UN agency delivering humanitarian and developmental aid to children
World Food Programme cuts Gaza aid by half, leaving 1.1 million people dependent on food or cash assistance instead of 1.6 million. Rations are reduced, hot meals decreased, and cash aid shrinks, intensifying hunger as border closures and economic collapse deepen hardship.
The Democratic Republic of Congo has recorded an unprecedented Bundibugyo Ebola outbreak that has spread across six provinces and produced more than 5,000 confirmed cases and over 2,600 deaths. WHO and partners have allocated 70,000 Ervebo vaccine doses—20,000 for a Phase III trial and 50,000 for frontline workers—while CEPI has funded a Bundibugyo-specific vaccine and the US has sent MBP134 treatment vials to Uganda.
The World Food Programme says resources are insufficient to expand aid in Somalia, where 1.9 million children under five face acute malnutrition this year and overall food insecurity affects about 30% of the population. Health centres are closing or strained as funding cuts bite, forcing displaced families to rely on limited services.
The Democratic Republic of Congo has recorded more than 2,500 deaths in a Bundibugyo Ebola outbreak declared in May; the United Nations says infections are growing exponentially and have spread across an area larger than France. Vaccines for the Zaïre strain will be trialled and thousands of doses will go to frontline staff, but security, local hostility and funding shortfalls are hampering the response.
Guinea-Bissau has announced its first mpox outbreak, with seven confirmed cases and 46 suspected cases, many among children. UNICEF warns fragile surveillance risks undetected spread as schools reopen and response efforts intensify.
UN and local officials report heavy fighting in Kenscoff, near Port-au-Prince, with dozens dead and hundreds displaced. Gangs linked to Viv Ansanm are blamed for mass abductions and arson; international actors call for increased security and a credible path to elections.
A 40-year-old Jefferson County resident has died of complications described as measles-related, the county coroner has announced, bringing Pennsylvania state officials' total to three deaths linked to this year's outbreak. The CDC's public tracker currently shows no measles deaths and federal officials are reviewing whether the Pennsylvania fatalities meet their criteria.
A string of maternal deaths across Kenya and Lesotho highlights ongoing gaps in childbirth care. In Lesotho, male midwives are increasingly attending births to reduce mortality, while Kenya faces delays in referrals and shortages of equipment and transport that leave mothers with little protection against fatal hemorrhages.
A fire has killed 14 newborn babies at the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences in Islamabad. The blaze has started in the third-floor mother-and-child unit, where 15 infants were present; hospital staff rescued one. Authorities have launched inquiries, suspended senior health officials and ordered urgent safety reviews across hospitals.
A fire at the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences in Islamabad has killed at least 14 newborns, with emergency responders clearing the remaining danger as investigations begin. Officials say the blaze started around 6:45 a.m. in the nursery, with initial reports pointing to an air-conditioning compressor explosion; later inquiries cite a nebulizer blast as a possible trigger. Prime Minister Sharif has ordered an immediate investigation and promised accountability for those found responsible.
New documents obtained by AP and The Guardian contradict Kennedy's congressional testimony about his 2019 Samoa visit, showing he asked to study MMR vaccines and used
A lake of rising water formed along the Bhote Koshi river threatens to burst banks. Authorities warn of a possible second flood due to debris-blocked Trishuli, leaving almost 1,000 missing, many foreigners. The UK has offered £5 million in aid as international teams search for survivors amid ongoing helicopter rescues.
A glacial collapse on 26 August has produced torrent floods that have killed more than 1,395 people and left over 5,600 missing across Nepal and Tibet. Rescue teams have been recovering bodies, searching buried hydropower tunnels and remote villages, and racing to control newly formed barrier lakes that are threatening further flooding and hampering access.
UNICEF confirms three children under 2, a 7-year-old and two teenagers have been released from a major Kenscoff abduction. Dozens remain captive as violence continues to fuel displacement, with authorities deploying a joint police-military force to secure stability.
A section of glacier near Langtang Lirung has collapsed and has sent a fast-moving surge of ice, rock and water through valleys of Tibet and northern Nepal. Rescue teams from Nepal, China and international partners have been searching for survivors; officials have reported hundreds dead and thousands missing while authorities warn of further flood risk from newly formed lakes.
Across borders, six million Afghans have returned home since the Taliban takeover, as Pakistan and Iran tighten controls on undocumented migrants. New deportation flights and legal challenges intensify the crisis, with UNHCR warning of a scale unseen in recent history.
