Lifestyle

US candidate for UN migration chief vows 'new vision'

The International Organization for Migration has an antiquated way of approaching its mission and desperately needs renewal, the UN agency's second-in-command with designs on the top job told AFP. Amy Pope, the IOM deputy head acknowledged it was "a bit awkward" to be running to unseat her boss Antonio Vitorino.. Pope insisted that her decision to run against her 66-year-old boss -- only the second non-American to run IOM in its seven-decade history -- was not about putting Washington's pick back in charge.

Thu, Mar 16, 2023 3 mins read

Lifestyle

Sweden rediscovers poverty as inflation soars

It's not yet 6 am and dozens of homeless people are already queuing outside Stockholm's central station for breakfast, their numbers bigger than ever, charities say.. "So many people are coming here to breakfast," said Kavian Ferdowsi who runs a charity helping the homeless.

Thu, Mar 16, 2023 3 mins read

Lifestyle

Fabled Antakya fears losing 'soul' in Turkish quake ruins

As they left Antakya, Turkey's earthquake-shattered home of ancient civilisations, its anguished residents scribbled farewell messages on the ruins: "We'll come back" and "Don't lose hope.". - Rush to rebuild - Framed by mountains running between the Mediterranean Sea and Turkey's border with Syria, Antakya was home to Greek, Roman, Byzantine, Persian, Arab and Ottoman empires over more than two millennia.

Thu, Mar 16, 2023 3 mins read

Lifestyle

Philippine social media users face barrage of bogus medical posts

Philippine vlogger Rosanel Demasudlay holds a heart-shaped "virginity soap" bar in front of the camera and assures her hundreds of YouTube followers it can be safely used to "tighten" their vaginas.. She falsely claimed the "Bar Bilat Virginity Soap" had been approved by the Philippine Food and Drug Administration as a treatment for skin conditions and a way to tighten the vagina.

Thu, Mar 16, 2023 4 mins read

Lifestyle

Dengue treatment advances in animal trials

A new dengue treatment that could become the first to prevent and treat the virus has proven effective in initial trials in monkeys, according to new research.. Two years ago, researchers published work showing a compound could effectively prevent the virus from replicating in cell cultures and mice by preventing the interaction between two proteins.

Wed, Mar 15, 2023 2 mins read

Lifestyle

French Bulldogs topple Labradors as most popular US breed: AKC

The lovable Labrador Retriever is no longer the most popular dog breed in the United States, as French Bulldogs take over the top spot, the American Kennel Club (AKC) announced Wednesday.. After Frenchies and Labs, rounding out the top five breeds for 2022 were the Golden Retriever, German Shepherd, and Poodle.

Wed, Mar 15, 2023 1 mins read

Lifestyle

Abortion pill under threat in Texas court case

US abortion opponents are hoping for a national ban on a widely used abortion pill as their lawsuit against government drug regulators was argued Wednesday before a Texas judge believed to be sympathetic to their cause.. The Texas suit seeks to block mifepristone nationally by overturning the FDA's approval of the drug, and asks Kacsmaryk to first suspend the approval via injunction -- an effective ban -- while the lawsuit proceeds through his court.

Wed, Mar 15, 2023 3 mins read

Lifestyle

Smog a major buzzkill for insect mating

The rigours and rituals of mating among fruit flies are challenging under the best of circumstances, but add ozone-laden smog into the mix and things really fly apart, according to a study published on Tuesday.. The pheromone released by male fruit flies serves as a female aphrodisiac.

Wed, Mar 15, 2023 2 mins read

Lifestyle

Russia far-right sect tries to get foothold in Europe

Ines and Norman Kosin left everything behind to follow the teachings of Anastasia, a far-right Russian sect that preaches a return to the land.. Norman Kosin dreamed of welcoming 100 families to an Anastasian "space of love" in Austria.

Wed, Mar 15, 2023 2 mins read

Lifestyle

Worry, mistrust meet plans to secure waste from Niger uranium mine

Towering mounds dot the desert landscape in northern Niger's Arlit region, but there is little natural about them -- they are heaps of partially radioactive waste left from four decades of operations at one of the world's biggest uranium mines.. "This is the biggest negative legacy left from uranium mining."

Wed, Mar 15, 2023 4 mins read