The Price of Climate Change is Being ‘Paid by Our Lungs’ 25/05/2026 Sophia Samantaroy The impact of climate on respiratory health was the subject of a meeting alongside the World Health Assembly (WHA) in Geneva. This comes as the UN General Assembly endorsed a landmark International Court of Justice ruling that holds countries accountable to curb greenhouse gas emissions. “Imagine you are running. You are tired and want to […] Continue reading -> Decades After Ottawa Charter on Determinants of Health, a Question of Combating Commercial Influences 24/05/2026 Sophia Samantaroy Three emerging threats to health: the commercial, digital, and climate determinants of health played centre stage at an event 40 years after a WHO charter shifted the focus of health from individual lifestyle choices to broader social and environmental determinants. Commercial formula company practices are just one case study of how structural factors like marketing […] Continue reading -> With 90% of Time Spent Indoors, Children and Vulnerable Groups Face Little Protection Against Pollutants 22/05/2026 Sophia Samantaroy Unhealthy indoor air threatens millions of lives. Public health advocates argue that investments in ventilation, air filtration, monitoring, and clean indoor air policies could deliver a rare triple benefit — protecting children’s health, strengthening pandemic preparedness, and creating healthier indoor environments well beyond the next global outbreak. When Dr Georgia Lagoudas testified in front of […] Continue reading -> ‘A String of Erratic Decisions’: National Science Foundation Advisory Board is Abruptly Dismissed 28/04/2026 Sophia Samantaroy The White House has fired all 24 members of the National Science Board (NSB), the group that advises the National Science Foundation (NSF), in what some observers described as another example of the Trump Administration’s ‘blunt force approach’ to reshaping the nation’s science-based institutions. As of Monday evening, the White House still had not provided […] Continue reading -> Congress Presses RFK Jr on Whether New CDC Chief Can Act Independently on Vaccines 24/04/2026 Sophia Samantaroy US Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F Kennedy Jr offered contradictory responses that the country’s new leader of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) would be able to make decisions independent of political interference, especially around vaccines. The White House announced late last week its fourth pick in a year for CDC director, […] Continue reading -> Regions with Worst Air Pollution Receive Least Amount of Philanthropic Support 21/04/2026 Sophia Samantaroy Less than 0.1% of all philanthropic funding has gone to the fight for clean air. Yet globally, nearly eight million deaths are attributed to the particles and gases that pollute the air – making air pollution the second biggest risk factor for premature death after high blood pressure. “Air pollution is one of the world’s […] Continue reading -> Microplastics: Brain Study Confirms Health Risks, Challenges Kennedy’s Claims 20/04/2026 Felix Sassmannshausen & Sophia Samantaroy A joint announcement by the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and Health and Human Services (HHS) on microplastics made inaccurate claims about how many plastic particles exist in the brain, while providing an unclear regulatory plan to address this. But a study published in Nature Health found microplastics in nearly every one of its 191 […] Continue reading -> ‘A Unique Moment’: New Regional Air Pollution Plans Aim to Cut Health Burden Across Latin America 17/04/2026 Sophia Samantaroy The Pan-American Health Organization (PAHO) will soon unveil a new Roadmap on Air Quality and Health, following on from a meeting with countries and other stakeholders in February in Mexico. The PAHO strategy dovetails with an ambitious new regional action plan by the UN Environment Programme – which supports the work of environment ministries. While […] Continue reading -> Africa’s Clean Cooking Gap Leaves One Billion Without Access 16/04/2026 Sophia Samantaroy Lack of access to clean cooking fuel and technologies has extensive impacts on health, environment, economy, and women’s equality, say experts at the World Bank Group Spring Meeting. WASHINGTON– Nearly a billion people lack access to clean cooking on the African continent. A heavy reliance on charcoal, firewood, and kerosene pollutes homes with toxic particulate […] Continue reading -> Trump Administration Nominates USDA Official to Lead World Food Programme 09/04/2026 Sophia Samantaroy The Trump administration has put forward Luke J Lindberg, the US Department of Agriculture trade and foreign agricultural affairs under secretary, as its pick for executive director of the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP). Lindberg would succeed Cindy McCain, who announced her resignation in October due to health issues. “Throughout his career, Under Secretary […] Continue reading -> Posts navigation Older posts
