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January 28, 2026 Healthcare

The World Health Organization (WHO) has published its first global recommendations for healthy and balanced meals in schools. In these new guidelines, WHO emphasizes that healthy meals in schools help children develop healthy eating habits that last a lifetime.

“The food children receive at school and the environment that shapes their eating behaviour can significantly impact the quality of their learning and have long-term consequences for their health and well-being,” said WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.

Alarming global statistics

Rates of overweight and obesity among children are rising worldwide, while undernutrition remains a serious problem. In 2025, the global rate of childhood obesity exceeded the rate of underweight for the first time.

Last year, approximately one in ten school-aged children and adolescents was obese, and one in five—or 391 million—was overweight. Furthermore, a recent WHO report found that over 800 million people worldwide, as well as one in six pregnant women, suffer from diabetes.

As of October 2025, 104 WHO Member States had policies related to healthy school meals, but only 48 countries had introduced restrictions on the marketing of foods high in sugar, salt or unhealthy fats, the WHO notes.

For millions of children who spend a significant portion of their day at school, the school food environment shapes their future eating habits. "Proper nutrition at school is a key factor in preventing future diseases and developing a healthier adult population," the WHO chief emphasized.

More beans, less sugar

The WHO recommends increasing the availability of healthy foods and beverages for children while reducing unhealthy ones. This means reducing the amount of sugar, trans fats, and salt in foods while increasing the proportion of whole grains, fruits, nuts, and legumes.

To implement the new dietary guidelines, the World Health Organization will provide countries with technical assistance, knowledge sharing, and other forms of collaboration.

Please note: This information is raw content obtained directly from the source. It represents an accurate account of the source's assertions and does not necessarily reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.

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January 28, 2026 Healthcare

In light of a sharp decline in financial revenue, the World Health Organization (WHO) is forced to reassess its operations to prioritize and preserve core programs. Specifically, the WHO has merged several departments, halved its senior management team at headquarters, and nearly halved the number of directors.

WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus announced this on Wednesday, speaking at a meeting of the organization's Executive Board Budget Committee. "Over the past 12 months, we have gone through a painful but necessary process of prioritization and reorientation," he noted.

Due to financial shortfalls, the 2026-2027 budget had to be revised several times. According to Ghebreyesus, this process succeeded in maintaining gender balance and regional presence, and the WHO's global team is now "a little younger than before."

He recalled that the reform process began back in 2017–2018, and that it was then that WHO's "excessive dependence on a few donors" was revealed. The organization took a number of measures to address the existing risks.

"We proposed—and the World Health Assembly approved in 2022—a plan to gradually increase assessed contributions to 50 percent of the base budget, up from just 14 percent at that time," the speaker noted. Furthermore, he added, the WHO Foundation was created to expand the donor base.

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Without these measures, the WHO would have been forced to lay off approximately 3,000 employees, according to estimates. Instead, 1,241 people left the organization, of whom 1,162 resigned or were planning to retire.

However, the financial problems are not over. The measures taken have enabled 85 percent of the budget for the current and next years to be met, but finding the remaining 15 percent, according to the head of the organization, will be difficult: the sum amounts to $660 million. Therefore, the WHO chief called on donors to provide the necessary funding.

Please note: This information is raw content obtained directly from the source. It represents an accurate account of the source's assertions and does not necessarily reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.

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January 28, 2026 Humanitarian aid

Olga Cherevko, spokesperson for the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), held a briefing on Wednesday, informing journalists that aid to the people of Gaza is increasing despite numerous obstacles.

According to Cherevko, nearly 200,000 tons of humanitarian aid have been delivered to the Strip since the ceasefire. Food aid reaches over a million people monthly, and 1.6 million Gazans receive hot meals daily.

Dozens of medical centers have reopened and hundreds of temporary teaching spaces have been created. However, as the OCHA representative emphasized, these achievements remain fragile, and the gap between the population's needs and the capacity to safely and sustainably deliver aid remains enormous.

Shelling and cold

The situation on the ground, she continued, remains extremely dire. Continued airstrikes, shelling, and gunfire are killing and wounding civilians. Harsh winter weather is claiming the lives of children.

Most Palestinians in Gaza live in conditions of forced displacement and extremely difficult living conditions. The approaching month of Ramadan, traditionally a time of joy and reflection for Muslims, will be marked by the consequences of the recent war for many residents of the Strip.

