🔅 Remarkable Gem Auction, Guinea-Bissau's Political Shift, Food Aid Suspension, Virus Outbreak Contained, and Kenya's National Memorial Plans
An auction of extraordinary gems, a political shift in Guinea-Bissau, the temporary suspension of food aid, the successful containment of a virus outbreak, and Kenya's national memorial
Photo of the day: Harare, Zimbabwe
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Elon Musk Back at the Top of the Billionaires List | After a few months of being knocked off the throne, Elon Musk is back on top as the world’s richest person. The Tesla CEO’s net worth has shot up by $55.3 billion since January, while the wealth of Bernard Arnault, head of luxury goods giant LVMH, has taken a $24.5 billion hit. This means that Musk has reclaimed his crown, with Arnault and Amazon’s Jeff Bezos trailing behind him in second and third place, respectively.
*Data accurate as of the close of markets across the continent
Brief & Bright: Africa's Top Five Highlights
🇬🇼 Guinea-Bissau's Election: Embalo's Attempted Power Grab | President Embalo of Guinea-Bissau thought he could get away with a power grab. He thought wrong. The opposition coalition in the country just won a majority in the legislative elections, likely ending the president’s dreams of constitutional reform. The opposition coalition, led by the former ruling PAIGC party, won 54 of the 102 seats up for grabs in Sunday’s polls. President Embalo’s party, Madem G15, won 28 seats. So much for Embalo’s plans to consolidate power. The election result was a big deal for the West African nation of nearly 2 million people, which has seen more than 10 coups or attempted coups since it gained independence from Portugal in 1974. The country is also struggling with poverty due to a crash in the price of cashew nuts, its main export. The polls were the first in more than a year, and voters were hoping for some stability. It looks like they got it. Under the current political system, the majority party or coalition appoints the government, but the president has the power to dismiss it. This has caused political deadlock and infighting in the past.
🇪🇹 Thefts Interrupting Food Aid in Ethiopia | The United Nations World Food Programme and the US Agency for International Development have both had to pause food aid to Ethiopia due to their claim of widespread theft of donations. About 20 million people in the country are in need of food assistance due to drought and conflict. No details have been provided about the specific diversions of aid, but the US believes food has been diverted to Ethiopian military units. The WFP Executive Director Cindy McCain has called on the Ethiopian government to investigate and hold those responsible accountable. For now, nutrition assistance to children, pregnant and breastfeeding women, school meals programs, and activities for building the resilience of farmers and pastoralists will continue uninterrupted.
🇬🇶 Marburg Virus Outbreak in Equatorial Guinea is No More | The Marburg virus is a scary one: It’s in the same family as Ebola, and it’s transmitted through contact with bodily fluids. But good news - the World Health Organization has declared the outbreak in Equatorial Guinea officially over. The virus was first detected in February and over the course of the outbreak, 17 cases were confirmed and 12 people died. WHO is continuing to work with Equatorial Guinea to keep an eye out for any new cases, but for now, the country can breathe a sigh of relief.
💎 The Rich Get Richer: 2 Stones & Record-Breaking Prices | Some people just can’t seem to get enough of the finer things in life. A 55.22-carat ruby was recently sold in New York for $35 million. The stone, found in a Mozambique mine last year, was originally 101 carats in its uncut form and was named the “Estrela de Fura” (or “Star of Fura”). But that's not all... the same auction also saw a 10.5-carat pink diamond from Botswana sell for an almost identical amount. This was a fancy purplish-pink stone that had been deemed a “once-in-a-lifetime” jewel. Ah, the perks of having money to burn.
🇰🇪 Kenya's Cult: From National Tragedy to National Memorial | Kenyans were horrified to discover the bodies of 250 people in Shakahola forest, all linked to a doomsday cult led by Paul Nthenge Mackenzie. Now, the forest where the grisly scene was uncovered will be converted into a national memorial site, Interior Minister Kithure Kindiki announced this week. 95 people were rescued from the cult, and 35 have been arrested, but the number of those missing still stands at 613. Meanwhile, Mackenzie is still in police custody, facing charges of driving his followers to death by preaching that starvation was the only path to God. The president has set up a commission of inquiry into the deaths and a task force to review regulations governing religious bodies, in the hopes that no other communities will have to suffer a similar fate.
FOOD FOR THOUGHT
Proverb of the Day
“God has created lands with lakes and bountiful rivers for man to live. And the wide deserts so that he can find his soul.”
— Tuareg Proverb.
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