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UNICEF: 230 million women and girls are circumcised globally, 30 million more than in 2016

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CAIRO, March 8, 2024 (AP) — Over 230 million women and girls have undergone female genital mutilation, most of whom live in Africa, according to a report issued on Friday by the United Nations children’s agency. In the last eight years, some 30 million people have undergone the procedure, in which external genitalia are partially or fully removed, UNICEF estimated in the report, which was released on International Women’s Day. The percentage of women and girls who experience female genital mutilation is declining, UNICEF said, but it warned that efforts to eradicate the practice are too slow to keep up

Study raises questions about plastic pollution’s effect on heart health

March 8, 2024: We breathe, eat and drink tiny particles of plastic. But are these minuscule specks in the body harmless, dangerous or somewhere in between? A small study published Wednesday in the New England Journal of Medicine raises more questions than it answers about how these bits — microplastics and the smaller nanoplastics — might affect the heart. The Italian study has weaknesses, but is likely to draw attention to the debate over the problem of plastic pollution. Most plastic waste is never recycled and breaks down into these particles. “The study is intriguing. However, there are really substantial

Opposition parties stage protest against CAA ahead of PM’s visit to Assam

Guwahati, Mar 8 (PTI) Ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s arrival in Assam on Friday on a two-day visit, opposition parties staged a protest in Kaliabor in Nagaon district against the CAA (Citizenship Amendment Act). The sit-in by the 16-member United Opposition Forum, Assam (UOFA) was held near Kaziranga, where the PM is scheduled to spend the night after reaching the state in the afternoon. UOFA spokesperson and Raijor Dal chief Akhil Gogoi said the protest was initially slated for Saturday but was held a day before at the request of Ahom community organisations. “The prime minister will be unveiling

Biden uses feisty State of the Union to contrast with Trump, sell voters on a second term

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President Joe Biden arrives for the State of the Union address on Capitol Hill, Thursday, March 7, 2024, in Washington, as Vice President Kamala Harris and House Speaker Mike Johnson of La., watch. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein)

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden delivered a defiant argument for a second term in his State of the Union speech Thursday night, lacing into GOP front-runner Donald Trump for espousing “resentment, revenge and retribution” and for jeopardizing freedom at home and abroad. Reveling in the political moment, Biden fired multiple broadsides at “my predecessor” without ever mentioning Trump by name — 13 times in all — raising his voice repeatedly as he worked to quell voter concerns about his age and job performance while sharpening the contrast with his all-but-certain November rival. The scrappy tone from Biden was a

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