Diarrhoeal diseases kill 1.2 million people a year, including 340,000 under five

the gist

Diarrhoeal diseases killed about 1.2 million people in 2021, and around 340,000 of them were children under five. They are caused by viruses, bacteria and parasites that spread through contaminated water and food, especially where sanitation is poor. The main danger is dehydration, because diarrhoea drains fluid and salts faster than the body can replace them. Oral rehydration salts, a cheap mix of salts and sugar dissolved in clean water, prevent most of these deaths. Vaccines against rotavirus have also sharply reduced severe infant cases.

how it works

Diarrhoea occurs when the gut lining secretes fluid instead of absorbing it, so the body loses water and electrolytes quickly. Oral rehydration salts work because sodium and glucose help the intestine absorb water again. Rehydration therefore keeps the body going while the infection clears.

so what

These deaths are largely preventable, so the numbers point to clean water, toilets and cheap treatments as life-saving priorities. Diarrhoeal disease is one of the clearest examples of how basic infrastructure saves children's lives.

Our World in Data · CC BY 4.0

Image: Our World in Data, CC BY 4.0

source: Our World in Data ↗

historyWikipediaclassic1336–1565 · Karnataka, India

Hampi was once one of the world's largest cities, until its Vijayanagara capital was destroyed in 1565

the gist

Hampi is a UNESCO World Heritage Site in Karnataka, India, with more than 1,600 surviving remains spread over 4,100 hectares. It was the capital of the Vijayanagara Empire from 1336 to 1565. Travellers from Persia and Portugal described it as a prosperous, wealthy and grand city with temples, markets and farms along the Tungabhadra River. By 1500 it was estimated to be the world's second-largest city after Beijing, and probably India's richest at the time. In 1565 a coalition of Muslim sultanates defeated the Vijayanagara Empire, its capital was conquered and destroyed, and the city was left in ruins. Hampi remains a religious centre, with the active Virupaksha Temple at its heart.

how it works

The city was built around a fortified core with temples, markets and water structures along the river, supplied by an extensive network of roads and waterworks. When the empire fell, the city was not rebuilt, so its stone monuments were left standing.

so what

Hampi shows how quickly a great city can vanish after a military defeat, and how a ruined capital can remain sacred. Its ruins give historians a view of medieval South Asia that few other sites can match.

fun fact

The name Hampi comes from Pampa, an old name for the Tungabhadra River.

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia · text CC BY-SA 4.0

Image: Wikimedia Commons

source: Wikipedia ↗

2 min

politicsshortCNA2:01

False allegations about Singapore’s hand in Indonesia’s markets and a made-up meeting

from CNA

CNA Verify has found close to 400 posts pushing falsehoods tying Singapore to Indonesia’s stock market rout and to a secret meeting that never took place. Together, they drew nearly 12 million views, and some were circulated by accounts that appeared to be working in concert, across multiple social media platforms.

Here’s how the disinformation campaign targeting Singapore was uncovered.

on YouTube: CNA ↗