Almost a third of people in Gaza not eating for days, UN food programme warns BBC NEWS By Maia Davies Published 25 July 2025,
International concern has risen this week with warnings that starvation has gripped Gaza
Almost one in three people in Gaza are going days without eating, the UN’s food aid programme has warned.
“Malnutrition is surging with 90,000 women and children in urgent need of treatment,” the World Food Programme (WFP) said in a statement.
Warnings of starvation in Gaza have intensified this week. Nine more people died of malnutrition on Friday, according to the territory’s Hamas-run health ministry – bringing the total such deaths since the war began to 122.
Israel, which controls the entry of all supplies into Gaza, says there is no restriction on aid getting into the territory and blames Hamas for any malnutrition.
An Israeli security official said on Friday that airdrops of aid into Gaza could be allowed in the coming days – something aid agencies have previously cautioned is an inefficient way to get supplies into Gaza.
While local media reported the United Arab Emirates and Jordan would carry out the latest drops, a senior Jordanian official told the BBC that its military was yet to receive permission from Israel to do so.
The UN has described the move as a “distraction to inaction” by the Israeli government.
The move came amid mounting international concern about humanitarian conditions in Gaza.
On Friday, Germany, France and the UK called on Israel to “immediately lift restrictions on the flow of aid” into the territory.
In a joint statement, they called for an immediate end to the “humanitarian catastrophe that we are witnessing in Gaza,” and to the war itself, adding that Israel must “uphold its obligations under international humanitarian law”.
“Withholding essential humanitarian assistance to the civilian population is unacceptable,” read the statement.
The UN Secretary-General António Guterres said he could not “explain the level of indifference and inaction we see by too many in the international community – the lack of compassion, the lack of truth, the lack of humanity”.
Addressing the Amnesty International global assembly, he said more than 1,000 Palestinians had been killed while trying to access food since 27 May – when the US and Israeli-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF) began distributing supplies as an alternative to the UN-led system.
01:04 Contains upsetting scenes. Media caption, ‘I’m so tired’: Mother of starving Gazan baby speaks to BBC
A US security contractor who worked for the GHF in May and June 2025 told the BBC on Friday that he had “without question… witnessed war crimes” during that time.
Anthony Aguilar said he saw the IDF and US contractors using live ammunition, artillery, mortar rounds, and tank fire on civilians at food distribution sites.
The retired soldier said: “In my entire career, I have never witnessed the level of brutality and use of indiscriminate and unnecessary force against a civilian population until I was in Gaza at the hands of the IDF and US contractors.”
In its response, the GHF said the claims – which came from “a disgruntled former contractor who was terminated for misconduct a month ago” – were “categorically false”.
Trump says Hamas ‘didn’t want deal’ as US and Israel leave Gaza talks
He went to get aid and didn’t come back – stories of people killed in Gaza
French pledge to recognise Palestine is a gamble – so will Starmer follow suit?
Meanwhile, the future of talks to secure a new ceasefire and hostage-release deal remains uncertain, after the US and Israel withdrew their negotiating teams from Qatar.
US President Donald Trump said Hamas “didn’t really want to make a deal”.
“I think they want to die,” he said.
Hamas has expressed surprise about the US remarks.
A senior Hamas official also told the BBC’s Gaza correspondent that mediators had informed the group negotiations had not collapsed, and said the Israeli delegation was expected to return to Doha next week.
Israel launched a war in Gaza in response to the Hamas-led attack on southern Israel on 7 October 2023, in which about 1,200 people were killed and 251 others were taken hostage.
More than 59,000 people have been killed in Gaza since then, according to the Hamas-run health ministry.
Israel imposed a total blockade of aid deliveries at the start of March and resumed its military offensive against Hamas two weeks later, collapsing a two-month ceasefire. It said it wanted to put pressure on the group to release its remaining Israeli hostages.
Although the blockade was partially eased after almost two months amid warnings of a looming famine from global experts, the shortages of food, medicine and fuel have worsened.
Most of Gaza’s population has been displaced multiple times and more than 90% of homes are estimated to be damaged or destroyed.
On Thursday, France announced it would official recognise a Palestinian state in September – a move which angered Israel and its main ally, the US.
A day later, more than a third of UK MPs signed a letter to Prime Minister Keir Starmer calling for the UK to follow suit.
