Three years after the Taliban's return to power, Afghanistan remains entrenched in one of the world's most severe humanitarian crises. Despite some improvements in security, millions of Afghans are struggling to survive in the face of relentless poverty, displacement, and the cascading effects of an ongoing economic collapse. International aid organizations are sounding the alarm, warning that without sustained global support and long-term development assistance, Afghanistan risks becoming a forgotten crisis.
Night of the Cats lights up Korkeasaari Zoo again this autumn. Photo: Annika Sorjonen / Korkeasaari Zoo
Korkeasaari Zoo's beloved "Night of the Cats" event is set to return this September with an exciting new addition: an adults-only evening designed specifically for feline enthusiasts.
"For years, we've received requests for an adults-only 'Night of the Cats'. We're thrilled to finally make it happen," said Susanna Silvonen, Marketing Director at Korkeasaari.
A new skatepark is set to be constructed at Tuhkimo Playground in Roihuvuori, responding to the wishes of local residents. The design of the skatepark was a collaborative effort involving its future users.
Construction Details
The Finnish capital is abuzz with creativity and intellectual discourse as over 1,300 music educators and researchers converge for the 36th World Conference of the International Society for Music Education (ISME). Hosted by the University of the Arts Helsinki, this influential event runs from July 28 to August 2, 2024, under the theme “Advocacy for Sustainability in Music Education.”
Renowned for its excellence in music education and environmental consciousness, Finland is a fitting stage for this year’s conference.
Afghan refugees sit at registration center for migrants on their arrival from Pakistan at the Afghanistan-Pakistan border in Spin Boldak on October 30, 2023. Islamabad has issued an order to 1.7 million Afghans it says are living in the country illegally to leave by November 1, or be deported. LEHTIKUVA / AFP
A recent conference by the International Organization for Migration (IOM) in Denmark highlighted a startling global issue: around one billion people, or one in every seven globally, do not have a legal identity. This situation severely limits their access to essential services and rights, including social services, banking, and voting, while complicating their mobility and pushing many towards perilous, irregular migration routes.
Israeli army tanks and vehicles deploy along the border with the Gaza Strip in southern Israel on October 13, 2023. Thousands of people, both Israeli and Palestinians have died since October 7, 2023, after Palestinian Hamas militants entered Israel in a surprise attack leading Israel to declare war on Hamas in the Gaza Strip enclave on October 8. LEHTIKUVA / AFP
In a startling move, the Israeli military has issued a demand for 1.2 million civilians in northern Gaza to relocate to the south within a mere 24 hours, without any assurance of safety or the right to return. This ultimatum, criticized widely, has been condemned as a potential war crime by Jan Egeland, the Secretary General of the Norwegian Refugee Council.
Egeland strongly stated that this act would constitute a war crime of forcible transfer, a violation of international law.
Embattled journalist and WikiLeaks founder, Julian Assange, persists within the stark barriers of Belmarsh Prison, acquiring an infamous reputation akin to Guantanamo Bay due to its harsh, meticulously secure, and ostensibly inhumane confinement conditions. His name has been interwoven with a lengthy battle for informational freedom, providing a polarized viewpoint that aligns him as a champion of truth for some and a jeopardizer of state secrets for others.
Um Sangour primary health care facility in Kosti, White Nile state, Sudan, is the only health facility that used to support the whole camp population. This health facility now receives 700 patients daily after the population of the camp has doubled due to the conflict in Khartoum. © UNHCR/Ala Kheir
The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and the World Health Organization (WHO) have issued a dire warning regarding the deteriorating health conditions in Sudan, where more than 1,200 refugee children under the age of five have died between May 15 and September 14. These tragic deaths are attributed to a suspected measles outbreak compounded by high levels of malnutrition in nine refugee camps in Sudan's White Nile state.
Migrants playing football at one of IOM’s seven transit centers in Niger where close to 5,000 people receive essential services. Amidst the current political instability, humanitarian corridors must be established to allow migrants to return home in a safe and dignified manner. Photo: IOM/Souleymane Galadima
The International Organization for Migration (IOM) issued a stark warning today, emphasizing the critical need for immediate action to address the worsening political turmoil in Niger, which has further exacerbated vulnerabilities among migrants, internally displaced persons, and host communities.
The turmoil, which began in late July, has prompted border closures and airspace restrictions, resulting in significant shifts in migration patterns.
Armed Taliban security personnel parade on a Humvee convoy as they celebrate the second anniversary of their takeover near the US embassy in Kabul on August 15, 2023. Afghanistan's Taliban government marked on August 15 the second anniversary of their takeover of the country with celebrations and a public holiday, issuing a defiant statement commemorating their surge back to power. LEHTIKUVA / AFP
In a somber revelation, Afghanistan finds itself grappling with a two-fold crisis: an alarming number of internally displaced persons (IDPs) and a distressing prevalence of explosive remnants of war that disproportionately affect children. As reported by TOLO News, the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) has declared Afghanistan one of the most weapons-contaminated countries globally, with a staggering 85 percent of explosion and unexploded mine victims being children.
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A girl looks out a damaged window at a house Israeli soldiers demolished at the Asker camp for Palestinian refugees east of Nablus city in the occupied West Bank, early on August 8, 2023. The Israeli army demolished the house of Abdel Fatah Khroushah accused of an attack which killed two Israelis in the occupied West Bank at the end of February. LEHTIKUVA / AFP
Kiasma Theatre's fall 2024 season explores themes of home through unique performances
Himali Singh Soin & David Soin Tappeser. An Omniscience: an atmos-etheric, transnational, interplanetary cosmist bird opera spanning seven continents and the many verses. Photo: re–creatures 2022, Mattatoio, Roma. Foto di Pietro Bertora e Andrea Pizzalis©️2022 Azienda Speciale Palaexpo
This fall, Kiasma Theatre in Helsinki is set to captivate audiences with an eclectic lineup of performances that explore the concept of home through various artistic lenses. The season, which is an extension of Kiasma's ongoing "As If at Home" exhibition, features world premieres and international guest performances, including works by artists from Finland, India, Brazil, and more.
Opening Performance: A Cosmic Bird Opera
Coldplay breaks attendance records at Helsinki's Olympic Stadium with four sold-out shows
Coldplay has made a stunning debut in Finland, performing for the first time in the country and shattering multiple records with their Music of the Spheres world tour. The British band played four consecutive sold-out shows at Helsinki's iconic Olympic Stadium, drawing an unprecedented crowd of over 178,000 people. This marks the highest ticket sales ever recorded for a single artist or band in Finland, surpassing previous records set at the venue.
Anna Retulainen's "Butterfly Garden" exhibition explores the intersection of art and nature
Renowned artist Anna Retulainen is set to open her latest exhibition, "Butterfly Garden," at Helsinki Contemporary, running from August 9 to September 8, 2024. The opening reception will take place on Thursday, August 8, from 5–7 p.m.
For the past fifteen years, Retulainen has meticulously cultivated a garden that has become an integral part of her artistic expression.
Popular "Night of the Cats" event expands at Korkeasaari – new adults-only evening added
Night of the Cats lights up Korkeasaari Zoo again this autumn. Photo: Annika Sorjonen / Korkeasaari Zoo
Korkeasaari Zoo's beloved "Night of the Cats" event is set to return this September with an exciting new addition: an adults-only evening designed specifically for feline enthusiasts.
"For years, we've received requests for an adults-only 'Night of the Cats'. We're thrilled to finally make it happen," said Susanna Silvonen, Marketing Director at Korkeasaari.
