Daily Brief - 11 September 2026

Start your day informed with the AnewZ Daily Brief. Here are the top stories for the 11th of September, covering the latest developments about health.

1. Smoking significantly reduces fertility in men and women, WHO warns

A new World Health Organization (WHO) report has found that tobacco use and exposure to second-hand smoke are linked to reduced fertility in both men and women. Women who smoke face a 40 per cent higher infertility risk than non-smokers, while smoking in men is associated with poorer sperm quality and sexual dysfunction. The report also links smoking to lower success rates in fertility treatments such as IVF, and warns that second-hand smoke exposure carries risks too. WHO is urging healthcare providers to offer smoking cessation support to those planning a pregnancy.

2. Paracetamol in pregnancy linked to smaller ovaries, study finds

A Copenhagen study of 302 three-month-old girls found those exposed to paracetamol in the womb had smaller ovaries, smaller uteruses and fewer ovarian follicles on average, plus lower AMH levels if exposed before 17 weeks. A related study of 1,210 girls tracked into adolescence found similar patterns persisting. Researchers stressed the findings don't prove paracetamol caused the differences or that fertility will be affected, and current medical guidance on using paracetamol in pregnancy remains unchanged.

3. Parents file first legal complaint over Indonesia school meals

Sixty parents in North Sumatra have lodged a police complaint against Indonesia's National Nutrition Agency after hundreds of children fell ill from meals handed out under President Prabowo Subianto's flagship free meals programme - the first legal challenge to the policy. The complaint seeks an investigation into negligence, named suspects and compensation, with a separate lawsuit also being prepared. The $13 billion scheme, the largest social programme of its kind among G20 nations, has now been linked to more than 50,000 food poisoning cases amid mounting allegations of mismanagement and corruption.

4. India's viral food safety crackdown masks deeper cracks

Maharashtra food safety commissioner Tukaram Mundhe has become a social media star, with millions of followers watching him raid restaurants and seize adulterated food. But behind the viral clips lies a patchier picture: parliamentary reports have flagged unaccredited labs, missing databases and thin staffing for years, while a fight over front-of-pack warning labels reveals lobbying pressure from major food companies. Consumers remain deeply worried about food safety, even as officials debate whether India's enforcement system can move beyond photogenic raids towards lasting reform.

5. DR Congo Ebola response faces staff and funding shortage

The WHO says shortages of trained staff, operational partners and funding are hampering efforts to expand Ebola treatment capacity in the Democratic Republic of Congo, as the outbreak spreads across six provinces. Nearly 1,400 beds have been set up across 59 centres, but another 1,600 are needed, requiring roughly 5,000 additional health workers. Officials warn that too few major organisations have the expertise to run treatment centres, and are urging donors to boost funding for the $1.3 billion response plan.

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News health news global health food poisoning