Gangs attacked Kenscoff, killing 47 and kidnapping over 50. Survivors mourn as police investigate whether negligence or complicity enabled the carnage. Some residents released after intervention, while elections loom amid spikes in violence and displacement.
President Hakainde Hichilema has secured a second term with about 60% of the August vote, while the opposition leader Mundubile faces treason charges after post-election arrests as security operations raise concerns about the electoral process.
A catastrophic flood, triggered by a glacier collapse, has killed over 1,100 people and left about 4,000 missing across Nepal and Tibet. Authorities warn of a second wave as rescue operations persist and damage to tourism and hydropower compounds the crisis. Foreigners account for hundreds of missing, complicating an already fragile regional response.
A tanker explosion near a traffic police station in Sanandaj, Iran, is believed to be caused by a braking fault, injuring several and prompting hospital treatment. The incident echoes a deadly 2018 crash near the same city. Iran faces a high road-accident toll annually, while regional tensions with the US have escalated.
Ed Sheeran has returned to the stage in Philadelphia and has addressed the controversy after promoter Messina Touring Group removed Macklemore from remaining US dates following his onstage 'Free Palestine' remarks. Four supporting acts have withdrawn in solidarity, ticket sales have softened and some venues warned they would cancel shows if Macklemore remained on the bill.
Adidas faces backlash after an Israel-only campaign featuring Shalev Biton, an ex-soldier who lost a leg, prompts boycott calls amid Gaza war coverage. Adidas says the posters were local to Israel and not a global campaign, while activists accuse the brand of normalising violence. The controversy follows similar criticism of Ralph Lauren’s campaign featuring Gal Gadot.
Medical charity Médecins Sans Frontières has warned that global aid cuts have forced dozens of health centres in Sudan to close and pushed more patients toward a shrinking number of hospitals. With USAID grants ending and European funding falling, clinics have closed, admissions at MSF facilities have risen and outbreaks of measles, cholera and malaria are increasing.
Pennsylvania has reported four measles-related deaths this year — including an 18-year-old and a 40-year-old who were unvaccinated — as the state has recorded nearly 700 cases across 38 counties. Globally, Bangladesh has recorded a much larger epidemic this year, with authorities reporting hundreds of confirmed deaths and more than 166,000 suspected cases despite mass vaccination drives.
Nepal and neighbouring regions face a devastating flood crisis after a glacier collapse triggered floods on August 26. Governments and agencies have mobilised relief, with calls for climate justice and funding to repair infrastructure and protect vulnerable communities.
UNICEF reports 171 million learners across 106 countries faced climate-related disruptions in 2025. Storms, floods and heatwaves disrupted classes; girls face higher dropout risks. The report warns of US$200 billion in potential lifetime earnings losses and calls for resilient school infrastructure and data systems.
A fire has swept through a dense Bukavu neighbourhood and spread into two adjacent schools, Ujamaa and Furaha, killing at least 24 children and injuring dozens. The blaze has destroyed hundreds of wooden homes in Kadutu’s Cimpunda area. Local medical facilities are treating dozens of survivors while authorities say the death toll remains provisional.
A summer of record heat has disrupted schools and workplaces, with unions and researchers calling for safer conditions and investment in cooling. Schools have endured closures and high temperatures, while unions push for legal temperature limits and infrastructure upgrades to withstand climate extremes.
Since early September 2026, renewed fighting in Yemen has displaced tens of thousands, with aid agencies warning of a mounting humanitarian crisis as civilians flee coastal towns and inland camps. Reports describe dire shelter, food, and medical needs amid a shifting front line near the Bab al-Mandab and Taiz region.
Djibouti is grappling with a surge in arrivals of Yemen-bound refugees, with thousands arriving by sea as fighting in Yemen drives displacement. Officials warn the pace risks straining the Horn of Africa nation’s limited resources while international agencies mobilise aid and support.
A Systemiq-led study has found Himalayan glaciers are losing mass 65% faster than a decade ago and that just 21 of an estimated 40,000 glaciers are being monitored on the ground. The research has linked accelerated melt, expanding unstable glacial lakes and thawing permafrost to rising risks of floods, landslides and a mid-century peak-water decline that will affect agriculture, hydropower and millions downstream.
Americares has announced a $50 million gift from an unidentified Connecticut family to strengthen its network of more than 4,000 health centers and push toward the goal of 100 million people gaining access to quality healthcare by 2030 amid ongoing U.S. aid cuts.
