Tag Archives: emergency

Nor’easter Bomb Cyclone Bears Down on US East Coast, Triggering Blizzard Warnings

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A swiftly growing nor’easter, the so-called bomb cyclone by experts is on its way to the US East Coast and brings with it a lot of heavy snowfall, gale force winds, and coastal flooding of the Mid-Atlantic to New England.

The storm, which is projected to be strongest between Sunday night until Monday, has been accompanied by the issuance of blizzard warnings in the major cities such as New York, Boston, and Philadelphia with the officials declaring that the storm would cause life threatening conditions and massive disruptions.

The low pressure system that is forming in the Atlantic is predicted to have a dramatic increase in strength as it moves northwards parallel to the coastline. Blizzard alerts are now extended to the eastern part of Virginia to the southern parts of New England, and the amount of the snowfall may reach up to 2-3 inches per hour with northeast wind speeds of up to 70 mph.

Such conditions may result in a whiteout, dropped power lines, damaged trees, and onshore surges may bring about 1-2 feet of flooding at risky areas of coastal New York City, central New Jersey, and Nassau County, up to 2 feet in some of the Long Island, coastal Connecticut and southern New England.

The inland areas might experience lower totals yet experience dangerous traveling. “High confidence in 10 to 20 inches of snow across eastern MA/RI, but more uncertainty across western MA/CT dependent on the western extent of heavy snow,” stated the National Weather Service Boston..

New York, New Jersey and Connecticut have declared a state of emergency and transportation hubs are on high alert. Flights are being canceled by airlines and transit companies are modifying their operations to make safety a priority. Governor Ned Lamont of Connecticut stressed the magnitude of the storm: “The forecast changed very quickly over the last 24 hours, and now it appears that we have a major storm heading in our direction that is likely to bring blizzard conditions.” He added, “In addition to high rates of snowfall, the particular concern with this storm are the very strong wind gusts, which will make travel extremely dangerous and will cause visibility to be very low.”

The National Weather Service described the typical features of the nor’easter: Nor’easters are infamous in terms of having strict winds and extensive sources of moisture they receive by the Atlantic. In particular, the storms affect the densely-populated area between Washington D.C., Philadelphia, New York City, and Boston, the so-called I-95 Corridor.

There was a warning of the growing risks by NWS Boston: High-impact winter storm is coming to southern New England Sun evening-Mon night with strong winds and heavy snowfall. Blizzard conditions are probably on the east in MA and RI. Hazardous travel expected. Higher exposure to damage of tree/outage of power east MA/RI.

They also observed, the storm is accompanied by strong-damaging winds. Heavyest winds farther east (gusts up to 60 mph, which could be 70 mph) in early Mon morning-Mon evening. This mixed with heavy wet snow will add danger to tree damage and power outages particularly east MA/RI.

The FEMA encouraged preparedness: Heavy snow and strong winds will hit parts of the Mid-Atlantic and Northeast Sunday into Monday with blizzard potential. Prepare: unwarranted travel, charge gadgets, hoard requirements and get ready against power blackouts. Keep up with local officials.

Previously, they gave recommendations, which include: be on high alert as strong winds and heavy snow can hit the Mid-Atlantic and Northeast. Projections are not permanent. Check @NWSWPC to get the latest updates and follow instructions by local officials.

The occurrence reminisces past historic snowfalls in the past in the area, including New York City having 27.5 inches in January 2016 and the notorious Great Blizzard of 1888 with snow more than 50 feet deep. Authorities are asking people to hoard, lock down homes and stay off streets. School districts are considering shutdowns and coastal communities are implementing parking prohibitions.

Governor Lamont stepped up safety: “I am urging everybody to think ahead and not be on the road on Sunday night and at least Monday morning. We are keeping an eye on the prediction since it is constantly changing, and I would recommend all to keep their eyes open during the weekend.”

With the core of the storm effects to occur over the next 48 hours, millions of people in one of the most populated regions of America prepare to be a part of what might be one of the most disruptive winter events of the year. Stay tuned for updates.

