The UN’s refugee agency says one of its staff members and one of her children were killed in an Israeli air strike in eastern Lebanon – one of well over a thousand such strikes over the past two days.
The UNHCR said Dina Darwiche’s home was hit on Monday. Her husband and her older son were rescued and are in hospital with serious injuries, the agency said.
Ms Darwiche had worked in UNHCR’s Bekaa office for 12 years.
Meanwhile Ali Basma, who had worked for UNHCR’s office in the southern city of Tyre as a cleaner, was also killed.
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In a statement, the agency said it was “outraged and deeply saddened” by their killing.
“Israeli airstrikes in Lebanon are now relentlessly claiming hundreds of civilian lives,” said UNHCR’s global director Filippo Grandi on Tuesday.
“And I am very saddened to confirm that two UNHCR colleagues were also killed yesterday.”
Ms Darwiche’s friends described her as “the gentlest and kindest soul we knew.”
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“She had been dedicated to her humanitarian work with UNHCR for as long as I can remember,” wrote Professor Jasmin Lilian Diab, an academic at the Lebanese American University, on X. “I am broken. I am absolutely destroyed.”
Funerals for those killed have been taking place across Lebanon.
In the southern city of Sidon, Mohammed Hilal had gathered with hundreds of other mourners to say goodbye to his daughter at a funeral also held for eight other people.
Three Hezbollah members were among those being buried, according to Reuters news agency which filmed the scene.
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Mr Hilal knelt over his daughter’s body, covered in an embroidered blanket, and wept.
He told Reuters news agency that he had left his house in the town of Saksakiyeh on Monday to complete paperwork identifying his family. When he returned, he said, “I found her martyred due to the brutal aggression, the cowardly aggression that is killing children.”
Israel says it has warned Lebanese to leave their homes and put distance between themselves and sites used by Hezbollah.
But Lebanon’s health minister Firass Abiad told the BBC Israel had caused “carnage” and it was “clear” that many victims were civilians, including children and women who were in their homes doing “normal things”.
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Israel says it targeted Hezbollah sites, accusing the Iranian-backed group of hiding weapons and rockets in residential homes and of using civilians as human shields.
On Tuesday Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowed to continue attacking Hezbollah sites. Israel has alleged that some weapons are being stored in civilian homes.
“Anyone who has a missile in their living room and a rocket in their garage will not have a home,” he said in a video posted on social media.
Meanwhile the UN’s children’s agency told the BBC that many of the children in shelters in the capital had been “heavily traumatised”.
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Hundreds of thousands of Lebanese are believed to have fled their homes, the country’s foreign minister says.
“Most of them have left in a few minutes without taking anything, just getting their cars and leaving the house,” Edouard Beigbeder from Unicef said.
“Some of them have seen their house being destroyed, and some have witnessed their family members, siblings killed or injured. So those who reached Beirut are heavily traumatised.”
Additional reporting Hugo Bachega and Nafiseh Kohnavard in Beirut
Community Health Promoters receive commodities from Magacha Community Health Officer David Odhiambo, Suna West,
Migori County, Kenya. Photo credit Joseph Ngaruiya
Supply chains are only as strong as their weakest link. This holds particularly true for health supply chains, where any break or delay can be deadly — life is at risk when communities don’t receive medical supplies on time. At the heart of community health, Community Health Workers (CHWs) play a critical role in achieving Universal Health Coverage (UHC) and improving health outcomes—but only when they have the necessary tools, including access to medicines and supplies.
Around the world, however, CHWs often face stockouts of essential medicines and supplies, a challenge that weakens the entire health system. Recognizing this, Lwala Community Alliance and VillageReach partner with the Kenya Ministry of Health to build a resilient supply chain system that empowers CHWs (Community Health Promoters in Kenya) and ensures uninterrupted access to essential health services. Our current efforts are focused on Migori County, Kenya, and extend to the national level through collaboration with the Ministry of Health.
