Headline
Following Trump, Argentina Quits World Health Organization
Published
7 months agoon
By
Editor
Argentina said Wednesday it will quit the World Health Organization, following in the footsteps of Donald Trump’s United States and citing similar complaints over the UN body’s management of the Covid-19 pandemic.
Railing against the economic fallout of Covid-19 lockdowns, President Javier Milei lamented “one of the most bizarre crimes against humanity” as he explained the reasons for the move.
Argentina’s self-declared “anarcho-capitalist” leader said the WHO had been “the executing arm of what was the greatest experiment in social control in history.”
The South American country announced its withdrawal from the UN health agency two weeks after Trump, an ideological ally and hero of Milei, signaled Washington’s planned exit.
Milei’s decision was based on “deep differences regarding health management especially during the pandemic,” spokesman Manuel Adorni told reporters earlier, adding Argentina would not “allow an international body to interfere in our sovereignty.”
Argentina had been hard hit by the pandemic, with about 130,000 deaths, and Milei’s predecessor Alberto Fernandez imposed a five-month lockdown in 2020 widely perceived as crippling for a struggling economy.
READ ALSO: Trump Signs Order Withdrawing US From UN Bodies
Adorni insisted withdrawing from the WHO gave Argentina “greater flexibility to implement policies adapted to the context” locally, while ensuring “greater availability of resources.”
The WHO did not immediately comment on Argentina’s departure.
WHO data shows Argentina contributed about $8.75 million in membership fees to the organization across 2022 and 2023 — 0.11 percent of the total budget.
It was slated to contribute $8.25 million for 2024-2025.
The vast majority of the UN agency’s budget comes from voluntary contributions, however, and Argentina has made none in recent years.
Adorni said Argentina “does not receive funding from the WHO, so this measure does not represent a loss of funds for the country.”
He also accused the body of “a lack of independence.”
READ ALSO: Trump Set To Scrap US Education Department – Report
– ‘Endless quarantines’ –
Last year, Argentina refused to join a new pandemic protocol drawn up by the WHO and gave notice of its intention to withdraw from the agency altogether.
International relations expert Federico Merke, of the University of San Andres in Buenos Aires, said the move would leave Argentina isolated when it comes to information-sharing and cooperation in the case of a new pandemic or other health threat.
Milei is an avowed fan of Trump, who signed an order within hours of his January 20 inauguration for the United States to withdraw from the WHO, which he has also criticized for its pandemic handling.
Washington was the biggest contributor to the Geneva-based organization, which Trump claimed had “ripped us off,” and the US withdrawal leaves global health initiatives short of funding.
Since taking office in December 2023, Milei has gutted public spending, having vowed to maintain a zero budget deficit after years of overspending.
READ ALSO: Netanyahu To Meet Trump As Israel, Hamas Eye Gaza Truce Talks
His austerity measures are estimated to have tipped millions more people into poverty, but the country last year recorded its first budget surplus since 2010 while inflation fell by nearly half.
Milei was the first foreign leader to visit Trump at his Mar-a-Lago Florida estate after the Republican’s November US election victory.
His decision also casts new doubt on Argentina’s future adherence to the 2015 Paris climate change agreement, under which countries committed to limiting greenhouse gas emissions to keep global average temperature rise below a critical threshold.
Withdrawing the United States from the Paris pact was another of Trump’s first moves after taking office.
Milei’s Argentina, pushing for a free trade deal with the United States, has previously said it was “reevaluating” its strategy “on all climate change-related issues.”
You may like
Tobacco Kills 1.3 Million Non-smokers Yearly — WHO
Nigeria, Seven Others May Face HIV Drug Shortages – WHO
WHO Reacts To US Withdrawal From Organisation
Egypt Joins List Of Countries Certified By WHO As Malaria-free [See Full List]
Fake Diabetes, Weight Loss Drugs Pose Health Risks, WHO Warns
Alcohol Kills 2.6 Million Drinkers Annually, Says WHO
Headline
Four Places In The World Without Traffic Lights
Published
17 hours agoon
August 29, 2025By
Editor
In a world where traffic lights are an essential part of road management, a few countries and regions stand out for functioning without them. These places rely on alternative systems ranging from police officers and roundabouts to cultural driving habits to manage traffic. Here’s a closer look at the nations and areas where traffic lights are absent.