 

Somalia declares drought emergency as millions face hunger after failed rains

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On 10 November, the Federal Government of Somalia formally declared a drought emergency and appealed for urgent international assistance as conditions continued to deteriorate across northern, central and southern regions, according to the UN relief coordination office, OCHA.

Puntland is among the worst affected areas, where authorities estimate that nearly one million people need support, including 130,000 in immediate life-threatening need.

A UN assessment mission to Bari and Nugaal regions earlier this month found communities grappling with acute water and food shortages, with residents warning that catastrophe could unfold in the coming months.

“We have not received rain since last year; this is the worst drought in years,” said Abdiqani Osman Omar, the mayor of Shaxda village in Bari region.

“Hundreds of displaced families moved here three months ago, and more are coming. The new arrivals are mostly women and children as the men have moved to nearby Ethiopia in search of pasture and water.”

The village has no capacity to support them, he added, stating that even host communities need water and food assistance.

Dried up water sources, abandoned settlements

Across Puntland, water points have dried up, vegetation has withered and once-inhabited pastoral settlements now stand abandoned.

In Dhaxan town, where brief Gu’ season (April-June) showers offered short-lived hope earlier this year, residents are now dependent on expensive trucked water after the local borehole was found to be contaminated.

Community leader Jama Abshir Hersi said around 150 families moved to the town after the rains.

“We used to receive food and nutrition assistance, and medical supplies for our health unit. All that assistance has dwindled,” he said.

Funding shortfalls

Funding shortfalls are compounding the crisis.

As of 23 November, Somalia’s 2025 Humanitarian Response Plan was only 23.7 per cent funded, forcing major reductions in assistance. The number of people receiving emergency food aid plunged from 1.1 million in August to just 350,000 this month.

In Puntland alone, 89 supplementary feeding sites and 198 health and stabilization centres are facing severe supply shortages.

Millions going hungry

The drought is unfolding amid an already dire humanitarian landscape. At least 4.4 million people are projected to face acute food insecurity through December, while 1.85 million children under five are expected to suffer acute malnutrition through mid-2026.

Weather forecasts indicate little immediate relief. The UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) warned that dry and hot conditions are expected to persist across most of the country, particularly in central and northern regions.

“The prevailing high temperatures and poor rain are likely to exacerbate water stress and limit pasture regeneration in most areas,” the agency said.

SECURITY COUNCIL LIVE: Ambassadors meet in emergency session, amid starvation in the Gaza Strip

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The UN Security Council is meeting in New York following the Israeli cabinet’s decision to again expand its military operation inside the Gaza Strip and take full control of the key population centre of Gaza City. UN chief António Guterres described it as a “dangerous escalation” for the two million civilians trapped in the enclave as well as the remaining Israeli hostages still held captive. Follow our Meetings Coverage Section’s live reporting of the crisis meeting and UN News app users can follow here.

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UN officials warn of starvation amid ‘gender emergency’ in war-torn Sudan

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Particularly hard hit is El Fasher, where hunger is growing, with the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) warning of a deteriorating situation that is putting even more civilians’ lives at risk.

OCHA’s Director of Operations and Advocacy, Edem Wosornu, who is currently in the country, said the suffering is immense, with people trapped, displaced or returning to face communities in ruins. She called for unimpeded access and urgent support to reach those on the frontlines of hardship.

Briefing reporters at UN Headquarters in New York, UN Deputy Spokesperson Farhan Haq said “with increasingly alarming food shortages and spiraling prices, people in El Fasher are reported to be resorting to eating animal feed in what is an increasingly catastrophic situation.”                       

Thousands face starvation, cholera threat

El Fasher has the highest cost of basic goods nationwide at nearly $1,000 per household per month, which is far beyond the reach of most families. This includes more than $700 for food alone – more than eight times the cost of basic food items in other parts of the country, Mr. Haq said.

“These steep costs, coupled with the siege and lack of aid delivery by road for over a year, have left thousands facing starvation,” he added, noting that engagement around the calls from the Secretary-General and the UN Emergency Relief Coordinator for a pause in the area is “more important than ever.

