Africa
Ethiopian artist breaks record for highest sale price
Julie Mehretu, an Ethiopian born artist, broke a record for the highest sale price of any work by an African-born artist at an auction. One of her abstract paintings sold for $10.7 million in New York last week. The piece showcases ink and acrylic on canvas and is titled “Walkers With the Dawn and Morning.” Mehretu is 52 and moved to the United States in 1977 at a time of political conflict.
Malawi presidents bans himself from foreign travel
Malawi President Lazarus Chakwera suspended all international travel for himself and his government to save money. The country’s economy has suffered because a shortage of petrol and diesel and high inflation. Chakwera said the travel ban will remain until the end of the financial year in March 2024. Government officials blamed the economic crisis on factors like a cyclone that struck the area earlier this year and the war in Ukraine.
Asia
Office fire in China kills dozens
At least 26 people were killed in northern China when a coal company’s office building caught on fire. The fire occurred last Wednesday, and 63 people were taken to the hospital. Chinese media reported the fire is under control. Industrial accidents like fires occur frequently in China because of little enforcement of safety standards. Earlier this year, 29 people were killed in a hospital fire in Beijing.
Cambodia accused of forced evictions
The human rights group Amnesty International accused the Cambodian government of using direct and subtle threats to evict thousands of families near the Angkor Wat Unesco World Heritage Site. Cambodian officials denied the accusations, saying the relocations were voluntary. The site is thought to be a mortuary temple and faces west to symbolize the setting sun and death.
Europe
Russian artist jailed for anti-war messages
Sasha Skochilenko, a Russian anti-war activist, has been sentenced to seven years in a penal colony for replacing supermarket pricing labels with anti-war messages. She is 33 and has been in detention since April 2022. Skochilenko was convicted of spreading “false information” about the Russian army. Her lawyers asked for an acquittal, saying Skochilenko suffers from chronic illnesses, making her at risk of dying in prison.
Spain prime minister secures new term
Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez will remain in office after securing 179 votes in the 350-seat assembly. He is a socialist leader and secured the four seat majority after sealing an amnesty deal for Catalans involved in a failed bid to secede from Spain. Recently, tens of thousands of Spanish residents protested across Spain, accusing the prime minister of pursuing his own interests rather than his country’s.
Latin America
Haiti hospital evacuated
At least 100 patients, half of which were children, were forced to evacuate from a hospital in Haiti because of nearby gang violence. Houses around the hospital were set on fire from the gang war and some residents were taken hostage. Kenya said it will send 1,000 police officers to Haiti to combat the violence, a tactic that was approved by the UN.
Caribbean island to create sperm whale reserve
The Caribbean island of Dominica is set to create the world’s first sperm whale reserve. Officials will ban commercial fishing and large ships from an area off the island’s western coast, measuring nearly 300 square miles. The area is an important nursing and feeding ground for the whales. Officials said around 200 or so sperm whales are located near the island.
North America
Diddy accused of rape
Rap artists Sean “Diddy” Combs was accused of rape and sex trafficking by his ex girlfriend, Casandra Ventura. She accused Combs of trapping her in a cycle of abuse and violence for 10 years. Combs denied the allegations. Ventura, known under the stage name Cassie, released several hits in the 2000s, including songs featuring Combs.
Canadian man convicted of murdering Muslim family
Nathaniel Veltman has been convicted of murder in the 2021 killings of a Muslin family in London. The victims were Yumna Afzaal, Madiha Salman, Talat Afzaal, and Salman Afzaal. Friends said the family was “the best” of their community. Veltman is 22, and he ran down the family with his truck while they were walking together.