Ed Sheeran’s U.S. Loop Tour is facing a widening withdrawal of opening acts amid a backlash over his apolitical stance on Palestine. Macklemore has been dropped, after calling for a “free Palestine,” with other artists following in solidarity. Public figures accuse Sheeran of silence while the controversy unfolds.
Aid agencies warn that displacement and hunger in Sudan have surged. More than 11 million people are displaced or refugees, with eastern Chad hosting thousands crossing the border as fighting continues. Funding shortfalls threaten relief efforts as conditions deteriorate for those fleeing to safety.
Gaza remains under heavy Israeli strikes with multiple fatalities reported across Khan Younis, Jabalia and Gaza City. Officials say the toll is rising amid ongoing ceasefire negotiations and aid delivery concerns.
Children in the UNRWA-run school in Nuseirat are returning to lessons as the academic year begins, but desks are scarce and some classrooms require students to sit on blankets on the floor, highlighting ongoing challenges to learning in Gaza.
A US-backed Board of Peace has presented a six-month, $2.45bn, 66-project recovery plan for Gaza but implementation has not started. Israel has expanded control over much of the Strip, Hamas has not fully disarmed, donor pledges remain largely unpaid and international forces and Palestinian technocrats have not entered to begin reconstruction.
In Burj Qalaway, eight-year-old students have returned to school after May Israeli strikes destroyed their Ajami primary, forcing classes into a damaged, under-construction structure. UNICEF reports show widespread damage and displacement affecting hundreds of thousands of students across Lebanon.
The Ed Sheeran Loop Tour at Gillette Stadium has been canceled due to severe weather warnings in Boston and New England. Promoter statements emphasize fan and staff safety, with refunds available. This follows controversy over Macklemore’s removal for pro-Palestinian comments, a move tied to venue owners’ stance. Several other events face disruption as a nor’easter bears down.
Yemeni government forces have intensified operations against Houthi positions across Taiz and along the Bab al-Mandeb coast. Rashad al-Alimi has called on citizens to mobilise and offered amnesty to defectors, as Houthis push to expand control over western Yemen and threaten shipping lanes through the Bab al-Mandeb strait.
Bangladesh is battling a large measles outbreak with over 1,087 deaths and nearly 187,000 suspected cases since March. Emergency vaccination campaigns have expanded to reach children 6 months to 59 months, while authorities confront immunity gaps from earlier disruptions in routine immunization.
UN agencies warn that hunger and displacement are intensifying in Somalia, Sudan, and Yemen as conflicts, climate shocks, and funding shortfalls undermine relief efforts. In Baidoa and Mogadishu, thousands face famine-like conditions while aid delivery shrinks, pushing millions toward crisis levels ahead of the El Niño season.
Yemen faces renewed violence as Houthi advances push fronts toward Taiz and Mocha. Displacement rises, aid routes tighten, and prices surge as government forces and Houthis contend for control along the Red Sea coast and hinterlands.
Reports from All Africa detail drone strikes hitting shelters and civilian targets in Blue Nile, North Kordofan, and West Kordofan. Casualties include children and women; hundreds displaced as fighting between the SAF and RSF intensifies across Kordofan and Blue Nile, triggering humanitarian concerns.
Palestinian children displaced by the Gaza war are studying in El-Arish, Egypt. A volunteer teacher has set up a free school that now serves nearly 400 students, with support from Misr El Kheir Foundation. The effort aims to preserve Palestinian curriculum and provide stability and healing for the children.
Yemen’s hunger crisis worsens as UNICEF finds acutely malnourished children among those screened amid renewed fighting. International aid is being strained as displacement and disrupted health services heighten risks for millions.
The UN warns of growing civilian harm as fighting and displacement intensify in Tigray, Baidoa and southern Lebanon, with attacks on healthcare and critical infrastructure; UNICEF and other agencies report mounting needs among children and families amid growing access challenges for aid.
Mali’s army, with Russian-backed support, has re-entered Kidal after Tuareg rebels withdrew without direct fighting. Analysts say the move boosts the junta’s standing but is unlikely to decisively alter the broader conflict against jihadist and separatist groups.
Gazans remain in survival mode as ceasefire promises fail to spark reconstruction. Widespread destruction leaves millions without shelter, electricity, or reliable water. The economy has collapsed, and access to basic services is limited as aid and reconstruction stalls.
Israeli society continues to face escalating mental health challenges three years after the October 7 attacks, with PTSD, anxiety and sleep disorders rising among children, evacuees and the broader population. New data from Clalit Health Services and other researchers show sustained strain, increased psychiatric emergencies, and shifting healthcare needs as the war persists.