Decades After Ottawa Charter on Determinants of Health, a Question of Combating Commercial Influences 24/05/2026 Sophia Samantaroy Three emerging threats to health: the commercial, digital, and climate determinants of health played centre stage at an event 40 years after a WHO charter shifted the focus of health from individual lifestyle choices to broader social and environmental determinants. Commercial formula company practices are just one case study of how structural factors like marketing […] Continue reading -> With 90% of Time Spent Indoors, Children and Vulnerable Groups Face Little Protection Against Pollutants 22/05/2026 Sophia Samantaroy Unhealthy indoor air threatens millions of lives. Public health advocates argue that investments in ventilation, air filtration, monitoring, and clean indoor air policies could deliver a rare triple benefit — protecting children’s health, strengthening pandemic preparedness, and creating healthier indoor environments well beyond the next global outbreak. When Dr Georgia Lagoudas testified in front of […] Continue reading -> ‘A String of Erratic Decisions’: National Science Foundation Advisory Board is Abruptly Dismissed 28/04/2026 Sophia Samantaroy The White House has fired all 24 members of the National Science Board (NSB), the group that advises the National Science Foundation (NSF), in what some observers described as another example of the Trump Administration’s ‘blunt force approach’ to reshaping the nation’s science-based institutions. As of Monday evening, the White House still had not provided […] Continue reading -> Congress Presses RFK Jr on Whether New CDC Chief Can Act Independently on Vaccines 24/04/2026 Sophia Samantaroy US Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F Kennedy Jr offered contradictory responses that the country’s new leader of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) would be able to make decisions independent of political interference, especially around vaccines. The White House announced late last week its fourth pick in a year for CDC director, […] Continue reading -> Regions with Worst Air Pollution Receive Least Amount of Philanthropic Support 21/04/2026 Sophia Samantaroy Less than 0.1% of all philanthropic funding has gone to the fight for clean air. Yet globally, nearly eight million deaths are attributed to the particles and gases that pollute the air – making air pollution the second biggest risk factor for premature death after high blood pressure. “Air pollution is one of the world’s […] Continue reading -> Microplastics: Brain Study Confirms Health Risks, Challenges Kennedy’s Claims 20/04/2026 Felix Sassmannshausen & Sophia Samantaroy A joint announcement by the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and Health and Human Services (HHS) on microplastics made inaccurate claims about how many plastic particles exist in the brain, while providing an unclear regulatory plan to address this. But a study published in Nature Health found microplastics in nearly every one of its 191 […] Continue reading -> ‘A Unique Moment’: New Regional Air Pollution Plans Aim to Cut Health Burden Across Latin America 17/04/2026 Sophia Samantaroy The Pan-American Health Organization (PAHO) will soon unveil a new Roadmap on Air Quality and Health, following on from a meeting with countries and other stakeholders in February in Mexico. The PAHO strategy dovetails with an ambitious new regional action plan by the UN Environment Programme – which supports the work of environment ministries. While […] Continue reading -> Africa’s Clean Cooking Gap Leaves One Billion Without Access 16/04/2026 Sophia Samantaroy Lack of access to clean cooking fuel and technologies has extensive impacts on health, environment, economy, and women’s equality, say experts at the World Bank Group Spring Meeting. WASHINGTON– Nearly a billion people lack access to clean cooking on the African continent. A heavy reliance on charcoal, firewood, and kerosene pollutes homes with toxic particulate […] Continue reading -> Trump Administration Nominates USDA Official to Lead World Food Programme 09/04/2026 Sophia Samantaroy The Trump administration has put forward Luke J Lindberg, the US Department of Agriculture trade and foreign agricultural affairs under secretary, as its pick for executive director of the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP). Lindberg would succeed Cindy McCain, who announced her resignation in October due to health issues. “Throughout his career, Under Secretary […] Continue reading -> Posts navigation Older posts
