Benghazi province's port, which his militias control.

"We have no objection to the entry to our ports of Turkish-flagged commercial ships that comply with the stated legal procedures and legislation," Libya Al-Hadath, a pro-Haftar television station, quoted him as saying in the letter.

Libya has been torn by civil war since the ouster of late ruler Moammar Gadhafi in 2011.

The war was exacerbated when Haftar, supported by several countries including the United Arab Emirates, Egypt, Russia and France carried out a military onslaught to topple the Tripoli-based internationally recognized government for control of the North African country.

In June 2019, Haftar issued an order targeting Turkish ships inside territorial waters, and considered Turkish companies and positions as legitimate targets.

A Turkish ship, transporting medicine to Libya's port of Misrata was detained in December last year by forces loyal to Haftar. It was released a few days later.

Ankara and Tripoli signed two memorandums of understanding, one on military cooperation and the other on maritime boundaries of countries in the Eastern Mediterranean.

On Oct. 23, 2020, a cease-fire was reached under the auspices of the United Nations, which Haftar's militia violates from time to time.

On Feb. 5, Libyan delegates elected Mohammad Menfi to head the three-member Presidential Council and Abdul Hamid Dbeibeh the new prime minister. The new executive authority will govern Libya in the lead-up to national elections on Dec. 24.

Last week, the Libyan parliament granted a vote of confidence to Dbeibah's government with 132 votes of the 133 lawmakers who attended the session.

Libyans hope it will end a decade of civil war.

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No objection to Turkish ships docking at Libya's Benghazi: Haftar | Daily Sabah - Daily Sabah

Our editors weekly take on humanitarian news, trends, and developments from around the globe.

Food and fuel prices are rising across Myanmar, posing a looming threat to food security as the violent fallout from the 1 February military coup continues, the UNs World Food Programme warns. Prices have spiked in northern Rakhine State in particular, including a 27 percent rise for cooking oil and a 33 percent jump for petrol. If these price trends continue, they will severely undermine the ability of the poorest and most vulnerable to put enough food on the family table, said Stephen Anderson, WFPs country director. The rising prices are also hitting communities hosting people displaced by the militarys conflict with theArakan Army, exacerbating tensions, an aid worker based in Rakhine told TNH.Prices of rice or cooking oil have jumped by 15 to 30 percent, the aid worker said, but day labour wages have flattened. High prices and blocked supply lines are also making it difficult to deliver aid in Myanmars other conflict zones. A widespread civil disobedience movement pushing back against the coup has paralysed the countrys banking system and affected the transportation sector, making it difficult or impossible to transfer money. Higher shipping prices, dwindling cash, and the dysfunctional financial sector could trigger panic buying in the coming weeks,WFP says. As of 18 March, more than 220 people have been killed and 2,200 arrested since the coup began, according to local rights monitors. Many were protesters shot and killed by security forces in what rights groups call an escalating bloodbath. Security forces have also occupied more than 60 schools and university campuses across the country, UN agencies and Save the Children said.

Libyas Government of National Accord (GNA) officially handed power over to a new interim government in Tripoli this week, the day after Prime Minister Abdulhamid Dbeibehs cabinet was sworn in by the House of Representatives in the eastern city of Tobruk. Getting to this point has been a long and complicated UN-led process with multi-track negotiations and consultations, and the new leadership faces multiple challenges, including holding elections and restoring much-needed government services. It also needs to unite a country that has been torn apart recently by ayear-long war and one that has largely been in chaos since the fall of Muammar Gaddafi, helped by NATOs decision (10 years ago today) to intervene.The new cabinet containsfive women, including the ministers of foreign affairs and justice. Together they make up 15 percent of the leadership, not the 30 percent delegates to the UN process had promised. But many Libyan women are taking this as at least a step in the right direction. Read this for more on Libyas past and long road towards real peace.