Bhutan
Bhutan is famously known as the only country in the world that operates entirely without traffic lights. Even in its capital city, Thimphu, which has witnessed growing traffic due to urbanisation, automated signals have never been adopted. Instead, traffic management is handled by police officers who stand at major intersections, directing vehicles with hand signals.
In 1995, when a set of traffic lights was briefly installed in Thimphu, public complaints led to their swift removal, as locals felt the system clashed with the country’s traditions and culture of cooperation. Bhutan’s reliance on human-directed traffic reflects both its small population and strong sense of civic responsibility.
READ ALSO:Top 10 African Countries With Cheapest Petrol Prices In July 2025
Vatican City
Vatican City, the world’s smallest sovereign nation, also operates without any traffic lights. With an area of just 44 hectares and a population of around 800 people, the city-state does not require traffic signals to regulate movement. Roads inside the Vatican are short and few, and traffic is mostly managed by signage and the Vatican’s own police force. However, just outside the Vatican’s walls, in Rome, traffic lights are abundant, highlighting the contrast between the bustling Italian capital and the tranquil governance of the Holy See.
Niue
In the South Pacific, Niue, one of the world’s smallest island nations, also has no traffic lights. With a population of less than 2,000 people and very limited vehicle traffic, there is little need for automated signals. Roads are quiet, and driving is relaxed, with motorists often waving to one another as they pass.
The absence of traffic lights in Niue is less a necessity than a reflection of the island’s lifestyle, where community trust and minimal congestion make formal traffic control unnecessary.
READ ALSO:Full List Of Schengen Countries Offering 5-yr Visa Programme
Tekesi County, China
A unique example of urban planning without traffic lights can be found in Tekesi County, Xinjiang, China. The county town was designed based on the ancient Bagua (Eight Trigrams) symbol from Taoist philosophy. Its distinctive circular and radiating street layout relies on roundabouts to direct vehicles.
In 1996, authorities cancelled the installation of traffic lights in order to preserve the Bagua system, making Tekesi a rare modern settlement that manages traffic without signals. The design has since become both a cultural attraction and a point of pride for residents, who see it as a symbol of harmony and balance.
Headline
Nigerian Student Wins ‘Top In World’ Cambridge IGCSE English Award
Published
17 hours agoon
August 29, 2025By
Editor
A Nigerian student, Kenechukwu Oluwanifemi Uba, has emerged the “Top in World” candidate in the November 2024 Cambridge IGCSE English as a Second Language (Speaking Endorsement).
Uba, a pupil of Caleb International College, Magodo, Lagos, received the Outstanding Cambridge Learners Award for her performance, which was recognised by Cambridge University Press & Assessment.
This was contained in a statement signed by the Spokesperson to the Proprietor and Founder, Caleb Group of Schools and University, Prof. Elvis Otobo, and made available to The PUNCH on Friday.
READ ALSO:UK To Bar Criminals From Football Matches, Pubs, Travel Under New Policy
The certificate, signed by the Group Managing Director of International Education at Cambridge, Rod Smith, was presented during a ceremony organised by the British Council and Cambridge University Press & Assessment at the Civic Centre, Lagos.
Speaking on the achievement, the Proprietor/CEO of Caleb Group of Schools and University, Dr. Oladega Adebogun, said the recognition reflected the school’s values of integrity, perseverance and innovation.
“We are overjoyed by Kenechukwu’s outstanding performance.
READ ALSO:Suspected Amasiri Warriors Invade Ebonyi Community, Behead Farmer Amid Land Dispute
“Her success embodies our core values of integrity, perseverance, and innovation. We invest heavily in cutting-edge teaching methods—from flipped classrooms to AI-driven language labs—so that every student can discover their potential and lead with confidence,” Adebogun said.
Uba expressed gratitude to her teachers, classmates and family, noting that preparing in the school’s language lab helped build her confidence.
“From the moment I joined Caleb, I felt inspired by teachers who challenged me to think deeply and by peers who encouraged me to persevere. Preparing for the speaking endorsement in our state-of-the-art lab sharpened my confidence. This recognition belongs to everyone—my mentors, my classmates, and my family,” she said.
Caleb International College described the award as proof of its commitment to raising globally competitive students through advanced learning facilities and strong character development programmes.
Headline
Iran Has Executed At Least 841 People This Year — UN
Published
18 hours agoon
August 29, 2025By
Editor
At least 841 people have been executed in Iran since the start of the year, the UN said Friday, decrying “a systematic pattern of using the death penalty as a tool of state intimidation”.
