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Two of the laws were already put on hold by a district court judge. About a month later, the U.S. Supreme Court stripped away women’s constitutional protections for abortion, which led to abortion bans in more than 20 states. The number of abortions performed in Oklahoma immediately dropped dramatically, falling from about 4,145 in 2021 to 898 in 2022, according to statistics from the Oklahoma State Department of Health. In at least 66 cases in 2022, the abortion was necessary to avert the death of the mother, the statistics show. Abortion statistics for 2023 are not yet available, a health department spokeswoman said.

Persons: The, Rabia Muqaddam, Gentner Drummond, ” Drummond, Phil Bacharach, Kevin Stitt Organizations: OKLAHOMA CITY, Oklahoma Supreme Court, Senior, Center for Reproductive Rights, Oklahoma, Republican Gov, U.S, Supreme, Oklahoma State Department of Health Locations: The Oklahoma, Oklahoma, New York

☆ NYC has a new weapon against rats but it's still probably not enough to stop the impending rodent takeover.
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-11 | by ( Maiya Focht | Jenny Mcgrath | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Rats tend to avoid reproducing in cold weather, Jason Munshi-South, a biologist and associate professor at Fordham University, told Insider. "It's going to be an issue," Munshi-South said, "especially in northern cities like New York City. Rats on the rise Efforts to control the rat population have highly mixed results. AdvertisementAdvertisementBy running his own surveys with exterminators around the city, Corrigan concluded, "there are more rats. In previous years, it would've been cold by then and rats would've stopped reproducing," in NYC, he told Insider.

Persons: it's, Jason Munshi, Munshi, Robert Corrigan, Corrigan, we'll, would've Organizations: Service, Fordham University, Anadolu Agency, Royal Society B, Guardian Locations: York City, New York, Anadolu, New York City

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Kansas City will hire overdose investigators as part the Missouri city's effort to lower the number of fentanyl deaths. An ordinance passed Thursday by the city council allows the city health department to hire two investigators and requires overdoses to be reported within 24 hours, the Kansas City Star reported. A Kansas City police official told the newspaper that the agency has confiscated more than 61,000 grams (about 134 pounds) of fentanyl so far this year, and Kansas City Mayor Quinton Lucas said there was a suspected overdose every day but one in 2022 in Kansas City emergency rooms. “Overdose deaths are at an epidemic level in Kansas City and fentanyl is driving the epidemic,” Lucas said.

Persons: Quinton Lucas, ” Lucas, Lucas Organizations: KANSAS CITY, Kansas City Star, Kansas City Locations: KANSAS, Mo, Kansas, Missouri, Kansas City

NEW YORK (AP) — The proportion of U.S. kindergartners exempted from school vaccination requirements has hit its highest level ever, 3%, U.S. health officials said Thursday. Political Cartoons View All 1237 ImagesAll states allow exemptions for children with medical conditions that prevents them from receiving certain vaccines. But the percentage with nonmedical exemptions has inched up, lifting the overall exemption rate from 1.6% in the 2011-2012 school year to 3% last year. Hawaii saw the largest jump, with the exemption rate rising to 6.4%, nearly double the year before. One apparent paradox in the report: The national vaccination rate held steady even as exemptions increased.

Persons: kindergarteners, it’s, hasn’t, ”, Sean O’Leary, —, O’Leary, “, Shannon Stokley Organizations: Centers for Disease Control, Prevention, University of Colorado, CDC, West, American Academy of Pediatrics, Health, Associated Press Health, Science Department, Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Science, Educational Media Group, AP Locations: COVID, Idaho, New York, Hawaii, Connecticut, Maine, U.S

☆ Pollution Forces City-Wide Closures of Businesses, Schools in Eastern Pakistan
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-08 | by ( Nov. | At A.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +2 min

By Mubasher BukhariLAHORE (Reuters) - Heavy pollution-fuelled smog forced authorities to close schools and markets this week in Pakistan's most populous province, including the eastern city of Lahore which has risen to one of the world's worst cities for hazardous air quality. Schools, offices, restaurants and businesses, aside from priority services like pharmacies, hospitals and courts, would all close to limit residents' movement outside, according to a directive from the provincial government. Heavy smog blanketed Lahore this week, reducing visibility and leading residents to complain of a threat to their health. In neighbouring India, authorities in Delhi have announced they would restrict use of vehicles next week to curb rising pollution as air quality in the capital remained dangerously unsafe despite mitigation efforts. (Reporting by Mubasher Bukhari in Lahore; Writing by Charlotte Greenfield; Editing by Michael Perry)

