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Charley, South Africa’s last captive elephant, begins new life

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Charley, the last captive elephant in South Africa, has begun a new chapter in a private game reserve after 40 years in captivity. Dr. Amir Khalil and his team, renowned for their expertise in elephant relocation, undertook the task of moving Charley. Khalil, known for the successful rescue of Kaavan, the “world’s loneliest elephant,” from a Pakistan zoo to a sanctuary in Cambodia in 2020, was well-suited for this challenge. Charley, a four-ton African elephant, had lived alone at a Pretoria zoo for over two decades, following the death of his companion Landa in 2020. The decision was made to move him to a private game reserve about 200 kilometers away, where he might find new companions. The relocation process was intricate. Instead of tranquilizing Charley, which could be harmful, Khalil and his team used a training approach to coax him into a large transport container. Over the course of two years, Charley was gradually introduced to the container using food rewards, such as pumpkins and papaya. Remarkably, he adapted quickly and entered the container in less than two weeks. After an extensive road trip, Charley arrived at the Shambala private game reserve in late August. Initially, he will be kept in a separate area to acclimate to his new environment before potentially joining the reserve’s wild elephant herds. Khalil and his team, including Dr. Marina Ivanova and Dr. Frank Göritz, who also worked on Kaavan’s relocation, praised the Pretoria zoo and South Africa’s environment ministry for their support in this rare and significant reintroduction of a captive elephant to a more natural setting.

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Putin arrives in ICC member Mongolia despite arrest warrant

World /

Russian President Vladimir Putin arrived on Monday in Mongolia, his first visit to a country that is member of the International Criminal Court (ICC) since the tribunal issued a warrant for his arrest in March 2023. “Vladimir Putin arrived in Mongolia on an official visit at the invitation of President of Mongolia Ukhnaagiin Khurelsukh, to attend celebrations of the 85th anniversary of the joint victory of the Soviet and Mongolian armed forces over the Japanese militarists on the Khalkhin Gol River,” the Kremlin said in a statement. Putin’s visit will last two days, and on Tuesday several bilateral meetings are scheduled, including with Khurelsukh, as well as signing some documents and laying flowers at the monument to Marshal of the Soviet Union Georgy Zhukov. “During their talks, the two leaders will discuss prospects for further developing Russian-Mongolian relations of comprehensive strategic partnership and will exchange views on current international and regional issues,” the Kremlin said. Mongolian authorities have shown no intention of arresting the Russian leader on the ICC warrant, and instead organized a welcome ceremony. Putin was greeted by a guard of honor at the Ulaanbaatar Airport in the capital. Putin is also expected to hold talks with Mongolia’s parliament speaker Dashzegve Amarbayasgalan and Prime Minister Luvsannamsrain Oyun-Erdene. On March 17, 2023, the ICC in The Hague issued an arrest warrant for Putin at the request of prosecutor Karim Khan. The Hague-based tribunal accused Putin of the illegal deportation of children from Ukraine after the launch of the “special military operation” in February 2022. Russia denies allegations, insisting that children were evacuated from the battle zone to save their lives, and that the warrant is not applicable as the country is not an ICC member state.

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A UN-sanctioned Libyan human trafficker has been killed in Tripoli

Africa /

One of Libya’s most wanted human traffickers, Abdel-Rahman Milad, was killed on Sunday in Tripoli, according to Libyan officials. Milad, a former coast guard commander in Zawiya and a UN-sanctioned individual, was shot by unknown assailants while in his vehicle in the Sayyad area. The details surrounding his death remain unclear, and no group has claimed responsibility. Libyan media reported bullet marks on Milad’s white Toyota Land Cruiser. Libyan officials, speaking anonymously for safety reasons, have not commented on the incident, and the Tripoli-based government has yet to issue a statement. Milad’s death has sparked calls for an investigation, including from militia leader Moammar Dhawi, who expressed condolences and urged authorities to hold those responsible accountable. Libya has faced instability and division since the 2011 uprising that toppled Muammar Gaddafi, becoming a major route for migrants from Africa and the Middle East attempting to reach Europe. In June 2018, the UN Security Council imposed sanctions on Milad and other leaders linked to migrant trafficking. Despite his denial of involvement in human smuggling, Milad had previously been jailed on related charges.

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Ghana to raise cocoa farmgate price

Africa /

Ghana’s cocoa regulator is considering a nearly 45% increase in the state-guaranteed price for cocoa farmers for the 2024/25 crop season, according to Reuters on September 2. If implemented, this would mark the second consecutive price hike. Earlier this year, Ghana raised the farmgate price by 58% to 33,120 Ghana cedis (approximately 2,499 U.S. dollars) per ton, following Côte d’Ivoire’s lead. This adjustment aims to improve farmers’ incomes and curb cocoa bean smuggling. The Ghana Civil Society platform has urged the regulator to set the minimum farmgate price for the 2024/25 season at 3,662 U.S. dollars per ton. The government announces new cocoa prices each September, which apply from the start of the cocoa season in September until August of the following year. This year’s price surge is attributed to increased demand and challenges with cocoa crops in West Africa, including plant diseases and weather-related issues.

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Africa has almost 4,000 new mpox cases in a week

Africa /

Africa is experiencing a sharp rise in mpox cases, with nearly 4,000 reported in the past week, according to the continent’s public health body. Dr. Jean Kaseya, head of the Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC), shared this update during an online briefing on Tuesday. In the past week, Africa reported 81 mpox-related deaths, bringing the totals to 22,863 cases and 622 deaths. Despite promises of 380,000 doses of mpox vaccines from Western partners like the European Union and the United States, this amounts to less than 15% of what is needed to control the outbreaks, particularly in Congo, the epicenter of the global health emergency. The first batch of promised vaccines for Congo, including 50,000 doses from the U.S. and 15,000 from the GAVI vaccines alliance, is now expected to arrive on September 1 after delays related to documentation and emergency authorization. Congo has also requested at least 2 million additional doses from Japan, with negotiations reportedly advanced. The new mpox variant, first identified in Congo, is causing significant community transmission elsewhere, including nearly 800 cases in neighboring Burundi over the last month. The U.S. has donated 10,000 doses of mpox vaccines to Nigeria, marking the first known donation to Africa since the current outbreaks began. Nigeria has recorded 40 mpox cases this year. The Africa CDC is developing a unified response plan for the outbreaks, which will be presented to African heads of state in September. Meanwhile, health measures and hygiene practices are being promoted across Africa to slow the virus’s spread, though enforcing these measures is challenging in Congo’s displaced camps amidst ongoing humanitarian crises.

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