 Hello and welcome to the International Daily Roundup by People's Dispatch, where we bring you major news developments from around the world. Our headlines? 8 agencies warn of rising malnutrition as fighting continues in the Tigray region. Israeli hashtags on Gaza continue for 10 days, essential services are hit. Teachers' union reports over 1,600 COVID-19 deaths following election duty in the state in India. Volvo workers reject tentative deal reached between the company and union. In our first story, the UN has reported that military blockades in Ethiopia's Tigray region have continued to restrict vital humanitarian access. As of May 17, the UNHCR has also reported continued fighting in large parts of the region. Beginning in November 2020, the war in Tigray has displaced over 1.7 million people so far. An estimated 4.5 million people are in dire need of aid in 63,110 are living as refugees in Sudan. Ground reports and local testimonies have also pointed to the continued presence of heritry and troops in the region. The UNHCR has been unable to provide proper aid to districts in the southern zone for the past four months. Telecommunications and electricity have also been down in the southeastern zone for the past two months. Electricity cuts, lack of fuel and military control over water resources has also affected access to clean water in several areas. Medical aid agency MSF has documented extensive damages to health facilities, including the looting and destruction of supplies by soldiers. Cases of sexual violence including rape continue to be reported. As the director of the AIDA referral hospital, 829 cases of rape were reported across major hospitals in Tigray in April. The UNHCR has also flagged the protection risks of gender-based and sexual violence and IDP sites. Aid agencies are also warning of increasing rates of hunger and malnutrition in the region. An aid coordinator told Al Jazeera that at least eight starvation deaths have been reported in the McKelley region. The deputy head of the interim government has also stated that there was a campaign to prevent farming in these areas. Parks-carrying seeds have been blocked from entering Tigray. As per a UNICEF update, 12.3% of the 12,176 children screened in the second week of May were diagnosed with moderate to acute malnutrition. 2.2% of the children suffered from severe acute malnutrition. Over 60% of the 4,447 pregnant and lactating women screened were identified as acutely malnourished. In our next story, Israeli extracts in the Gaza Strip continued for the 10th day on Monday on May 19. At least 227 Palestinians, including 64 children, have been killed in the attack since last week. The same of the children NGO has reported that extracts have also damaged 50 schools affecting over 41,000 children. The Qatar Red Presence Office and the Gaza's only COVID testing facility have also been destroyed. As per a UNOCH update on May 18, 72,000 people have been displaced because of the attacks. However, only 5 out of 24 aid trucks were able to enter Gaza on Tuesday after Israel closed the Karam Abu Salem crossing after opening it briefly. Meanwhile, Israeli forces arrested at least 58 Palestinians in Israel and 22 in the occupied West Bank in overnight raids. The Palestinian Prisoner Society has stated that at least 1,800 people have been arrested since April. Tuesday's arrest followed a general strike held by Palestinians across the occupied territories and within Israel. Here is a video feature of the general strike. Today, the Israeli occupation is the first in the world to say that Palestine is one of its geographies and its policies. Today, Palestine is one of its waters, against occupation, injustice, and against the attacks on Gaza, against the destruction of churches. Today, as we know, a complete strike has been announced by the Palestinian National Movement. We know that we are experiencing the same as people in the West Bank. We want to give anything, if it is simple, to include our people in Gaza and Jerusalem because we all feel the same. In our next story, we go to the State of Uttar Pradesh in India. Teachers Union has reported that 1621 teachers and staff have died of COVID-19. They were placed on polling duty during the recent Village Council elections. The State's Chief Secretary has assured that unwell teachers and staff would not be put on polling duty. However, those who were absent due to illness were suspended or faced salary cuts. The UP state government stated on Wednesday that only three teachers died of COVID while on duty. According to a letter written to the Chief's Minister, the Association had repeatedly asked for the postponement of council elections in April. However, these demands were repeatedly ignored and safety protocol was not followed according to the Association. The Indian Supreme Court also refused to delay the counting of results. As per reports, a number of cases increased by five times in the District of Agra and eight times in Bareilly after the elections. As schools remain closed, teachers have also been assigned to COVID-controlled rooms. The teachers' association has now put forth eight demands. These include a compensation of one crore rupees, jobs for victims' families, and a family pension. Teachers have also demanded the covering of COVID-19 treatment costs and the designation of teachers still on UTS Corona warriors. The Indian Health Ministry announced on May 19 that the daily positivity rate of COVID cases declined to 13.31%. The country recorded over 267,000 new cases as of the morning of May 19. However, 4,529 reported deaths took place during a one-day time period. This is the highest number so far. The country is also witnessing a serious decline in vaccination rates as states flag a shortage of doses. And finally, we go to the U.S. where workers at the Volvo Trucks plant have rejected a tentative agreement offered by the company. Striking workers at the plant in Dublin, Virginia rejected the contract by 97%, 91% of the votes on May 16. Organized by the United Auto Workers Union, over 2,900 workers had gone on strike on April 17. This is following months of failed negotiations for a new contract. However, the UNW unilaterally called off the strike on April 30, stating that a tentative deal had been reached. However, the workers were able to find out the full details of the deal days after the strike had been called out. They found that the deal would raise the costs of healthcare. As reported by Labour, notes out of pocket costs would rise to $2,000 a year by the end of the contract with a $4,000 deductible. The deal would also retain the tired wage system rejected by the rank and file workers. Under the current agreement, workers are divided into core and competitive categories. New workers earn $16.77 per hour and get a dollar more per year up to five years. Meanwhile, the core workers earn an hourly wage of $30.00 by the end of the contract. The deal also contained provisions for alternative work schedules which include 10-hour shifts in alternate shift operations or schedules. Workers had started going back to work on May 3 after the strike was recalled. However, calls had grown to resume the strike once again until a new deal is ratified. That's all we have time for today. We'll be back tomorrow with more news from around the world. Until then, keep watching People's Dispatch.