World Food Programme Fighting Hunger Worldwide

Britain's government says a relief ship carrying medical and emergency food supplies for Libyans caught up in fighting has reached the besieged city of Misrata. The Foreign Office said Thursday the ship, chartered by the United Nations' World Food Program, was loaded with medicine, high protein biscuits, water purification kits and other supplies for thousands of people.

The commander of Libya's rebel forces has said Nato apologised for mistakenly hitting a column of rebel tanks near the eastern town of Ajdabiya.(..)Further west, in Libya's third-biggest city, Misrata, a ship chartered by the UN World Food Programme delivered hundreds of tonnes of high energy biscuits, flour, and water purification tablets, as well as enough medicine to last 30,000 people for a month.

Libyan insurgents and civilians stampeded out of Ajdabiya on Thursday on rumours that loyalist forces were outside the eastern town, hours after a rebel armoured unit was hit by apparent NATO friendly fire.(..)Meanwhile, a ship chartered by the UN World Food Programme arrived in Misurata carrying 600 tonnes of foodstuffs that the WFP said could feed more than 40,000 people for a month.

More than 40 days of siege, shelling and sniper fire by Moammar Gadhafi's forces have exacted a bloody price in rebel-held Misrata, Libya's third-largest city and a coveted prize in the deadlocked conflict.(..)A ship from WFP reached Misrata's port for the first time on Thursday, delivering 600 tons of food as well as medical supplies from UNICEF and the WHO.(..)The food, including flour, vegetable oil and high energy biscuits, are enough to feed 40,000 people for a month, it said.

Fighter jets bombed a rebel tank column readying for an attack on Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi's forces near the oil town of Brega on Thursday morning, in what appeared to be the second friendly fire strike by NATO aircraft in less than a week.(..)"The operation in Libya is complex and dangerous, but we are exploring every possible avenue to get food to the hungry," said Josette Sheeran, WFP executive director.

NATO officials Friday came very close to admitting that they mistakenly struck Libyan opposition forces during an airstrike a day earlier that killed four people.(..)"This is a breakthrough for the U.N. humanitarian operation in Libya and allows us to reach tens of thousands of people who are caught in one of the fiercest areas of conflict," said WFP Executive Director Josette Sheeran.

A UN World Food Programme (WFP) ship carrying food, medical supplies and with two doctors on board, arrived Thursday in the Libyan port of Misurata where rebels have been holding out against forces loyal to Moamer Gaddafi.(..)'It is vital that we get these relief supplies to the vulnerable - especially women and children - and we are working with local partners, including the Libyan Red Crescent, to ensure their needs are met,' said WFP's executive director, Josette Sheeran.

A United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) humanitarian vessel reached the port of Misrata on Thursday, the body said, providing some relief to residents in the besieged Libyan city.(..)"This is a breakthrough for the U.N. humanitarian operation in Libya and allows us to reach tens of thousands of people who are caught in one of the fiercest areas of conflict," WFP Executive Director Josette Sheeran said.

To date, the United States has pledged almost $47 million dollars in humanitarian assistance to Libya.(..)Money has been allocated for the prepositioning of food should it become necessary and will be provided through the World Food Program. So far, the World Food Program has prepositioned more than eleven-thousand tons of food in and around Libya.

In the maze-like lanes of Tripoli's medieval market, some Libyans are openly predicting the imminent fall of Muammar Gaddafi.(..)The U.N. World Food Programme (WFP) has said that the public food distribution system in Libya is under stress as food stocks are being consumed without replenishment.