In an effort to curb public health risks in North Darfur, UN humanitarian partners and local authorities launched a sanitation campaign on 5 August targeting 11,000 people in the localities of El Fasher and Dar As Salam with a goal of preventing disease outbreaks in overcrowded displacement sites during the ongoing rainy season.

They are also scaling up efforts to respond to a cholera outbreak in the locality of Tawila, which has absorbed 330,000 displaced people fleeing conflict in Zamzam and El Fasher since April.

In Blue Nile State, cholera cases have surged to nearly 2,800 since late June, with over 40 new infections recorded yesterday alone, with 14 deaths have been reported, the UN Deputy Spokesperson said.

‘Gender emergency’

Warnings also came from gender equality agency, UN Women.

“This crisis is a gender emergency,” said Salvator Nkurunziza, the agency’s representative in Sudan, told UN News.

“Displaced women and girls can be subject to the risks of exploitation and abuse, especially during the delivery of aid, where protection mechanisms are weak or absent in some locations,” he said.

According to the agency’s Unit for Combating Violence Against Women in Sudan, as of March 2025, there have been 1,138 cases of rape recorded since April 2023, including 193 children, most of whom were in conflict-affected areas, he said.

“The actual number may be higher as fear of stigma and other social and security reasons prevent accurate reporting of gender-based violence crimes,” he warned.

Women, girls ‘most affected’ by food insecurity

“Certainly, these crimes including rape and harassment can prevent women and girls from access food assistance,” he said.

Unreported gender-based violence crimes in besieged areas can be higher than shown in recent statistics, he continued, emphasising that women and girls are the most affected by food insecurity in those areas, and the situations there indicate a looming hunger crisis.

“Women are central to the survival of their households, especially in displacement settings, but their ability to access food assistance is deeply compromised,” Mr. Nkurunziza said. “Female-headed households, already three times more likely to be food insecure, are now the hungriest group in the country.”

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Nigeria: Amid record hunger and surging insecurity, emergency food assistance to stall entirely

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While WFP has been able to hold hunger at bay across northern Nigeria in the first half of 2025, funding shortfalls are jeopardising such efforts, with life-saving programmes set to grind to a halt by the end of July.  

Without immediate funding, millions of vulnerable people will be left without food assistance as WFP’s food and nutrition stocks have been completely exhausted, with the organization’s last supplies leaving warehouses in early July.  

With life-saving assistance set to end after the current round of distributions is completed, millions of vulnerable people will face impossible choices: endure increasingly severe hunger, migrate, or even risk possible exploitation by extremist groups in the region.  

Children at risk

“Nearly 31 million people in Nigeria are now facing acute hunger, a record number,” said WFP Country Director David Stevenson, with children set to be among the worst affected if vital aid ends.  

With more than 150 WFP-supported nutrition clinics in Borno and Yobe states set to close if funding is not renewed, over 300,000 children under the age of two will lose access to potential life-saving treatment.  

“This is no longer just a humanitarian crisis,” he said. “It’s a growing threat to regional stability, as families pushed beyond their limits are left with nowhere to turn.”  

Extremist groups  

In conflict-affected areas in the north, escalating violence from extremist groups is driving mass displacement, with some 2.3 million people across the Lake Chad Basin having been forced to flee their homes.  

As mass displacement strains already limited resources and pushes communities to the brink, the lack of emergency food assistance risks increasing recruitment by these groups.

“When emergency assistance ends, many will migrate in search of food and shelter. Others will adopt negative coping mechanisms – including potentially joining insurgent groups – to survive,” said Mr. Stevenson.    

“Food assistance can often prevent these outcomes,” he added, as WFP urgently seeks $130 million to sustain food and nutrition operations through the end of the year.

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SECURITY COUNCIL LIVE: Emergency meeting on rising tensions in Syria

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The Security Council met on Thursday afternoon for an emergency session on Syria after deadly violence in the south and a wave of Israeli airstrikes that reportedly hit military sites and key locations in Damascus. Khaled Khiari, a senior UN political affairs official briefed ambassadors, warning that renewed bloodshed could derail prospects for a credible, inclusive political transition and widen regional fault lines. UN News App users can follow here.

