Africa has become the world’s hungriest continent for the first time, overtaking Asia in the number of people experiencing hunger, according to the latest United Nations State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World (SOFI) 2026 report. The report estimates that 309 million people in Africa faced hunger in 2025, compared with 292 million…
Thousands of migrant workers have gathered outside foreign embassies and consulates across South Africa as fears over escalating anti-immigrant violence continue to grow. The crowds, made up of nationals from several African countries, are seeking emergency evacuation assistance amid renewed xenophobic tensions that have spread across parts of the country. The latest wave of anxiety…
The conflict between the United States and Iran has intensified sharply after both countries exchanged another round of military strikes, widening the fighting beyond Iranian territory and raising fears of a broader regional war. The latest exchanges marked the seventh consecutive night of U.S. air operations against Iran, while Tehran retaliated by targeting U.S.-linked military…
Two devastating disasters have unfolded across Asia, as rescue teams in China race to find survivors trapped beneath a massive landslide while the United Nations warns that more than 500 Rohingya refugees are feared dead after two overcrowded boats reportedly capsized off the coast of Myanmar. In southwest China, torrential rainfall triggered a huge landslide…
France’s parliament has approved a landmark law legalizing assisted dying for adults suffering from serious, incurable and life-threatening illnesses under strict medical conditions. The legislation, passed by the National Assembly in a 291-241 vote, marks one of the biggest changes to France’s end-of-life laws in decades. Under the new law, eligible patients must be French…
The United Kingdom has proposed a new overnight social media curfew for 16- and 17-year-olds as part of efforts to improve young people’s mental health, sleep quality and online safety. Under the proposal, social media apps would be set to block access between midnight and 6:00 a.m. by default, although teenagers would be able to…
The United States has approved a $1.96 billion weapons package for Saudi Arabia, reinforcing the kingdom’s air defense capabilities as regional tensions escalate with Yemen’s Houthi movement. The sale, approved by the U.S. State Department, includes up to 20,000 Advanced Precision Kill Weapon System (APKWS) II laser-guided rockets and related support equipment. According to the…
China has confirmed that Chinese-born American seismologist Dr. Youlin Chen remains in detention on espionage charges, rejecting U.S. claims that he has been wrongfully detained. Chen has been held since November 2024, when he was arrested at Beijing International Airport during a personal visit to China. Chen, a U.S. citizen and Boston-based scientist, is known…
Health workers battling the worsening Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) have threatened to intensify strike action over months of unpaid salaries and risk allowances, raising fears that the response to one of the country’s fastest-growing Ebola outbreaks could be severely disrupted. The workers, including doctors, nurses, epidemiologists, ambulance drivers and burial…
Europe continues to grapple with an extreme summer of heat and wildfires, with authorities warning that soaring temperatures are driving a growing public health and environmental crisis. In England and Wales, new estimates suggest that recent heatwaves were linked to more than 2,700 excess deaths, while firefighters in Spain are battling one of the country’s…