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Tackling Supply Chain Challenges in Migori County Our journey began with a baseline assessment of Migori County’s health supply chain in March 2023. The findings indicated a 45% stockout rate for essential medicines, including many commodities required for community health services. Such stockouts not only diminish the quality of care CHWs can provide but can also reduce morale. Additionally, the assessment found gaps in stock management, revealing the need for training and mentorship for CHWs and facility-based providers.
Lacking essential supplies makes us feel helpless. When we can’t identify health issues early, it leads to poorer health outcomes in the community. At times, we are forced to refer residents to distant health facilities for services that could have been provided locally,” says Millicent Miruka, a Lwala-supported CHW. “Since we received the CHW kits from the national government last year, we’ve addressed these challenges more effectively and enhanced the care we provide to our community.”
Building CHW Skills for Better Commodity Management Our strategy emphasizes equipping CHWs with the skills they need for effective commodity management. VillageReach and Lwala partnered to develop a training curriculum for CHWs on the supply chain. “The training comprehensively covers all aspects of commodity management from ordering and reporting to proper storage and handling,”. says Hellen Okello, Lwala’s Supply Chain Coordinator. “In addition, we are conducting training sessions within health facilities to enhance the competency of health care workers in commodity management and reporting”.
Zipporah Owino, the Nurse in charge at Magacha Health Dispensary collects medical supplies from the pharmacy. Photo credit: Joseph Ngaruiya
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With 80% of CHWs in Migori County now equipped with essential supplies and resources to provide basic health services to their communities, this training helps them manage their supply of medicines, keep accurate records, and make informed decisions on restocking. Following a successful pilot in Migori County, this training was officially integrated as a module in the recently revised National CHW Curriculum. This achievement is evidence of how a local initiative can have a positive, sustainable impact at the national level.
“From the start, it was clear that addressing these challenges required a comprehensive and an integrated strategy that encompassed workforce development, strengthening of supply chain governance structures and continuous improvement through supply chain audits” noted George Nzioka, Senior Supply Chain Manager at VillageReach.
Using Data to Improve Supply Chain Decisions At the heart of our approach is an electronic inventory management tool that simplifies inventory control and data collection. We have integrated a commodity management module into the electronic community health information system (eCHIS)—a new digital platform for CHWs developed by government and community health partners in Kenya.
This integration empowers CHWs to make informed decisions for optimizing stock. We are currently in the advanced stages of piloting this module in Migori County, paving the way for its broader implementation. We have also collaborated with other community health and technology partners in Kenya to document best practices for digital CHW stock management in this technical brief.
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Hellen Okello, Supply Chain Coordinator at Lwala Community Alliance, trains CHWs alongside George Nzioka, Senior Manager of Supply Chain at VillageReach, at the Magacha Dispensary in Suna West, Migori County, Kenya. Photo credit: Joseph Ngaruiya
Driving Lasting Change in Supply Chains Our advocacy efforts are focused on integrating CHWs into the county and national supply chain tools, processes, policies and strategies. In Migori, we worked with the county government to develop the Migori County Supply Chain Strategy–the first in Migori, and the second in Kenya–which includes commodities used by CHWs. This collaborative effort seeks to transform the planning and budgeting of essential commodities, aiming to reduce stockouts and improve access to life-saving medicines.
By prioritizing the integration of community health commodities into our forecasting and planning strategies, we are ensuring Migori County can effectively meet its stock needs and enhance the delivery of critical health services.
To further strengthen supply chain operations, we provide technical support to health products and technologies units (HPTUs) at both county and sub-county levels. HPTUs were formed to ensure access to health products and technologies of assured quality, safety, efficacy, and cost-effectiveness. We are also conducting thorough audits of supply chains to identify areas for improvement, working closely with the government to refine standard operating procedures for supply chain management at the community level in Migori County and the national level.
