Hurricane Melissa poised to slam Caribbean; 1.6 million children at risk – With Hurricane Melissa threatening to unleash torrential rains and hurricane-force winds across the Caribbean, at least 1.6 million children are at risk as families in Jamaica, Haiti and surrounding islands brace for flooding, landslides and widespread disruption. Currently a Category 4 storm and moving slowly across the Caribbean Sea, Melissa is forecast to strengthen to Category 5, with sustained winds of at least 157 mph (about 252 kmh). Countries across the region, including Jamaica, Haiti, Cuba and the Dominican Republic, are expected to endure several days of intense weather, amid fears that infrastructure could be overwhelmed and essential services disrupted. “All efforts to prepare for the arrival of hurricane are vital to mitigate damage and loss of life in the most vulnerable communities, especially in regions like the Caribbean. Small islands always face heightened vulnerability to extreme climate events,” said Roberto Benes, Director for Latin America and the Caribbean at UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF). “UNICEF helps strengthen national capacities to anticipate and respond to climate-related emergencies and to deliver essential services for children. This is fundamental to protecting those who need it most.” – Hurricane Melissa poised to slam Caribbean; 1.6 million children at risk | UN News
High stakes and high flavour: Indigenous chef brings Amazonian soul to COP30 – As world leaders gather in Belém for the UN Climate Change Conference (COP30), they’ll find more than just food for thought on the menu. Indigenous chef and activist Tainá Marajoara will serve dishes rooted in ancestral Amazonian traditions, showcasing the biodiversity and spirituality of Brazil’s Indigenous Peoples. Between rounds of negotiations, delegates will be treated to flavours such as maniçoba, açaí and pirarucu – all prepared with more than 10 tonnes of agroecological ingredients sourced through fair and sustainable food systems. – High stakes and high flavour: Indigenous chef brings Amazonian soul to COP30 | UN News
UN alarmed by ‘terrifying’ situation in Sudan’s El Fasher, calls for immediate ceasefire – The UN’s top humanitarian official has called for an immediate ceasefire in El Fasher, the capital of Sudan’s North Darfur region, amid reports of significant civilian deaths, attacks on hospitals and the city’s reported capture by the Rapid Support Forces (RSF). Tom Fletcher, UN Emergency Relief Coordinator, said he was “deeply alarmed” by reports of civilian casualties and forced displacement as fierce fighting engulfs the city. “With fighters pushing further into the city and escape routes cut off, hundreds of thousands of civilians are trapped and terrified – shelled, starving, and without access to food, healthcare or safety,” Mr. Fletcher said in a statement on Sunday. He called for “an immediate ceasefire in El Fasher, across Darfur and throughout Sudan,” stressing that civilians must be allowed safe passage and humanitarian workers must be protected. “Safe, rapid, and unimpeded humanitarian access must be allowed to reach all civilians in need,” he said. “We have lifesaving supplies ready, but intensified attacks have made it impossible for us to get aid in. Local humanitarian workers continue to save lives under fire.” – UN alarmed by ‘terrifying’ situation in Sudan’s El Fasher, calls for immediate ceasefire | UN News
Giving birth in the shadow of Sudan’s war – As Sudan’s destructive war – now in its third year – grinds on, the challenges to health systems are immense and women giving birth have been particularly impacted. In the heart of Sudan’s White Nile State, to the south of the country’s capital, Khartoum, Kosti Maternity Hospital handles thousands of deliveries a year, but the ongoing war, the destruction of regional infrastructure and the displacement millions of people, many of them women, has put huge strain on its services. – Giving birth in the shadow of Sudan’s war | UN News
