Afternoon Edition, October 4, 2026
Every Lexy News brief, written out. Three stories, three times a day.
Papua New Guinea
Papua New Guinea’s government declared a 2026 El Niño event in June as water shortages, crop losses and rising food prices hit assessed provinces. The government established an ENSO Task Force under the National Disaster Centre, which identified drought, flash flooding and landslides as hazards linked to the event. El Niño conditions have been present across Papua New Guinea since mid-2026 and are forecast to peak between October and December. The largest impacts on agriculture and food security are expected from November 2026.
Sources Unocha
Haiti
UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk said Friday that gang violence in Haiti continues to adapt and expand, leaving civilians exposed to lethal attacks and tightening gang control over basic services. According to the United Nations, armed groups are limiting access to food, health care and education, while also restricting civilians’ movement. Türk said Haitians remain in the grip of the violence as those limits make ordinary errands and access to care more dangerous. The UN also warned that the violence is undermining the viability of state institutions in Haiti.
Sources UN
Democratic Republic of the Congo
Health authorities in the Democratic Republic of the Congo say an Ebola outbreak has been identified in Ituri province, with at least 65 deaths. Conflict, displacement and weak health infrastructure in Ituri can make outbreak control harder. For this outbreak, rapid public health access, community trust and secure movement for responders are critical to reaching affected communities and limiting further spread.
Sources Al Jazeera Media Congo Tv5monde UN
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