But Sir Keir indicated such a move would not be imminent – it would have to be part of a “wider plan which ultimately results in a two-state solution” – a Palestinian state alongside Israel. (BBC NEWS)
Cricket World Cup: England on verge of early exit after eight-wicket thumping by Sri Lanka in Bangalore
SKY NEWS UK
By Ali Stafford
Thursday 26 October 2023 15:27, UK
England have now lost four of their opening five matches in India and need several scenarios to go in their favour to keep their slim semi-final qualification hopes alive; watch England vs India on Sunday live on Sky Sports Cricket (8.30am start)
Ben Stokes and Jos Buttler show their dejection during England’s defeat by Sri Lanka
Defending champions England are all but mathematically out of the Cricket World Cup as Sri Lanka cruised to an emphatic eight-wicket victory in Bangalore.
Jonny Bairstow (30) and Dawid Malan (28) put on a 45-run opening stand after England won the toss and elected to bat, only for a flurry of wickets to see Jos Buttler’s side dismissed for just 156 inside 33.2 overs in Bangalore.
Ben Stokes top-scored with 43 in an innings where six players failed to reach double figures, as Lahiru Kumara (3-35), the returning Angelo Mathews (2-14) and Kasun Rajitha (2-36) helped bowl out England for their lowest total of an already disappointing tournament.
England’s heavy defeat to Sri Lanka – as it happened
Scorecard | World Cup table | Results/fixtures
Stream the Cricket World Cup and more top sport with NOW
Play Video – Wood out as England set Sri Lanka a chase of just 157!
Mark Wood is stumped for five England’s final wicket to set Sri Lanka a chase of just 157
David Willey (2-30) took two early wickets to briefly raise England’s hopes, before Pathum Nissanka (77 not out) and Sadeera Samarawickrama (65no) fired an unbroken 137-run partnership for the third wicket to guide Sri Lanka to an emphatic victory in the 26th over.
England have yet to be officially eliminated from the competition, despite registering just two points from five matches and being joint-bottom of the table, although would need to win all four of their remaining matches and for several other results to go in their favour if they are to have any chance of reaching the semi-finals.
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How Sri Lanka put England on the brink
England – making three changes from their record-breaking loss to South Africa – were fortunate not to lose a wicket from the opening delivery when Sri Lanka decided against reviewing a Madushanka yorker that hit Bairstow’s pad first, with replays showing it would have gone on to clatter leg stump.
England got lucky off the first ball against Sri Lanka as the ball appeared to hit Jonny Bairstow’s pad first but wasn’t sent for a review
Bairstow and Dawid Malan negotiated a moving new ball to put on 45 for the opening wicket, including 15 from one Rajitha over as they scored quickly on a fast outfield, only for Angelo Mathews to make the breakthrough in his first ODI bowling spell since March 2020.
Also See:
Scorecard: England vs Sri Lanka
England’s thrashing as it happened
Latest Cricket World Cup table
Cricket World Cup: Latest headlines
Mathews needed just three balls to have Malan (28) caught behind after a successful review, with England suffering another setback in the 10th over when a huge mix-up saw Joe Root (three) sent back by Bairstow when chasing a risky single and being run out trying to dive back into his crease.
Joe Root walks off before the review after a mix-up with Jonny Bairstow to gift Sri Lanka’s second wicket
Stokes almost chipped one to extra cover as he struggled for rhythm early in his innings, while Bairstow (30) hacked a length ball from Rajitha to leave a simple take at mid-on and captain Jos Buttler (eight) fell to a superb Mendis catch off Kumara to leave England languishing at 77-4.
Livingstone (one) lasted just six balls until he was trapped lbw by Kumara, with his immediate review unsuccessful, while Moeen Ali (15) offered some brief respite with a 37-run stand for the sixth wicket until a loose shot presented a routine catch at backward point.
England's Chris Woakes reacts after Sri Lanka's Pathum Nissanka hits a four on his delivery during the ICC Men's Cricket World Cup match between England and Sri Lanka in Bengaluru, India, Thursday, Oct. 26, 2023. (AP Photo/Aijaz Rahi)
Image:
England’s Chris Woakes reacts after Sri Lanka’s Pathum Nissanka hits a four on his delivery
Samarawickrama produced a brilliant diving catch at point to dismiss Woakes off Rajitha without scoring, with Stokes’ one-man charge and boundary burst ended when he picked out the sub fielder at deep mid-wicket.
