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Shutting down immunization services in the COVID-19 pandemic risks triggering a resurgence of diseases that can be prevented with safe and effective vaccines, warns WHO in the lead-up to World Immunization Week (24-30 April).
Tobacco kills more than 8 million people globally every year. More than 7 million of these deaths are from direct tobacco use and around 1.2 million are due to non-smokers being exposed to second-hand smoke. Tobacco smoking is a known risk factor for many respiratory infections and increases the severity of respiratory diseases. A review of studies by public health experts convened by WHO on 29 April 2020 found that smokers are more likely to develop severe disease with COVID-19, compared to non-smokers. COVID-19 is an infectious disease that primarily attacks the lungs. Smoking impairs lung f
WHO provides this timeline of the organization’s COVID-19 response activities for general information. WHO will update the timeline on a regular basis and in light of evolving events and new information. Unless noted otherwise, country-specific information and data are as reported to WHO by its Member States. This timeline continues in the spirit of, and supersedes, the WHO Rolling Updates and the WHO Timeline statement published in April 2020. It is not intended to be exhaustive and does not contain details of every event or WHO activity. As of 29 June 2020, the following milestones and event
The participation of US agents in an April drug operation has raised questions about whether Mexico's laws were upheld.
César Jáuregui Moreno is accused of allowing US agents to join a raid on a suspected drugs lab in April.
Shortly after NASA’s Artemis II mission splashed down on April 10, 2026, U.S. Navy divers captured underwater imagery of the Orion spacecraft’s heat shield. In the months after, the agency measured whether the thermal protection system effectively safeguarded the crew and Orion systems as the spacecraft reentered Earth’s atmosphere. This rigorous analysis confirmed that the […]
To mark World Health Day (7 April), the World Health Organization (WHO) is running the “My health, my right” campaign to champion the right to health of everyone, everywhere. The campaign advocates for ensuring universal access to quality health services, education, and information, as well as safe drinking water, clean air, good nutrition, quality housing, decent working and environmental conditions, and freedom from discrimination. All around the world, the core challenges consistently compromising the right to health are political inaction coupled with a lack of accountability and funding,
French President Emmanuel Macron said on Wednesday that France's student protesters are being "exploited" by political forces ahead of the country's presidential election in April 2027. Hard-left candidate Jean-Luc Melenchon participated in a Paris demonstration while hard-right frontrunner Marine Le Pen voiced support for the police deployed to protests.
International judge Navi Pillay was applauded by colleagues as she gave her first public reaction to her Peace Prize.
Myanmar leader Min Aung Hlaing in Malaysia for a two-day visit, his first since he became president in April.
The Vaping Product Duty will be imposed at a rate of £2.20 per 10ml of e-liquid from April 2027.
A visualization of a dark Moon eclipsing the Sun is marked with handwritten notes in this April 6, 2026, screenshot from an Artemis II crew member’s tablet. NASA astronauts Reid Wiseman (in blue) and Victor “Ike” Glover (in green) and CSA (Canadian Space Agency) Jeremy Hansen (in red) observed impact flashes and their locations, which […]
The Malian army says it has entered the strategic northern city of Kidal, which was captured around five months ago by Tuareg separatists who announced their withdrawal earlier Tuesday as the military advanced – a symbolic boost to Mali's junta and its Russian backers. In late April, jihadists from Al-Qaeda-linked JNIM and its Tuareg separatist allies kicked off a series of attacks aimed at weakening Mali's junta rulers, including taking control of Kidal and killing the defence minister. FRANCE 24’s Senior journalist Wassim Nasr explains.
It would be nice to say that Connor Storrie burns up the screen in “April X,” the star’s first film vehicle released since TV’s “Heated Rivalry” made him hot property, but it would be overstating the case. Appropriating Harrison Ford’s “Blade Runner” frown, among a few other things nicked from that sci-fi classic in this […]
Kordofan, between Darfur and central Sudan, has seen one in five recorded attacks in Sudan's war since April 2023.
A Pew Research poll in April indicated 60 percent of the US adult population held an unfavourable view of Israel.
The 30-year fixed rate surged to 7.45%, the highest level since April 2024 as bonds sold off and yields rose.
WHO and Netherlands Strategic Dialogue in The Hague, Netherlands 10 April 2024. Credit: Michel Mees Photography The WHO and the Netherlands convened in The Hague on 10 April 2024, to discuss joint priorities and alignment between the Dutch Global Health Strategy and WHO’s key strategic goals, marking a new milestone in their longstanding partnership. Rooted in the Netherlands' unwavering commitment to global health, human rights, and universal access to comprehensive health services, the collaboration between the WHO and the Netherlands is instrumental in addressing global health challenges an
WHO welcomed Mr Javier Padilla Bernáldez, Spain’s Secretary of State for Health and his delegation on 23 and 24 April 2024 to discuss joint global health priorities. Amongst others, Spain's focus is on universal health coverage and health systems strengthening; pandemic response and emergency medical teams; organ and tissue transplantation; malaria and other tropical diseases; and polio. During the visit, participants focused on plans and on-going work across a number of areas, including WHO’s Transplantation Program to increase availability; ethical access and oversight of transplantation of
