Africa
Mine collapse kills dozens in Mali
At least 40 people were killed when an illegal gold mine collapsed in Mali over the weekend. Most of the victims were women, and the incident occurred in Mali’s Kayes region, an area that is rich in gold. Three weeks ago, 10 people were killed when a mining tunnel flooded in the country as well. Mining accidents are common in the area because activity is unregulated.
Former Ghana official declared a fugitive
Prosecutors in Ghana have declared former Ghana Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta a fugitive. He was allegedly involved in multiple corruption cases when he was in government and left the country around Jan. 2. Ofori-Atta is accused of causing financial losses to the state and has not commented on the allegations. His lawyer said he left the country because of medical reasons.
Asia
South Korea removes China AI chatbot
Officials in South Korea have banned new downloads of China’s DeepSeek artificial intelligence chatbot. The country said the AI tool will become available to South Koreans again once DeepSeek ensures it is complying with personal data protection laws. DeepSeek has seen a surge in South Korea in recent weeks with over a million weekly users.
Hate speech reports jump in India
A recent report by the Washington-based research group India Hate Lab shows that hate speech against minorities jumped 74 percent in India last year. Muslims were the group most targeted by hate speech, according to the report. There were 1,165 instances of hate speech documented in India last year by the India Hate Lab.
Europe
Islamist attack in Austria leaves teenager dead
Austrian officials confirmed that a stabbing in the country that left a 14-year-old boy dead was an Islamist attack. The attack occurred over the weekend in the town of Villach, an area near the border of Italy and Slovenia. Three others were also injured and are in intensive care. A Syrian asylum seeker was detained and charged with murder and attempted murder.
Pope remains in hospital
Pope Francis is hospitalized due to a “complex clinical situation” and will remain hospitalized. He was admitted to a hospital last Friday to undergo treatment and tests for bronchitis. The Vatican said the Pope has a “polymicrobial infection.” He was experiencing bronchitis symptoms for several days prior to being hospitalized.
Latin America
Crystal meth bust in Mexico
Mexico’s army seized more than four tons of crystal meth in raids in the state of Sinaloa. The army raided warehouses and drug labs in Sinaloa, an area experiencing violence. The incident occurred two weeks after Mexico President Claudia Sheinbaum convinced U.S. President Donald Trump to hold off on imposing a 25 percent duty on Mexican imports.
Bus crash leaves dozens dead in Guatemala
At least 55 people were killed when a passenger bush crashed through a guardrail and tumbled into a ravine. The country declared three days of national mourning for the victims of the crash. Images showed the bus lying on its roof with its wheels in the air in the shallow water. The bus was carrying students, commuters, and people on their way for medical appointments.
North America
Infant mortality rises
A study published from the John Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health found that infant mortality rates have increased in states that have enacted abortion bans. According to the study, there were 478 infant deaths across 14 states that have bans or heavy abortion restrictions. The study says these deaths would not have occurred had the laws not been in place.
RFK, Jr. sworn in as Health and Human Services chief
Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. was sworn in as the new U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary. He will oversee key health agencies that have 80,000 employees and a trillion-dollar budget. Kennedy was questioned by lawmakers on his baseless health claims and vaccine skepticism. He was confirmed for the position by a 52-48 vote.
