Africa
South Africa playwright passes
Athol Fugard, who is widely known as one of South Africa’s greatest playwrights, has passed away. He was 92 years old, and his plays were known to be politically charged. South Africa Arts and Culture Minister Gayton McKenzie called Fugard a “fearless storyteller.”
DR Congo seeks rebel leaders, offers bounty
Officials in the Democratic Republic of Congo are offering a $5 million reward for help arresting three leaders of the Congo River Alliance. Among the wanted leaders include Corneille Nangaa, leader of the Congo River Alliance, Sultani Makenga, and Bertrand Bismwa. The country’s army has recently struggled against Rwandan-backed rebels.
Asia
Mass power outages in Australia
Hundreds of thousands of people in Australia are without power because of widespread flooding that knocked down power lines and trees. Australians living in areas like southeast Queensland and northern New South Wales were particularly impacted by the weather. Police said a 61-year-old man’s body was recovered from floodwaters over the weekend.
Myanmar plans for elections
General Min Aung Hlaing, the head of Myanmar’s military government, announced that the country will hold a national election toward the end of the year or in January 2026. He said the elections would be “free and fair.” This will mark the first time there has been an election since the country’s military seized power in a 2021 coup.
Europe
Russia strike kills dozens in Ukraine
Ukrainian officials said recent Russian strikes have left 25 people dead. Recently, Russian attacks have intensified in Ukraine. The violence continues as the United States recently paused military aid and intelligence-sharing with Kyiv. Meanwhile, EU leaders met last week to approve plans to spend more on defense and renew its support for Ukraine.
Vatican offers update on Pope’s health
Pope Francis has shown a “good response” recently as he continues his battle with pneumonia and bronchitis. While he wasn’t present for his weekly blessing, Francis thanked the medical staff who are looking after him in text he had prepared. He has been in the hospital since Feb. 14.
Latin America
Haiti police launch operation against powerful gang
Police in Haiti launched a large-scale operation in Porta-au-Prince, an area controlled by powerful gang leader Jimmy Cherizier. The country’s military is reportedly using explosives as part of the operation. Cherizier is the leader of Viv Ansam, a coalition of gangs that control most of Porta-au-Prince.
Flooding kills 13 in Argentina
Officials in Argentina reported that at least 13 people were killed in floods in the port city of Bahia Blanca. The area experienced eight hours of non-stop rainfall. Roads and bridges were destroyed while large parts of the city are without power. At least 1,100 people were forced to flee their homes, and newborn babies were evacuated from a local hospital.
North America
Armed man shot outside White House
The United States Secret Service reported that it shot an armed man outside the White House over the weekend. The man was allegedly a “suicidal individual” who traveled to Washington DC from Indiana. He is now in the hospital in an “unknown” condition. Washington’s Metropolitan Police will handle an investigation into the incident.
Toronto pub shooting leaves 12 injured
Over the weekend, a shooting at a Toronto pub left 12 people injured. Police reported that three men allegedly armed with an assault rifle and handguns, entered the pub and began firing immediately. It is unknown what the motive of the attack was, and the victims from the incident ranged in age from 20s to mid-50s.
