(Feature Impact) A parent’s love knows no limits. Across the globe, mothers and fathers do everything in their power to protect their children and give them the chance to grow up safe and strong. This year, celebrate that love with meaningful gifts that gives back.

Through UNICEF Market and Inspired Gifts, you can honor a mother, father or caregiver while helping the United Nations Children’s Fund deliver lifesaving support to children across 190 countries and territories – from Lebanon to Gaza, Sudan and beyond. They represent tangible interventions that help deliver safe water, strengthen education systems, provide critical services and protect children from preventable diseases.

Lifesaving Nutrition
Invented 30 years ago, Ready-to-Use Therapeutic Food (RUTF) is a low-cost, innovative option to treat child wasting. Each year, UNICEF delivers nearly 1 billion sachets of RUTF, reaching more than 9 million children across every continent: from the Pacific to the Sahel and South Asia to Latin America. Nine out of 10 children treated with RUTF make a full recovery, often within weeks. Gifting 150 Ready-to-Use Therapeutic Food Packets provides a child with a two month’s supply of RUTF.

“For three decades, RUTF has helped save millions of children suffering from severe acute malnutrition around the world,” said UNICEF USA President and CEO, Michael J. Nyenhuis. “As we mark this milestone, we celebrate the lives saved and the progress made – and recommit to building a future where every child has access to the quality nutrition they need not only to survive, but to thrive.”

Maternal and Newborn Care
Support new moms with a gift that gives newborn babies a chance for a better start in life. These Newborn Kits packages contain blankets, prenatal supplements for 20 new moms and essential vaccines to protect babies against measles, polio, diphtheria, tetanus and pertussis. In addition, the Mom and Baby Carebundle contains essential medications to assist with a smooth and safe delivery as well as newborn antibiotics aimed at helping reduce the risk of perinatal asphyxia, neonatal infections and prematurity.

Artisan Gifts
From a Peruvian-made Adjustable Leather Sling Bag designed for versatility that also provides 112 packets of lifesaving nourishment to children around the world suffering from malnutrition to a handcrafted Talavera-Style Vase from Mexico that provides 21 doses of measles vaccine, UNICEF Market artisan goods blend craftsmanship with purpose. Each purchase delivers lifesaving nutrition, vaccines and essential services for children around the world.

Partner Gifts
Children of the world are too often at risk, exposed to conflicts, diseases and natural disasters that threaten their safety and well-being. Since 2016, Louis Vuitton has helped protect these children through its partnership with UNICEF, creating a dedicated Silver LockIt Collection in support of the organization’s work, and more than $24 million has been donated through this initiative.

In collaboration with House Ambassador and UNICEF Korea Goodwill Ambassador Felix, a new design is engraved with the word “DREAM,” representing every child’s right to grow, live and learn in a nurturing environment with access to education, health care and protection. For each piece purchased, a donation will be made to help deliver lifesaving assistance and education to children in urgent need around the world. Learn more at us.louisvuitton.com.

This year, celebrate mothers, fathers and caregivers with more than a gift. Celebrate them with an act of generosity through UNICEF Market and Inspired Gifts that transform gratitude into action and love into lifesaving impact. To dedicate a personalized gift in their honor, visit market.unicefusa.org.

SOURCE:
UNICEF

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Jacob A Tennessen, Harvard University

The fight against infectious disease is a race against evolution. Bacteria become resistant to antibiotics. Viruses adapt to spread more quickly. Diseases transmitted by insects present another evolutionary front: Insects themselves can evolve resistance to the poisons that people use to kill them.

In particular, the mosquito-borne disease malaria kills over 600,000 people annually. Since World War II, people have battled malaria with insecticides – chemical weapons intended to kill Anopheles mosquitoes infected with the Plasmodium parasites that cause the disease.

However, mosquitoes are quickly evolving counterstrategies that make these insecticides ineffective, putting millions of people at greater risk of deadly infection. My colleagues and I have newly published research showing how.

Insecticide resistance threatens public health

As an evolutionary geneticist, I study natural selection – the basis for adaptive evolution. Genetic variants that best promote survival can replace less advantageous versions, causing species to change. Anopheles mosquitoes are frustratingly adept at evolving.

