Paper houses could transform sprawling slums, according to developers who hope the creation of a cheap, sturdy and sustainable housing structure made from paper will change the way the world's poorest city dwellers live. The dwellings, made from resin-treated paper, will first be used in Zimbabwe and Nigeria.
PAKISTAN: Record number of polio cases in 2008
The number of polio cases in Pakistan has been creeping up in recent years despite countrywide eradication efforts. Officials have already reported new cases in 2009, one in an area recently declared polio-free.
Afghan Girls, Scarred by Acid, Defy Terror, Embracing School
Acid attacks on school girls in Kandahar have failed to dissuade the young Afghans from attending classes as school administrators, teachers and parents rally to stress the importance of education.
U.N. Warns of Refugee Crisis in Gaza Strip
Some 30,000 Palestinians in the Gaza Strip are now living in UN-sponsored schools, while another 60,000 have evacuated their homes and moved in with family members. Although the number represents a small fraction of Gaza's population, the number has doubled in just four days, quickly coalescing into a humanitarian crisis. In addition, a Human Rights Watch military analyst shown Israeli war material identified the presence of white phosphorous, a controversial substance that some say violates international war conventions.
UN rights council condemns Israeli offensive in Gaza
The UN Human Rights Council has adopted a resolution condemning Israel for “grave” human rights violations in its Gaza campaign. A total of 33 nations from around the world voted for the resolution, while 13 European countries abstained and Canada rejected it.
'stray mortar’ hit UN Gaza school
Although Israeli officials initially said a mortar attack on a UN charter school in Gaza was a direct counterattack after rockets were launched from the school, the same officials now say the attack was the result of a stray mortar. UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon expressed dismay at the incident, while the UN has called for an investigation.
Australia's Aborigines to feel climate shift most
Australia's aboriginal population is likely to be worst affected by climate change as their remote rural homes and comparatively poor health leave them less able to cope with impending changes, according to a study published in the Medical Journal of Australia
Zimbabwe cholera deaths near 2,000-WHO
Zimbabwe's cholera epidemic has killed 1,937 people and a total of 38,334 have contracted the normally preventable disease,according to the World Health Organisation (WHO).
MYANMAR: Polio campaign targets 7.4 million children
Myanmar health authorities and United Nations officials aim to immunize 7.4 million children during an upcoming polio campaign. Over 45,000 health workers and volunteers will help ensure that children even in Myanmar's hardest-to-reach areas will receive immunizations.
Billions face food shortages, study warns
In as few as three decades, the world may be facing perpetual food crises as global warming cuts global crop yields, according to a study published this week in Science. “This is the strongest argument that either you have to do something about global warming or you need to actually figure out how you’re going to deal with these kinds of permanent reductions in yield,” the study's author, Dr. David Battisti, said.
Africa: Continent May Face ‘Centuries’ of Poverty
Extreme poverty will continue to blight sub-Saharan Africa for another 200 years unless action to overcome it is intensified, according to a new report by Social Watch. The report finds that 80 countries, home to half the world's population, fare badly when three criteria are examined: the number of children who die before their fifth birthday, the proportion of children who complete primary education, and the proportion of births that are attended by trained midwives or other medical professionals. Only 16 of these countries have registered considerable improvement since 2000.
Scientists doubt Europe can wipe out measles by 2010
There is little chance Europe will reach the goal of eradicating measles by 2010, according to a new study published in The Lancet. Fears of autism linked to immunizations and a lack of information have left vaccination rates for children far below target in several countries, while measles cases have appeared in Great Britain, Romania, Germany and Italy.
GLOBAL: Does emergency education save lives?
Emergencies severely curtail children's ability to access school. Over half of the children worldwide who have not completed primary school live in countries affected by armed conflict according to emergency education experts Susan Nicolai and Carl Triplehorn in an Overseas Development Institute report. In some cases education can directly save lives, said Deborah Haines, emergency education adviser at Save the Children, especially when it comes to preparing children to avoid crises or lessen their impact. She gave as examples teaching about landmine risks, informing children what to do in an earthquake, or teaching children in flood-prone areas how to swim.