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WHO warns of a health financing emergency

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Speaking at the regular Friday press briefing in Geneva for humanitarian agencies, she warned that as wealthier nations make deep spending cuts, both international aid and national health systems are facing serious disruption.

Dr. Chalkidou highlighted recent decisions by the United States, several European governments, and EU bodies to freeze or scale down health aid.

WHO forecasts indicate that global health investment is likely to drop by up to 40 per cent this year, down $10 billion from just over $25 billion in 2023. The estimated $15 billion spent on health aid would bring the figure down to the lowest level in a decade.

Impacts in developing countries

This funding shortage is creating a health finance emergency in many developing countries – particularly in sub-Saharan Africa – which depend on external aid to finance their health systems.

In numerous countries, US-financed healthcare programmes were the primary source of external aid, accounting for as much as 30 per cent of current health spending in countries like Malawi, and around 25 per cent in Mozambique and Zimbabwe.

Since 2006, external aid per capita in low-income countries has consistently exceeded domestic health spending.

Many sub-Saharan nations face soaring debt burdens – some spending twice as much on debt servicing as on health – making reallocation of resources difficult.

The consequences are severe: Dr. Chalkidou referred to a survey by WHO showing that countries today are reporting health service disruptions “not seen since the peak of COVID-19”.

Solutions

To address this crisis, WHO is urging countries to reduce aid dependency, boost revenue through improved taxation—including health taxes on products like tobacco and alcohol—and work with multilateral banks to secure low-interest loans for cost-effective health investments.

WHO also plans to attend the upcoming International Conference on Financing for Development in Seville, where global leaders are expected to address the health financing crisis and hopefully make new commitments.

Security Council meets in emergency session over Iran-Israel conflict, amid strikes and counterstrikes

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The Council cleared its original schedule to address the rapidly evolving crisis, also hearing from the head of the UN-backed international nuclear watchdog, who warned of the grave risks to regional stability and nuclear safety.

Overnight from Thursday into Friday, Israeli military strikes targeted nuclear facilities across Iran, including the Natanz enrichment site. Media reports indicate that Hossein Salami, the head of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), as well as several prominent nuclear scientists, were among those killed.

The strikes also caused significant damage, including reportedly dozens of civilian casualties. Airspace in the region has been largely closed and security forces are on high alert.

Additional Israeli strikes were reported late Friday local time as well as ballistic missile launches by Iran which have reportedly struck parts of Israel, including Tel Aviv.

Avoid conflagration at all costs: DiCarlo

Rosemary DiCarlo, UN Under-Secretary-General for political affairs told ambassadors that the repercussions of the attacks were already reverberating.

“I reaffirm the Secretary-General’s condemnation of any military escalation in the Middle East,” she said, urging both Israel and Iran to exercise maximum restraint and “avoid at all costs a descent into deeper and wider regional conflict”.

She also noted that the military escalation came just as “some significant diplomatic developments” were unfolding, including the planned resumption of United States-Iranian talks in Oman at the weekend. Latest reports indicate that Iran will no longer attend.

Ms. DiCarlo urged parties to stay the diplomatic course.

“A peaceful resolution through negotiations remains the best means to ensure the peaceful nature of Iran’s nuclear programme,” she said.

“We must at all costs avoid a growing conflagration which would have enormous global consequences.”

Nuclear watchdog head urges protection of atomic sites

Also briefing the Council, Rafael Grossi, Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), said his agency was in constant contact with the Iranian Nuclear Regulatory Authority to assess the status of affected facilities and determine broader impacts on nuclear safety and security.

Rafael Grossi (on screen), IAEA Director General briefs the Security Council.

He stressed that nuclear sites must never be targeted – under any circumstances.

“Such attacks have serious implications for nuclear security, nuclear safety and safeguards, as well as regional and international peace and security,” Mr. Grossi said.

He stands ready to travel to the region at the earliest opportunity, he added, to assess the situation and support safety, security and non-proliferation efforts in Iran.

“It is clear that the only sustainable path forward for Iran, for Israel, the entire region and the international community is one grounded in dialogue and diplomacy to ensure peace, stability and cooperation.”

