Child Protection Alarm in Antananarivo: Madagascar is facing a surge in unresolved disappearances and killings of children and adolescents, with police recording 172 missing cases in the first half of 2026—119 in Analamanga (Antananarivo and surroundings)—and eight children found dead; authorities say some missing minors may have returned home without notice, while joint police-gendarmerie-military patrols and tighter security are being rolled out. Acute Malnutrition Warning: A new IPC-linked hunger update warns Madagascar’s crisis is deepening, with projections of 502,000 under-5s and 21,000 pregnant or breastfeeding women facing acute malnutrition, including about 78,000 cases of severe acute malnutrition, driven by lean season timing, high food prices, and climate shocks. Conservation & Biodiversity Spotlight: Black-and-white ruffed lemur twins—critically endangered and native to eastern Madagascar—were born at Central Park Zoo, highlighting ongoing habitat loss and poaching pressures that have cut wild numbers by at least 80% over three generations. Clean Energy Link to Madagascar: Off-grid solar and mini-grid expansion remains in the spotlight, with WeLight operating nearly 190 mini-grids across Madagascar and Mali serving over 800,000 people, as regional reports point to distributed renewables growing where the grid struggles. Rare Earths Development Watch: Harena Rare Earths signed a Project Development Funding Agreement with the US International Development Finance Corporation for its Ampasindava rare-earths project in Madagascar, with funds earmarked for permitting and environmental and social studies.