Child obesity level surpasses underweight cases worldwide for the first time, UNICEF warns
One in 10 children aged 5 to 19 – 188 million worldwide – are now living with obesity,…
HEALTH
WHO sounds alarm as mental health conditions soar past one billion worldwide
Disorders such as anxiety and depression are exacting a heavy toll on individuals, families and economies, yet most…
It’s time to end physical punishment of kids once and for all, WHO says
Corporal punishment refers most frequently to hitting children but can refer to any punishments inflicted by parents, caregivers…
Cholera outbreak in West and Central Africa poses crisis for children
“The heavy rains, widespread flooding and the high level of displacement are all fuelling the risk of cholera…
Slight decrease in global hunger as inequalities widen, says UN interagency report
The report estimates 8.2 per cent of the global population (673 million individuals) experienced hunger in 2024, down…
Home is where the heart is — and where development begins
Mathare, one of the country’s largest slums, houses upwards of 500,000 people in five square kilometres, cramming them…
Lifesaver: Study shows vaccine campaigns cut deaths by nearly 60 per cent
The study, conducted by Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, in collaboration with Australia’s Burnet Institute, and published in the…
Fight to end AIDS: ‘This is not just a funding gap – it’s a ticking time bomb’
The 2025 Global AIDS Update released on Thursday by UNAIDS – the global body’s agency fighting AIDS and…
In South Asia, anaemia threatens women’s health and economic futures
The warning, issued jointly by UN agencies and the regional socio-economic bloc SAARC on Wednesday, underscores South Asia’s…
Every hour, 100 people die of loneliness-related causes, UN health agency reports
Loneliness is linked to approximately 100 deaths every hour – more than 871,000 deaths annually. By contrast, strong…
DR Congo: New initiative to eliminate HIV in children ‘a beacon of hope’
“Our country can no longer tolerate children being born and growing up with HIV, when tools exist to…
Energy access has improved, but more funding is needed to address disparities: WHO
While the rate of basic access to energy has increased since 2022, the current pace is insufficient to…
‘Still reeling’: Myanmar quakes worsen humanitarian crisis in fractured country
The 28 March quake measuring 7.7 on the Richter scale, struck central regions with deadly force, killing some…
Tobacco control efforts protect three-quarters of the world’s population, WHO report finds
The World Health Organization (WHO) published its 2025 report on the Global Tobacco Epidemic on Monday, focusing on…
‘One Earth, One Health’: Yoga Day provides respite in a tumultuous world
This powerful message of International Yoga Day, observed annually on 21 June, reverberated through UN Headquarters in New…
WHO warns of a health financing emergency
Speaking at the regular Friday press briefing in Geneva for humanitarian agencies, she warned that as wealthier nations…
Make midwives universally accessible and save millions of lives, WHO urges
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), this sort of large-scale life-saving is possible, if midwifery care is…
Without urgent funding, global hunger hotspots are set to grow, UN warns
But hunger has followed them. Over 57 per cent of the population in the world’s youngest country to…
World News in Brief: Rights abuses in Haiti, Sudan war sees exodus to Chad, food trade optimism
Between 1 January and 30 May, at least 2,680 people – including 54 children – were killed, 957…
Famine stalks two counties in South Sudan as fragile peace is threatened
The warning comes amidst increased violence and a worsening food security condition which has 11 out of 13…