It has been another bloody week in West Africas Sahel. Fifty-eight people were killed by gunmen on motorbikes in Nigers extremist-hit Tillabriregion, while at least 33 soldiers were killed across the border in Mali in an area where jihadists are also active. But theres room for some positive news too. In Burkina Faso, which borders both Mali and Niger, secret talks between security officials and jihadists have resulted in a makeshift ceasefire in parts of the country. And grassroots peace initiatives involving local communities, ethnic militias, and jihadist groups are also taking root in central Mali, which has been hit hard by conflict in recent years. Analysts say dialogue with jihadists can help reduce civilian suffering. But the idea faces strong opposition from France, which has thousands of troops stationed in the region and appears to see military operations as the only option. With terrorists, we do not discuss, President Emmanuel Macron said in an interview last year. We fight."

Apprehensions of asylum seekers and migrants at the southern US border have been steadily increasing since last May a trend many experts predicted as the pandemic exacerbates push factors in Mexico and Central America, and as the United States starts to move away from Trump administration policies that left many in danger. But the numbers might not be exactly what they seem. The United States has been summarily expelling people under a public health order since last March a policy continued by the Biden administration despite opposition from human rights groups and more than a third of those apprehended are repeat crossers. So whats really new? At the beginning of February, the United States carved out an exception to the expulsion policy for unaccompanied children, leading to a spike in minors entering the country, and it is struggling to provide adequate housing for the children. For now, the main concern is for the health, safety, and human rights of children in US custody. But in the longer term, if the perception of a border crisis takes root, the political fallout could jeopardise Bidens plans to roll back more of Trumps migration legacy and lead to growing humanitarian needs in shelters and cities in northern Mexico.

Ninety percent of EU citizens think it's "important" the union funds humanitarian aid, up slightly from 88 percent in 2016. The least supportive nation is Austria, and the most enthusiastic is Portugal. The numbers come from a survey of some 27,000 EU citizens released this week. The Irish are the most proud of the EU's humanitarian aid, which amounts to about three or four euros per EU taxpayer per year. About half of EU citizens surveyed said spending should stay the same, but 18 percent of Finns said the budget should be cut, and 60 percent of Romanians think it should go up. Three quarters like the aid spending to be coordinated by the bloc, while 22 percent say it's better spent by individual countries. The survey was released to coincide with a new EU humanitarian strategy and, if you havent read it already, our interview with EC humanitarian chief Janez Lenari about that triggered some strong reactions. One potentially interesting side note from the polling: TV is becoming less important as a source of news, dropping five percent since the last survey in 2016.

Presidential polls are set to open this weekend in Congo-Brazzaville, five years after a post-election conflict displaced tens of thousands of people. Wounds remain raw in the southern Pool region, where a previously dormant militia known as the Ninjas contested the 2016 re-election of long-time ruler Denis Sassou Nguesso. TNH was the first international media organisation granted access to Pool in late 2017 to document the toll of the conflict. Though authorities claim to have conducted a targeted offensive against the Ninjas, our correspondent found evidence of scorched-earth tactics. A ceasefire agreement was signed in December 2017, but Ninjas have criticised the government for failing to help them reintegrate into civilian life. While analysts say theres a small risk of violence ahead of the coming polls, only one outcome seems certain: another victory for Sassou Nguesso. After 36 years in power, he has been dubbed The Emperor by some of his fellow African leaders.

BRAZIL: As daily deaths from COVID-19 hit a new record here this week, a leading Brazilian health institute said hospitals and medical services were facing their biggest collapse in history. Indigenous people have been among the worst hit, with mortality rates more than double the national average. One of the latest victims was Aruka Juma, the last surviving member of the Juma tribe in Rondnia, where he likely caught the disease from loggers. For more on global coronavirus news and trends, check out our regularly updated feature.

DATA BREACH: The email addresses and other personal data of 1.8 million Oxfam Australia supporters were hacked and put online, Bleeping Computer first reported in February. The database included some payment history and bank account details. Earlier this month, Oxfam warned supporters to watch out for scams and phishing attempts, saying it regretted the incident.

