The flooding of Lake Albert, in Africa’s Great Lakes Region, has caused huge economic losses on the shores of Uganda, where people were already struggling to recover from the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Monthly Archives: March 2022
UN rights chief leads call for global COVID-19 vaccine equity
The global failure to deliver enough COVID-19 vaccines to developing countries “is prolonging the pandemic” and causing tens of thousands of preventable deaths every week, senior UN figures told the Human Rights Council on Thursday.
Many Ukrainians face a future of lasting psychological wounds from the Russian invasion
Arash Javanbakht, Wayne State University “Polina came to our bedroom awakened by the sound of explosions. I didn’t know and still don’t know what to tell her. Her eyes today are full of fear and terror; eyes of all of us.” Alina, a family friend who is a marketer and mother of two children fromContinue reading “Many Ukrainians face a future of lasting psychological wounds from the Russian invasion”
Black women in South African academia struggle to get ahead: what needs to change
In South Africa, the number of black women who acquire undergraduate degrees has increased more than any other population group. Yet they remain underrepresented in senior academic and management positions in the country’s higher education institutions.
Ukraine crisis: UN agencies support rising tide of refugees
The number of people fleeing the Russian onslaught in Ukraine surpassed 874,000 as of Wednesday morning New York time, data from the UN refugee agency, UNHCR, has revealed.
Five things you should know about disposable masks and plastic pollution
The fight against plastic pollution is being hit by the COVID-19 pandemic, as the use of disposable masks, gloves and other protective equipment soars, but UN agencies and partners insist that, if effective measures are put into place, the amount of plastics discarded every year can be significantly cut, or even eliminated.
Nations sign up to end global scourge of plastic pollution
Heads of State, environment ministers and other representatives from 175 nations, endorsed a historic resolution at the UN Environment Assembly in Nairobi on Wednesday to end plastic pollution, and forge an international legally binding agreement, by the end of 2024.
South Africa’s efforts to tackle its energy crisis lack urgency and coherence
South Africa’s electricity infrastructure has been degrading in the past decade, with both scheduled and unscheduled power outages on the increase. Despite slowed economic activity due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the country experienced 1130 hours of planned power cuts in 2021, the highest ever.
Why do people get diarrhea?
Hannibal Person, University of Washington Curious Kids is a series for children of all ages. If you have a question you’d like an expert to answer, send it to curiouskidsus@theconversation.com. Why do people get diarrhea? – A.A.A., age 10, Philadelphia The digestive system breaks down everything you eat and drink to absorb nutrients and makeContinue reading “Why do people get diarrhea?”
How long does protective immunity against COVID-19 last after infection or vaccination? Two immunologists explain
Prakash Nagarkatti, University of South Carolina and Mitzi Nagarkatti, University of South Carolina As the omicron variant of SARS-CoV-2 took hold across the globe in late 2021, it became readily apparent that the pandemic had entered a new phase. Having experienced a previous COVID-19 infection or being vaccinated still left many people wondering how vulnerableContinue reading “How long does protective immunity against COVID-19 last after infection or vaccination? Two immunologists explain”
Youth For SDG 