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Panama: 55 migrants died, 180 children abandoned in Darien Gap this year

World /

 Panamanian President Jose Raul Mulino said Thursday that so far this year, 55 migrants have died and 180 children have been abandoned while crossing the Darien jungle. “Fifty-five people have died in 2024 on the Darien route,” Mulino said during his weekly press conference.  However, authorities suspect that the death toll may be higher, as many bodies cannot be recovered from the jungle. Mulino also said that the “180 unaccompanied minors” who had been abandoned in the Panamanian jungle this year are now being looked after by childcare institutions. On Tuesday, the government of Panama announced that the flow of migrants through Darien fell by almost 41% this year. Between January and December, 300,549 migrants crossed the treacherous jungle compared to more than 520,000 in the same period of 2023. The director of the National Migration Service of Panama, Roger Tejada, explained that the reduction is due to the implementation of stricter measures by the new government. President Mulino has taken a strong stance against the flow of migrants through the Darien Gap. His administration has implemented several strategies to deter migration through the dangerous route, including increasing patrol agents along the border with Colombia to monitor and control the area as well as the closure of unauthorized routes. The government has also initiated a policy of deporting migrants who are arrested crossing the jungle illegally.  Authorities said that within the framework of an agreement signed with the United States, 51 flights have been made to return 1,548 migrants to countries such as Colombia and Ecuador. Tejada indicated that they expect to increase these returns in 2025, depending on the policies implemented by the government of US President Donald Trump starting in January. According to official figures, Venezuelans accounted for 70% of all those who crossed. Other nationalities included Colombians (6%), Ecuadorians (5%), Chinese (4%) and Haitians (4%). Migrants who cross the remote and dangerous area of dense rainforest, swamps, rivers and mountains on the border of Colombia and Panama face dangers such as wild animals and multiple human rights violations, including sexual violence, murders, disappearances, trafficking and robbery by organized criminal groups.

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38 children in South Africa have died from food poisoning

Africa /

Since February, 38 children in South Africa have tragically died from food poisoning. According to South African police, food poisoning incidents have been reported nationwide, particularly in Gauteng province, due to contaminated products sold at local “spaza” shops. The police confirmed that a total of 41 people, including 38 children, have lost their lives to food poisoning, and three individuals are currently under prosecution in connection with the cases. Most of the poisonings have been linked to items such as chips and biscuits sold at spazas. In response, Velenkosini Hlabisa, Minister of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs, announced that the deadline for spazas to renew their operating licenses has been extended to February 28, 2025, as part of a broader effort to improve inspections. The term “spaza” refers to small convenience stores in informal settlements, derived from the Sotho word “zula,” meaning “to hustle.” These stores, often operated by foreign nationals, have become central to the food poisoning issue since February. In light of the ongoing crisis, the government declared a national state of disaster last month and has been ramping up regulations and inspections of spazas. The initial 21-day deadline for license renewals ended on December 17.

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Death toll in Mozambique from Cyclone Chido rises to 45

Africa /

The death toll in Mozambique from Cyclone Chido has risen to 45, officials said Wednesday. Luisa Meque, chairperson of the National Disaster Risk Management Institute (INGD), said the storm has also left 500 people injured and destroyed around 35,000 homes in the northern provinces of Niassa, Nampula and Cabo Delgado, which have suffered massive destruction. “Much as the storm has calmed down, there is a likelihood that the number of fatalities is going to rise, as we are still assessing the extent of the damage,” Meque said. Around 2.5 million people are said to be affected by the cyclone, she added. According to Louise Eagleton, UNICEF Country Representative in Mozambique, around 90,000 children have been “worst affected” by the cyclone. “Almost in all the affected communities, there are growing numbers of affected children. These are children who are struggling to find sustenance and shelter. Children are bearing the blunt of the cyclone. The current situation in the country is heart-rending,” Eagleton said. On Wednesday, the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) disbursed $4 million in an emergency response to the cyclone. In neighboring Malawi, according to the country’s Department of Disaster Management Affairs (DoDMA), the death toll has reached 13 and 45,000 people in five districts of the southern region have been rendered homeless. On Dec. 15, Tropical Cyclone Chido made landfall in Mozambique, bringing strong winds, thunderstorms and heavy rainfall exceeding 250 millimeters (9.84 inches) in 24 hours. The cyclone then moved to Malawi.

