Hundreds dead, millions displaced as monsoon rains heap misery across Asia

Monsoon rains have claimed the lives of hundreds across Asia, authorities said Monday, as rescue workers scrambled to reach remote areas of India, Pakistan and Myanmar in the wake of flash floods and landslides.

Briefing Security Council, UN deputy chief urges protection for frontline ‘humanitarian heroes’

UN,19 August 2014 – United Nations Deputy Secretary-General Jan Eliasson had one main message – “we must protect humanitarian workers” – as he marked World Humanitarian Day with a special briefing to the Security Council, addressing a subject critical to people caught in conflict.
Recalling that the Day commemorates the 19 August 2003 bombing of the UN premises at the Canal Hotel in Baghdad, Mr. Eliasson said the occasion is “dedicated to the memory of all the staff members and partners who have made the ultimate sacrifice in the line of duty for the humanitarian imperative.”

Ukraine Calls Up Reservists, as PM Warns of Looming 'Disaster'

Ukraine's interim government ordered a full military mobilization Sunday, in an effort to to counter what its new prime minister says is a Russian act of war.

Prime Minister Arseniy Yatsenyuk, in an address to parliament, warned lawmakers "we are on the brink of disaster." He spoke as Russian troops continued to take up positions on Ukraine's Crimean peninsula, and Western governments issued repeated condemnations of the Russian deployments.

Multiple emergencies pose great test of the global humanitarian system, UN official says

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2 January 2014 – An unprecedented number of people are beginning the New Year either internally displaced or as refugees, the United Nations humanitarian chief warned today, urging sustained support in 2014 for millions who have been driven from their homes by violence and bloodshed or uprooted by devastating natural disasters.

Japan unveils largest warship since World War II. The 810-ft long ship is able to carry up to 14 helicopters. (VIDEO YT)

YOKOHAMA - Japan today (Aug 6) unveiled its biggest warship since World War II, a huge flat-top destroyer that has raised eyebrows in China and elsewhere because it bears a strong resemblance to a conventional aircraft carrier.
The ship, which has a flight deck that is nearly 250 metres long, is designed to carry up to 14 helicopters. Japanese officials say it will be used in national defence - particularly in anti-submarine warfare and border-area surveillance missions - and to bolster the nation’s ability to transport personnel and supplies in response to large-scale natural disasters, like the devastating earthquake and tsunami in 2011.