Joseph Ríos
Africa
Drought poses danger to Somalia children – The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (Ocha) warned that if nothing is done, 350,000 malnourished children will die in Somalia by the summer of this year. The country has been forced to close 40 schools because of drought-affected areas, and 70 percent of school-aged children are not attending school. The United Nations estimates that almost 700,000 people have been forced to leave their homes to search for food and water.
Nigerian gang raid kills dozens – Gunmen targeted various villages in Nigeria’s Plateau state. The raids left at least 135 villagers dead, including children and young adults. The gunmen burnt down several homes and also stole livestock. Reports suggest that security forces took around 24 hours to arrive after the raid. Armed gangs have recently been carrying out killings and kidnappings for ransom in Nigeria, particularly in unprotected rural communities.
Asia
New prime minister in Pakistan Shehbaz Sharif is poised to be Pakistan’s new prime minister after Imran Khan was removed from the position after a no-confidence vote over the weekend. Sharif will for a government and remain in his position until elections take place in August 2023. Sharif is 70 and previously served as chief minister of Punjab, a province in Pakistan.
Shanghai reports record COVID-19 cases – Despite reporting a record number of COVID-19 cases in Shanghai, China President Xi Jinping hailed the country’s response to the pandemic at an event regarding China’s hosting of the Winter Olympics. Last Friday, Shanghai reported 21,000 coronavirus cases. There are 25 million residents under lockdown in the city. China has enforced a zero COVID-19 policy throughout the pandemic and is one of the last remaining countries still working to erase the virus rather than living with it.
Europe
French elections heat up – French President Emmanuel Macron is traveling to Le Pen, a town that far-right rival Marine Le Pen is leading in, to speak to residents. Macron won the first round of the election, but officials expect the second round of voting on April 24 will be close. He told supporters that “nothing is decided” in the election after the first round of voting. Macron acknowledged that he started campaigning late and said he made the decision because he was focused on the crisis in Ukraine.
Ukraine’s economy set to be cut in half – The World Bank said Ukraine’s economy will shrink by almost half this year because of Russia’s invasion of the country. The invasion is expected to cause more economic damage across parts of Europe and Asia than the coronavirus pandemic. The World Bank has sent almost $1 billion of assistance to Ukraine and promised to send more funds in the coming months. Half of Ukraine’s businesses have been shut down because of the invasion.
Latin America
Dozens of animals released back into Colombia – More than 163 animals from 15 different species were released to the Casanare province in Colombia. The animals were previously seized and rehabilitated to prevent wildlife tracking. Among the animals released back into the wild include a leopard, turtles, macaws, and a toucan. Corporinoquia, an environmental authority, cared for the animals before they were released.
Robbers with tons of drugs arrested Ecuador police arrested four men who stole 2.8 tons of drugs from a government-run warehouse. The suspects allegedly broke into the warehouse dressed as police and overpowered an officer before stealing the drugs. The contraband was previously seized during drug raids and taken to the warehouse to be stored as evidence.
North America
Will Smith banned from Oscars for 10 years – Actor Will Smith has been banned from the Oscars galas and other Academy events for 10 years after he slapped comedian Chris Rock at the ceremony. Smith slapped Rock after the comedian made a joke about his wife’s shaved head. Smith resigned from the Academy and said he was heartbroken over his actions. Rock has not publicly commented on the incident.
Pelosi tests positive for COVID – U.S. Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi tested positive for COVID-19. Her spokesperson said she is asymptomatic. She was recently seen standing close to President Joe Biden last week. Biden tested negative, and he is not considered a close contact, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The United States is approaching one million COVID-19 related deaths since the start of the pandemic.