The United Nations’ human rights office said there had been a “major increase in executions” by Tehran during the first half of 2025.
“Iranian authorities have executed at least 841 people since the beginning of the year,” spokeswoman Ravina Shamdasani told reporters in Geneva.
“The real situation might be different,” she added. “It might be worse, given the lack of transparency.”
In July alone, she said, Iran had executed at least 110 individuals — twice the number of people executed in July 2024.
READ ALSO:Why Nigeria Needs Female President – Presidential Aspirant
“The high number of executions indicates a systematic pattern of using the death penalty as a tool of state intimidation, with disproportionate targeting of ethnic minorities and migrants,” Shamdasani added.
She cited the executions of Afghan nationals, and of Baluch, Kurdish, and Arab citizens.
In the first six months of the year, at least 289 people were executed for drug-related offences.
Shamdasani said the pattern witnessed across multiple countries showed that when their governments perceive threats to their grip on public order, they become increasingly repressive and less tolerant of dissent.
– Hangings before children –
The spokeswoman in particular criticised the staging of public executions in Iran. The rights office documented seven such cases since the beginning of the year — some reportedly in front of children.
READ ALSO:We Would Have Killed Iran’s Supreme Leader If Given Opportunity – Israel
“Public executions add an extra layer of outrage upon human dignity… not only on the dignity of the people concerned — the people who are executed — but also on all those who have to bear witness,” she said.
“The psychological trauma of bearing witness to somebody being hanged in public, particularly for children, is unacceptable.”
The UN human rights office said there were serious concerns over due process in capital punishment cases.
“What we are particularly worried about is that a lot of these death sentences are imposed based on vague laws,” the spokeswoman said, such as charges of enmity against God.
Shamdasani said that 11 individuals were currently facing “imminent execution” in Iran, including six charged with “armed rebellion” due to alleged membership of the exiled opposition People’s Mujahedeen Organization of Iran (MEK).
READ ALSO:US Struck Iran With B-2 Bombers, Submarine-launched Missiles – Top US General
The other five had been sentenced to death over their participation in large-scale protests in 2022, she said. Iran’s supreme court last week confirmed the death sentence against workers’ rights activist Sharifeh Mohammadi, she added.
The UN rights office was urging Iran’s government “not to implement the death penalty against these and other individuals on death row”, Shamdasani said.
“The death penalty is incompatible with the right to life and irreconcilable with human dignity,” she added.
“It creates an unacceptable risk of executing innocent people. It should never be imposed for conduct that is protected under international human rights law.”
UN human rights chief Volker Turk is calling on Tehran to impose a moratorium on the application of capital punishment, as a step towards abolition.
AFP
- APC Mocks Jonathan As ADC Woos Him For 2027 Race
- 5 Records Michael Jackson Set That Remain Unbroken
- My Wife Sleeps In Leggings, Denies Me Sex —Husband
- I Spent 13 Days In Hospital After My Husband Beat Me —Wife
- My Husband Abandoned Me, No Longer Comes To My Room —Wife
- I Doubt Our Only Child’s Paternity, I Want DNA Test, Man Tells Court
- DANGER: Six Incurable Diseases You Should Know — And Their Causes
- ‘He Married Me Cos’ Of My Property, Later Deserted Me Cos’ I’m Barren’
- I Don’t Want A Refund Of My Wife’s Bride Price — Husband
- West Ham Reject Chance To Sign Andre Onana On Loan
Trending
- Politics5 days ago
[BREAKING] Edo: APC Suspends Ex-senatorial Aspirant Of Party
- News5 days ago
NAFDAC Warns Of Fake Postinor-2 In Circulation
- Headline5 days ago
US Comedian Reggie Carroll Shot Dead In Mississippi
- News2 days ago
JUST IN: Immigration Hikes Passport Fees To N100,000, N200,000
- Headline5 days ago
US Defends New Social Media Vetting For Nigerian Visa Applicants
- Politics5 days ago
PDP Zones 2027 Presidential Ticket To South
- Politics5 days ago
Why APC Candidates Contested 2023 LG Election Despite Intimidation — State Chairman
- Headline5 days ago
Again, Russia Claims Another Village In Ukraine’s Region
- Sports5 days ago
Brazil Names Squad Without Neymar, Vinicius For World Cup Qualifiers [FULL LIST]
- Sports5 days ago
Enabulele Confident Of Team Edo’s Success At 2025 NYG