With 90% of Time Spent Indoors, Children and Vulnerable Groups Face Little Protection Against Pollutants 22/05/2026 Sophia Samantaroy Unhealthy indoor air threatens millions of lives. Public health advocates argue that investments in ventilation, air filtration, monitoring, and clean indoor air policies could deliver a rare triple benefit — protecting children’s health, strengthening pandemic preparedness, and creating healthier indoor environments well beyond the next global outbreak. When Dr Georgia Lagoudas testified in front of […] Continue reading -> ‘A String of Erratic Decisions’: National Science Foundation Advisory Board is Abruptly Dismissed 28/04/2026 Sophia Samantaroy The White House has fired all 24 members of the National Science Board (NSB), the group that advises the National Science Foundation (NSF), in what some observers described as another example of the Trump Administration’s ‘blunt force approach’ to reshaping the nation’s science-based institutions. As of Monday evening, the White House still had not provided […] Continue reading -> Congress Presses RFK Jr on Whether New CDC Chief Can Act Independently on Vaccines 24/04/2026 Sophia Samantaroy US Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F Kennedy Jr offered contradictory responses that the country’s new leader of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) would be able to make decisions independent of political interference, especially around vaccines. The White House announced late last week its fourth pick in a year for CDC director, […] Continue reading -> Regions with Worst Air Pollution Receive Least Amount of Philanthropic Support 21/04/2026 Sophia Samantaroy Less than 0.1% of all philanthropic funding has gone to the fight for clean air. Yet globally, nearly eight million deaths are attributed to the particles and gases that pollute the air – making air pollution the second biggest risk factor for premature death after high blood pressure. “Air pollution is one of the world’s […] Continue reading -> Microplastics: Brain Study Confirms Health Risks, Challenges Kennedy’s Claims 20/04/2026 Felix Sassmannshausen & Sophia Samantaroy A joint announcement by the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and Health and Human Services (HHS) on microplastics made inaccurate claims about how many plastic particles exist in the brain, while providing an unclear regulatory plan to address this. But a study published in Nature Health found microplastics in nearly every one of its 191 […] Continue reading -> ‘A Unique Moment’: New Regional Air Pollution Plans Aim to Cut Health Burden Across Latin America 17/04/2026 Sophia Samantaroy The Pan-American Health Organization (PAHO) will soon unveil a new Roadmap on Air Quality and Health, following on from a meeting with countries and other stakeholders in February in Mexico. The PAHO strategy dovetails with an ambitious new regional action plan by the UN Environment Programme – which supports the work of environment ministries. While […] Continue reading -> Africa’s Clean Cooking Gap Leaves One Billion Without Access 16/04/2026 Sophia Samantaroy Lack of access to clean cooking fuel and technologies has extensive impacts on health, environment, economy, and women’s equality, say experts at the World Bank Group Spring Meeting. WASHINGTON– Nearly a billion people lack access to clean cooking on the African continent. A heavy reliance on charcoal, firewood, and kerosene pollutes homes with toxic particulate […] Continue reading -> Trump Administration Nominates USDA Official to Lead World Food Programme 09/04/2026 Sophia Samantaroy The Trump administration has put forward Luke J Lindberg, the US Department of Agriculture trade and foreign agricultural affairs under secretary, as its pick for executive director of the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP). Lindberg would succeed Cindy McCain, who announced her resignation in October due to health issues. “Throughout his career, Under Secretary […] Continue reading -> Posts navigation Older posts
