Nearly 40 per cent of cancer cases could be prevented, UN study finds

Nearly 40 per cent of cancer cases could be prevented, UN study finds

The study by the UN World Health Organization (WHO) and its International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) looks at 30 preventable causes, including tobacco, alcohol, high body mass index, physical inactivity, air pollution and ultraviolet radiation.  Nine cancer-causing infections – such as human papillomavirus (HPV) which can cause cervical cancer – also are included for the first time.  Examining patterns for prevention  Cancer remains a leading cause of morbidity, responsible for nearly 10 […]

Attacks on schools surge by ‘staggering’ 44 per cent over the past year

Attacks on schools surge by ‘staggering’ 44 per cent over the past year

Over 41,000 incidents of violence against school-age children were reported by the UN in 2024. Countries with the highest levels of violations in were Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territory, notably the Gaza Strip, the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), Somalia, Nigeria, and Haiti. In a message to mark the International Day to Protect […]

Lifesaver: Study shows vaccine campaigns cut deaths by nearly 60 per cent

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 authoritative British Medical Journal (BMJ) Global Health, analyzed 210 outbreaks across 49 low-income countries over a 23-year period. It found that rapid vaccine deployment during outbreaks of cholera, Ebola, measles, meningitis and yellow fever, had led to […]

Over 60 per cent of the Arab world still outside the banking system

Over 60 per cent of the Arab world still outside the banking system

Even more impressively, the number of Egyptian women with an account increased by 260 per cent, though gender gaps do remain. But how you widen financial inclusion overall is a question the Arab region is currently grappling with. A new report from the UN Economic and Social Commission in Western Asia (UNESCWA) published on Thursday […]