Mr. Grossi concluded by offering the IAEA as a neutral platform where “facts prevail over rhetoric” and where technical engagement replace escalation.

“I reaffirm my personal and the agency’s readiness to facilitate dialogue and support efforts that promote transparency, security and the peaceful resolution of nuclear issues in Iran.”

Broadcast of the Security Council meeting.

More to follow on this developing story…

Climate emergency is a health crisis ‘that is already killing us,’ says WHO

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Europe is warming faster than any other WHO region, and the impact on people’s health is growing more severe. From rising death rates to increasing climate-related anxiety, nearly every health indicator linked to climate has worsened in recent years. 

In response, WHO/Europe on Wednesday launched a new initiative – the Pan-European Commission on Climate and Health (PECCH) – to tackle the growing threat climate change poses to public health. 

Chaired by former Icelandic Prime Minister Katrín Jakibsdótirr, the commission brings together 11 leading experts from across the region tasked with delivering recommendations for actionable solutions.

Deadly heat

With nearly half of humanity already living in areas highly susceptible to climate change, a third of the world’s heat-related deaths occur in the European Region.

In the years 2022 and 2023 combined, more than 100,000 people across 35 countries in the European Region died due to heat.

“The climate crisis is not only an environmental emergency, it is a growing public health challenge,” said Katrín Jakobsdóttir.

“We must recognise that the interplay among rising temperatures, air pollution and changing ecosystems resulting from human-induced climate change is already affecting the health and well-being of communities around the European Region and the world,” she said.

The commission is being tasked with providing recommendations to reduce emissions, invest in adaptation strategies that protect health, reduce inequality and build resilience.

Escalating threat

The climate crisis disproportionately affects the health of the most vulnerable.

From the spread of infectious diseases to heat-related illness and food insecurity, “climate change poses a serious and escalating threat to human health,” said Andrew Haines, chief advisor to the WHO/Europe climate-health initiative. 

Sudan emergency: We need more help to prevent famine, says WFP

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“Over the past six months, WFP scaled up assistance and we are now reaching nearly one million Sudanese in Khartoum with food and nutrition support,” said Laurent Bukera, WFP Country Director in Sudan. “This momentum must continue; several areas in the south are at risk of famine.”

In an update from Port Sudan, Mr. Bukera reported that a mission to Khartoum had found many neighbourhoods abandoned, heavily damaged and akin to a “ghost city”.

Pressure on overstretched resources will only intensify, he insisted.

Fragile frontline communities

And as conflict still rages between the Sudanese Armed Forces and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces, sparked by a breakdown in transition to civilian rule in 2023, the veteran aid worker also explained that communities on the frontlines were at “breaking point” and unable to support displaced families any longer.

Despite many generous contributions to the UN agency’s work in Sudan, it faces a $500 million shortfall to support emergency food and cash assistance for the coming six months.

“The international community must act now by stepping up funding to stop famine in the hardest hit area, and to invest in Sudan’s recovery,” Mr. Bukera insisted.” We must also demand respect for the safety and the protection of the Sudanese people and aid workers.”

No food, water

More than two years of fighting have smashed infrastructure and left communities without basic services, such as clean water.

This – and weeks of heavy rains – have contributed to a deadly cholera outbreak and reports of corpses rotting in the Nile in Omdurman, one of the capital’s three cities.

In an update last week, the UN aid coordination office, OCHA, said that war-related displacement and the spread of cholera have continued to add to needs across Sudan.

“We are deeply concerned and meeting the basic needs, especially food, will be critical and is urgent,” said WFP’s Mr. Bukera. “Urgent action is needed to restore basic services and accelerate recovery through coordinated efforts with local authorities, national NGOs, UN agencies and humanitarian partners.”

This vital work has been prevented by a lack of international support, forcing WFP to reduce the amount and range of relief it can distribute.

“Funding shortfalls are already disrupting some of the assistance we are providing in Khartoum, Blue Nile, Al Jazeera and Sennar states,” the WFP senior official continued. “Our rations and the oil and the pulses in the food basket had to be removed due to lack of resources.”

