Africa
South Africa fire destroys hundreds of homes – Hundreds of homes in a poor neighborhood in South Africa were destroyed by a fire. At least one person was killed in the blaze, but there is fear that more bodies could be found. It is unknown how the fire started. Local organizations like the Red Cross in South Africa estimate that around 1,000 homes were destroyed, leaving nearly 3,000 people homeless.
Tree-planting campaign launches in Ethiopia – Millions of people in Ethiopia are preparing to participate in a large tree-planting campaign. Officials are hoping half a billion seeds will be planted within a 12-hour span. In 2019, Ethiopia’s government said 350 million seeds were planted in a single day, but some have questioned the claim. Elected officials said the goal for the tree-planting campaign is to break a record.
Asia
China youth unemployment rises – Unemployment among those between the age of 16 to 24 years old rose to 21.3 percent, last month in China. Meanwhile, the country’s economy grew just 0.8 percent over the past three months. One of the factors contributing to youth unemployment is a mismatch between what students were trained to do and job opportunities.
Severe rain fall hits South Korea, killing dozens – At least 40 people in South Korea were killed this past weekend because of severe rains that caused flooding and landslides. It is still unknown how many victims there are in total. This year, South Korea has experienced one of its most intense sum- mer monsoon seasons on record. Torrential rain is expected to continue in the country throughout this week. South Korea President Yoon Suk Yeol called for a complete overhaul for how the country responds to extreme weather.
Europe
Russia leaves Ukraine grain deal – Russia informed the UN, Turkey and Ukraine that it will not renew a deal that allowed Ukraine to export grain through the Black Sea. In 2022, Russia blocked Ukrainian ports and trapped 20 million tons of grain. The move caused global food prices to skyrocket. The Ukrainian Grain Association identified alternate exporting routes but acknowledged the routes would be less effective than using the Black Sea.
Russia bans gender reassignment surgery – Russia’s lower house of parliament passed a new law that bans gender reassignment surgery and halts people from changing their genders on state documents. LGBT groups said the new law will have a serious impact on the health of people denied access for care. Last year, Russia banned public expression or portrayal of LGBT culture in public spaces.
Latin America
Google launches new AI technology in Brazil – Google introduced its artificial intelligence chatbot Bard in Brazil after launching the service in the United States earlier this year. The chatbot can respond to questions in a human-like way. The chatbot can also speak answers back to users and can be used in over 40 languages. This year, many companies have invested billions of dollars into artificial intelligence companies and services. Bard was also recently introduced in Europe.
Deforestation in the Amazon down – Deforestation in Brazil’s Amazon dropped by 33.6 percent in the first six months of President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva’s term compared to the same time period last year. Lula pledged to end deforestation by 2030 and to reverse policies left by former far-right Brazil President Jair Bolsonaro. The Amazon is the largest rainforest in the world and is referred to as “the lungs of the planet” because of how its trees absorb carbon dioxide and release oxygen.
North America
Architect charged in serial killer case – Rex Heuermann, an architect in New York state, has been charged with killing Melissa Barthelemy, Megan Waterman and Amber Costello. He is also suspected in a fourth woman’s death. Police found matching DNA from pizza a suspect ate to genetic material found on the women’s remains. Heuermann is facing three counts of first-degree murder and three counts of second-degree murder. He pleaded not guilty last Friday.
U.S. approves over the counter birth control pill – The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced a birth control pill will be available without prescription for women of all ages. The pill, Opill, is likely to be available over the counter early next year. More than 100 other countries have made the birth control pill available over the counter. In May, an FDA panel unanimously voted to recommend the pill to be available over the counter. Opill has a history of safety and efficiency in preventing pregnancies.
