Not Your Casual News Week 25: A deadly heat during Hajj
A weekly read to keep you in the loop on international issues
Hajj death toll tops 1,300 amid extreme heat
With temperatures reaching 51.8°C (125°F) this week, the annual Hajj pilgrimage to the holy city of Mecca in Saudi Arabia has been marred by tragedy, with more than 1,301 deaths reported, mainly due to extreme heat.
The majority of the victims were unregistered pilgrims who took part without access to designated cooling facilities.
Several countries, including Egypt, Pakistan and Indonesia, have reported significant numbers of deaths among their citizens.
The Egyptian authorities have set up a crisis cell to coordinate with Saudi officials in dealing with the aftermath.
While the Saudi authorities have yet to release official figures, they reported over 2,700 cases of “heat exhaustion” on Sunday alone.
The timing of the hajj, based on the lunar calendar, falls during the scorching Saudi summer.
The question now is: how will climate change affect future pilgrimages?
Niger: Anti-junta rebels hit a Chinese-run oil pipe
Niger’s ruling junta has confirmed an attack on an oil pipeline that killed six soldiers on the night of 16-17 June, blaming the rebels of the Patriotic Liberation Front (PLF).
The PLF, a group seeking the reinstatement of ousted President Mohamed Bazoum, confirmed responsibility and threatened further attacks on oil infrastructure unless the Chinese companies operating the pipeline stop supporting the military regime.
The attackers disabled and damaged part of the oil pipeline, causing an oil spill of 370 metres.
The incident is the latest blow to the pipeline, a vital economic lifeline for both countries, which has already been strained by deteriorating relations between Niger and Benin.
A border dispute between Benin and Niger is causing economic damage to both countries.
While Benin has reopened its border with Niger, Niger refuses to do the same, accusing Benin of hosting French troops it considers threatening.
The dispute has halted Niger’s oil exports through Benin’s port, depriving both countries of millions in revenue.
What Else Happened?
Protests erupted in Kenya over proposed taxes. Thousands of Kenyans, mainly young people, took to the streets of Nairobi and other cities on Thursday to protest against new tax proposals in the government’s budget bill. The demonstrations brought the capital’s central business district to a standstill as protesters clashed with riot police. The proposed taxes, which include a levy on income for national health insurance and increased taxes on fuel and vegetable oil, are seen as onerous and a breach of President William Ruto’s campaign promise to reduce taxes. Despite amendments removing taxes on bread and motor vehicles, the demonstrators remain unhappy and there is growing discontent with the government's economic policies.
China-linked spyware targets Asian telecoms. A cyber espionage group with suspected links to China has infiltrated several telecommunications companies in an unnamed Asian country. Researchers from the Symantec Threat Hunter Team uncovered the campaign, which has been active since at least 2021, using custom malware and hacking tools to steal credentials and maintain persistent access in the telecoms. Evidence suggests that the attackers have used known backdoors that link them to several Chinese APT groups (short for Advanced Persistent Threat, defined as a stealthy threat actor, typically a state or state-sponsored group), including Fireant, Needleminer and Firefly.
Climate News
Millions at risk as devastating floods hit southern China. Catastrophic flooding in southern China, triggered by days of incessant rain, has left at least nine dead and six missing in Guangdong province alone. The region is facing record-breaking water levels, prompting the Guangdong government to declare a Level II emergency, the second highest disaster alert. Guilin, a major city in Guangxi province, raised its flood warning to the highest level as the Li River rose to dangerous levels, threatening widespread damage. The flood season has started earlier than usual this year, with severe storms already causing significant damage to homes, infrastructure and farmland. Meteorological authorities are predicting more heavy rainfall across southern China in the coming days, raising fears of further devastation and displacement.
Thousands evacuated due to wildfires in the United States. Wildfires raging across Lincoln County and the Mescalero Apache Reservation in New Mexico have claimed one life, and officials say more deaths are possible. The two fires, known as the South Fork Fire and the Salt Fire, have consumed more than 20,000 acres, destroyed an estimated 1,400 structures and forced about 8,000 people to flee their homes. These fires are part of a wider wildfire crisis gripping the US, with 29 large fires currently active across the country. California is battling 10 of these fires, further straining resources as this year’s wildfire season has already burned more than 2.1 million acres, well above the 10-year average.
Picture of the Week
After the bad weather that hit the Écrins massif in the French Alps, it was time to take stock on Saturday 22 June in the hamlet of La Bérarde, where all the inhabitants had to be evacuated.
The village has almost completely disappeared due to flooding caused by heavy rain and melting snow.
Images taken from a helicopter show the devastation.