Persons: Mubasher Bukhari, Amir Mir, Mohammad Salahuddin, Charlotte Greenfield, Michael Perry Organizations: Schools Locations: Mubasher, Mubasher Bukhari LAHORE, Pakistan's, Lahore, Punjab, Swiss, Delhi, Karachi, South Asia, India

More than 3,700 babies were born with congenital syphilis in 2022 — 10 times more than a decade ago and a 32% increase from 2021, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said Tuesday. The 2022 count was the most in more than 30 years, CDC officials said, and in more than half of the congenital syphilis cases, the mothers tested positive during pregnancy but did not get properly treated. The rise in congenital syphilis comes despite repeated warnings by public health agencies and it’s tied to the surge in primary and secondary cases of syphilis in adults, CDC officials said. It’s also been increasingly difficult for medical providers to get benzathine penicillin injections — the main medical weapon against congenital syphilis — because of supply shortages. Nearly 40% of last year’s congenital syphilis cases involved mothers who didn't have prenatal care, the CDC said.

Persons: it’s, It’s, Laura Bachmann, “, Mike Saag, ”, Nina Ragunanthan, ___ Hunter, Robert Wood Johnson Organizations: Centers for Disease Control, Prevention, CDC, Federal, Associated, University of Alabama, OB, Delta Health Center, Pfizer, Associated Press Health, Science Department, Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Science, Educational Media Group, Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, AP Locations: U.S, Illinois, Birmingham, Mound Bayou , Mississippi, Atlanta

Such recruitment-based adoptions are the most difficult to carry out, social workers say. Gonzaga, who worked with his wife Heather Setrakian at eharmony and then on the Family-Match algorithm, referred questions to Ramirez. Social workers say Family-Match works like this: Adults seeking to adopt submit survey responses via the algorithm’s online platform, and foster parents or social workers input each child’s information. Adoption-Share is part of a small cadre of organizations that say their algorithms can help social workers place children with foster or adoptive families. “It’s wasted time for social workers and wasted emotional experiences for children.”___Contact AP’s global investigative team at Investigative@ap.org or https://www.ap.org/tips/

Persons: –, Thea Ramirez, Ramirez, ” Ramirez, “ There’s, ”, Bonni Goodwin, “, Gian Gonzaga, Gonzaga, Heather Setrakian, Setrakian, Kristen Berry, ” Berry, Melania Trump, Virginia’s, Terry McAuliffe, Traci Jones, ” Jones, Virginia, Kylie Winton, Scott Stevens, Stevens, ” Jenn Petion, Petion, ” Petion, Fort, Bree Bofill, ” Bofill, Bofill, Ramirez didn’t, Ramirez wouldn’t, Suresh Venkatasubramanian, Biden, Connie, didn’t, We’ve, “ It’s Organizations: Associated Press, AP, University of Oklahoma, American Enterprise Institute, Democrat, ”, Virginia Department of Social Services, Georgia Department of Human Services, FamiliesFirst, Family, Family Support, Fort Myers, Children’s Network of Southwest, Miami, Care, Winton, AS GUINEA, Tennessee Department of Children’s Services, Tennessee, Biden White, Science, Technology, Brown University, U.S . Health, Human Services Department, Florida Department of Health, Health Locations: Virginia, Georgia, Tennessee, Florida, Brunswick , Georgia, eharmony, Pensacola, Jacksonville, Children’s Network of Southwest Florida, Virginia , Georgia, New York City , Delaware, Missouri, Investigative@ap.org

Erin Patterson speaks to the media outside her home in Leongatha, Victoria, Australia in a screengrab obtained on November 3, 2023, AAP/Nine News via REUTERS ATTENTION EDITORS - THIS IMAGE WAS PROVIDED BY A THIRD PARTY. Patterson, 49, is charged with three counts of murder and five of attempted murder, according to court documents. Local media reported Don and Gail Patterson were the parents of Erin Patterson's ex-husband Simon Patterson, who was also present at the lunch. The mysterious deaths have gripped Australia, where deaths from eating mushrooms are relatively rare. "Anyone who collects and consumes wild mushrooms of unknown species is putting themselves at risk of potential poisoning and serious illness," the state's health department said.