Restrictions on NGO activities

According to Cherevko, humanitarian organizations are facing serious restrictions in their operations. Essential supplies of medical supplies, tools and materials for housing repairs, equipment for rubble clearing, and spare parts remain strictly restricted. Communication disruptions complicate coordination and emergency response. Damage to roads, warehouses, water supply systems, and medical facilities limits the ability to store and distribute aid.

People in overcrowded shelters and makeshift tents are barely surviving, and further heavy rains threaten to destroy their shelters. According to Cherevko, the suffering could be alleviated more quickly and on a larger scale if current restrictions were lifted.

The OCHA representative emphasized that there is no need to create new aid mechanisms now; the obstacles hindering the work of humanitarian organizations must be removed. Among the key conditions, she cited safe access to the Strip, the lifting of restrictions on supplies, including dual-use goods, the establishment of secure travel routes within Gaza, sustainable funding, and support for early recovery.

"Don't be indifferent to pain"

Cherevko emphasized that the humanitarian crisis in Gaza is not inevitable: aid can save countless lives, but only if obstacles to aid delivery are removed. Every delay, refusal, or interruption intensifies the suffering of civilians. She also called for "not indifference to the pain of those currently suffering" and to prevent Gaza from becoming a secondary concern amid other global crises.

"The aid is ready [for dispatch]. Supplies are available. Workers are on the ground. Every minute counts," the OCHA representative concluded.

Please note: This information is raw content obtained directly from the source. It represents an accurate account of the source's assertions and does not necessarily reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.

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January 28, 2026 International law

"A potential turning point for Gaza" is how Deputy Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process Ramiz Alakbarov described the current situation, speaking via video link to the Security Council on Wednesday.

"We are facing a potential turning point for Gaza, a genuine chance for a better future. But there is still much uncertainty. At the same time, we are seeing a continued deterioration in the situation in the occupied West Bank and a region engulfed in tension," Alakbarov said.

The UN will support the recovery process

He called the launch of the second phase of President Donald Trump's 20-point Comprehensive Plan to End the Conflict in Gaza and the establishment of the Peace Council's supporting structures, including the National Gaza Governance Committee and the Office of the High Representative for Gaza, an important step in consolidating the ceasefire in the Strip.

The Deputy Special Coordinator said he had recently returned from Cairo, where he had discussed with representatives of the Gaza National Governance Committee how the UN could support the provision of basic services, the delivery of humanitarian aid, and preparations for recovery in accordance with Security Council Resolution 2803.

"The United Nations stands ready to support the Committee and the Palestinians in Gaza as they begin the difficult work of rebuilding [the Strip]," Alakbarov said.

He stressed that the demilitarization of Gaza and reliable security mechanisms are key conditions for the National Committee's work.

The Deputy Special Coordinator welcomed the return of the remains of the last hostage from Gaza and expressed condolences to his family.

The humanitarian situation in Gaza

Commenting on the humanitarian situation in Gaza, Alakbarov noted that almost the entire population still needs assistance, and heavy rains and cold have worsened the situation for approximately 1.5 million displaced people who lack adequate housing.

He said humanitarian organizations are still unable to operate in Gaza on the scale required due to insecurity, restrictions on the entry of goods, delays at crossings, and limited routes.

Alakbarov also stated that, despite the current ceasefire, airstrikes, shelling, and firefights continue in Gaza. Civilians, including women and children, continue to die in the Strip. He called for the protection of civilians.

Israel's policies undermine prospects for peace

The Deputy Special Coordinator spoke about the situation in the West Bank, where violence, military raids, settlement expansion, home demolitions, and mass detentions of Palestinians continue.

Alakbarov announced a sharp increase in pressure on the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA), calling the actions of the Israeli authorities, including raids and demolitions of the agency's facilities, a gross violation of international law and UN privileges. He called on Israel to comply with the October 2025 advisory opinion of the International Court of Justice.

He concluded by warning that Israel's policies, from settlement expansion to forced population displacement, undermine prospects for peace and a two-state solution.

"Implementing the second phase of the Gaza ceasefire plan is crucial and will require our strong collective commitment. This is a real opportunity to lay the foundations for a more stable and secure future for Palestinians and Israelis," Alakbarov emphasized.

Please note: This information is raw content obtained directly from the source. It represents an accurate account of the source's assertions and does not necessarily reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.