Africa
South Africa reelects president – South Africa President Cyril Ramaphosa will serve another term as president, despite an alleged corruption scandal. Ramaphosa is accused of laundering money, while his opponent Zweli Mkhize was accused of corruption. Both politicians denied the allegations, but Ramaphosa is still being investigated by police, the tax office and central bank.
Hippo attacks toddler in Uganda – A two-year-old boy survived a hippo attack near his home in southwestern Uganda. The boy was playing near the shores of a lake when the hippo swallowed half of his body. Police say a local man fought the hippo off by throwing stones at the animal. The toddler was treated for his injuries at a hospital where he was given a rabies vaccine.
Asia
Shanghai schools go virtual because of COVID – Students in Shanghai, China’s largest city, were ordered to take most of their classes online because of rising COVID cases. Nurseries and childcare establishments were also closed on Monday. Shanghai made an extra 230,000 hospital beds because hospitals and medical facilities have been under strain. Schools in Shanghai will be closed until Jan. 17 when the Lunar New Year holiday starts.
Tunnel fires leaves 19 dead in Afghanistan – Local officials in Afghanistan say an oil tanker caught fire in a tunnel that links the capital Kabul to northern provinces. Nineteen people were killed and dozens were injured. Officials said they had difficulty identifying two people because their bodies were severely burned. The tunnel is 1.6 miles long and caught on fire in 1982 as well.
Europe
Russia targets Kyiv in strikes – Russia’s military launched an overnight attack on Kyiv, Ukraine’s capital. No deaths were reported but some missiles hit critical infrastructure. Russia has carried out three missile attacks in five days on Kyiv. Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky said Russia could be planning a major ground offensive early next year.
Netherlands apologizes for slavery – Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte apologized for the Netherlands enslavement and exploration during the 17th-19th centuries. He said slavery should be recognized as a crime against humanity ahead of visiting the Caribbean and Suriname. Meanwhile, the Netherlands are expected to allocate funds toward awareness projects and a slavery museum.
Latin America
Argentina celebrates World Cup – Images across Argentina showed fans celebrating the country’s World Cup victory over France. Millions of people gathered in Buenos Aires to celebrate the victory and climbed on light poles, and traffic lights to celebrate. Argentina defeated France in penalty kicks in the World Cup Final on Sunday. It’s the first time the country has won the World Cup since 1986.
Peruvian president won’t resign – Political unrest has been a hot topic in Peru after the ousting of former Peru President Pedro Castillo. The former president announced he was dissolving Congress and introducing a state of emergency before Congress eventually voted overwhelmingly to impeach him. Castillo’s supporters have called for President Dina Boluarte to resign, but she said it would not solve the political crisis. Protests have impacted important economic generators like tourism.
North America
Condo shooting in Canada leaves five dead – Four people were killed in a condo complex attack after a gunman opened fire in Canada. The attacker was 73 years old and was dead when authorities arrived at the building. It is unknown what the attacker’s motive was. Police are in the process of notifying families about the attack and couldn’t share any information on victims or the attack as of Monday morning.
Amber Heard settles with Johnny Depp – Actress Amber Heard settled her defamation case against her ex-husband Johnny Depp. Earlier this year, a jury found Heard defamed Depp in an article where she said she was a victim of abuse. It is unknown what the terms of the settlement are. Depp denied abusing Heard and was awarded $15 million in damages. Heard said she decided to settle after “having lost faith in the American legal system.”
