Africa
Kenya to ban private children’s homes
Kenyan officials plan to abolish all private owned orphanages and children’s homes within the next eight years. The country said the closures are aimed at ending child trafficking. The UN children’s agency found that 40,000 lived in 811 registered institutions in Kenya in 2017. Kenya’s government plans to continue housing children in facilities managed by the Child Welfare Society of Kenya, a government agency.
Former Ghana first lady dies
Former First Lady of Ghana Theresa Kufour has passed away at the age of 87. Kufour was the country’s First Lady from 2001 to 2009 and is known for her work to advance maternal and child healthcare in Ghana. She was married to former President John Agyekum Kufuor after they met at a Republic Day anniversary dance in 1961. Kufour is survived by her hus- band and their five children.
Asia
Indonesia opens new highspeed railway
Officials in Indonesia opened its first highspeed railway, which connects the capital Jakarta to Bandung. The railway is a $7.3 billion project backed by China and is the first of its kind in Southeast Asia. Named Whoosh, the railway was originally scheduled to open in 2019 but was delayed because of land disputes, the pandemic, and other reasons.
Suicide attack leaves 50 dead in Pakistan
At least 50 people were killed and dozens injured in a suicide attack in Pakistan. The attack occurred near a mosque when people were gathering to celebrate the birth of the Prophet Muhammad. The death toll is expected to rise, and no group has claimed responsibility for the attack. Earlier in September, 11 people, including a prominent Muslim leader, were also injured in an explo- sion near where the suicide attack occurred.
Europe
Ukraine plans for underground school
Officials in Ukraine confirmed an underground school will be built in Kharkiv. The school will provide shelter and allow thousands of children to continue in-person education safely even during missile threats. Since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine last year, more than 360 educational facilities have been destroyed. Research from the UN shows that only a third of Ukraine’s schoolchildren attend school in-person.
Nightclub fire kills 13 in Spain
Over the weekend, a fire engulfed three nightclubs and left 13 people dead in Spain. The fire spread to clubs as residents tried to escape packed dancefloors. The incident occurred in the southeastern Spanish city of Murcia, and it is still unknown what caused the fire. The fire is believed to be the worst of its kind in Spain since 1990 when 43 people were killed in a nightclub in Zaragoza.
Latin America
Church roof collapses in northern Mexico, kills 10
At least 10 people were killed and 60 others were injured when the roof of a church collapsed in northern Mexico. The incident occurred when around 100 people were attending a baptism. Officials are unsure what caused the collapse, but it is believed it may have been due to structural failures. Among those who died included a toddler and a couple with their eight-year-old son.
Peruvian man charged with sending hoax bomb threats
Authorities in Peru arrested Eddie Manuel Nunez Santos last week after he was accused of sending more than 150 hoax bomb threats to US schools, synagogues and other public buildings after teenage girls refused to send him explicit pictures. The threats caused evacuations and other disruptions. Nunez Santos, 33, posed as a teenage boy and communicated with teenage girls on an online gaming platform.
North America
U.S. avoids government shutdown
Both the House and Senate agreed on a short-term funding deal that will help the U.S. government avoid a federal shutdown. The bill ensures funding until Nov. 17 and received overwhelming support. If the shutdown had occurred, tens of thousands of federal employees would have been placed on furlough without pay. The bill excludes funding for Ukraine which is seen as a blow for Democrats.
Ex gang leader charged in death of rapper Tupac Shakur
Officials in Nevada have charged Duane “Keffe D” with the 1996 murder of rapper Tupac Shakur. Davis was indicted on one count of murder with a deadly weapon. He is accused of planning the deadly shooting of Shakur after his nephew was involved in a fight with the rapper in a casino. Davis is a former leader of the South Side Compton Crips street gang and is accused of ordering the death of Shakur.
