Afghanistan: 20 years of steady education progress ‘almost wiped out’
Afghanistan is currently the only country in the world where secondary and higher education is strictly forbidden to women and girls over 12. The Taliban swept back into power on 15 August 2021 and swiftly began curtailing women’s rights. Three…
No date yet for long-awaited South Sudan elections
Nicholas Haysom, who also heads the UN Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS), briefed ambassadors on political, security and humanitarian developments in the world’s youngest nation, which was scheduled to hold its first post-independence elections in December. Election date proposal expected…
Gaza remains at ‘high risk’ of polio virus spread, warn UN aid teams
“At least two rounds of [orally delivered polio vaccine] will be necessary to shut down transmission,” the World Health Organization (WHO) and UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) explained in an update. The development comes after vaccine-derived poliovirus type 2 was identified…
Humanitarians report rise in children killed and injured in the West Bank
The number of Palestinian children killed by live ammunition fired by Israeli forces has almost tripled since 7 October 2023, compared with the preceding 10 months, rising from 39 to 115. Similarly, the number of Palestinian boys and girls injured…
Alleged leader of cybercriminals extradited to US
The alleged leader of an international computer hacking and wire fraud operation has been extradited to the United States from Poland to face cybercrime charges in New Jersey and Virginia, U.S. officials said. Maksim Silnikau, a Belarusian and Ukrainian dual…
Biden strikes $150M blow against cancer in campaign to slash deaths
washington — President Joe Biden on Tuesday visited Louisiana’s infamous “Cancer Alley” to strike at what he identified as a top priority of his dwindling presidency: announcing $150 million in research funding toward the goal of dramatically reducing cancer deaths…
International Youth Day puts South Asia’s skills gap in sharp focus
Washington — South Asia’s youth bulge is a ticking time bomb. A demographic dividend looms, but millions of young people lack the job skills to cash in, choking the region’s economic potential. Almost half of South Asia’s population of 1.9…
Older Americans prepare for world altered by artificial intelligence
The students — most with gray hair, some with canes, all at least in their 60s — couldn’t believe what they were hearing. “Oh, my God,” whispered a retired college professor. “Does it come with viruses?” wondered a bewildered woman…
Africa declares mpox outbreak a public health emergency
The Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention declared a public health emergency on Tuesday over the continent’s growing mpox outbreak. Formerly known as monkeypox, mpox is an infectious viral disease and has spreading at rapid speed, concerning Africa CDC…
Nigerian invents crop disease detection drone
As Nigeria struggles with food insecurity, young Nigerians and startups are seeking to revolutionize the agricultural sector through technology. In the state of Kaduna, Shamsuddeen Jibril invented a drone that can detect crop diseases. Alhassan Bala has the report from…