Rations cuts

In Khartoum, lifesaving nutritional supplements for young children and pregnant and nursing mothers are already “out of reach” because of a lack of resources, he said.

Despite the many challenges, the UN agency now reaches four million people a month across Sudan. This is nearly four times more than at the start of 2024 as access has expanded, including in previously unreachable areas like Khartoum.

Communities are also supported in the longer-term via cash assistance to support local markets and support for bakeries and small businesses planning to reopen.

“We have rapidly scaled up our operation to meet increasing needs,” Mr. Bukera said. “We are aiming to reach seven people on a monthly basis, prioritizing those facing famine or other areas at extreme risk”, such as Darfur, Kordofan and Al Jazeera.

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World News in Brief: UK cedes sovereignty over Chagos Islands, suffering in Sudan deepens, UN releases new emergency relief funds

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Before granting Mauritius independence in 1968, Britain unlawfully separated the Chagos archipelago to create the British Indian Ocean Territory.

In doing so, it expelled 1,500–2,000 islanders to lease Diego Garcia, the largest island, to the United States for joint military use.

Under the agreement, the UK will lease the island of Diego Garcia for the next 99 years to continue operating its joint military base with the United States.

Value of diplomacy

The agreement signed on Thursday between the UK and Mauritius is “a significant step towards resolving a long-standing dispute in the Indian Ocean region” and “demonstrates the value of diplomacy in addressing historical grievances”, said UN Spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric in Thursday’s briefing.

Welcoming the signature of the agreement, the UN Secretary-General, urged both the UK and Mauritius to “continue engaging in constructive discussion”, in order to ensure that “the rights and aspirations of the Chagossians people are fully respected,” said Mr. Dujarric.

Sudan: Civilian Suffering Deepens Amid Drone Strikes

The civil war in Sudan, which erupted in April 2023 between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF), has killed over 18,000 people and displaced 13 million, triggering a regional migration crisis.

Even before the war, humanitarian conditions and human rights protections were fragile, but in the past two years, they have become dire.

Of the 30.4 million Sudanese in need of assistance, the UN World Food Programme (WFP) is currently reaching 2.3 million with emergency food and nutrition support, as ongoing violence and infrastructure destruction compound the crisis.

Urgent ceasefire needed

Recent drone attacks on Port Sudan, once a vital entry point for aid, have further deepened the crisis. UN-designated expert Radhouane Nouicer warned Monday that these strikes on critical infrastructure “are putting lives at risk, worsening the humanitarian crisis, and violating basic human rights.”

On Thursday, Mr. Dujarric reported that attacks in Khartoum state have triggered a total electricity blackout, disrupting access to clean water and healthcare amid rising food prices and cholera outbreaks.

The blackout has exacerbated the spread of cholera and other waterborne diseases.

Mr. Dujarric also noted that ongoing insecurity displaced 47,000 people from Khiwai and Nuhud in West Kordofan this month, while another 1,000 were displaced this week from Abu Shouk camp and El Fasher in North Darfur.

At the Arab League Summit in Iraq over the weekend, UN Secretary-General António Guterres called for urgent multilateral action to end “appalling violence, famine and mass displacement,” and met with African Union leaders to encourage a push for a ceasefire.

Emergency relief funds released for DR Congo

The UN Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF) has allocated new funds to crisis situations, from Afghanistan to Zambia.

On Wednesday, CERF made $750,000 available to support cholera response in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, said Stéphane Dujarric, Spokesperson for the UN Secretary-General.

The emergency funds will enable the World Health Organization (WHO), the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF), and partners to deliver critical aid, including timely cholera detection and response, medical treatment, risk communication, and community engagement.

In addition, CERF allocated $10 million to help more than 270,0000 people in vulnerable communities across South Sudan, where the threat of renewed civil war looms.

Ahead of the rainy season, CERF’s life-saving aid will notably target communities who have been impacted by overlapping crises, especially conflict and displacement in the states of Jonglei and Upper Nile.

CERF also allocated $9.5 million to support climate action initiatives in eight countries: Afghanistan, the Central African Republic, Chad, Mauritania, Niger, Somalia, Venezuela, and Zambia.