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A CHW checks the blood pressure of a Magacha community member. Photo credit: Joseph Ngaruiya
Stories of Success Our efforts are beginning to bear fruit. We are seeing improved access to essential medicines due to enhanced commodity management training. Introducing a mentorship framework for CHWs has improved service delivery and made health interventions more effective “In my community, I serve 80 households, visiting at least seven each day. Before heading out, I ensure I have my health education tools, equipment and supplies in my bag,” shares Millicent Miruka, a CHW supported by Lwala in Migori County. “Having these tools gives me the confidence to serve my community and deliver high-quality health care services.”
Looking Ahead We are in the early stages of implementing the Supply Chain for Primary Health Care (SC4PHC) solution in Kenya, focusing on building robust supply chain systems at both the national and county levels. Our goal is to scale up these initiatives and ensure that every community has access to essential health services.
“This effort is about more than just strengthening supply chains; it’s about building a healthier future for all Kenyans,” says Julius Mbeya, Lwala Co-CEO. “By empowering CHWs and equipping them with the resources and support they need, we can create a world where every community has access to the health services needed to thrive.”
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CHWs with commodities at Magacha Dispensary in Suna West, Migori County. Photo credit: Joseph Ngaruiya
Last December, a social media ad featured a pair of trainers against a plain white background and the caption “Now just £26 at Nike!”
But when shoppers clicked through to find the shoes, they were only available in older children’s sizes.
On Tuesday, the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) banned the Nike advert and another from Sky which the regulator said was similar.
The ASA is cracking down on online ads like these, saying their structure misleads customers. Both companies defend the adverts.
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Nike’s ad featured an exploding head emoji and a black heart emoji, to emphasise what a great deal was on offer.
The ASA said this would lead browsers to expect a significant discount and assume the shoes must be available in a range of sizes.
In fact, the trainers were only available in sizes UK3 to UK6. And, because children’s shoes attract no VAT, the discounted price is less of a bargain.
The ASA said it was investigating the way firms used this kind of “online choice architecture” after receiving complaints.
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Brands often use strategies that prompt people to click on an ad, but hide or delay key information until later in the process, a set of tools dubbed “dark pattern” tactics.
These can include the charging of small fees added along the purchasing process known as “drip pricing” and other ways that reduce price transparency for customers.
Sometimes ads refer to limited supply or limited time on a deal, to increase the pressure to buy.
Consumer group Which? said last year that “dark patterns can leave consumers feeling manipulated or annoyed and in some cases may cause financial harm”.
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In the case of Sky, the ASA criticised the way subscription options were presented to customers signing up for streaming service Now TV, which belongs to Sky.
Customers who signed up found that free trials for its Cinema and Boost services were automatically added to their basket and would auto-renew for a fee unless cancelled at the end of the seven-day free trial period.
Although the conditions of the free trial were stated, the ASA said the information was in a smaller font and a less prominent colour.
The text was also underneath the button to proceed, making it likely that people would miss it, the ASA said.
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Sky said it believed the presentation of the ad was clear, legible and immediately visible.
It added that the concept of a seven-day free trail was so widely understood that it was not misleading.
Nike said the ad for its shoes had been created and published by The Sole Supplier, an online footwear marketplace, without any input or oversight from the sportswear giant itself.
However, Nike argued a reasonable consumer would assume there would be a limit on availability in some way.
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The ASA also banned an ad from the food replacement firm Huel, the third of their ads to be banned in the last two months.
The ASA said the health benefit and cost savings claims made in the ad could not be substantiated.
The mega deal starts online and in stores tomorrow, Wednesday September 25.
Customers will need a Clubcard to bag the discount – which will see Cadbury Heroes, Celebrations, Cadbury Roses and Quality Street reduced from £6.00 to £3.95.
This means shoppers will be pocketing a 34 per cent discount on the sweet treats and saving £2.05.
She said: “Asda often has an alcohol offer on: buy six bottles and save 25%.
“The offer includes selected bottles with red, white and rose options, as well as prosecco. There are usually lots of popular bottles included, for example, Oyster Bay Hawkes Bay Merlot, Oyster Bay Hawkes Bay Merlot and Freixenet Prosecco D.O.C.
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“Obviously, the more expensive the bottles you choose, the more you save.”
