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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.
Taiwan welcomes foreign tour groups as border fully reopens
Taiwan welcomed its first batch of international tour groups after the island fully reopened its borders Thursday, ending strict quarantine rules in place since the coronavirus pandemic began.
Uganda leader cracks down on traditional healers to stem Ebola
Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni on Wednesday ordered traditional healers to stop treating sick people in a bid to halt the spread of Ebola, which has already claimed the lives of 19 individuals in the impoverished East African country.
Taipei Metro to trial free sanitary products for women
Taiwan's largest metro line will begin a trial next month offering women free sanitary products, spurred by a recent push in some neighbouring Asian countries to tackle "period poverty".
Chinese state media signals no end to zero-Covid curbs
China's state media on Wednesday signalled no let-up in its strict zero-Covid policy, publishing an editorial -- the fourth this week ahead of the Communist Party Congress -- vowing to never "lie flat" on virus controls.
'What have they done?' Flip side of Turkey's dental boom
Briton Rida Azeem knew her dental trip to Turkey had gone badly wrong the second she took off her mask.
Nursing shortage forces emergency room closures across Canada
An acute nursing shortage is clogging or even closing hospital emergency rooms across Canada, pushing an already stressed national health system to the brink with potentially severe consequences for patient care.
How bad is red meat for you? Health risks get star ratings
Research about what is healthy comes so thick and fast -- red meat can appear good for you one week, stroke-inducing the next -- that a confused public often struggles to keep up.
Amid high US inflation, online insurance offers mislead elderly
One advertisement on Facebook promises zero-cost dental care for elderly Americans hit hard by rising medical bills. Another, on Instagram, offers free groceries in exchange for an email and phone number.
Rugby World Cup winner Thompson says dementia makes him feel 'phoney'
Former England rugby star Steve Thompson says he feels like a "phoney" because he cannot remember being part of the 2003 World Cup-winning team, two years after being diagnosed with early onset dementia.
Uganda Ebola outbreak death toll 29, says WHO
Sixty-three confirmed and probable cases have been reported in the Ebola outbreak in Uganda, including 29 deaths, the World Health Organization said Wednesday.
Snooker star O'Sullivan sees silver lining to Hong Kong Covid rules
Hong Kong's stringent coronavirus rules found an unlikely fan in visiting snooker legend Ronnie O'Sullivan, though he and other top players still needed help navigating the city's contact tracing mobile app.
The mysterious Denisovans
Little is known of the mysterious Denisovans. These distant relatives of the Neanderthals roamed eastern and southern Eurasia but left little trace of their time on Earth.
Medicine Prize opens Nobel week clouded by war
Breast cancer discoveries and mRNA vaccines are seen as possible winners when the Nobel Medicine Prize kicks off a week of winner announcements on Monday, with this year's awards held under the shadow of war in Europe.
Sri Lanka cuts tax on female hygiene products
Sri Lanka's government on Sunday cut taxes on female sanitary products in a bid to help women and girls unable to afford them because of the country's economic crisis.
NFL plans concussion protocol changes after Tua incident
The NFL and its players union agreed Saturday that changes to concussion protocols are needed following reports the union fired a consultant involved in clearing Miami quarterback Tua Tagovailoa.
Long Covid remains a mystery, though theories are emerging
Millions of people around the world are believed to suffer from long Covid yet little remains known about the condition -- though research has recently proposed several theories for its cause.
Indonesia approves first homegrown Covid-19 vaccine
Indonesia has approved its first locally developed Covid-19 vaccine for emergency use, the head of the country's public health agency said Friday, hailing it as a step toward "the nation's independence in access to medicine".
Qatar says World Cup fans do not need Covid vaccination
Coronavirus vaccinations will not be mandatory for the million-plus fans going to the World Cup in Qatar this year, the Gulf state said Thursday.