In the mid-1990s, most African Anopheles were susceptible to pyrethroids, a popular type of insecticide originally derived from chrysanthemums. Anopheles control relies on two pyrethroid-based methods: insecticide-treated bed nets to protect sleepers, and indoor residual spraying of insecticide against the walls of homes. These two methods alone likely prevented over a half-billion cases of malaria between 2000 and 2015.

However, mosquitoes today from Ghana to Malawi are often able to survive insecticide concentrations 10 times the previously lethal dose. Along with Anopheles control efforts, agriculture also inadvertently exposes mosquitoes to pyrethroids and contributes to insecticide resistance.

In some African locales, Anopheles is already showing resistance to all four main classes of insecticide used for malaria control.

Adaptation in Latin American mosquitoes

Anopheles mosquitoes and the malaria-causing Plasmodium also occur outside Africa, where insecticide resistance is less well-researched.

In much of South America, the main malaria vector is Anopheles darlingi. This mosquito species has diverged evolutionarily from the African vectors so extensively that it might be a different genus, Nyssorhynchus. Along with colleagues from eight countries, I analyzed over 1,000 Anopheles darlingi genomes to understand its genetic diversity, including any recent changes due to human activity. My collaborators collected these mosquitoes at 16 locations ranging from the Atlantic coast of Brazil to the Pacific side of the Andes in Colombia.

We found that, like its African counterparts, Anopheles darlingi shows extremely high genetic diversity – more than 20 times that of humans – indicating that very large populations of this insect exist. A species with such a vast gene pool is well poised to adapt to new challenges. The right mutation giving it the advantage it needs is more likely to pop up when there are so many individuals. And once that mutation starts to spread, it’s protected by numbers since it won’t be wiped out if a few mosquitoes die by chance.

In contrast, bald eagles in the contiguous U.S. were never able to evolve resistance against the insecticide DDT and approached extinction. Evolution is more efficient among millions of insects than mere thousands of birds. And indeed, we saw signals of adaptive evolution in the resistance-related genes of Anopheles darlingi occurring over the past few decades.

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Mosquitoes evolve to detoxify poisons

Insecticides like pyrethroids and DDT share the same molecular target: channels in nerve cells that can open and close. When open, the nerve cell stimulates other cells. These insecticides force the channels to remain open and continuously fire, causing paralysis and death. However, insects can evolve resistance by changing the shape of the channel itself.

Earlier genetic scans performed by other researchers had not detected this type of resistance in Anopheles darlingi, and neither did ours. Instead, we found that resistance is evolving in another way: a group of genes encoding enzymes that break down toxic compounds. High activity of these enzymes, called P450, frequently underlies resistance to insecticides in other mosquitoes. The same cluster of P450 genes has changed independently at least seven times across South America since insecticide use began in the mid-20th century.

In French Guiana, a different set of P450 genes exhibits a similar evolutionary pattern, cementing the clear connection between these enzymes and adaptation. Moreover, when we exposed mosquitoes to pyrethroids in sealed bottles, differences among the P450 genes of individual mosquitoes were linked to the length of time they stayed alive.

Insecticide-heavy campaigns against malaria have been only sporadic in South America and may not be the main driver behind this evolution. Instead, it’s possible that mosquitoes are being exposed indirectly to agricultural insecticides. Intriguingly, we saw the strongest signs of evolution in places where farming is prevalent.

Toward more sophisticated vector control

Despite new vaccines and other recent advances against malaria, mosquito control remains essential for reducing disease.

Some countries are launching trials of gene drives to control malaria, which involve forcing a genetic modification into a mosquito population to reduce their numbers or their tolerance for Plasmodium. Such prospects are exciting, though the relentless adaptability of mosquitoes could be an obstacle.

I and others are revising methods to efficiently test for emerging insecticide resistance. Genome-scale sequencing remains important to detect new or unexpected evolutionary responses. The risk of adaptation is highest under a continuous, strong selection pressure, so minimizing, switching and staggering pesticides can help thwart resistance.

Success in the fight against evolving resistance will require a coordinated effort of monitoring, and reacting accordingly. Unlike evolution, humans can think ahead.

