The taboo of menstruation in Madagascar, an obstacle to women’s emancipation

Unlike most other countries, the Philippines has decided to keep schools closed for another year to contain COVID-19. Rights advocates warn millions of children without internet access are missing out on an education.

Even though the Taliban's reliance on foreign aid money could moderate their stance toward women, higher education for girls and women in the country still faces many challenges.

Hackers have stolen the personal data of around 1.4 million people who took Covid-19 tests in the Paris region in mid-2020. It's the latest in a growing number of cyber attacks on French health institutions. So how secure is our data? We take a closer look.

Afghanistan's health system is on the verge of collapse, a top Red Cross official warns, saying more than 2,000 health facilities have been shuttered across the conflict-ravaged country.

In Madagascar, some of the country's highest authorities are accused of bankrolling teams to create fake profiles on Facebook which then share biased or false information for political gain. These fake Facebook accounts stir up controversy, sing the praises of President Andry Rajoelina and criticise journalists and opposition politicians. The communications minister, accused of playing a key role, denies any wrongdoing. Our correspondents report.

Some days, all Tsimamorekm Aly eats is sugary water. He's happy if there's a handful of rice. But with six young kids and a wife to support, he often goes without. This is the fourth year that drought has devastated Aly's home in southern Madagascar. Now more than one million people, or two out of five residents, of his Grand Sud region require emergency food aid in what the United Nations is calling a "climate change famine."

On average, 40% of health professionals in the world are fully vaccinated against Covid-19 but this figure hides huge disparities between regions, regrets Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, director general of the WHO.

Here are a few reasons to pick up a copy of The Guardian on Friday. Find these stories and much more when you grab a copy of The Guardian on Friday.⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣ ⁣

German Health Minister Jens Spahn has urged states to reopen vaccination centers as pressure grows to administer booster shots. Meanwhile, the world has passed five milion COVID deaths. DW has the latest.

While countries from all over the world gather for COP26, "climate change famine" shows no sign of abating in southern Madagascar, where crippling droughts have left families starving, paying what the United Nations describes as the "highest price" of malnutrition induced from climate change. Africa, responsible for just 3% of global emissions, is seen as the most vulnerable region to climate change, as evidenced by Madagascar's droughts this year . African leaders demanded at the Glasgow conference that wealthy countries responsible for the bulk of carbon emissions make good on an earlier pledge to provide $100 billion a year to help poorer countries cope. Climate change is battering the Indian Ocean island and several U.N. agencies have warned in the past few months of a "climate change famine" there. Rainfall patterns in Madagascar are growing more erratic – they've been below average for nearly six years, said researchers at the University of California at Santa Barbara.

Since the Taliban returned to power in August, life in Afghanistan has become more and more difficult. The country, which was already beset by an economic crisis, is now confronted with a worsening humanitarian catastrophe. Billions of dollars in aid money have dried up, funding for hospitals is non-existent and nearly half the population faces acute hunger. Our team on the ground reports.

Three-time FIFA World Cup winner Pele on Thursday stated he is feeling "better" and quipped that he can`t wait to get back to playing the beautiful game. Considered by many to be the greatest footballer of all time, Pele has been in poor health in recent years and has had quite a few stints in the hospital.