Africa
Longtime Equatorial Guinea president seeks reelection – Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo, who has served as president for 43 years in Equatorial Guinea, is seeking reelection. He is widely expected to win, despite other candidates running for office. Mbasogo’s rein has been headlined by allegations of human rights abuses, torture and disappearances. Equatorial Guinea has a history of fraud in elections.
20 billion trees planted in Ethiopia – Ethiopia claims to have planted 20 billion trees already this year. The Green Legacy Initiative applauded the tree plantings, saying it restored greenery, addressed climate change and positively impacted lives. In 2019, Ethiopia claimed to have planted more than 350 million trees in one day. It is unknown how successful the mass tree-planting campaign has been.
Asia
Kim Jong-un appears with daughter in public – For the first time, North Korea leader Kim Jong-un appeared in public with his young daughter during an inspection of a missile launch last week. Very little is known about Kim Jong-un’s life, but images showed him and his daughter holding hands while speaking with others. It is believed that his daughter is named Kim Chu-ae and is aged between 12 and 13.
Investigation into death leads to remains discovery in Delhi – Police in Delhi, India are investigating the death of 27-year-old Shraddha Walker who was killed in May. Officials recently arrested and charged her boyfriend Aftab Poonawala with murder. He allegedly strangled Walker, chopped her body into pieces, and then dumped her remains in a forest near their home. Last week, police took Poonawala to the spot in the forest where he allegedly dumped Walker’s remains.
Europe
Turkey launches air strikes in Iraq and Syria – After a bombing that Turkey blames on Kurdish militants, the country launched air strikes targeting the group in Iraq and Syria. Two villages home to displaced people were hit. When the air strikes began, Turkey’s defense ministry tweeted that the “hour of reckoning” had arrived with pictures of a fighter plane taking off. It is unknown which targets were hit in Iraq. In Syria, at least 31 people were killed.
Explosions at nuclear power plant in Ukraine – At least six powerful explosions were recorded near the Zaporizhzhia plant in southern Ukraine. The UN nuclear watchdog called for a stop to the fighting at the plant. Russia’s military is controlling the plant, which is Europe’s biggest one. Russia annexed the area of the plant and other Ukrainian land in September.
Latin America
Maya artefacts found in car – Police in Guatemala arrested a man and woman from the United States who were traveling with more than 150 Maya artefacts. The woman who was detained had been arrested previously with possession of pre-Hispanic items as well. Mexico and other Central American nations are working to crack down on the sale of pre-Hispanic artefacts.
Cholera outbreak in Haiti – The Pan-American Health Organization reported that Haiti has more than 700 cholera cases and 161 deaths related to the disease. Officials are also investigating another 7,000 suspected cases. The United Nations recently contributed nearly $150 million to help contain the spread of the disease. Cholera is contracted by eating contaminated food or drinking water and can cause severe diarrhea and can kill in hours if not treated.
North America
Five killed in gay Colorado Springs club – Police in Colorado Springs say two heroic people subdued an attacker who targeted Club Q in Colorado Springs, a gay club. The suspect is in custody, and at least five people were killed and 25 injured from gunshot wounds. President Joe Biden said Americans “cannot and must not tolerate hate.” Two firearms were found in the club, and authorities said the investigation would consider whether the incident was a hate crime.
Elizabeth Holmes jailed – Elizabeth Holmes, the founder of Theranos, was sentenced to more than 11 years in prison for defrauding investors in her blood testing start-up. She claimed the technology could diagnose diseases with just a few drops of blood. Holmes was at one time the world’s youngest self-made billionaire and launched Theranos when she was 19. The company’s value rose when she claimed it could diagnose diseases.
