Okay, vacation is over and we at News & Views are back to work. For some of us August seemed to drag on, while for others it was over in the blink of an eye. Only a few of us traveled, while most simply 'lazed' and 'laxed" and enjoyed the summer days. And speaking of summer—apologies to our readers in the southern hemisphere or the tropics where the seasons are not like us in 'the north'. Also keep in mind that even here in 'the north' summer isn't over as officially it lasts until September 22.
Although we stopped posting new pieces during August, you—our dear readers and contributors—did not stop sending them. By the time we returned, our inbox was overflowing. Over the past two weeks we’ve been posting many of these articles. There were far too many to list here, but we hope you will browse through them and leave comments for the contributors. Writers and contributors really appreciate seeing your comments - agreeing, disagreeing or just appreciating what they share.
Our Feature
This week’s feature, Early Spring Break in Italy. takes us to Italy, where Mehr Khan and her family gathered in the medieval village of Poggio Aquilone to celebrate the recovery of two sisters. Like Mehr and her family, you will be charmed by the rhythms of village life and the glorious colors of Umbria in bloom.
Articles by XUNICEF Members
Since the start of News & Views we’ve hoped our network would be a community of writers as well as readers. While most contributions have been “shares”—articles found in print or online—this week we’re pleased to see more original writing.
- Sikander Khan’s The Wandering Heart is a gentle, touching story that speaks eloquently of the difficulty of finding the homes we left long ago. Don’t miss it—we hope it inspires others to write such stories.
- Tony Lake, in Sudan’s Mutual Aid Coalition, appeals for support for young volunteers running local emergency response rooms in Sudan’s civil war. With foreign aid dwindling, these volunteers have become a vital lifeline for their communities.
- Ken Gibbs contributes An Obsession with the Spectacle and Flex of Power, reflecting on how politics in the US and UK have been reduced to theater and the display of power.
- Mohamed Safieldin shares The Corruption of Electoral Representation: A Tale of Two Democracies, examining how vote-buying in the Global South and the influence of wealthy donors in the West both erode democratic accountability.
- Ramesh Shrestha, in A Workout Regime for the UN System, critiques overlapping mandates, mission creep, and the UN’s latest financial crisis—arguing it’s time for a “slimming diet” focused on reforming programmes, not just cutting staff.
- Mukesh Kapila interviews Kul Gautam in Episode 9 of the podcast Fading Causes. Kul reflects on UNICEF’s and the UN’s roles in turbulent times, stressing the importance of optimism—or as he puts it, “finding a silver lining in every dark cloud.”
- Nuzhat Shahzadi contributes Interesting Expressions, a light piece highlighting quirky turns of phrase that recently caught her ear and eye.
Reunions
- Lou and Laura Mendez share Mini-Reunion in Torino with Saad and Hoda Houry and Malcolm and Patrizia Goodale.
- Myra Rudin recounts an impromptu Mini-Reunion in Manhattan, where she and Sylvia Roth bumped into Surangkana Pitaksuntipan and Josephine Rajasegera, leading to an afternoon of “animated memories.”
- The organizing team for the 2026 Annual XUNICEF Reunion in Zimbabwe announced that participants now have until September 29 to register and pay their deposits—see Update 4 and Update 5.
News Links
Like News & Views, News Links is back in action this week. In compiling them, we focus on stories relevant to UNICEF, the UN, and humanitarian action. Please let us know if you find them useful—we know how overwhelming today’s flood of “news” can be, and we don’t want to add to the burden.
Welcome back! We hope that wherever you are, you have found time to enjoy some time off. Take a moment to share whatever you can - articles and photos. Tell us of your travels, your work, your hobbies.
Please also consider joining us as an editor. Our little team needs help. Like everyone in XUNICEF we too need time for the demands of growing families, and we suffer from the aches, pains that come with age and illness. This year has been particularly hard on our team with several of us out to deal with health concerns, so we need your help more than ever.
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Tom McDermott,
Editor of the Week
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