© UNICEF/Jospin Benekire

A UNICEF-supported cholera team add chlorine to water collected from a reservoir in Goma, in the DR Congo.

 

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Kenya: Refugees facing ‘lowest ever’ emergency food rations amid funding crisis

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Over the past five years, the refugee population in Kenya has surged by more than 70 per cent – from approximately 500,000 to 843,000 – driven largely by conflict and drought in neighbouring Sudan and Somalia. Of these, around 720,000 people are sheltering in the Dadaab and Kakuma camps, as well as the Kalobeyei settlement.

In Sudan, the civil war that erupted in April 2023 has killed over 18,000 people, displaced 13 million, and left 30.4 million in need of assistance, according to the UN.

WFP provides emergency food and nutrition support to 2.3 million Sudanese as violence and the collapse of essential infrastructure deepen the crisis. 

In Somalia, severe drought has placed 3.4 million people – including 1.7 million children – at risk of acute malnutrition.

At the weekend, Secretary-General António Guterres recommended that the Security Council ensure financing for the African Union’s Support and Stabilisation Mission there (UNSOM), as the country continues to battle insecurity and attacks from Al-Shabaab militants.

Shrinking rations, rising need 

Previously, a monthly WFP ration for a refugee in the camps included 8.1 kilogrammes of rice, 1.5 kg of lentils, 1.1 litres of oil, and cash for purchasing essentials. That support has now been halved, and cash payments have stopped entirely.

Without emergency funding, food rations could drop to just 28 per cent of their original level. WFP is appealing for $44 million to restore full food and cash assistance through August.

Cuts compound existing crises

Although cuts to foreign aid by many developed nations this year has further constrained operations, WFP began reducing services for Kenya’s refugee population in 2024.

Many of the families arriving are already food insecure, and Global Acute Malnutrition (GAM) rates among children and pregnant or breastfeeding women exceed 13 per cent – three percent above the emergency threshold. Targeted nutrition programmes ended in late 2024 due to lack of resources.

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India’s first Nasal Vaccine against COVID- 19 gets nod for emergency use

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Department of Biotechnology (DBT) and its PSU, Biotechnology Industry Research Assistance Council (BIRAC) has announced approval from DCGI for emergency use authorization first of its kind intranasal COVID-19 Vaccine to Bharat Biotech (BBIL).

Supported by DBT and BIRAC under the aegis of Mission COVID Suraksha, the mission was launched by DBT and implemented by BIRAC to reinforce and accelerate COVID-19 vaccine development efforts. Scientific leadership at various levels of vaccine development was provided by DBT laboratories and BIRAC. This is the fourth success story for the Covid-19 vaccine under mission Covid Suraksha.

BBV154 is an intranasal replication-deficient chimpanzee adenovirus SARS-CoV-2 vectored vaccine. It consists of a replication deficient ChAd vector expressing the stabilized Spike SARS-CoV-2 (Wuhan variant).

DBT’s Autonomous Institute, National Institute of Immunology (NII), New Delhi utilized their “Human Immune Monitoring and T-cell Immunoassay Platform” to examine the vaccine-induced SARS-CoV-2-specific systemic and mucosal cellular immune responses the trial participants.

Interactive Research School for Health Affairs (IRSHA), Pune completed the Plaque Reduction Neutralization Assay (PRNT) to quantify the neutralizing antibody for the virus from three trial sites.

Covid Suraksha

Dr Rajesh S Gokhale, Secretary, DBT, and Chairperson, BIRAC speaking on the subject said that “The Department through Mission COVID Suraksha, is committed to the development of safe and efficacious COVID-19 vaccines.

BBV154 COVID Vaccine is the first intranasal vaccine approved by DCGI for primary immunization against COVID-19 in the 18+ age group for restricted use in emergency situation being developed in the country under Mission COVID Suraksha and adds to India’s COVID-19 vaccine series.

“This is an excellent example of Aatmanirbharta initiative of the Government of India. I congratulate our scientists for partnering with Bharat Biotech and providing scientific leadership throughout the development of first intranasal COVID-19 vaccine,” said Gokhale.