Africa
Four killed at Malawi VP’s funeral
At least four people were killed over the weekend when a vehicle carrying the body of Malawi Vice-President Saulos Chilima hit funeral attendees. Chilima died in a plane crash a week ago. At least 12 other people were injured in the incident, and among the victims who were killed include a pregnant woman.
Ghana grapples with power outages
Due to a shortage of supplies from Nigeria, residents in Ghana are expected to deal with power cuts for at least another three weeks. The area has dealt with regular power outages for years. Recent power outages are because of a temporary shutdown for maintenance work at a Nigerian gas supplier, according to Ghana’s state power firm. Power demands have increased in the area recently because of population growth and urbanization.
Asia
Major oil spill in Singapore
Officials in Singapore are rushing to clean up a major oil spill at the city-state’s southern coastline. The oil spill occurred when a Netherlands-flagged boat crashed into a Singaporean fuel ship. Around 400 tons of oil spilled in the incident, and several beaches across the country are closed until further notice.
Twin elephants born in Thailand
Caretakers of elephants in Thailand are celebrating the birth of a rare set of elephant twins. Officials called the birth a miracle as the mother elephant was not expected to deliver twins. According to the research organization Save the Elephants, twins occur in only around one percent of elephant births.
Europe
Putin visits North Korea
As of Monday, Russia President Vladimir Putin was scheduled to travel to North Korea. The Kremlin called the meeting a “friendly state visit.” This will be the first time Putin has visited North Korea since 2000 at the start of his presidency. Recent reports from South Korea suggest that North Korea has shipped around five million artillery shells to Russia to aid the country’s invasion of Ukraine.
Pope hosts hundreds of comedians
Pope Francis hosted more than 100 comedians across the world at the Vatican. The gathering occurred before the pope’s visit at the G7 in southern Italy. Among those who were at the Vatican include Jimmy Fallon, Whoopi Goldberg, and Chris Rock. In total, 107 comedians from 15 countries visited the Vatican.
Latin America
Proposed abortion law sparks protests in Brazil
Brazilian officials are proposing a new law that would equate abortion to homicide. While Congress attempts to push the law through, thousands of people in Brazil protested the measure. Brazilians gathered in cities like Rio de Janeiro, São Paulo and Brasília. Brazil allows abortions in limited circumstances, like when someone is raped or if there is a risk to life.
Heavy rain fall causes deadly landslides in Ecuador
People in central Ecuador are dealing with heavy, deadly rain falls. At least six people were killed because of landslides caused by the rain. Meanwhile, several homes have been buried under mud, and at least 12 people were injured. Schools were closed, and local officials opened a shelter for those whose homes were damaged.
North America
Supreme Court lifts ban on bump stocks
The U.S. Supreme Court voted in favor of lifting a ban on bump stocks, a rapid-fire gun accessory. Bump stocks were used at a shooting that killed 60 people at a Las Vegas concert in 2017. Former President Donald Trump’s administration initially banned bump stocks after the incident. The Supreme Court voted 6-3 that the government does not have the right to ban the accessories.
Sandy Hook survivors graduate high school
Last week, around 60 survivors of the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting held a private ceremony. The survivors spoke about the shooting as they graduate high school. In 2012, 26 students and six staff members were killed in a shooting at the Connecticut elementary school. The shooting is the deadliest ever at a U.S. primary school.
