Nigeria: women vaccinators lead the battle against polio
In a camp just outside Lagos, female vaccinators like Eucharia and Aishatu are leading the charge against polio. Though Nigeria was declared free of wild poliovirus in 2020, the country continues to battle outbreaks of vaccine-derived polio (cVDPV), especially in under-immunised and conflict-affected regions. Women have proved indispensable in this effort, often gaining household access where male health workers cannot due to cultural or security concerns. Despite facing mistrust, misinformation, and physical danger, these women build trust through persistence, community dialogue, and personal sacrifice. Many supplement their modest income through small businesses, unintentionally turning polio campaigns into a platform for female empowerment and entrepreneurship. Their efforts have not only improved vaccination rates but also strengthened public health infrastructure and spurred broader social change. While wild polio is now endemic only in Pakistan and Afghanistan, Nigeria’s experience offers vital lessons. Its fight against polio, led by women, supported by community trust, and bolstered by innovative strategies, has reshaped how public health can be delivered in fragile settings.
Israel: plans to build 3,000 houses in contested West Bank settlement area
Far-right finance minister Bezalel Smotrich has announced plans to approve over 3,000 housing units in the contested E1 settlement area between Jerusalem and Maale Adumim in the occupied West Bank. Long frozen due to international opposition, the project would physically separate East Jerusalem from the rest of the West Bank, undermining prospects for a contiguous Palestinian state. Smotrich declared the plan would ‘bury the idea’ of such a state, describing it as an assertion of Israeli sovereignty. Settlement expansion is considered illegal under international law, though Israel disputes this. The announcement comes amid growing international momentum toward recognising Palestinian statehood, which Israel opposes. Critics warn that the move deepens annexation, fuels conflict, and blocks the path to peace. Smotrich, together with national security minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, was sanctioned by the UK in June over ‘repeated incitements of violence against Palestinian communities’ in the occupied West Bank: see
Sudan: at least forty dead in a week in worst cholera outbreak in years
Doctors Without Borders (MSF) says that Sudan’s Darfur region is facing its worst cholera outbreak in years, with at least forty deaths reported in the past week and more than 2,470 deaths nationwide since August 2024. The crisis has been caused by the two-year war between Sudan’s army and the paramilitary RSP, which has displaced millions and severely restricted access to clean water. In Tawila, 380,000 displaced people survive on an average of only three litres of water a day - less than half the emergency minimum. Contaminated sources, damaged sanitation systems, and mass displacement have accelerated the disease’s spread, which now reaches beyond Sudan into Chad and South Sudan. MSF’s head of mission has warned that heavy rains are worsening conditions: he said, ‘Survivors of war must not be left to die from a preventable disease.’ Without urgent humanitarian intervention, the outbreak threatens to spiral further, endangering countless lives in an already devastated region.
China / USA: trade truce extended for a further ninety days
Donald Trump has extended the trade truce with China by another ninety days, narrowly avoiding a major escalation between the world’s two largest economies. The announcement came just hours before the previous deadline was to expire, averting a spike in US tariffs on Chinese imports and likely retaliatory action from Beijing. Both governments confirmed the extension, maintaining existing terms while allowing more time for negotiation. This delay is seen as a temporary relief for global markets and US companies which depend on trade with China. Earlier trade disputes saw tariffs soar to triple digits, severely disrupting international commerce and sparking volatility in financial markets. Although current tariff levels remain high, they are significantly lower than the peak rates imposed in May. Talks between Washington and Beijing continue, with hopes for a more permanent resolution and a possible summit between Trump and Xi Jinping later this year. However, key issues remain unresolved.
Zimbabwe: ban on street vendors and second-hand clothes
The government has ordered the immediate removal of street vendors from Harare’s central business district and reaffirmed a national ban on the import and sale of second-hand clothes. Local government minister Daniel Garwe cited concerns over urban disorder, the rise in illicit nighttime activities, and the negative impact on formal businesses. However, opposition politicians believe street vending stems from desperation, not defiance: they argue that many citizens rely on informal trade for survival amid chronic unemployment and economic mismanagement. One has said that such policies, without viable alternatives, only deepen suffering. Instead of punitive measures, she has called for inclusive economic reform, skills development, and gradual integration of informal traders into formal markets. Previous crackdowns failed because they didn’t address the underlying causes of poverty.
Peru: president issues amnesty for hundreds accused of atrocities
President Dina Boluarte has signed a contentious law pardoning soldiers, police, and civilian militias accused or convicted of atrocities during Peru’s 1980–2000 armed conflict against Maoist rebel groups Shining Path and Tupac Amaru. The measure, despite an order from the Inter-American Court of Human Rights to suspend it, will release those over 70 and halt or overturn more than 600 trials and 156 convictions. Peru’s Truth and Reconciliation Commission estimates that there were 70,000 deaths and 20,000 disappearances during the conflict, with state forces responsible for significant abuses, including 83% of documented sexual violence cases. Human rights organisations and UN experts have condemned the law as a betrayal of victims and a blow to decades of accountability efforts. Critics warn it undermines justice for survivors of massacres, torture, and enforced disappearances, while supporters describe it as honouring those who fought insurgency. The law deepens debate over justice, reconciliation, and impunity in Peru’s fragile democracy.