Cold comfort for 400,000 Burundi refugees

A look at some of the world’s most threatened forests

Unplanned and unrestrained activities for agriculture, industry and urbanisation are ruining our most important ally in nature—the forest

US govt halts funding for relocation projects in protected areas

The move comes in response to alleged human rights violations by WWF; likely to deal a blow to relocation project in Karnataka’s Nagarhole …

Togo first in Africa to end sleeping sickness

The west African country did not report any cases for the past 10 years, achieving this feat after more than 2 decades of disease surveillance

In Short

Republic of the Congo gets its first ever marine protected areas

Three zones include nesting grounds for leatherback turtles, critical habitats for Atlantic humpback whale

Timber companies plundering Congo’s rainforests, says report

A probe by non-profit Global Witness shows that timber companies are defying forest protection laws and underpaying taxes to plunder natural resources

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In Short

British king acknowledges colonial atrocities in Kenya — here’s what could happen next

Public acknowledgements of colonial legacy in east Africa by Britain, German and Belgium can be classified under broad framework of transitional …

DRC’s coping mechanisms in the face of Ebola, measles and COVID-19

DRC has had a measles outbreak of more than 300,000 cases and more than 6,000 deaths since 2019; and 4,637 confirmed COVID-19 cases at 13 …

Pakistan, Afghanistan among global hunger hotspots: UN report

Conflict, climate extremes and economic shocks driving communities into crisis; Sudan conflict can impact several neighbouring countries

Ebola cases in DRC province continue to rise, surpass previous outbreak

The country had declared an end to the second-deadliest Ebola virus disease outbreak in eastern region on June 25

Democratic Republic of Congo calls end to 2nd-deadliest Ebola outbreak ever

Even as outbreak ends in country’s eastern area, another smaller outbreak surfaces in the northwest

Elephant poaching rates vary across Africa: 19 years of data from 64 sites suggest why

Poaching rates are lower where there is strong national governance and where local levels of human development are relatively high

Radioactive waste in Congolese river

In Short

No health net for 3.1 bln by 2023 deadline

The World Health Organization (WHO) 13th General Programme of Work targeted universal health coverage (UHC) between 2019 and 2023

Most comprehensive study on HIV, malaria, TB shows major progress in the millennium

Funding and policy have had real impact in combating the diseases, although challenges remain

Progress in measles elimination has got stalled, says WHO

Developing countries mostly hit. More than 145,000 people died of the disease in 2013

Rechargeable batteries: UNCTAD report warns of raw material uncertainties

A few countries control reserves of key inputs like cobalt, manganese, lithium, graphite

Environmental crimes threaten global security, says UN

Illegal forestry and ivory products worth up to US $213 billion a year are helping fund terrorists, militants and criminals

Africa eradicates polio, but vaccine-driven outbreaks rise

In Asia, India too was declared polio-free in 2014, but cVDPV was reported 50 times in the country in the past six years