Author: Hasham

The World Health Organization (WHO) has issued urgent new guidance to help countries cope with the fallout from sudden and severe cuts in external health funding, warning that the reductions are crippling essential health services across low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). The guidance, titled “Responding to the health financing emergency: immediate measures and longer-term shifts,” outlines policy options for governments to stabilize health systems and transition toward more sustainable, domestically funded models. According to WHO projections, global health aid is expected to fall by 30% to 40% in 2025 compared with 2023 levels. Survey data from 108 LMICs show that…

The Rapid Support Forces (RSF) said Thursday it has agreed to a humanitarian truce proposed by a U.S.-led mediation group, as fighting across Sudan continues to fuel one of the world’s worst humanitarian crises. The announcement follows the RSF’s capture of El-Fasher, the capital of North Darfur, in late October after an 18-month siege that left tens of thousands dead or displaced. In a video statement, RSF spokesperson Al-Fateh Qurashi Bashir said the group accepted the truce “in response to the aspirations and interests of the Sudanese people.” “The Rapid Support Forces affirm their agreement to enter the humanitarian truce…

Millions of Americans could see their holiday travel plans disrupted as the longest government shutdown in U.S. history begins to impact air travel nationwide. Starting Friday, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) will reduce flights by 4% across 40 major airports, with cuts expected to rise to 10% by next week if the shutdown continues, according to an emergency order issued Thursday. The FAA said the move aims to manage strained operations as staffing shortages deepen across critical aviation sectors, including air traffic control and security screening. “We’re going to ask the airlines to work with us collaboratively to reduce their…

Mauritania’s former president Mohamed Ould Abdel Aziz has lost his final appeal against a 15-year prison sentence for corruption, marking the end of a years-long legal battle over allegations of illicit enrichment during his decade in power. Abdel Aziz, who ruled the country from 2009 to 2019 after seizing power in a 2008 military coup, was first sentenced in 2023 to five years in prison for amassing an estimated $70 million in assets through unlawful means. A court later increased his sentence by 10 years after rejecting his first appeal in May 2025. His legal team has repeatedly argued that…

Zohran Mamdani has made history as the next mayor of New York City, becoming the first Muslim, first person of South Asian descent, and the youngest leader in over a century to hold the office. The 34-year-old Ugandan-born democratic socialist won Tuesday’s election, defeating former Governor Andrew Cuomo, who ran as an Independent, and Republican Curtis Sliwa, according to the Associated Press. Mamdani’s victory marks a dramatic rise for the progressive politician, who was relatively unknown when he launched his campaign while serving as a state assemblymember from Queens. His grassroots-driven campaign gained momentum after a decisive 12-point win in…

A global hunger observatory has officially confirmed famine conditions in the Sudanese city of al-Fashir, recently seized by the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), as well as in Kadugli, another besieged city in southern Sudan. The UN-backed Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) said Monday that both cities have reached catastrophic hunger levels, marking the first confirmation of famine inside al-Fashir itself — previously limited to displacement camps on the city’s outskirts. Thousands of civilians have fled al-Fashir toward nearby towns including Tawila, Melit, and Tawisha, recounting desperate conditions under the RSF’s 18-month siege. “There was no food, no transportation, and…

Former U.S. Vice President Dick Cheney, who served under President George W. Bush from 2001 to 2009, has died at the age of 84, his family announced on Tuesday. In a statement, the Cheney family said the former vice president passed away surrounded by his loved ones, including his wife of 61 years, Lynne Cheney, and daughters Liz and Mary. The cause of death was cited as complications from pneumonia and cardiac and vascular disease. “Dick Cheney was a great and good man who taught his children and grandchildren to love our country, and to live lives of courage, honor,…

Somalia will introduce Swahili — the lingua franca of East Africa — into its national education curriculum, President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud announced on Friday, marking a significant step in the country’s efforts to strengthen regional ties. Speaking at a summit of the East African Community (EAC) in Mogadishu, Mohamud said Swahili will be taught in schools and universities nationwide, joining English and Arabic as a core language of instruction. “The country’s universities, especially the Somali National University, should focus more on developing the Swahili language, which is the language of East Africa,” President Mohamud said. “Adopting Swahili is important for…

Recent studies warn that frequent use of certain vegetable and seed oils—especially those high in omega-6 fats or reused at high heat—can release toxic compounds (like aldehydes and lipid peroxides). These chemicals may damage DNA, trigger inflammation, and increase long-term cancer risk, particularly for the liver, pancreas, and digestive system.Experts recommend using stable oils with higher smoke points, such as olive oil or coconut oil, avoiding repeated reuse, and adding natural fats from nuts, avocados, or fatty fish to support overall wellness.Simple cooking changes can make a big difference in cancer prevention and long-term health.

Sitting among hundreds of Jewish New Yorkers at Kolot Chayeinu, a progressive Brooklyn synagogue, Zohran Mamdani was greeted not with skepticism or silence, but with cheers and applause. The moment, which unfolded during the Erev Rosh Hashanah service last month, was more than just a campaign stop. It symbolized the complex balancing act that defines Mamdani’s bid for New York City mayor — an unapologetically pro-Palestinian candidate seeking to lead a city with the largest Jewish population in the world outside Israel. As the Democratic nominee heads toward the November 4 general election, Mamdani’s approach to engaging Jewish communities —…