Sharp work from Mendis saw Rashid (two) run out at the non-striker’s end, having seen the England batter backing up out of his crease, before the Sri Lanka keeper wrapped up the innings with a stumping off Theekshana after Wood (five) danced down the wicket.
Play Video – ‘What has happened here!?’ | Rashid run out at the non-striker’s end
Adil Rashid run out at the non-striker’s end as Sri Lanka reacted by throwing down the stumps while he was out of his crease and a direct hit had him run out
Willey got England off to a strong start when a leading edge from Perera (four) looped up to Stokes at mid-off, while Mendis almost fell with the next ball as his nick just evaded Root at slip and raced for a boundary.
Mendis (11) top-edged Willey and left a ballooning catch for Buttler behind the stumps, leaving Sri Lanka 23-2, before Nissanka and Samarawickrama confidently made chanceless half-centuries to push them towards their victory target.
England's Chris Woakes reacts after Sri Lanka's Pathum Nissanka hits a four on his delivery during the ICC Men's Cricket World Cup match between England and Sri Lanka in Bengaluru, India, Thursday, Oct. 26, 2023. (AP Photo/Aijaz Rahi)
Image:
England’s Chris Woakes reacts after Sri Lanka’s Pathum Nissanka hits a four on his delivery
Sri Lanka breezed past the 100 mark in the 17th over and brought up their century stand four overs later, before Nissanka secured victory in style as he blasted Rashid for a huge six with the fourth ball of the 26th over.
Victory moves Sri Lanka to four points and fifth in the standings, with the top four at the end of the round-robin campaign reaching the semi-finals, while England drop one place to ninth in the 10-team table and see their net run rate – which could determine qualification – worsen to -1.63.
Pathum Nissanka smashes huge six to seal eight-wicket victory to leave England on the verge of an early exit from the Cricket World Cup.
Buttler: ‘No clear answer’ to England’s struggles
England captain Jos Buttler: “We’ve not just been short of our best, but by a very long way. As captain, you feel that a lot. I’m disappointed for myself and all of the boys that we’ve not given a good account of ourselves.
“There is no clear answer [to the struggles] at the moment. If there was one golden nugget that we were obviously not doing then we would try to pick that up. I can’t fault the guys’ efforts, we’re just playing a long way short of our best.”
Jos Buttler says he can’t put his finger on why England aren’t reaching the standards they set themselves.
Former England captain Nasser Hussain, speaking to Sky Sports: “Ravi Shastri uses the right word there, ‘outplayed’. I’d add another word in there – completely outplayed with bat, with ball and in the field.
“Jos Buttler can have no complaints. Won a toss, this time he decided, ‘we’ll have a bat’ and the batting let him down again, 156 all out. That’s three massive losses, now four if you include Afghanistan.”
The Cricket World Cup continues Friday, as Pakistan face South Africa (9am on Sky Sports Cricket, 9.30am start), before a double-header on Saturday sees Australia take on New Zealand (5.30am on Sky Sports Cricket, 6am start) and the Netherlands play Bangladesh (9am on Sky Sports Mix, 9.30am start).
England are next in action against hosts India on Sunday (8am on Sky Sports Cricket, 8.30am start), with their qualification hopes in the balance. Sri Lanka are next in action on Monday and can boost their semi-final hopes against Afghanistan (8am on Sky Sports Cricket, 8.30am start). Stream the Cricket World Cup and more top sport with NOW.
Lanka News UK March 2026 issue – Online Newspaper Please share this with your friends and relatives. Visit our website: www.Lanka News UK .com Editor : Shanthi Senadheera – +44 7956129642 Text or phone lanaknewsuk1@gmail .com shanthi.senadheera@yahoo.co.uk
මෙම කෘතියට The Wise Virgins, International Government, The Future of Constantinople, Cooperation and the Future of Industry, Economic Imperialism, Empire and Commerce in Africa, Socialism and Co-operation, Fear and Politics, Hunting the Highbrow, Imperialism and Civilization, Quack! Quack!,Barbarians At The Gate, The War for Peace
On March 3, 2026, Ambassador Samantha Pathirana presented his Letters of Credence to the President of Romania, Nicușor Dan, during a formal ceremony held at the historic Cotroceni Palace in Bucharest. This event marked his official appointment as the second residential Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Sri Lanka to Romania.