Persons: Erin Patterson, Patterson, Don Patterson, Gail, Heather Wilkinson, Don, Gail Patterson, Erin Patterson's, Simon Patterson, Ian, Dean Thomas, Alasdair Pal, Raju Gopalakrishnan Organizations: Nine, ZEALAND, Melbourne . Local, Police, Thomson Locations: Leongatha, Victoria, Australia, AUSTRALIA, SYDNEY, Melbourne ., Sydney

LONG BEACH, Calif. (AP) — Two people in Southern California have come down with dengue fever without traveling outside the United States, where the mosquito-borne illness is rare, health officials said. A Pasadena resident was confirmed to have dengue last month but is recovering, officials said. “This is the first confirmed case of dengue in California not associated with travel and is instead an extremely rare case of local transmission in the continental United States,” the Pasadena Public Health Department announced. On Wednesday, Long Beach officials announced another domestically contracted dengue case and said that person has recovered. The new California cases were not part of that count.

Organizations: Pasadena Public Health Department, Long Beach, U.S . Centers for Disease Control Locations: Calif, Southern California, United States, Pasadena, California, U.S, Puerto Rico, Florida, Texas

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — The state of Tennessee has agreed to pay $150,000 to settle a federal lawsuit by its former vaccine leader over her firing during the COVID-19 pandemic. The current and former health commissioners, and the state's chief medical officer agreed that they will not “disparage” Fiscus. Some lawmakers even threatened to dissolve the Health Department because of such marketing. A publicized Tennessee Department of Safety and Homeland Security investigation indicated the package was sent from an Amazon account using a credit card, both in her name. Those are among several laws passed by Tennessee Republican lawmakers in response to the COVID-19 pandemic that restrict vaccination or masking rules.

Persons: Michelle Fiscus, ”, Fiscus, “ Organizations: Tennessee Department of Health, Department of Health, Department, COVID, of Health, Republican, Tennessee Department of Safety, Homeland Security, Tennessee Republican Locations: Tenn, Tennessee

Political Cartoons View All 1230 ImagesThe Montana State Hospital violates those laws and its patients' constitutional rights to dignity and due process, the lawsuit states. DiMauro, who suffered a traumatic brain injury in 2012, was admitted to the Montana State Hospital in September 2020. Staff also failed to treat a wound on his forehead that he suffered in a fall, the lawsuit states. Patzoldt, then 75, was admitted to the Montana State Hospital on Oct. 19, 2021, after having behavioral disruptions at a memory care center. A review of his records found his heart medication was not given to him for nearly three weeks in November 2021, the lawsuit states.

Persons: HELENA, Lucio DiMauro, David Patzoldt, Lesley Jungers, Greg Gianforte, Patzoldt, cellulitis Organizations: —, Montana State Hospital, Department of Public Health, Human Services, The Montana State Hospital, Staff, Medicare, Services Locations: Mont, Butte, Spokespeople, COVID, Montana

For more than a year, the Environmental Protection Agency investigated whether Louisiana officials discriminated against Black residents by putting them at increased cancer risk. As attorney general, Landry fought the EPA’s investigation. Health officials, for example, wanted the unilateral power to decide if and when they had to do the EPA-proposed analysis. The AP reviewed a draft agreement edited by state health officials and sent to EPA in May, reflecting negotiations at the time. It has not reviewed any draft agreement that would show what Louisiana's environmental agency might have been willing to accept.

Persons: Biden, Eric Schaeffer, it’s, Schaeffer, Republican Jeff Landry, Landry, Deena Tumeh, Tumeh, “, ”, ” Tumeh, Kevin Litten, VI, Sharon, Lavigne, James, Michael Regan, It's, Stacey Sublett Halliday, Beveridge, Diamond, ” Sublett Halliday Organizations: Environmental Protection Agency, The Associated Press, EPA’s, Civil, Louisiana, Republican, EPA, Louisiana Department of Environmental, Louisiana Department of Health, Health, AP, Cancer, Associated Press, Walton Family Foundation Locations: Louisiana, chloroprene, St

The ruling was another big victory for abortion rights advocates in Kansas, where a statewide vote in August 2022 decisively confirmed protections for abortion access under the state constitution. Jayaram concluded that the restrictions now on hold violate a patient's right to bodily autonomy. A law that took effect July 1 required abortion providers to tell their patients that a medication abortion can be stopped using a regimen touted by anti-abortion groups. Abortion opponents argued repeatedly before the August 2022 vote that without a change in the state constitution, all existing abortion restrictions could be at risk. The state Supreme Court is reviewing a 2015 law banning the most common second-trimester procedure and a 2011 law imposing tougher health and safety requirements only for abortion providers.

