UN to send emergency food aid to storm-hit Cuba

The UN's World Food Programme (WFP) is to deliver emergency aid to the south-east of Cuba, where Hurricane Sandy wrought widespread damage. It was "the worst catastrophe in 50 years in Santiago de Cuba," WFP spokeswoman Elisabeth Byrs said. The WFP is also appealing for $20m (£12.5) to help some 425,000 Haitians affected by the storm.

Sandy caused widespread damage to infrastructure, crops and livestock in both Haiti and Cuba. The WFP is planning to work with the Cuban government to distribute emergency one-month aid in Santiago de Cuba, which is home to 500,000 residents. The hurricane, which hit Cuba on 25 October and left 11 people dead, brought down many buildings and knocked out the electricity.

BBC News

North Koreans will 'die from malnutrition within months'

Humanitarian groups fear that the death of Kim Jong-il could worsen North Korea's dire food situation, after the US postponed a decision on potential aid. The country has relied on foreign supplies since the devastating famine of the mid-90s killed hundreds of thousands of people. But the World Food Programme (WFP) and NGOs have warned that the situation is particularly bleak this year.

Aid groups warned that North Koreans would die from malnutrition within months unless donations increased. The WFP launched an emergency programme in April, but has received less than a third of the funding it needs. "We are concerned. Time is of the essence," said Ken Isaacs of Samaritan's Purse, a US-based NGO that helped to distribute the last American food aid in North Korea, almost three years ago.

David Austin of Mercy Corps, who visited flood-hit regions in September, warned: "The longer you delay this decision, the more suffering there's going to be." He said it would take six weeks to three months to set up new deliveries, and warned that based on current conditions, people's food rations would be cut "quite substantially" by April. "As that goes on and on, you'll see the effects of stunting in people's growth and their development. You'll see children dying," he said.

The Guardian

Japanese minister quits over gaffe

A week into his new job, Japan's disaster reconstruction minister has resigned. Ryu Matsumoto's resignation on Tuesday came after his conduct during a visit to the tsunami-devastated northeastern coast over the weekend angered local residents and political opponents.

During the visit, he had refused to shake a governor's hand, scolded him and threatened to withhold aid. He told the governor of Iwate, one of the hardest-hit prefectures, that the government would not help municipalities that did not have good ideas about rebuilding.

Matsumoto expressed irritation for being made to wait by Myagi Governor Yoshihiro Murai. Then Matsumoto refused to shake Murai's hand when he entered the room and scolded the visibly surprised governor. "When a guest comes to visit, do not call up the guest until you have arrived in the room," he told Murai. "Do you understand?"

He then warned journalists in the room not to report his words. They were widely reported in the media, and a video of the exchange was posted on the internet.

Al Jazeera