The ceremony featured an impressive Guard of Honour provided by the Romanian Armed Forces, followed by the handing over of the Letters of Credence. Subsequently, discussions were held with President Dan in the Lounge of the Unirii Hall at the Presidential Palace. Ambassador Pathirana was accompanied by Counsellor, Kaushalya Govinda, and Attaché, R. Ratheesparan of the Embassy.
During the meeting, Ambassador Pathirana conveyed warm greetings from President Anura Kumara Disanayaka and highlighted the longstanding diplomatic ties between the two nations, which date back to 1957. The Ambassador emphasized the substantial progress made in strengthening bilateral relations across various sectors, fostering cooperation and mutual support.
In his response, President Nicusar Dan extended his best wishes to President Disanayaka and the people of Sri Lanka. Ambassador Pathirana also briefed the
President Dan showed his appreciation for the large Sri Lankan community residing in Romania and inquired about their welfare and requested the Ambassador to reach out the institutions in Romania if he need any assistance regarding the Sri Lankan Community. The Ambassador expressed gratitude to the Romanian government for its strong support, particularly in hosting over 25,000 Sri Lankans employed in industries such as apparel, construction, hospitality, and agriculture. He also advocated for a government-to-government (G2G) framework to ensure safer and more regulated pathways for skilled labour migration between the two nations.
Ambassador Pathirana’s tenure in Romania follows his dedicated career in Sri Lanka’s Foreign Service (SLFS). He previously served as the Deputy High Commissioner at the Sri Lanka High Commission in London and held the position of Director General of the South Asia and SAARC Division at Sri Lanka’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Employment and Tourism. During his career, he has also held roles including Director General of Economic Affairs, Director of UN & Multilateral Affairs Division, and Assistant Director of West Division at the Ministry.
Further he served in Sri Lanka Mission in New Delhi, Moscow and Geneva.
His academic credentials include a Masters’ Degree in International Relations from the University of Malta) and Masters Bachelor’s Degree in Engineering from the Georgian Technical University, Tibillis, Georgia.
Embassy of Sri Lanka
Bucharest, Romania
05 March, 2026
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In Memorium of Dr Hemamala Pushpakumari Jasenthuliyana
Dr Hemamala Pushpakumari Jasenthuliyana who passed away on 21st January 2026. Loving daughter, sister, aunt, and a very loyal friend
My very dear friend for over 62 years, Hemamala departed this life in January this year. Known as Pushi by school and university friends, and Mala by other friends in UK, her nameHemamala means golden garland and Pushpakumari meansflower princess.
Pushi was born on 29 March 1946 to a loving family with an older brother and later, a sister joined the family. I met Pushi when I was 15 and she was 16, at our school Visakha Vidyalaya (a prominent girls’ school in Sri Lanka). There, Pushi excelled in her studies, and was famous among the students and teachers as the girl who won the most prizes atannual prize giving days. As well as being an exceptional student, Pushi was very involved in school life, as secretary of the school Buddhist society, vice-captain of one of the schoolhouses (Dawes house), and prefect.
Pushi entered Colombo University medical school in 1965, where I had the pleasure of becoming her batchmate, and her dedication to others continued with her becoming president of the medical school girls’ hostel. After qualifying as a doctor in 1970, Pushi worked in several hospitals in Sri Lanka before arriving in England to continue her postgraduate studies. Pushi chose Psychiatry as her speciality and worked for the NHS for three decades, practicing with great kindness and compassion.
Pushi had always been dedicated to making a positive difference for women and girls, and after retiring, she joined Soroptimist International (the largest women’s organisation with consultative status in the UN) where she became president of the Enfield club. There Pushi was very active in fundraising and had a particular interest in initiatives thathelped women for whom English was a second language. In Sri Lanka, Pushi and I travelled many times to remote villages to support impoverished schools in these areas.
Pushi was a devout Buddhist, very much involved as a devotee at Abhayaramaya, helping with the upkeep of the temple and taking part in religious observances and meditation sessions. She even joined the dhamma discussion I ran every Saturday on Zoom, never missing a single meeting until she fell ill.
Just like her beautiful names, Pushi loved beautiful things anddelighted in giving beautiful gifts to the people she loved. She paid special attention to friends’ and relatives’ birthdays, never forgetting to give presents and send cards, and very much appreciated receiving birthday cards too.