Persons: Judge K, Christopher Jayaram's, ” Jayaram, ”, Emily Wales, Jackson, Caleb Dalton, Jayaram, “, Alice Wang, Roe, Wade, Danielle Underwood, John Hanna Organizations: Judge, U.S, Constitution, Utah Supreme, Alliance Defending, Republican, GOP, Kansas, Center for Reproductive Rights, Alliance Locations: TOPEKA, Kan, Kansas, Johnson County, Kansas City, U.S ., Dobbs v, Texas, Utah, ” Kansas

The fallout was quick: Nevada, which saw a 44 percentage-point jump in congenital syphilis from 2021 to 2022, was supposed to get more than $10 million to bolster its STD program budget. In 2021, there were 77.9 cases of congenital syphilis per 100,000 live births. Doing so in a timely manner can prevent congenital syphilis. Mississippi is also seeing an uptick in congenital syphilis cases, which a recently published study showed rose tenfold between 2016 and 2022. Agency head Dr. Dan Edney said one of his top priorities now is finding money from other parts of the state's health budget.

Persons: they’d, Dawn Cribb, ”, Sam Burgess, Deneshun Graves, Lupita Thornton, Graves, Thornton, “, Dan Edney, Rebecca Scranton, ” Scranton, Robert Wood Johnson Organizations: Nevada Division of Public, Behavioral, Associated Press, Louisiana Department of Health, U.S . Centers for Disease Control, Houston Health Department, Health, Mississippi State Department of Health, Agency, of Health Services, Associated Press Health, Science Department, Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, AP Locations: U.S, Nevada, . Mississippi, Arizona

☆ Best Buy recalls nearly 1 million Insignia pressure cookers over burn risks
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-27 | by ( Eva Rothenberg | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

New York CNN —Best Buy is recalling nearly a million pressure cookers because they pose burn risks. About 930,000 Insignia Multi-Function pressure cookers sold between October 2017 and June 2023 have inaccurate volume markings, meaning that some users may fill them beyond their intended capacity, the US Consumer Product Safety Commission said in a post Thursday. In the United States, Best Buy has received 17 complaints of burn injuries from these appliances, some of which were second-degree and other severe burns, according to the CPSC. “Nothing is more important to us than our customers’ safety,” Best Buy told CNN in a statement. Affected customer should contact Best Buy for a free replacement of the inner pot, as well as a new valve that signals when the pot is locked and pressurized.

Persons: ”, “ Organizations: New, New York CNN, US Consumer Product Safety, CNN Locations: New York, United States, Canada

☆ Dollar General must pay $1 million after charging customers too much at checkout
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-25 | by ( Alex Bitter | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Ohio's attorney general said last year that Dollar General overcharged customers for items like groceries. Under the settlement, Dollar General will pay $750,000 to the office of Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost. Many Dollar General stores are so cluttered with merchandise that fire marshals have ordered them to close. Dollar General is taking $95 million in write-downs on surplus merchandise as well as deploying "smart teams" to stores that need cleaning up. Do you work or shop at Dollar General and have a story idea to share?

Persons: —, Dave Yost, doesn't, Hannah Hundley, NBC4 Organizations: Service, Columbus TV, Ohio, Dollar, Employment Opportunity Commission, US Occupational Safety, Health Administration Locations: Ohio, Butler, Southwestern Ohio, Columbus, The Tennessee

☆ The San Jose housing market is so competitive that a house with an 'inactive meth lab' is on the market for $1.55 million
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-25 | by ( Jordan Pandy | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

A San Jose home is the site of an "inactive meth lab and meth contamination," the listing reads. "If it's a meth lab, it shouldn't be listed at that price, not in that neighborhood," an agent said. AdvertisementAdvertisementThe housing market in San Jose, California, is so hot that even a former meth lab is asking well over $1 million. A six-bedroom home is currently listed at $1.55 million, but the kicker is it's being sold as is — "inactive meth lab" and all, reads the listing description. According to Redfin, San Jose has the most competitive housing market in the country, beating out neighboring cities like Sacramento and San Diego.

