NEWS OF THE DAY
_1 Lethal landslides: An official says the death toll from a landslide that hit Cameroon’s western village of Bamoungoum has risen to at least 42, as authorities urge people to leave the area to avoid further disaster. The governor of Cameroon’s West Region, Awa Fonka Augustine, said Wednesday that the death toll includes children and pregnant women. He said many of the homes had been built on unsafe ground despite warnings.
_2 No summits: Chilean President Sebastian Piñera said Wednesday that protests roiling the country have pushed him to call off two major international summits that his country had been scheduled to host. Piñera said Chile would not host the AsiaPacific Economic Cooperation summit set for Nov. 1617 and the global climate gathering planned for Dec. 213. The South American nation has seen 12 days of massive protests to demand greater economic equality and better public services. The demonstrations have been accompanied by some vandalism and arson.
_3 Tsetse flies: The relocation of hundreds of elephants to Malawi’s largest wildlife reserve was meant to be a sign of hope and renewal in this southern African nation. Then nearby residents began falling ill. The cause of the headaches, weakness and pain were trypanosomes, tiny parasites spread by the bite of the tsetste fly — a companion of the elephants. Trypanosomiasis, or sleeping sickness, is the result. The World Health Organization says sleeping sickness is endemic in 36 countries in subSaharan Africa but cases have been dropping. Last year just under 1,000 cases were recorded, a new low. The majority of cases are reported in Congo. The disease is “notoriously difficult to treat” with drugs and easier to treat when caught early, WHO says. The health agency says it is usually fatal when untreated as the parasite moves into the central nervous system and eventually can cause seizures and coma.
_4 Climate activist: Teen climate activist Greta Thunberg, who has inspired millions across the world to stage protests urging leaders to better tackle global warming, has declined an environmental prize, saying “the climate movement does not need any more prizes.” Two fellow climate activists spoke on Thunberg’s behalf at an award ceremony Tuesday in Stockholm for the regional interparliamentary Nordic Council’s prizes, reading a statement thanking the group for the honor. Thunberg, 16, is currently in California. The Nordic Council hands out annual prizes for literature, youth literature, film, music and the environment, each worth $52,000.
_5 Jailed over satire: A court in Myanmar on Wednesday sentenced five members of a traditional theatrical troupe to a year in prison for their gibes about the military. The members of the Peacock Generation thangyat troupe were arrested in April for performances during celebrations of Myanmar’s traditional new year in which they poked fun at military representatives in parliament and military involvement in business. The military is a powerful political force in Myanmar even though the country has an elected government. Myanmar ended five decades of militarydominated government in 2016, when an elected civilian government led by Aung San Suu Kyi took office. However, constitutional provisions adopted under military rule ensure the army a major role in government, and initial liberalization of restrictive press laws did not end official efforts to stymie free speech, with reporters and activists continuing to face legal challenges.