Africa
Dozens die in Sahara Desert
At least 50 people died in the Sahara Desert after the truck carrying them broke down. The group was left stranded in a remote part of the Sahara Desert and ran out of water. The victims were all nationals of Niger and were buried in mass graves by a rescue team.
Captives freed from Boko Haram
Boko Haram jihadists released 360 people in Nigeria who they kidnapped from a mostly Muslim community. Nigeria’s army said it launched an intelligence-led operation and surprised the Islamist militants. However, the Borno South Youth Initiative said it mediated the release. Abductions by armed groups for ransom in Nigeria have become common in recent years.
Asia
China president visits North Korea
China President Xi Jinping is visiting North Korea from June 8 to 9. He is scheduled to meet with North Korea leader Kim Jong Un. The visit marks Xi’s first trip to North Korea in almost seven years and comes after Xi received US President Donald Trump and Russia President Vladimir Putin in Beijing.
Indonesia head of free meals program fired
Indonesia President Prabowo Subianto fired the head of the agency that is aiming to offer free meals to 80 million school children. The decision was made after mass food poisonings caused tens of thousands of children to fall ill. Indonesia’s corruption watchdog also recently filed a complaint alleging inconsistencies in budgeting in kitchens.
Europe
Danish soccer player collapses
Christian Eriksen, a midfielder on Denmark’s national men’s soccer team, collapsed after a friendly match against Ukraine. Eriksen has since regained consciousness and was able to walk off the field. In 2021, Eriksen suffered a cardiac arrest during a Euro match against Finland. Denmark’s doctor said Eriksen will undergo further examinations to determine what caused the incident.
Migrant boat capsizes near Italy
The Italian coast guard said that 10 people were killed after a boat believed to be carrying migrants capsized near Malta. The boat had around 60 people on board at the time of the incident. So far this year, at least 827 people have died while trying to cross the deadly Central Mediterranean.
Latin America
Indigenous leader dies
Brooklyn Rivera, who founded the central American nation’s indigenous movement Yatama, died after being detained by the ruling authoritarian regime. He fought for indigenous autonomy in Nicaragua and had opposed the Nicaraguan government in the 1980s as part of an indigenous militia. Rivera was detained by the government for almost three years.
Ebola cases ruled out in Brazil
Local health authorities announced that two suspected cases of Ebola in Brazil were a false alarm after two patients tested negative for the virus. The patients had returned from African countries and showed related symptoms. So far, there have been more than 1,000 suspected Ebola cases in the Democratic Republic of Congo where the outbreak began.
North America
Canada bans Texas cattle
Officials in Canada have temporarily banned livestock from Texas after flesh-eating screwworms were discovered in calves last week. Texas declared a state of disaster saying the outbreak posed an imminent threat. Officials said the screwworms are likely to spread over the course of the summer.
Stabbing at New York City Penn Station
Five people were stabbed in New York City over the weekend at the Penn Station. One victim suffered a serious injury, two had moderate injuries, and the other victims suffered minor injuries. A suspect was apprehended, and law enforcement told reporters that the stabbing was a random act of violence.
