Africa

A child learns to swim in a pond in a rural area of Bangladesh.

Health & Safety

The U.N. Takes Aim At A 'Silent Epidemic' — Drowning

3:00pm April 30, 2021

by Emily Vaughn

This week, in the middle of a pandemic, the United Nations took a stand about an issue that has nothing to do with disease but is one of the top causes of death for children ages 5 to 14.

Like all viruses, the coronavirus mutates. Above: In this depiction of the the South African coronavirus variant B.1.531, the thin yellow band around the rim of indicates a mutation site. The virus spike (red) is attaching to a human cell receptor (blue).

People Are Talking About A 'Double Mutant' Variant In India. What Does That Mean?

7:25am April 24, 2021

by Michaeleen Doucleff

The term is a reference to two particular mutations in SARS-CoV-2. But the variant in India could carry additional mutations.

World News

Chad's Military Says President Killed On Battlefield

4:57pm April 20, 2021

Chad's President Idriss Déby, who ruled the country for more than 30 years, is dead. An army spokesman says Déby died after sustaining injuries on the front line of a battle against rebel forces.

Queue Listen Now

Chadian President Idriss Déby Itno addresses supporters at an election campaign rally in N'djamena earlier this month. The government announced Tuesday that Déby had died during clashes with rebels.

World News

Chad's President, Idriss Déby, Reportedly Killed During Clash With Rebels

4:28pm April 20, 2021

by Scott Neuman

The death of Déby, who came to power in 1990, was announced a day after his reelection to a sixth term was certified. The army said that his son, a four-star general, will become interim president.

World News

Updates On The Conflict In Ethiopia's Tigray Region

5:04am April 20, 2021

by Eyder Peralta

The conflict in Ethiopia continues to rage in the northwestern part of the country, leaving a rapidly deteriorating humanitarian situation.

Queue Listen Now

Firefighters douse the destroyed Jagger Library at the University of Cape Town, South Africa. A wildfire raging on the slopes of Cape Town's Table Mountain spread to the university, forcing the evacuation of students.

World News

Fast-Moving Fire On Table Mountain Destroys South African Landmarks, History

8:52am April 19, 2021

by Jaclyn Diaz

A fire spread from Table Mountain National Park to the University of Cape Town, where collections were destroyed at the Jagger Library.

In July, workers in the restaurant, food and alcohol industry took part in a nationwide protest against South Africa's liquor ban and other lockdown measures.

Health & Safety

Why South Africa Banned Booze — And What Happened Next

12:50pm April 16, 2021

by Eyder Peralta

The hope was that if people weren't out drinking, they wouldn't be spreading the coronavirus. There were unforeseen benefits to the ban, which ended last month — and negative impacts as well.

Queue Listen Now

Najat Hamza had been living in the U.S. for almost two decades after fleeing Ethiopia's regional state of Oromia when she was young, she told StoryCorps in 2017. "My heart will always belong to Oromia," she said.

An Ethiopian American Refugee Longs For Her Homeland

10:02am April 16, 2021

by Lauren Smith

As a young teen, Najat Hamza fled Oromia, a regional state of Ethiopia, with her father to live in America. At StoryCorps, she spoke about what it means to leave "the familiar" behind.

Queue Listen Now

Medical first aid is actually not what we're focused on in this situation, says Ampara Vilasmil, a mental health activity manager for a camp set up by MSF in Montepuez. Most of the people that come to the camps are hungry and tired but physically fine. It

Health & Safety

A Surprising Kind Of First Aid For Mozambicans Fleeing Violence

10:37am April 15, 2021

by Suzette Lohmeyer

Psychological first aid is part of the mission of Doctors Without Borders. They hope to give those fleeing the horrors of civil unrest the tools to start moving past their trauma.

True Death Toll In South Africa May Be Closer To Double The Deaths Its Reported

4:09pm April 13, 2021

by Eyder Peralta

Officially, South Africa has reported 53,000 COVID-19 deaths. Scientists believe that in reality the death toll may surpass 100,000 — which has many questioning everything from faith to rationality.

Queue Listen Now