Join Facebook groups
The savvy saver also recommends that fans of Asda join Facebook groups to keep in the know about the latest bargains in-store.
Eilish said: “I recommend joining the Latest Deals Facebook Group to find out about the latest deals and new launches in store.
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“Every day, more than 250,000 deal hunters share their latest bargain finds and new releases.
“For example, recently a member shared a picture of Asda’s new Barbie range spotted in store.
“Another member shared the bargain outdoor plants she picked up, including roses for 47p, blackcurrant bushes for 14p and topiary trees for 14p.”
A SMALL family-owned restaurant in Edinburgh with nine types of mashed potato on its menu has just been announced as the winner of best restaurant in the UK for casual dining.
Makars Gourmet Mash Bar, located a stone’s throw away from Edinburgh Old Town, specialises in traditional Scottish comfort food, dishes like haggis, neeps and tatties and chicken in whisky sauce.
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Makers Gourmet Mash Bar in Edinburgh has been named the number one spot for casual dining in the UKCredit: Instagram/makarsmashbar
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The restaurant, located near Edinburgh Old Town, has proven very popular since its openingCredit: Alamy
But what makes this eatery unique, is everything comes with your own choice of mashed potato.
There are nine flavours to choose from:
Classic Scottish dairy butter
Mature Scottish cheddar cheese
Mild smoked applewood cheese
Wholegrain mustard
Smoked bacon and spring onion
Scottish black pudding
Chilli smoked bean medley
Creamed horseradish
Olive oil mash
Of course, if you’re not a fan of the smooth and silky side, you can opt out of having it – purple-sprouting broccoli is served up instead.
Makars was given the accolade in the Tripadvisor Travellers’ Choice Awards Best of the Best Restaurants 2024.
Tripadvisor chose its winners by looking at the quality and quantity of reviews and ratings for restaurants from travellers over a 12-month period.
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Makars was described by reviewers as an “Edinburgh legend” and “local gem”.
As well as serving up delicious food in a cosy, relaxed atmosphere, the restaurant focuses on using local ingredients and is moving towards plant based cooking.
Alongside slow cooked lamb shank, slow cooked beef shoulder, and wild board sausage, it offers vegetarian haggis and vegetarian sausage made from skirlie (a traditional Scottish dish made from oatmeal and onion).
Makers also has dishes with lions mane mushroom on offer for its vegan and vegetarian customers, an ingredient known for being packed with potent antioxidants to fight disease, with claims it can boost brain cell production.
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You’ve been making mashed potato all wrong – stop boiling them in water if you want it extra creamy
The mushroom is described as having the taste of lobster and crab, with the look of a lion’s mane.
Typically, they’re quite expensive, but Makers has developed an advanced lions mane grow facility in Edinburgh, allowing them to offer them at a cost they think is fair – that’s dedication.
Prices at Makers range from £18 to £23, not including sides or dessert.
One customer who visited the restaurant this month described their meal as a “feast to remember”.
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They wrote in their review on Tripadvisor: “Quite simply – the best dining experience I’ve had in months! The place is buzzing, but not crowded.
“The staff were superlative, offering friendly assistance throughout the meal, without being obtrusive.
“The food was first class. Loved the black pudding mash. A feast to remember.”
Another penned: “Friendly and relaxed atmosphere for a truly gourmet experience.”
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Makers also came in the top 10 restaurants for casual dining worldwide.
Tripadvisor Travellers’ Choice Awards Best of the Best Restaurants 2024 (UK)
During my 22 years owning and running a large TV and film production company, conducting interviews for specific jobs never worked for me (“Has finding a job become harder than ever?”, Opinion, Work & Careers, September 23). Instead, I ran a pre-work “clinic”. If people interested in joining us could make it to my Chelsea office by 7.58am I would give them 45 minutes of my time, face to face, so I could learn about them and note their aspirations.
These notes I would bank along with their CVs — invaluable in building future teams to make our products.
I must have met thousands of candidates, some talented, others not so talented. But all, once trained, could become talented, so much so, that other companies would call me for recommendations.
