The United Nations warned Wednesday of soaring rates of hunger, child mortality and maternal deaths during the COVID-19 pandemic. The World Food Programme reported at least 155 million people required urgent food aid in 2020 — a five-year high — with at least 28 million people one step away from famine. Meanwhile, the United Nations Population Fund said a global shortage of midwives is leading to as many as 4.3 million preventable deaths of mothers and babies each year.