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Tragic stampede at funfair in Nigeria leaves several children dead

Africa /

Several children tragically lost their lives in a stampede on Wednesday at a funfair in southwestern Nigeria, authorities confirmed. The incident occurred at the Islamic High School in Basorun, Oyo State, near Lagos. Security personnel responded promptly to the scene, and the event organizers were arrested, according to Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde. “Earlier today, a tragic event occurred at the Islamic High School Basorun, where a family-oriented event was taking place. Sadly, a stampede at the venue resulted in multiple fatalities and injuries. This is a deeply sorrowful day,” Governor Makinde said in a statement. He expressed condolences to the families of the victims, stating, “We extend our sympathies to the parents whose joy has been turned to mourning due to this tragedy.” Nigeria’s national emergency services have deployed a team to assist the victims, and injured children were taken to local hospitals. Parents were urged to check for missing children. Videos from the scene showed a large crowd of mainly children watching as some were carried away from an open field. Local media identified the event organizers as the Women In Need Of Guidance and Support Foundation, which had also hosted a similar event for children the previous year. The foundation was preparing to accommodate up to 5,000 young people at this year’s gathering, offering prizes such as scholarships and other gifts, according to reports from Oyo-based Agidigbo FM. Governor Makinde announced that an investigation into the cause of the stampede has been launched, and vowed that anyone found responsible, either directly or indirectly, would be held accountable.

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Ghana’s supreme court clears path for Anti-LGBTQ bill

Africa /

In a significant blow to the LGBTQ community in Africa, Ghana’s Supreme Court has dismissed two cases challenging the constitutionality of the Human Sexual Rights and Family Values Bill, paving the way for the president to sign the highly controversial bill into law. The ruling marks a key step toward the enactment of what is considered one of the continent’s most restrictive anti-LGBTQ laws. All seven judges on the Supreme Court panel rejected petitions filed by broadcast journalist and lawyer Richard Dela Sky and academic Amanda Odoi, who had sought to block the bill. The bill, passed by Ghana’s lawmakers earlier this year, criminalizes same-sex relationships, with penalties of up to three years in prison for individuals identifying as LGBT, and five years for those involved in forming or supporting LGBT groups. President Nana Akufo-Addo, whose term ends in January, had delayed signing the bill pending the outcome of the Supreme Court challenge. However, the court ruled that the case could only be reviewed once the bill had been signed into law. Despite international criticism from human rights organizations and the United Nations, the bill has garnered support from Ghana’s political leadership, including opposition leader and incoming president, John Mahama. Odoi and Sky expressed their disappointment with the court’s decision and indicated they would review their options after studying the full judgment. If the bill becomes law, further legal challenges are anticipated.

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Sudan slams EU sanctions on 2 army generals

Africa /

 Sudan has condemned a decision by the European Union to impose sanctions on two army generals, describing the move as “flawed and defective.” The EU on Monday added four Sudanese individuals to its sanctions list for “threatening the peace, stability and security of the country.”  The individuals include director of military intelligence Gen. Mohamed Ali Ahmed Sabir, and former National Intelligence and Security Service chief Salah Abdallah. Two others are commanders of the Rapid Support Forces (RSF). Fighting is ongoing between the Sudanese army and the RSF in the country since April 2023. The Sudanese Foreign Ministry in a statement on Wednesday condemned the EU sanctions on the two army generals, saying the decision is “baseless” and reflects the EU’s “flawed and defective approach” on the ongoing conflict. It urged the 27-member bloc to reverse its decision, review its approach in dealing with what’s going on in the country, and take “a positive stance” toward supporting Sudan in confronting “aggression and terrorism.” The fighting has resulted in more than 20,000 deaths and displaced over 14 million people, according to estimates from the UN and authorities.

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Libya agrees to form unified government

Africa /

Representatives of Libya’s parliament and High Council of State announced a preliminary agreement Wednesday to form a unified government and establish special committees to address contentious issues. The deal was disclosed by House of Representatives member Sara Al-Sweih at a news conference following the first day of meetings in the city of Bouznika in northern Morocco. The discussions, which began Wednesday and are set to conclude Thursday, aim to resolve Libya’s political crisis. Al-Sweih said the two bodies agreed to form a joint committee to reevaluate the criteria for sovereign appointments, establish a candidate application process and outline a selection mechanism. Morocco previously hosted six rounds of talks with Libyan factions, culminating in a January 2021 agreement on the allocation of sovereign positions. It has also been a venue for discussions on Libya’s electoral laws and diplomatic visits from Libyan officials. The deputy head of the UN Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL), Stephanie Koury, announced the formation on Sunday of a technical committee of Libyan experts to prioritize steps toward forming a unified government with broad consensus. The efforts are to pave the way for presidential and parliamentary elections to end a political deadlock between two rival administrations — the eastern-based government led by Osama Hamad, appointed by the House of Representatives in 2022, and the UN-recognized Government of National Unity under Abdul Hamid Dbeibah operating from Tripoli in the west.

