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‘I have to work to help my family’: Child laborers in Raqqa face dangerous conditions

Conflict & Justice

The campaign to liberate Raqqa in northeastern Syria from ISIS in 2017 left the city in ruins. Today, children make up a significant portion of the workforce that is rebuilding the city. One family knows the dangers of this work firsthand.

shepherd with photo

Oil refineries in northeastern Syria are sickening people and polluting the environment

Conflict & Justice
Polyethylene bags are used to protect bananas from pests and blight on a plantation in Costa Rica.

The shadow of the United Fruit Company still reaches across the globe today

Business, Economics and Jobs
Students cheer on speakers during a gathering to mark the first anniversary of student groups stormed the parliament in Taipei, Taiwan, Wednesday, March 18, 2015.

10 years ago, the Sunflower Movement pushed Taiwan away from China

Protest
A buffalo grazes on the drenched land in the Cardamom Mountains, southwest Cambodia.

‘It’s a lose-lose situation’: Carbon ‘offset’ project in Cambodia accused of human rights violations

Human rights
US dollars are now commonly used by businesses in Venezuela. The informal adoption of the dollar has helped to decrease inflation and product shortages.

Venezuela’s public sector workers take on multiple side jobs just to get by

Economics

To supplement their meager wages, many government workers in Venezuela are turning to side hustles that include driving taxis, baking cakes, selling clothes or taking care of pets. And that’s having an impact on the quality of public services.

Air quality levels have been bad in Accra since December as harmattan season kicks in across Ghana. The data coming in shows the situation is not improving.

Hazy skies over Accra: Harsh harmattan season in Ghana leads to health hazards, poor air quality

Climate Change

Severe, dry winds during the harmattan season are not new in Ghana. But experts with the country’s environmental agency say climate change is intensifying these weather conditions, leading to increased respiratory problems and poor air quality in Accra, the country’s capital. 

The defense chiefs from the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) countries excluding Mali, Burkina Faso, Chad, Guinea and Niger, gather for their extraordinary meeting in Accra, Ghana, Thursday, Aug. 17, 2023, to discuss the situation in Nig

3 coup-hit West African nations exit ECOWAS citing sanctions, no support against terrorism 

Niger, Mali and Burkina Faso have all experienced military coups in the past few years. They say the regional trade organization is not helping them fight terrorism but rather imposing severe sanctions on them. Ridwan Karim Dini-Osman reports from Ghana on the implications of their withdrawals.

street view

Cubans worry about inflation explosion after government austerity measures

Business, Economics and Jobs

Cuban government officials announced a new package of austerity measures, which includes massive hikes for transportation fares, as well as fuel, electricity and natural gas, and further restrictions on businesses. The new plan will go into effect on Feb. 1. 

Turkish breakfasts are elaborate and offer a wide variety of options eaten over the course of an hour or two. Diners are not expected to eat everything on the table. 

In Istanbul, the classic ‘Turkish breakfast’ comes under fire for food waste

Food

Turkey is famous for its elaborate breakfasts, featuring a huge spread of a wide variety of foods that can take hours to eat. Critics say the traditional breakfast is indulgent and leads to food waste. Others say it’s part of the culture and here to stay.