GREECE: A juvenile court on the island of Lesvos found two 18-year-old Afghans guilty of starting the fire that burned down the Moria refugee camp last September, sentencing them to five years in prison. Greece has also charged the father of a six-year-old Afghan boy who drowned crossing the Aegean from Turkey last year with child endangerment. If convicted, the father faces up to 10 years in prison.

HAITI: Haitian police officers stormed several police stations, freeing jailed colleagues accused of plotting a coup against President Jovenel Mose. The country has been gripped by escalating gang violence, kidnapping, and political unrest, which has had a knock-on effect to pandemic lockdown restrictions. UNICEF says immunisations have dropped by up to 40 percent, and some Haitians say theyre hesitant to get a jab against the coronavirus because they dont trust Moses leadership.

HEALTHCARE: Disruptions to health services from COVID-19 may have caused 239,000 additional child and maternal deaths in South Asia during 2020, according to a new UN study. The research estimated the impacts of service cuts or falling health access, such as sharp drops in childhood immunisations or the number of children treated for severe malnutrition.

PALESTINE: The first shipment of COVAX-provided COVID-19 vaccines bound for the West Bank and Gaza arrived this week, with more expected in several months. Israel, which is the global leader in vaccinations per capita, has come in for harsh criticism for not vaccinating most Palestinians living in the territories it occupies. In the last few weeks, it began inoculating Palestinians who work in Israel.

PAPUA NEW GUINEA: The Pacific nation is imposing lockdowns as surging coronavirus cases threaten to overwhelm a meagre health system, while vaccine imports are still weeks away. On 17 March, Australia announced it would donate 8,000 doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine to target frontline health workers. Hospitals are reporting high infection rates among health workers and pregnant women.

YEMEN: An official from Yemens Houthi rebels has expressed deep regret over a 7 March fire in a Sanaa migration detention centre that killed at least 44 people. Houthi Deputy Foreign Minister Hussein al-Azi reportedly said the blaze was an accident; detainees told Human Rights Watch that Houthi forces launched unidentified projectiles to put down protests in the centre, starting the deadly fire.

The Syrian war has now entered its eleventh year. Over the past 10 years, fear and violence have forced at least 13 million Syrians to flee their homes, a number that is split almost evenly between refugees and those displaced inside the country. Only about 201,000 Syrian refugees have been given new starts through the UNs resettlement programme, although some have received residency in countries like Germany. But the vast majority of the 6.6 million registered Syrian refugees remain in limbo, with limited freedom of movement and restricted rights to work. Our weekend read is a timeline that walks you through the past decade of war and flight, year by year. Using interactive maps, photos, and archival TNH coverage, it shows how many people have been forced into exile and where theyve gone. But it goes beyond the numbers, looking at individual Syrians stories. Scrolling through from 2011 to 2021, a fuller picture of the long and brutal war and of the heavy toll it has taken on so many people emerges. These days, as global interest in Syria wanes, and the pandemic shutters many of the remaining open doors, refugees are facing growing pressure to return home. But the war is not fully over and Syrias economy has collapsed. For many, going back is not a viable option.

Dorian and Laura are retiring from hurricane duty, along with the entire Greek alphabet. Tropical cyclones in the Atlantic will no longer be named Dorian, Laura, Eta, or Iota: The official hurricane committee of the UNs World Meteorological Organization is retiring these monikers because of the death and destruction the 2019 and 2020 storms caused. They join a list of 93 names retired since 1953. The committee also announced itll stop naming storms using the Greek alphabet, saying they cause confusion when translated into other languages, and that theres too much focus on the rarity of the names rather than the impacts. Until now, Atlantic hurricanes were named after Greek letters only when the rotating list of 21 names was exhausted as was the case during last years record-breaking hurricane season, which produced 30 named storms. Scientists say climate change is making tropical cyclones more volatile and destructive. This years Atlantic hurricane season officially begins 1 June. The first name up: Ana.

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Myanmar's food prices, Libya's women cabinet ministers, and peace moves in the Sahel: The Cheat Sheet - The New Humanitarian