Pushi had many interests throughout her life. When she was younger, she played the piano and enjoyed sewing even making her own dresses. Later, she found a love of travelling, preferring warmer climes although she was still game for joiningd me in a Baltic cruise. Pushi also did enjoy watching TV, with detective series and nature programmes being her favourites.
Pushi was dedicated to her family in Sri Lanka, being particularly close to her younger sister who she called every morning to chant Buddhist stanzas together, until she fell ill.Pushi was a mentor to her sister’s son Kanishka & daughterSewvandi whom she also supported financially, but most of all she was a very loving and dedicated aunt to them. Pushi’s friends and family knew her as honest, forthright, occasionally quick to temper, but always with a warm and compassionate heart.
Pushi’s funeral was held on 20 February 2026 at Enfield crematorium, attended by many friends & neighbours, school alumni, and members of her Soroptimist club, with her favourite music playing. Buddhist funeral rites were performed by Venerable Panamure Thapassi. A peaceful and tranquil celebration of Pushi and her life lived guided by theBuddha’s teachings, by those who loved her.
May her journey through sansara be short until she attains the supreme bliss of Nirvana.
Thousands of pro-Iranian protesters have marched through central London chanting anti-Israeli and US slogans and calling for an end to the Iran war.
There were tense scenes along the route between Westminster and the US embassy in Nine Elms when the march was met by a counter-demonstration of people holding Israeli flags.
The families of the six US Army Reserve soldiers who were killed this week in Kuwait watched as their loved ones were brought home during a dignified transfer at Dover Air Force Base in Delaware on Saturday. https://cnn.it/4uchNqd
UK’s first visa ban in asylum crackdown SKY NEWS UK Wednesday 4 March 2026
Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood has claimed a growing number of migrants from Afghanistan, Cameroon, Myanmar, and Sudan are using legal migration routes as a backdoor for claiming asylum.
The government will halt visa routes for nationals from four countries who the home secretary says have “abused” the UK’s generosity.
An emergency brake is being placed on study visas for people from Afghanistan, Cameroon, Myanmar and Sudan, while work visas have also been stopped for Afghans.
It’s the first time such visa bans have been implemented by the UK government.
Shabana Mahmood claimed a growing number of migrants from these countries are using legal migration routes as a backdoor for claiming asylum.
According to Home Office figures, 39% of the 100,000 who claimed asylum in 2025 did so after arriving via a legal migration route.
A spike in asylum applications between 2021 and September last year was dominated by students from Afghanistan, Cameroon, Myanmar, and Sudan.
Ms Mahmood said: “Britain will always provide refuge to people fleeing war and persecution, but our visa system must not be abused. That is why I am taking the unprecedented decision to refuse visas for those nationals seeking to exploit our generosity.”
The bans will be officially introduced on Thursday, when Ms Mahmood will lay out measures to toughen up the asylum system.
They would include asylum seekers having to have their refugee status reviewed every two-and-a-half years.
Refugees whose countries are deemed safe will also be expected to return home.
Can Denmark’s tough model help Labour? Shabana Mahmood is a long-term admirer of how Denmark deals with asylum and immigration, and has visited since becoming home secretary.
Denmark’s tough stance on asylum seekers began in the mid-2010s, when Mette Frederiksen was in opposition.
Her party, the Social Democrats, moved to make protection for asylum seekers temporary, also arguing that uncontrolled immigration was placing huge pressure on working-class communities.
Since coming into office, Ms Frederiksen’s government has reduced the number of asylum applications to its lowest number in 40 years and removed 95% of rejected asylum seekers.
Denmark’s system also looks to deter new arrivals by largely moving to a temporary stay model, where most asylum seekers are sent back to their home country once they are deemed safe.
Ms Mahmood’s tougher approach doesn’t sit comfortably with many Labour MPs, but she has warned a failure to address the public’s concerns about immigration will lead to a right-wing government.
But the government is also coming under pressure from its left flank, after the Greens won the year’s first Westminster by-election.
Ms Mahmood has argued the level of illegal immigration is “creating division within communities across the country”, risking the erosion of public support for the asylum system entirely.
The government has committed to ending the use of hotels to house asylum seekers by the next election, though its plans for using old military sites are also proving unpopular.
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Thousands of pro-Iranian protesters have marched through central London chanting anti-Israeli and US slogans and calling for an end to the Iran war.
Watch in full: More than 50,000 march in London against US-Israeli attack on Iran.