Jacob A Tennessen, Research Scientist in Immunology and Infectious Diseases, Harvard University

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.

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Last Updated on December 11, 2025 by Daily News Staff

🇯🇵 Japan Earthquake Update — What You Need to Know (December 2025)

On December 8, 2025, a powerful earthquake — measured at magnitude 7.5 (7.6 by the U.S. Geological Survey) — struck offshore of Aomori Prefecture in northern Japan around 11:15 p.m. JST. The quake was deep enough (about 44 km) to be felt over a wide area, with intense shaking registering across northern Honshu and parts of Hokkaido. 

🌊 Immediate Impact — Tsunami & Injuries

Tsunami Warnings were promptly issued along the Pacific coasts of Hokkaido, Aomori and Iwate. Authorities initially feared waves up to ~3 meters high, prompting evacuations.  In the end, only small tsunami waves — up to about 70 cm — were observed, and all warnings were lifted by early Tuesday morning.  At least 50 plus people have been injured, mostly lightly, due to falling objects and minor structural impacts from the shaking. 

Across the affected prefectures, emergency crews continue damage assessments and are checking roads, buildings, utilities and other infrastructure for safety concerns. Some power outages and transport disruptions (train suspensions) were reported in the aftermath. 

🧠 Rare “Megaquake Advisory” Issued

Japan’s meteorological authority, the Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA), has issued a megaquake advisory following the M 7.5 quake — a rare alert indicating elevated seismic risk. This advisory:

Does not predict when (or if) a larger earthquake will occur. Signals that the probability of a more powerful quake (M 8.0+) has increased temporarily for the next several days or week. Specifically, a formerly tiny ~0.1% weekly chance has risen to roughly ~1 %.  Applies along a long stretch of Japan’s Pacific coast — from Chiba Prefecture in the south up through Hokkaido in the north — where the Pacific tectonic plate is actively subducting beneath Japan. 

Officials emphasize that this is an advisory, not a prediction, and it’s issued to encourage preparedness: securing furniture, reviewing evacuation plans, and keeping emergency kits ready. 

🌏 Aftershocks and Continued Seismic Activity

Even after the main quake, strong aftershocks have been recorded in the region — including quakes in the magnitude 5–6 range. This ongoing activity is consistent with a typical aftershock sequence but reinforces the public safety message to stay alert. 

Later smaller tremors — including a reported M 6.0 event — have been felt near Aomori and Hokkaido, though none have triggered additional tsunami warnings. 

🛡 Government Response & Public Safety

The Japanese government has mobilized an emergency task force to:

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Assess damage and coordinate response efforts across affected regions.  Monitor infrastructure — including roads, utilities, and nuclear facilities — for any damage or safety issues.  Keep the public informed and ready for possible aftershocks or other quakes. 

Schools, businesses and local municipalities continue to evaluate safety conditions and may adjust operations accordingly.

📌 What This Means for Residents & Visitors

✔ Immediate tsunami danger has passed, but vigilance is still needed due to aftershocks. 

✔ Preparedness is crucial, especially in coastal and northern regions that felt the quake strongest. 

✔ If you’re in Japan or planning travel, follow JMA updates and local government advisories for current regional guidance. 

🧭 In Summary

Japan is dealing with the impacts of a major offshore earthquake that shook the northern Pacific coast and prompted widespread alerts. Although immediate tsunami threats were limited and damage appears relatively light so far, a rare megaquake advisory remains in effect — not as a definitive forecast, but as a cautionary alert to stay prepared in the coming days.

Despite this elevated alert level, experts stress that while seismic risk is higher than normal, a massive quake is not imminent and the advisory’s purpose is to keep people ready rather than alarmed. 

STM Daily News is a vibrant news blog dedicated to sharing the brighter side of human experiences. Emphasizing positive, uplifting stories, the site focuses on delivering inspiring, informative, and well-researched content. With a commitment to accurate, fair, and responsible journalism, STM Daily News aims to foster a community of readers passionate about positive change and engaged in meaningful conversations. Join the movement and explore stories that celebrate the positive impacts shaping our world.

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