Featured
Last news
Nearly 150 killed in Halloween stampede in Seoul
Nearly 150 people, some in masquerade costumes, were killed and some 150 more were injured Saturday in a horrific stampede in central Seoul when a large crowd celebrating Halloween crammed into a narrow street, officials said.
Dozens suffer cardiac arrests in Seoul Halloween crush
Dozens of people suffered from cardiac arrest in the South Korean capital Seoul on Saturday, after thousands crowded into narrow streets in the city's Itaewon neighbourhood to celebrate Halloween, local officials said.
TB firmly on the rise after years of decline: WHO
Tuberculosis has rebounded after years of decline, killing an estimated 1.6 million people in 2021, up 14 percent in two years, new World Health Organization figures showed Thursday.
Study confirms AstraZeneca jab's higher risk of very rare clot
AstraZeneca's Covid vaccine has been linked to a 30-percent higher risk of getting a very rare blood clotting condition compared to the Pfizer jab, a large international study said Thursday.
Germany agrees plan to legalise recreational cannabis
Germany on Wednesday paved the way to legalising the purchase and possession of small amounts of marijuana for recreational use, as well as its production.
China Covid curbs disrupt production at world's biggest iPhone factory
Millions of people in China were under tight Covid restrictions on Wednesday as sporadic outbreaks across the country prompted business closures and disruption at the world's largest iPhone factory.
Video games could improve kids' brains: study
Parents often worry about the harmful impacts of video games on their children, from mental health and social problems to missing out on exercise.
Residents on edge as Uganda reports Ebola cases in Kampala
Uganda has reported 14 confirmed cases of Ebola in the greater Kampala region, the country's health minister said Monday, but sought to assure anxious residents that the situation in the capital was under control.
US math and reading scores crashed during Covid
American students saw big declines in their reading and mathematics scores after years of disrupted learning due to the pandemic, with national test results described as "appalling and unacceptable" by the education secretary.
Cholera: killer of the poor
Cholera, which has made a comeback in Haiti three years after a devastating outbreak, is a highly contagious waterborne bacterial disease that can kill in a matter of hours.
In a Florida 'food desert,' a gnawing sense of being left behind
Sitting outside her modest home in Jacksonville, Florida, on a street lined with nondescript buildings in faded shades of blue, a weary Brenda Jenkins expresses a simple wish: to be able to buy fresh fruit and produce in her own neighborhood.
'Lost hope': Inflation, abuse force doctors to quit Turkey
Turkish doctor Mesut began his career wanting to help patients and be of use to his country, but now the threat of patient violence and soaring inflation has forced him to plan a move abroad.
Particle physics pushing cancer treatment boundaries
Researchers at Europe's science lab CERN, who regularly use particle physics to challenge our understanding of the universe, are also applying their craft to upend the limits to cancer treatment.
Monkeypox retreating but threat remains, experts warn
The global monkeypox outbreak has been receding for months, but experts warn against prematurely declaring victory because a resurgence remains possible and the virus still circulates in the African countries where it has long been endemic.
Hong Kong to let Covid-hit participants of banking summit leave on own flights: official
Foreign participants at a high-profile financial summit in Hong Kong next month would be able to skip isolation and leave via "appropriate flight arrangements" if they catch Covid, a top health official said Friday.
China scrubs reports of teen quarantine death from internet
Chinese censors on Friday scrubbed reports that a teenager had died in a quarantine facility, after the case sparked anger and prompted citizens to question the country's zero-Covid policy.
Teen fighter says no regrets despite Ukraine ordeal
Belarusian teenager Gleb Gunko left the front line in Ukraine with shrapnel in his legs, constant nightmares and post-traumatic stress disorder -- but no regrets about volunteering to fight the Russians.
Rebels kill seven and target health centres in east DR Congo
Rebels killed at least seven people and kidnapped a nurse during an attack overnight Wednesday in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, targeting two health centres, local sources said.
Hong Kong to ban CBD, put it in same category as heroin, cocaine
Hong Kong will outlaw cannabidiol (CBD) by February, the government announced Thursday, placing it in the same category as heroin, cocaine and methamphetamine with users facing hefty jail time.
Robotic suit gives paralyzed children gift of walking
Wearing a robotic exoskeleton designed specially for children, an eight-year-old boy with cerebral palsy walked through a therapy room in Mexico City, smiling triumphantly at the once-unthinkable feat.
Uganda Ebola epidemic death toll climbs to 44: WHO
The death toll from an Ebola epidemic declared last month in Uganda has climbed to 44, the World Health Organization said on Wednesday.
Clock ticking to avert 'genocide' in Tigray: WHO chief
The World Health Organization chief said Wednesday time was running out to avoid "genocide" in Ethiopia's war-torn Tigray, as Human Rights Watch called for sanctions against Addis Ababa to avert civilian deaths.
'Close the windows': Lebanon power plant sparks cancer fears
After losing four relatives to respiratory illness, Zeina Matar fled her hometown north of Lebanon's capital where she says a decaying power plant generates little electricity but very deadly pollution.
Cholera cases on the rise in Haiti
Cholera cases are rising in Haiti, according to Health Ministry figures obtained by AFP on Tuesday, fueling fears of a new disaster in a country already deep in a humanitarian and security crisis.
High hopes for nasal Covid vaccines despite 'disappointing' trial
Nasal vaccines could still be a powerful future weapon in the fight against Covid-19 despite "disappointing" recent trial results for an AstraZeneca spray, experts say.
UN Security Council split over security force for Haiti
The UN Security Council split Monday over sending an international force to Haiti to help with deteriorating security and a surge in cholera after powerful gangs took over the main port and blocked fuel deliveries.
Haiti security situation 'nightmarish': UN chief
The deterioration of Haiti's security and health environment as gangs expand their control has produced "an absolutely nightmarish situation" for local people, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said Monday.
WHO seeks flexible funds from business via foundation
The World Health Organization is sourcing rapid response financing directly from companies to help tackle international crises, through the foundation it set up to bridge the shortfall from member states.
Age, health on the ballot in Brazil's Bolsonaro-Lula runoff
One is a 67-year-old who has been in and out of hospital over the past four years for gastric problems. The other is a 76-year-old ex-smoker and cancer survivor.
Gates Foundation pledges $1.2 bn to eradicate polio
The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation on Sunday pledged to invest $1.2 billion towards wiping out polio as health experts from around the world gathered for a summit in Berlin.
Pope urges UN reform after Ukraine war, Covid 'limits'
Pope Francis said the need to reform the United Nations was "more than obvious" after the Covid-19 pandemic and the Ukraine war exposed its limits, in an extract of his new book published Sunday.
War-torn Yemen battered by mental health crisis
Depression, post-traumatic stress disorder, psychosis: Yemen's seven years of brutal civil war have caused an explosion of mental illness overwhelming the basic health care services.