My key question when meeting aspirants: “What do you do when you’ve nothing else to do?”
BARGAIN hunters are rushing to fill up their baskets as Iceland brings back a “favourite offer”.
The frozen food retailer has launched it’s 10 for £10 deal – and shoppers can’t wait to get their hands on the goods.
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Iceland’s 10 for £10 is backCredit: Getty
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Birds Eye fish fingers are in the dealCredit: Facebook / icelandfoods
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Goodfella’s pizza is in the 10 for £10 bargain tooCredit: Facebook / icelandfoods
Many families are desperately on the lookout for cheap buys.
Luckily, supermarket chain Iceland has introduced its bargain deal where you can nab 10 frozen goods for just £10.
Taking to Facebook, the retailer said: “Your favourite offer is back! Grab any 10 for £10! Stock up your freezer for less!”
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Foodies can choose from a variety of ready-made dishes – including delicious fish fingers, chicken, fries or sausages.
Pizza lovers will also be delighted to hear that the bargain offer also included the customer favourite Goodfella’s Stonebaked Thin Pepperoni Pizza which would set you back by £3 at other stores.
Customers can also nab Green Cuisine’s Veggie Fingers – which are typically selling for £2.
And Birds Eye Cod Fish Fingers that are around £2.10 at rival Sainsbury’s.
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Other items included are Birds Eye Southern Fried Chicken normally costing £2.50.
And a pack of four Birds Eye Breaded Cod Fish Cakes are included in the amazing deal too.
The deal has left dozens of money-savers amazed – with many flocking to the comments section to tag their pals and share their thoughts.
ICELAND has updated its iconic slogan – as ITV star Josie Gibson becomes the new face of the supermarket
Praising the deal, a savvy user said: “Wow extremely cheap!”
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Another said: “I got this today.”
A shopper tagged their friend and commented: “Look what’s in the 10 for £10!”
And: “Need to go back to get this deal.”
It comes as Iceland revealed its Christmas 2024 range and it includes a pigs in blankets Yorkshire pudding.
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The big day is still a while away, but it’s always good to plan ahead for the merry season.
Luckily, Iceland has unveiled its Christmas menu which will be available in stores and online from November 12.
Iceland‘s menu this year offers customers everything they’ll need for Christmas lunch or dinner, but there are some quirky items included as well in case you’re after something a bit different.
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Shoppers will be able to feast on mini fish, chip and ketchup sarnies, prawn tacos and an unbelievable XXL pigs in blankets Yorkshire pudding.
The supermarket is also launching battered lobster tails, mini garlic and herb kievs and even some exclusive brands items like Harry Ramsden’s battered mini sausages.
Also returning are familiar favourites such as the turkey crown, mince pies, Christmas pudding and of course all the trimmings like roast potatoes and veg.
Those who want to feast on the exclusive brands range like Galaxy, TGI Fridays and Harry Ramsden’s can do so with the mix-and-match deals like three items for £10.
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Iceland’s head of development David Lennox said: “We’ve focused on perfecting the classics and making them the best and most delicious yet, as well as offering our customers a range of innovative and affordable new Christmas products which are sure to delight everyone at the dinner table.
“Iceland has some extra special products on offer this festive season.”
And here’s the full list of festive items Iceland shoppers can get their hands on.
Iceland is yet to confirm some of the prices so keep your eyes peeled when you visit its stores later this year.
