At least 126 migrants were feared dead after their boat sank off the coast of Libya while trying to make the perilous crossing to Europe, the International Organization for Migration said. According to four survivors, the migrants left Thursday from Libya but their inflatable boat sank several hours into the journey, IOM spokesman Flavio Di Giacomo said. The survivors said traffickers intercepted their boat shortly after setting off and stole their engine. (AFP https://yhoo.it/2tlgkPN)
Attack in Bamako…Unidentified gunmen killed four guests at a Mali luxury resort popular with Western expatriates just outside the capital Bamako, and one other guest is still missing, a security source at the scene said on Monday. One of the victims of Sunday’s attack was Portuguese and one Cameroonian, the security source said. Authorities had on Sunday confirmed two deaths and identified one as French-Gabonese. The source said the fourth victim had not been identified. Security forces backed by French and U.N. troops mobilised quickly when the attack was underway, rescuing 36 residents including 13 French citizens. (Reuters http://bit.ly/2siy004)
Top Stories
Hundreds of people trapped in the southern Philippines city of Marawi are on the verge of starvation after four weeks of fighting between the army and Islamist militants. (IRIN http://bit.ly/2rwytsL)
The United Nations called on South Sudan’s leaders to take more responsibility for stemming the world’s fastest growing refugee crisis, as it said the number of people displaced worldwide had risen to a record 65.6 million. (Reuters http://bit.ly/2rNP1vr)
Cuba’s foreign minister rejected President Donald Trump’s new policy toward the island, saying Monday that “we will never negotiate under pressure or under threat” and refusing to return U.S. fugitives who have received asylum in Cuba. (AP http://apne.ws/2rNhn9g)
Climate change, trade and terrorism were highlighted at a Beijing meeting of foreign affairs officials from Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa, known collectively as the BRICS nations. (VOA http://bit.ly/2siQBZM)
Hundreds of thousands of people gathered in the Brazilian city of Sao Paulo for one of the world’s largest gay pride parades. (AP http://bit.ly/2rNsoYd)
It is estimated Uganda has one doctor for every 24,000 citizens. The nurse-to-population ratio is not much better, one for every 11,000 people, and much of that staff is concentrated in urban areas. Now add 1.2 million refugees. (VOA http://bit.ly/2rNrryQ)
China is investing billions of dollars in extensive roads, railways, special industrial zones and energy infrastructure in Pakistan. (VOA http://bit.ly/2rNrlaB)
Every year, one million Kenyans are driven below the poverty line by healthcare-related expenditures. Poverty predisposes them to disease and slows all aspects of growth in the economy. (IPS http://bit.ly/2rw9RAj)
Investing in preparedness and building the resilience of farmers is fundamental to facing situations of extreme drought, FAO Director-General José Graziano da Silva said. (FAO http://bit.ly/2rNDKeC)
Opinion/Blogs
Meet Dr. Greg Stone, an ocean scientist who spent 30 days living underwater. (Global Dispatches Podcast http://bit.ly/2tkP7N5)
Zambia’s authoritarianism deepens, emboldened by IMF support (African Arguments http://bit.ly/2tkmkIu)
It’s OK That Trump Doesn’t Care About Human Rights (FP http://atfp.co/2tkoc3Y)
Evidence on public health interventions in humanitarian crises (ODI http://bit.ly/2rwf9vx)
A Good News Story About Diarrhea — With One Surprising Exception (NPR Goats and Soda http://n.pr/2ssM3yz)
Getting climate infrastructure right — A stronger role for development banks (Devex http://bit.ly/2rJ1gyl)
What can Activists do in a Political Downturn? (From Poverty to Power http://bit.ly/2sLk2F8)
The U.N.’s Tragic Inaction on Congo (NY Times http://nyti.ms/2st4vHr)
How to Fix the Broken Humanitarian System: A Q&A with Paul Spiegel (Global Health Now http://bit.ly/2st52Jr)
Climate change risks can be turned into an asset for communities left to cope on their own (The Conversation http://bit.ly/2rJa4Ew)