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Zimbabwe senate passes bill to abolish death penalty

Africa /

Zimbabwe Senate Approves Death Penalty Abolition The Zimbabwean Senate has passed legislation to abolish the death penalty, marking a significant step towards ending a law that has not been enforced in nearly two decades. The bill will take effect once signed by President Emmerson Mnangagwa, who has long opposed capital punishment. The last execution in Zimbabwe occurred in 2005, and the country has faced challenges, including a shortage of executioners, in applying the death penalty. Mnangagwa, who was sentenced to death during the country’s independence war, has also used his presidential powers to commute death sentences to life imprisonment. Amnesty International has called for the bill to be signed “without delay” and for the commutation of the sentences of over 60 people currently on death row in Zimbabwe. While Zimbabwe joins several African nations moving toward abolition, it remains one of the over 50 countries globally that still has the death penalty on the books. According to Amnesty’s 2023 report, there were 1,153 known executions worldwide, with China, Iran, and Saudi Arabia being the leading executioners.

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AFDB approves $108M loan for Zambia’s economic reforms

Africa /

The African Development Bank Group’s Board of Directors has approved a $108 million loan to Zambia aimed at strengthening the country’s economic governance and supporting reforms across key public sectors. This financing will support the Fiscal Sustainability and Economic Resilience Support Programme, a vital initiative designed to foster a more robust and diversified economy in Zambia. Key objectives of the programme include boosting domestic revenue generation through measures such as the implementation of an electronic “smart invoice” system, registering 12,000 VAT-eligible taxpayers, and enhancing Zambia’s engagement in the Global Forum on Transparency and Exchange of Information for Tax Purposes. The programme also targets the growth of the agro-industrial sector, particularly by backing the Ministry of Agriculture’s agricultural mechanization strategy and establishing ten mechanization centres. This will increase agricultural productivity and help farmers—especially those without access to modern equipment—produce goods for both domestic and international markets. A key goal is to reduce Zambia’s reliance on the mining sector, with at least 257 million kwachas (around $9.4 million) allocated for the 2023-2024 agricultural season. The project will facilitate market-driven funding, offering small and medium-sized farmers access to affordable financing for agricultural inputs through financial institutions. Additionally, the programme will improve public investment management, enhancing the efficiency and transparency of public spending. As of November 30, 2024, the African Development Bank’s active portfolio in Zambia includes 24 projects with a total value of $872.3 million.

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Egypt’s Giza Pyramids: A legacy of kings, architecture, and tourism

Africa, Egypt /

The Secrets of the Pyramids: Legacy, Tourism, and Preservation The ancient pyramids of Egypt, built for kings, their sons, and grandsons, continue to protect their mysteries. Surrounding these monumental tombs are smaller pyramids for queens and other family members, where they too were mummified and laid to rest. Two temples are also located around the pyramids, likely used for funeral ceremonies and rituals. In ancient Egypt, belief in resurrection after death prevailed. Pharaohs were mummified, buried with treasures to ensure their protection and immortality. The secret of the mummification process, which prevented the bodies of kings from decaying for centuries, remains a mystery to this day. The famous 17th-century traveler, Evliya Çelebi, also mentioned the Egyptian pyramids in his travelogue, highlighting their enduring significance. A Pillar of Egypt’s Economy Last year, Egypt welcomed 14.9 million tourists, with a significant portion of its tourism revenue coming from visitors to the pyramids. The pyramids attract millions of tourists annually, making a vital contribution to the country’s economy. Visitors to the Giza Necropolis can explore the pyramids between 7:00 AM and 5:00 PM. However, the Great Pyramid of Giza (Khufu’s pyramid) is closed to visitors from 12:00 PM to 1:00 PM. Ticket offices remain open until 4:00 PM, with entry fees set at 540 Egyptian pounds for general admission and 270 pounds for international student cardholders. To enter the pyramids’ interiors, the fee is 900 pounds for general entry and 450 pounds for students. Payments are only accepted via bank card, and children under 6 years old can visit for free. While photography is allowed outside the pyramids, no photos are permitted inside. Camel and Horse Cart Tours At the entrance to the pyramid complex, visitors can enjoy camel and horse-drawn carriage rides. Horse cart rides cost 500 Egyptian pounds per hour, offering the best views of the pyramids from various angles. Symbolic camel tours, often associated with the pyramids, cost 1,000 Egyptian pounds per hour, while a short photo opportunity on a camel is priced at 300 pounds. A Monumental Construction The Great Pyramid of Khufu, part of the 4th Dynasty of Pharaohs, was built with massive limestone blocks, each weighing thousands of kilograms. Construction of the pyramid, made from an estimated 2.3 million stone blocks, is believed to have taken 20 years, with 800 tons of stone laid each day. The king’s burial chamber inside the pyramid was made of granite stones, believed to have been transported by boat from Aswan via the Nile River. The second largest pyramid, that of Khafre, is thought to have been built by Khufu’s son, Khafre, and remains a remarkable testament to the architectural and engineering prowess of ancient Egypt.

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