‘A String of Erratic Decisions’: National Science Foundation Advisory Board is Abruptly Dismissed 28/04/2026 Sophia Samantaroy The White House has fired all 24 members of the National Science Board (NSB), the group that advises the National Science Foundation (NSF), in what some observers described as another example of the Trump Administration’s ‘blunt force approach’ to reshaping the nation’s science-based institutions. As of Monday evening, the White House still had not provided […] Continue reading -> Congress Presses RFK Jr on Whether New CDC Chief Can Act Independently on Vaccines 24/04/2026 Sophia Samantaroy US Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F Kennedy Jr offered contradictory responses that the country’s new leader of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) would be able to make decisions independent of political interference, especially around vaccines. The White House announced late last week its fourth pick in a year for CDC director, […] Continue reading -> Regions with Worst Air Pollution Receive Least Amount of Philanthropic Support 21/04/2026 Sophia Samantaroy Less than 0.1% of all philanthropic funding has gone to the fight for clean air. Yet globally, nearly eight million deaths are attributed to the particles and gases that pollute the air – making air pollution the second biggest risk factor for premature death after high blood pressure. “Air pollution is one of the world’s […] Continue reading -> Microplastics: Brain Study Confirms Health Risks, Challenges Kennedy’s Claims 20/04/2026 Felix Sassmannshausen & Sophia Samantaroy A joint announcement by the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and Health and Human Services (HHS) on microplastics made inaccurate claims about how many plastic particles exist in the brain, while providing an unclear regulatory plan to address this. But a study published in Nature Health found microplastics in nearly every one of its 191 […] Continue reading -> ‘A Unique Moment’: New Regional Air Pollution Plans Aim to Cut Health Burden Across Latin America 17/04/2026 Sophia Samantaroy The Pan-American Health Organization (PAHO) will soon unveil a new Roadmap on Air Quality and Health, following on from a meeting with countries and other stakeholders in February in Mexico. The PAHO strategy dovetails with an ambitious new regional action plan by the UN Environment Programme – which supports the work of environment ministries. While […] Continue reading -> Africa’s Clean Cooking Gap Leaves One Billion Without Access 16/04/2026 Sophia Samantaroy Lack of access to clean cooking fuel and technologies has extensive impacts on health, environment, economy, and women’s equality, say experts at the World Bank Group Spring Meeting. WASHINGTON– Nearly a billion people lack access to clean cooking on the African continent. A heavy reliance on charcoal, firewood, and kerosene pollutes homes with toxic particulate […] Continue reading -> Trump Administration Nominates USDA Official to Lead World Food Programme 09/04/2026 Sophia Samantaroy The Trump administration has put forward Luke J Lindberg, the US Department of Agriculture trade and foreign agricultural affairs under secretary, as its pick for executive director of the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP). Lindberg would succeed Cindy McCain, who announced her resignation in October due to health issues. “Throughout his career, Under Secretary […] Continue reading -> Posts navigation Older posts
Congress Presses RFK Jr on Whether New CDC Chief Can Act Independently on Vaccines 24/04/2026 Sophia Samantaroy US Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F Kennedy Jr offered contradictory responses that the country’s new leader of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) would be able to make decisions independent of political interference, especially around vaccines. The White House announced late last week its fourth pick in a year for CDC director, […] Continue reading -> Regions with Worst Air Pollution Receive Least Amount of Philanthropic Support 21/04/2026 Sophia Samantaroy Less than 0.1% of all philanthropic funding has gone to the fight for clean air. Yet globally, nearly eight million deaths are attributed to the particles and gases that pollute the air – making air pollution the second biggest risk factor for premature death after high blood pressure. “Air pollution is one of the world’s […] Continue reading -> Microplastics: Brain Study Confirms Health Risks, Challenges Kennedy’s Claims 20/04/2026 Felix Sassmannshausen & Sophia Samantaroy A joint announcement by the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and Health and Human Services (HHS) on microplastics made inaccurate claims about how many plastic particles exist in the brain, while providing an unclear