Africa
Seventy-year-old gives birth in Uganda
A 70-year-old woman in Uganda gave birth to twins following IVF treatment. The woman, Safina Namukwaya, is one of the oldest women to give birth. She used a donor egg and her partner’s sperm for the IVF procedure. The babies were born prematurely at 31 weeks, but officials said they are currently stable.
Madagascar president position sealed
Madagascar’s Constitutional Court confirmed President Andry Rajoelina’s re-election, ruling that he secured 59 percent of the votes cast. It will be his third-term following a controversial election. Many candidates raised concerns about the credibility of the election and asked their supporters to not vote. It was the lowest voter turnout in the island country’s history.
Asia
Volcano kills hikers in Indonesia
At least 11 hikers were killed near the crater of Indonesia’s Mount Marapi volcano after it erupted over the weekend. At least 12 others are missing and a smaller eruption slowed down rescue efforts. There were 75 hikers in the area at the time of the incident. The volcano is among the most active of Indonesia’s 127 volcanoes and is popular among hikers.
South Korean man jailed for praising North Korea
Lee Yoon-seop, a 68-year-old South Korean man, was sentenced to 14 months in jail for praising North Korea in a poem. He advocated for unification in the poem that was published in North Korea’s state media in 2016. In the poem, he wrote that if the two Koreas were united, people would get free housing, healthcare and education. South Korea outlaws the praise and promotion of “anti-government” organizations.
Europe
Moscow police raid gay clubs
Police in Moscow raided several gay clubs one day after Russia’s Supreme Court ruled to outlaw the “LGBT movement.” Those at the clubs were briefly held and their passports were photographed during the raids. Police said they were searching for drugs, and officials have not commented on the matter so far. Recently, Russia’s gay community has come under pressure from authorities.
Teens sentenced over taxi driver’s death in Sweden
Four teenage brothers and a 15-year-old girl were sentenced by a Swedish court over the murder of a taxi driver the teenage girl had accused of rape. The victim was found hanged in a nature reserve in central Sweden in March. The oldest brother, who was 18 at the time of the incident, was given a life sentence while the others were sentenced to between three and four years in a institution for young offenders.
Latin America
Peru environmentalist killed
Quinto Inuma, a leader of the indigenous Kichwa community, was shot dead after receiving death threats for defending the Amazon rainforest. He was killed in a remote part of Peru. The country’s government expressed deep regret over his death in a statement. Inuma’s son said he was ambushed when he was traveling by boat after addressing a meeting of women environmental campaigners.
Panama closes controversial mine
Officials in Panama ruled to close a controversial copper mine. The move was applauded by environmentalists who said the mine threatened water supplies. The mine is located in a jungle on Panama’s Atlantic coast and has two open pits, a processing plant, and it’s own port. It is one of the largest copper mines to be opened the past 10 years in the world.
North America
George Santos expelled
Former Congressman George Santos was expelled by the U.S. House of Representatives after an ethics report and dozens of criminal charges. He is the sixth lawmaker in history to be removed from the lower chamber of Congress. Earlier this year, Santos was charged with 23 felonies, including wire fraud, money laundering, and theft of public funds. He denied the allegations and is set to appear in court at a later date.
Spotify cuts nearly 1,500 jobs
Spotify, the music-streaming company, announced it is cutting 17 percent of its workforce, or around 1,500 jobs, in an effort to lower costs. The company employs about 9,000 people, and it is the second time it has cut staff this year. Spotify plans to give affected employees about five months of severance pay, holiday pay, and healthcare coverage for the severance period.