Persons: —, Redfin, Diane LoVerde, Santa Clara County, LoVerde, Zaid Hanna, KRON4, Keller, Cindy Selleos Organizations: Service, Court Locations: Jose, San Jose , California, San Jose, Sacramento, San Diego, California, Zillow, Santa Clara

NEW YORK (AP) — Gay and bisexual men at high risk for mpox infection should get vaccinated for the virus even after the current outbreak ends, government health advisers said Wednesday. More than 30,000 U.S. mpox cases were reported last year. About 500,000 people in the U.S. have gotten the recommended two doses of the vaccine, about a quarter of the 2 million who are eligible, CDC officials said. The new recommendation may serve to remind people the virus is still out there, and that people can be infected during international travel, CDC officials said. The daily average of new U.S. cases is one to four per day, though some people likely aren't being diagnosed, CDC officials said.

Persons: — Gay, —, It’s, mpox, ”, Stephanie Cohen Organizations: Centers for Disease Control, CDC, Associated Press Health, Science Department, Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Science, Educational Media Group, AP Locations: U.S, Africa, Europe, Francisco

☆ Why Health Care Workers Are Burning Out
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-24 | by ( Noah Weiland | More About Noah Weiland | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +3 min

Federal researchers tracked self-reported mental health symptoms among more than a thousand adult workers in 2018 and 2022, including 226 health care workers in 2018 and 325 in 2022. Compared with other groups surveyed, health care workers reported a substantial jump in poor mental health days in the month prior, from 3.3 in 2018 to 4.5 in 2022. Less than 30 percent of health workers last year described themselves as very happy, a decline from 2018. And the percentage of health care workers reporting harassment on the job more than doubled, compared with the rate in 2018. “Whatever is happening out in the world walks into our health care facilities.”Nearly half of health care workers surveyed said they were somewhat or very likely to look for new work, the researchers found — an ominous sign for providers already struggling to retain staff.

Persons: ”, Rumay Alexander, Houry, Amy Locke, Locke, “, Katie Carroll, Scott Lockard Organizations: “, University of North, Chapel, American Nurses Association, University of Utah Health, Health Department Locations: University of North Carolina, New Brunswick, N.J, Local, Kentucky

☆ Why you shouldn’t postpone your flu vaccine
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-24 | by ( Katia Hetter | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

It’s fine to receive the flu vaccine from any of these place — just don’t delay getting it. Wen: The flu can be dangerous, and the flu vaccine has two important positive effects. Wen: If you had flu in years past, then yes, you do still need to receive the flu vaccine this year. I hear from my patients that they don’t need the flu vaccine this year because they’ve already had “the flu” but they never actually tested positive for influenza. First, waning immunity means that the protection from last year’s flu shot won’t carry you through this year’s flu season.

Persons: Leana Wen, Wen, they’ve Organizations: CNN, US Centers for Disease Control, CNN Wellness, George Washington University Milken Institute School of Public Health, wanes

“Partial-birth abortion” is a non-medical term for a procedure known as dilation and extraction, or D&X, which is already federally prohibited. “It would allow a partial-birth abortion,” Ohio Gov. “If the federal law prohibits a particular technique, then that’s going to prevail over a state law that might be inconsistent,” he said. DeWine was serving in the U.S. Senate when the Partial-Birth Abortion Ban Act was passed in 2003. “‘Partial-birth abortion’ is a made-up term that only serves to create confusion and stigmatize abortion later in pregnancy,” she said.

Persons: hasn't, ”, Mike DeWine, we’ve, —, Dan Kobil, Jonathan Entin, DeWine, George W, Bush, Dan Tierney, Kobil, it’s “, Dave Yost, “, he’s, Kelsey Pritchard, Susan B, Anthony Pro, Amy Natoce, ” Mae Winchester, “ ‘, ’, “ It’s, it’s, Martin Haskell, Haskell, Mike Gonidakis, ” Haskell, Kellie Copeland, ” Ohio hasn’t, Pritchard, Christine Fernando Organizations: Republicans, ”, ” Ohio Gov, Capital University, Constitution, Case Western State University, “, Supreme, U.S . Senate, U.S, Republican, The Ohio, America, Biden Administration, Protect Women, Ohio, Ohioans United, Reproductive Rights, Health Department, Associated Press Locations: COLUMBUS , Ohio, Ohio, U.S, ” Ohio, Columbus, U.S ., The, Protect Women Ohio, Cleveland, Chicago

Scientists are setting out to collect genetic material from 500,000 people of African ancestry to create what they believe will be the world’s largest database of genomic information from the population. The initiative was launched Wednesday by Meharry Medical College in Nashville, Tennessee, as well as Regeneron Genetics Center, AstraZeneca, Novo Nordisk and Roche. Organizers said there’s a clear need for the project, pointing to research showing that less than 2% of genetic information being studied today comes from people of African ancestry. Each of the pharmaceutical companies involved intends to contribute $20 million toward the genetic and educational parts of the effort. ___The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Science and Educational Media Group.