regulatory plan to address this. But a study published in Nature Health found microplastics in nearly every one of its 191 […] Continue reading -> ‘A Unique Moment’: New Regional Air Pollution Plans Aim to Cut Health Burden Across Latin America 17/04/2026 Sophia Samantaroy The Pan-American Health Organization (PAHO) will soon unveil a new Roadmap on Air Quality and Health, following on from a meeting with countries and other stakeholders in February in Mexico. The PAHO strategy dovetails with an ambitious new regional action plan by the UN Environment Programme – which supports the work of environment ministries. While […] Continue reading -> Africa’s Clean Cooking Gap Leaves One Billion Without Access 16/04/2026 Sophia Samantaroy Lack of access to clean cooking fuel and technologies has extensive impacts on health, environment, economy, and women’s equality, say experts at the World Bank Group Spring Meeting. WASHINGTON– Nearly a billion people lack access to clean cooking on the African continent. A heavy reliance on charcoal, firewood, and kerosene pollutes homes with toxic particulate […] Continue reading -> Trump Administration Nominates USDA Official to Lead World Food Programme 09/04/2026 Sophia Samantaroy The Trump administration has put forward Luke J Lindberg, the US Department of Agriculture trade and foreign agricultural affairs under secretary, as its pick for executive director of the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP). Lindberg would succeed Cindy McCain, who announced her resignation in October due to health issues. “Throughout his career, Under Secretary […] Continue reading -> Posts navigation Older posts
Regions with Worst Air Pollution Receive Least Amount of Philanthropic Support 21/04/2026 Sophia Samantaroy Less than 0.1% of all philanthropic funding has gone to the fight for clean air. Yet globally, nearly eight million deaths are attributed to the particles and gases that pollute the air – making air pollution the second biggest risk factor for premature death after high blood pressure. “Air pollution is one of the world’s […] Continue reading -> Microplastics: Brain Study Confirms Health Risks, Challenges Kennedy’s Claims 20/04/2026 Felix Sassmannshausen & Sophia Samantaroy A joint announcement by the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and Health and Human Services (HHS) on microplastics made inaccurate claims about how many plastic particles exist in the brain, while providing an unclear regulatory plan to address this. But a study published in Nature Health found microplastics in nearly every one of its 191 […] Continue reading -> ‘A Unique Moment’: New Regional Air Pollution Plans Aim to Cut Health Burden Across Latin America 17/04/2026 Sophia Samantaroy The Pan-American Health Organization (PAHO) will soon unveil a new Roadmap on Air Quality and Health, following on from a meeting with countries and other stakeholders in February in Mexico. The PAHO strategy dovetails with an ambitious new regional action plan by the UN Environment Programme – which supports the work of environment ministries. While […] Continue reading -> Africa’s Clean Cooking Gap Leaves One Billion Without Access 16/04/2026 Sophia Samantaroy Lack of access to clean cooking fuel and technologies has extensive impacts on health, environment, economy, and women’s equality, say experts at the World Bank Group Spring Meeting. WASHINGTON– Nearly a billion people lack access to clean cooking on the African continent. A heavy reliance on charcoal, firewood, and kerosene pollutes homes with toxic particulate […] Continue reading -> Trump Administration Nominates USDA Official to Lead World Food Programme 09/04/2026 Sophia Samantaroy The Trump administration has put forward Luke J Lindberg, the US Department of Agriculture trade and foreign agricultural affairs under secretary, as its pick for executive director of the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP). Lindberg would succeed Cindy McCain, who announced her resignation in October due to health issues. “Throughout his career, Under Secretary […] Continue reading -> Posts navigation Older posts
