Unhappy happenings (4)
I believe the answer is:
ills
'unhappy happenings' is the definition.
(I've seen this in another clue)
This is all the clue.
(Other definitions for ills that I've seen before include "they're troublesome" , "Misfortunes or maladies" , "Troubles" , "Sicknesses or harms" , "big problems" .)