Persons: Meharry, ”, Anil Shanker, Lyndon Mitnaul Organizations: Meharry Medical College, Genetics Center, AstraZeneca, Novo Nordisk, Roche, Genomics Institute, Organizers, Regeneron Genetics, University of Zambia, Project, Genetics, Corporate, Associated Press Health, Science Department, Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Science, Educational Media Group, AP Locations: Nashville , Tennessee, Americas, Asia, Europe, Nashville, U.S, Africa, Meharry

☆ Afghan earthquakes kill 2,053, Taliban say, as death toll spikes
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-08 | by ( Mohammad Yunus Yawar | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

Janan Sayeeq, spokesman for the Ministry of Disasters, said 2,053 people were killed, 9,240 injured and 1,320 houses damaged or destroyed. More than 200 dead had been brought to various hospitals, said a Herat health department official who identified himself as Dr Danish, adding most of them were women and children. Beds were set up outside the main hospital in Herat to receive a flood of victims, photos on social media showed. It was not immediately clear if the Herat hospital was on that list. "While search and rescue operations remain ongoing, casualties in these areas have not yet been fully identified," it said.

Persons: Janan Sayeeq, Sayeeq, Danish, Suhail Shaheen, Naseema, Mohammad Yunus Yawar, Ariba Shahid, Gibran Peshimam, William Mallard, Sanjeev Miglani Organizations: U.S . Geological Survey, Ministry, Diplomats, International Committee, Reuters, World Health Organization, WHO, Thomson Locations: KABUL, Afghanistan, Herat, U.S, Turkey, Syria, Iran, Qatar, Pakistan, Herat province, Kabul, Karachi

☆ Afghan earthquakes kill 2,445, Taliban say, as death toll mounts
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-08 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

More than 2,400 people were killed in earthquakes in Afghanistan, the Taliban administration said on Sunday, in the deadliest tremors to rock the quake-prone mountainous country in years. They were among the world's deadliest quakes this year, after tremors in Turkey and Syria killed an estimated 50,000 in February. Afghan residents sit at a damaged house after earthquake in Sarbuland village of Zendeh Jan, district of Herat province, on October 7, 2023. Diplomats and aid officials say concerns over Taliban restrictions on women and competing global humanitarian crises are causing donors to pull back on financial support. The Islamist government has ordered most Afghan female aid staff not to work, although with exemptions in health and education.

Persons: Janan Sayeeq, Sayeeq, Danish, Suhail Shaheen, Mohsen Karimi, Naseema Organizations: U.S . Geological Survey, Ministry, Taliban, AFP, Getty, Afp, Diplomats, International Committee Locations: Afghanistan, Herat, U.S, Turkey, Syria, Afghanistan's, Iran, Qatar, Sarbuland, Zendeh Jan, Herat province, Pakistan

☆ Afghanistan earthquakes kill 2,053, Taliban says, as death toll spikes
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-08 | by ( Mohammad Yunus Yawar | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

Amid the confusion, the death toll from Saturday's quakes spiked from 500 reported on Sunday morning by a Red Crescent spokesperson and 16 from Saturday night. The quakes hit 35 km (20 miles) northwest of the city of Herat, with one measuring 6.3 magnitude, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) said. Mullah Janan Sayeeq, spokesman for the Ministry of Disasters, told Reuters 2,053 people were dead, 9,240 injured and 1,329 houses damaged or destroyed. Bodies had been "taken to several places - military bases, hospitals," Danish said. Reporting by Mohammad Yunus Yawar in Kabul; Editing by William Mallard and Christian SchmollingerOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Mullah Janan Sayeeq, Danish, Naseema, Mohammad Yunus Yawar, William Mallard Organizations: Red Crescent, U.S . Geological Survey, Ministry, Reuters, Thomson Locations: KABUL, Afghanistan, Herat, U.S, Kabul

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