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Secretary-General press encounter with the President of the International Committee of the Red Cross.

Too little has been done to safeguard citizens' fundamental rights following revelations of electronic mass surveillance, say MEPs in a resolution voted on Thursday. They urge the EU Commission to ensure that all data transfers to the US are subject to an "effective level of protection" and ask EU member states to grant protection to Edward Snowden, as a "human rights defender". Parliament also raises concerns about surveillance laws in several EU countries.

Ethiopian and Somali refugees at the Mayfa'a reception centre in Yemen.

The real divide revealed by the migration challenges to the EU is between “pros”, who want to use the EU to solve these challenges, and “antis”, who want to use them to dissolve the EU, argued many MEPs in Tuesday’s debate. Most deplored EU member states’ slowness to deliver on their pledges to pay for more help for refugees, and more manpower to process them at EU borders. The €2.3 bn shortfall is the same as it was two months ago, noted Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker.

“The health facility reportedly attacked in Saada, Yemen on October 27, is the 39th health centre hit since the violence escalated in March. Critical shortages of fuel, medications, electricity, petrol and water threaten to stop many more from operating.

Children in earthquake-hit areas of Afghanistan and Pakistan are facing further deadly threats as extreme conditions and insecurity cut off communities from aid - warns UNICEF.

Special Envoy for Yemen Ismail Ould Cheikh Ahmed.