News Watch

August 2020 issue | Appears on page 34

An ebola outbreak declared over

An ebola outbreak in northeastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) that began in August 2018 was declared, on June 25, to be over after no new cases had been discovered since April 27. However, a newer outbreak of ebola, which began on June 1, 2020, is still ongoing in the country’s northwest.

During the course of the northeastern outbreak, more than 2,200 people died of the disease, making it the worst ebola outbreak ever in the DRC and the second-worst outbreak to occur...

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August 2020 issue | Appears on page 35

Current advisories

The US Department of State posts up-to-date travel advisories on every country and many territories, ranking each 1 (Exercise Normal Precautions), 2 (Exercise Increased Caution), 3 (Reconsider Travel) or 4 (Do Not Travel). Note: A country’s regions are also ranked and may have different rankings than the country as a whole. Visit travel.state.gov and click on “Travel Advisories” at the top of the page.

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July 2020 issue | Appears on page 4

COVID-19 update

At press time, COVID-19 infections had been confirmed in 213 countries and territories, with more than 6.2 million cases and, of those, more than 373,000 deaths. A rise in newly reported cases occurred in some countries that had eased quarantine restrictions, including Germany, South Korea and China, leading to fears of a second wave of cases.

The World Health Organization (WHO) announced that the number of COVID-19 cases reported worldwide on May 19 — more than 106,000 —...

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July 2020 issue | Appears on page 4

Pakistan airplane crash

A Pakistan International Airlines flight flying from Lahore with 99 people on board crashed into a residential neighborhood in Karachi, Pakistan, as it was landing at Jinnah International Airport on May 22. At least 97 people were killed, while eight people on the ground were injured. Two passengers were found alive.

The flight was approaching the airport when the pilot reported engine trouble, issuing a mayday before losing contact with the airport tower. The cause of the crash was...

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July 2020 issue | Appears on page 4

Afghanistan nursery attack

Gunmen stormed a maternity ward at a Doctors Without Borders hospital in Kabul, Afghanistan, on May 12, killing at least 24 people, including children and babies, and injuring 15 others. Authorities believe that the maternity ward was specifically targeted by the gunmen, as they had passed through multiple sections of the hospital without attacking anyone before reaching the ward.

Two militant-Islamist groups, the Taliban and Daesh (ISIL), operate in Afghanistan, and both have...

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July 2020 issue | Appears on page 4

Rangers attacked in DRC park

An armed group, believed to be a Rwandan separatist militia, killed 12 rangers and injured six people in Virunga National Park in the Democratic Republic of the Congo on April 24. According to a government official, the militia ambushed a group of Congolese being escorted through the park by the rangers. 

Due to the presence of mountain gorillas, Virunga National Park is one of the most popular national parks in Africa for tourists. The park was closed to visitors on March 24 out...

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July 2020 issue | Appears on page 4

East Africa floods

Heavy rains in East Africa caused deadly flooding in early May in Somalia, Rwanda, Kenya and Uganda, killing more than 260 people throughout the region. The unusually heavy rains also caused the water level of Lake Victoria to reach record levels, forcing villages on the shore to be evacuated. 

The rainy season in East Africa typically begins in late April and lasts into June.

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July 2020 issue | Appears on page 4

Indian Ocean cyclone

Cyclone Amphan, classed as a super cyclone, made landfall in India and Bangladesh on May 20 with wind gusts of up to 115 miles per hour. At least 84 people were killed, 72 of whom were in India. The city of Kolkata was badly damaged, leaving all of the city’s 14 million citizens without power. It was the first super cyclone to form in the Indian Ocean since 1999.

Prior to its making landfall, millions of people were evacuated from the area. However, many evacuation shelters were...

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