Jul 10 More than half the world's population lives in urban areas, UN report finds By Talia Mindich The world's urban population has ballooned to 3.9 billion, or 54 percent of the total population, in 2014, the United Nations reported today. By 2050, this proportion is expected to increase to 66 percent. Continue reading
Jul 10 Mentally ill shackled and neglected in Africa's crisis regions By Victoria Fleischer Robin Hammond had never considered the long-term mental health effects on the Africans whose stories of war, famine and conflict he had covered for 12 years as a documentary photographer. But on a 2011 reporting trip to Sudan, he witnessed… Continue reading
Jul 08 At its third anniversary, South Sudan works to show new brighter side By Larisa Epatko After gaining its independence three years ago, South Sudan got a rush of media attention. But the continued internal fighting has cast the nascent country in a harsh light. The women at the Roots Project are hoping their handiwork and… Continue reading
Jun 20 Meet 'Claude,' one of many displaced children seeking refuge in cities By Larisa Epatko Three years ago, 13-year-old “Claude” -- a pseudonym used for his protection -- had to flee his home in the Democratic Republic of Congo when his village came under attack. He was separated from his mother and he hasn’t seen… Continue reading
Jun 02 Radio drama encounters real-life trauma in South Sudan By Larisa Epatko A new radio drama in South Sudan called Sawa Shabab coaches young listeners on life skills and getting along with others. But just as production was set to begin, violence erupted in the country -- the same violence the show's… Continue reading
May 27 Zebras take prize for longest terrestrial large mammal migration in Africa By Justin Scuiletti What’s black and white and holds the new record for large mammal land migrations in Africa? Eight collared adult female Burchell’s zebras, according to new findings. Continue reading
May 19 Inspired by a plastic bag's potential, nonprofit trains mothers in Ghana By Larisa Epatko Friends Rebecca Brandt and Callie Brauel quickly learned two things while they were studying and volunteering in Ghana’s capital Accra: everyone drinks water out of disposable bags, which end up discarded in the streets, and tens of thousands of children… Continue reading
May 14 Pentagon: U.S. military drones aid search for kidnapped Nigerian girls By Lolita C. Baldor, Associated Press The Pentagon said Wednesday that they have deployed at least one Global Hawk UAV to search for kidnapped girls in Nigeria. Continue reading
May 09 Watch Carrie Mae Weems on using photography to peel back the image of power By PBS News Hour Artist Carrie Mae Weems has used photography to explore national and personal history, using herself and her family as stand-ins to explore common narratives, and using the medium as a tool to challenge stereotypes. Chief arts correspondent Jeffrey Brown talks… Continue watching
May 07 Mother on Nigeria abductions: Each missing girl 'is like my own child' By Larisa Epatko When more than 200 teenage girls were abducted last month from their boarding school in Nigeria, Angelina Atyam knew firsthand the anguish the parents were feeling. Continue reading