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Christmas traditional favourites:
Iceland Xmas Dinner in a box – £25.00
Iceland Battered Lobster Tails – £20.00
Butterball Turkeys – £35.00
Iceland Beef Wellington – £26.00
Iceland Ultimate XL Cooked Lobster – £15.00
Iceland Pigs in Blanket Pinwheel – £5.00
Exclusive Brands Party:
TGI Fridays Loaded Fries X2 Flavours – £5.00
Harry Ramsden’s Battered Mini Sausages 16 Pack with Chip Shop Curry Sauce – £4.00 (3 for £5)
TGI Fridays Hunters Chicken Potato Bites – £4.00
Luxury Party:
Iceland Doughball Xmas Tree – £4.00
Iceland Mini Cottage Pies / PiBS Yorkshire Puddings – £4.00
Iceland Prawn Tacos – £4.00
Mini Lemon Meringue Pies – £4.00
Innovation products:
Iceland Beechwood Smoked Treacle Gammon – £14.00
Iceland Lobster Thermidor – £15.00
Iceland Pigs in Blanket Yorkshire Pudding XXL – £4.00
Iceland Hunters Pigs in Blankets – £4.00 (3 for £10)
Iceland White Chocolate Snowman – £8.00
Luxury Mince Pies – £2.75
Iceland Lemon Meringue Baked Alaska – £6
Iceland Mini King Prawn Ring – £2.50
Iceland Chicken Nugget Lollipops – £2.50
Iceland Spring Roll Platter – £6.00
Iceland Cheesy Potato Swirls – £1.00
Iceland Potato Trees and Stars – £1.00
Iceland Duck Skewer with Hoisin Sauce – £4.00
Iceland Mini Cheesecake/ Cake Selections – £4.00
Buy Two, Get One Free Party Food:
Iceland Mini Fish & Chip Butty – £2.50
Iceland Crispy Duck Nuggets – £2.50
Iceland 8pk Mini Orange Choc Ices – £2.50
Iceland Choc Hazelnut Churro Bites – £2.50
Iceland Onion Bhaji Rings – £2.50
Embrace picky bits – Greggs and TGI Fridays:
TGI Fridays Coated Skewer with Tennessee Glaze and Sesame – £4.00
Cathedral City Cheddar with Caramelised Onion – £3.75
Cathedral City Cheddar with Triple Cheese Bite – £3.75
TGI Fridays Bacon Mac Cheese Bites – £3.75
TGI Fridays Jalapeno Poppers – £4.00
Cathedral City Mac n Cheese Bites – £3.75
Mozzarella sticks 60 Pack – £6.00
No Meat No Meat Turkey Roast (vegan offering)
No Porkies 6 Pack Sausage Roll (vegan offering)
Iceland Vegan Mac & Cheese Bites (vegan offering)
If you are keen to snap up some of the items from Iceland’s Christmas range, most of its stores are usually open from 7am or 8am until 7pm, and in some cities, they are open until 9pm.
However, hours might vary depending on where you are in the country.
You can find your nearest Iceland store by using the store locator tool on its website.
How to save money on your food shop
Consumer reporter Sam Walker reveals how you can save hundreds of pounds a year:
Odd boxes – plenty of retailers offer slightly misshapen fruit and veg or surplus food at a discounted price.
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Lidl sells five kilos of fruit and veg for just £1.50 through its Waste Not scheme while Aldi shoppers can get Too Good to Go bags which contain £10 worth of all kinds of products for £3.30.
Sainsbury’s also sells £2 “Taste Me, Don’t Waste Me” fruit and veg boxes to help shoppers reduced food waste and save cash.
Food waste apps – food waste apps work by helping shops, cafes, restaurants and other businesses shift stock that is due to go out of date and passing it on to members of the public.
Some of the most notable ones include Too Good to Go and Olio.
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Too Good to Go’s app is free to sign up to and is used by millions of people across the UK, letting users buy food at a discount.
Olio works similarly, except users can collect both food and other household items for free from neighbours and businesses.
Yellow sticker bargains – yellow sticker bargains, sometimes orange and red in certain supermarkets, are a great way of getting food on the cheap.
Super cheap bargains – sign up to bargain hunter Facebook groups like Extreme Couponing and Bargains UK where shoppers regularly post hauls they’ve found on the cheap, including food finds.
“Downshift” – you will almost always save money going for a supermarket’s own-brand economy lines rather than premium brands.
The move to lower-tier ranges, also known as “downshifting” and hailed by consumer expert Martin Lewis, could save you hundreds of pounds a year on your food shop.
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