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London wall illuminates Covid's enduring pain at Christmas

UK families of some 240,000 people who died from Covid-19 have hung festive lights on a London wall, a symbol of love, anger and pain ahead of another Christmas overshadowed by loss.

Macron slammed over racist remarks Elysee denies he made

President Emmanuel Macron faced accusations of racism Friday over an alleged comment on problems in French hospitals which the Elysee strongly denies he made.

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Age, health on the ballot in Brazil's Bolsonaro-Lula runoff

One is a 67-year-old who has been in and out of hospital over the past four years for gastric problems. The other is a 76-year-old ex-smoker and cancer survivor.

Gates Foundation pledges $1.2 bn to eradicate polio

The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation on Sunday pledged to invest $1.2 billion towards wiping out polio as health experts from around the world gathered for a summit in Berlin.

Pope urges UN reform after Ukraine war, Covid 'limits'

Pope Francis said the need to reform the United Nations was "more than obvious" after the Covid-19 pandemic and the Ukraine war exposed its limits, in an extract of his new book published Sunday.

War-torn Yemen battered by mental health crisis

Depression, post-traumatic stress disorder, psychosis: Yemen's seven years of brutal civil war have caused an explosion of mental illness overwhelming the basic health care services.

Taiwan welcomes foreign tour groups as border fully reopens

Taiwan welcomed its first batch of international tour groups after the island fully reopened its borders Thursday, ending strict quarantine rules in place since the coronavirus pandemic began.

Uganda leader cracks down on traditional healers to stem Ebola

Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni on Wednesday ordered traditional healers to stop treating sick people in a bid to halt the spread of Ebola, which has already claimed the lives of 19 individuals in the impoverished East African country.

Taipei Metro to trial free sanitary products for women

Taiwan's largest metro line will begin a trial next month offering women free sanitary products, spurred by a recent push in some neighbouring Asian countries to tackle "period poverty".

Chinese state media signals no end to zero-Covid curbs

China's state media on Wednesday signalled no let-up in its strict zero-Covid policy, publishing an editorial -- the fourth this week ahead of the Communist Party Congress -- vowing to never "lie flat" on virus controls.

'What have they done?' Flip side of Turkey's dental boom

Briton Rida Azeem knew her dental trip to Turkey had gone badly wrong the second she took off her mask.

Nursing shortage forces emergency room closures across Canada

An acute nursing shortage is clogging or even closing hospital emergency rooms across Canada, pushing an already stressed national health system to the brink with potentially severe consequences for patient care.

How bad is red meat for you? Health risks get star ratings

Research about what is healthy comes so thick and fast -- red meat can appear good for you one week, stroke-inducing the next -- that a confused public often struggles to keep up.

Amid high US inflation, online insurance offers mislead elderly

One advertisement on Facebook promises zero-cost dental care for elderly Americans hit hard by rising medical bills. Another, on Instagram, offers free groceries in exchange for an email and phone number.

Rugby World Cup winner Thompson says dementia makes him feel 'phoney'

Former England rugby star Steve Thompson says he feels like a "phoney" because he cannot remember being part of the 2003 World Cup-winning team, two years after being diagnosed with early onset dementia.

Uganda Ebola outbreak death toll 29, says WHO

Sixty-three confirmed and probable cases have been reported in the Ebola outbreak in Uganda, including 29 deaths, the World Health Organization said Wednesday.

Snooker star O'Sullivan sees silver lining to Hong Kong Covid rules

Hong Kong's stringent coronavirus rules found an unlikely fan in visiting snooker legend Ronnie O'Sullivan, though he and other top players still needed help navigating the city's contact tracing mobile app.

The mysterious Denisovans

Little is known of the mysterious Denisovans. These distant relatives of the Neanderthals roamed eastern and southern Eurasia but left little trace of their time on Earth.

Medicine Prize opens Nobel week clouded by war

Breast cancer discoveries and mRNA vaccines are seen as possible winners when the Nobel Medicine Prize kicks off a week of winner announcements on Monday, with this year's awards held under the shadow of war in Europe.

Sri Lanka cuts tax on female hygiene products

Sri Lanka's government on Sunday cut taxes on female sanitary products in a bid to help women and girls unable to afford them because of the country's economic crisis.

NFL plans concussion protocol changes after Tua incident

The NFL and its players union agreed Saturday that changes to concussion protocols are needed following reports the union fired a consultant involved in clearing Miami quarterback Tua Tagovailoa.

Long Covid remains a mystery, though theories are emerging

Millions of people around the world are believed to suffer from long Covid yet little remains known about the condition -- though research has recently proposed several theories for its cause.

Indonesia approves first homegrown Covid-19 vaccine

Indonesia has approved its first locally developed Covid-19 vaccine for emergency use, the head of the country's public health agency said Friday, hailing it as a step toward "the nation's independence in access to medicine".

Qatar says World Cup fans do not need Covid vaccination

Coronavirus vaccinations will not be mandatory for the million-plus fans going to the World Cup in Qatar this year, the Gulf state said Thursday.

Skin whitening products remain popular in Cameroon despite risks

Wearing a large hat protecting her face from the sun's rays in Cameroon, 63-year-old Jeanne now bitterly regrets using skin whitening products after being diagnosed with skin cancer.

US finds monkeypox vaccine highly effective in early data

The monkeypox vaccine is highly effective, protecting people as early as two weeks after the first dose, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said Wednesday.

Experts encouraged by Alzheimer drug preliminary data

Experts on Wednesday said they were encouraged after preliminary data for a new Alzheimer's drug showed it slowed cognitive decline, the first medicine to accomplish this goal.

China replicates Beijing Olympic 'bubble' for rare sports event

China will replicate its Covid-secure Olympic bubble when it hosts its first major international sports event since the Beijing Winter Games -- with organisers calling it a "roller-coaster ride".

Rare protest in China tech hub over Covid lockdown

Dozens of people have taken part in a rare protest in the southern Chinese tech hub of Shenzhen, social media footage shows, after officials announced a snap lockdown over a handful of Covid cases.

Canada announces end to Covid border restrictions

Canada will suspend Covid-19 border restrictions in October, the country's public health agency said Monday.

In Canada's Arctic, Inuit traditions help combat youth depression

Filleting a fish, lighting a fire or building an igloo: In Canada's Arctic, Inuit youth are being encouraged to connect with their culture in an attempt to prevent severe depression and save lives.

Ebola deaths in Uganda climb to four

A total of four people have died from the highly contagious Ebola virus in Uganda, where the authorities declared an outbreak earlier this week, health officials said on Friday.

Hong Kong scrapping quarantine for international arrivals

Hong Kong announced Friday it will end mandatory hotel quarantine, scrapping some of the world's toughest travel restrictions which have battered the economy and kept the finance hub internationally isolated.

Taiwan to scrap Covid quarantine for travellers in October

Taiwan will fully reopen its borders by ending mandatory Covid quarantine for arrivals next month, the government said Thursday.

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