Microplastics: Brain Study Confirms Health Risks, Challenges Kennedy’s Claims 20/04/2026 Felix Sassmannshausen & Sophia Samantaroy A joint announcement by the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and Health and Human Services (HHS) on microplastics made inaccurate claims about how many plastic particles exist in the brain, while providing an unclear regulatory plan to address this. But a study published in Nature Health found microplastics in nearly every one of its 191 […] Continue reading -> ‘A Unique Moment’: New Regional Air Pollution Plans Aim to Cut Health Burden Across Latin America 17/04/2026 Sophia Samantaroy The Pan-American Health Organization (PAHO) will soon unveil a new Roadmap on Air Quality and Health, following on from a meeting with countries and other stakeholders in February in Mexico. The PAHO strategy dovetails with an ambitious new regional action plan by the UN Environment Programme – which supports the work of environment ministries. While […] Continue reading -> Africa’s Clean Cooking Gap Leaves One Billion Without Access 16/04/2026 Sophia Samantaroy Lack of access to clean cooking fuel and technologies has extensive impacts on health, environment, economy, and women’s equality, say experts at the World Bank Group Spring Meeting. WASHINGTON– Nearly a billion people lack access to clean cooking on the African continent. A heavy reliance on charcoal, firewood, and kerosene pollutes homes with toxic particulate […] Continue reading -> Trump Administration Nominates USDA Official to Lead World Food Programme 09/04/2026 Sophia Samantaroy The Trump administration has put forward Luke J Lindberg, the US Department of Agriculture trade and foreign agricultural affairs under secretary, as its pick for executive director of the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP). Lindberg would succeed Cindy McCain, who announced her resignation in October due to health issues. “Throughout his career, Under Secretary […] Continue reading -> Posts navigation Older posts
‘A Unique Moment’: New Regional Air Pollution Plans Aim to Cut Health Burden Across Latin America 17/04/2026 Sophia Samantaroy The Pan-American Health Organization (PAHO) will soon unveil a new Roadmap on Air Quality and Health, following on from a meeting with countries and other stakeholders in February in Mexico. The PAHO strategy dovetails with an ambitious new regional action plan by the UN Environment Programme – which supports the work of environment ministries. While […] Continue reading -> Africa’s Clean Cooking Gap Leaves One Billion Without Access 16/04/2026 Sophia Samantaroy Lack of access to clean cooking fuel and technologies has extensive impacts on health, environment, economy, and women’s equality, say experts at the World Bank Group Spring Meeting. WASHINGTON– Nearly a billion people lack access to clean cooking on the African continent. A heavy reliance on charcoal, firewood, and kerosene pollutes homes with toxic particulate […] Continue reading -> Trump Administration Nominates USDA Official to Lead World Food Programme 09/04/2026 Sophia Samantaroy The Trump administration has put forward Luke J Lindberg, the US Department of Agriculture trade and foreign agricultural affairs under secretary, as its pick for executive director of the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP). Lindberg would succeed Cindy McCain, who announced her resignation in October due to health issues. “Throughout his career, Under Secretary […] Continue reading -> Posts navigation Older posts
Africa’s Clean Cooking Gap Leaves One Billion Without Access 16/04/2026 Sophia Samantaroy Lack of access to clean cooking fuel and technologies has extensive impacts on health, environment, economy, and women’s equality, say experts at the World Bank Group Spring Meeting. WASHINGTON– Nearly a billion people lack access to clean cooking on the African continent. A heavy reliance on charcoal, firewood, and kerosene pollutes homes with toxic particulate […] Continue reading -> Trump Administration Nominates USDA Official to Lead World Food Programme 09/04/2026 Sophia Samantaroy The Trump administration has put forward Luke J Lindberg, the US Department of Agriculture trade and foreign agricultural affairs under secretary, as its pick for executive director of the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP). Lindberg would succeed Cindy McCain, who announced her resignation in October due to health issues. “Throughout his career, Under Secretary […] Continue reading -> Posts navigation Older posts
Trump Administration Nominates USDA Official to Lead World Food Programme 09/04/2026 Sophia Samantaroy The Trump administration has put forward Luke J Lindberg, the US Department of Agriculture trade and foreign agricultural affairs under secretary, as its pick for executive director of the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP). Lindberg would succeed Cindy McCain, who announced her resignation in October due to health issues. “Throughout his career, Under Secretary […] Continue reading -> Posts navigation Older posts