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The African Union has endorsed the #CorrectTheMap Campaign, a call for the United Nations and the wider global community to use a different kind of world map. The campaign currently has over 4,500 signatures.

The map most commonly used is called the Mercator projection. Map projections are how cartographers (map makers) “flatten” the three-dimensional Earth into a two-dimensional map.

The Mercator projection was created over 450 years ago, designed for colonial exploration and maritime trade. But, over the centuries, it has become an “all purpose” projection for many governments, educators and companies.

That flat drawing inflates the size of countries closer to the North or South Pole. It exaggerates the area of North America and Eurasia while under-representing the size of much of South America and Africa. As the largest continent in the global south, Africa is a victim of this cartographic inequity.

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African Union joins calls to end use of Mercator map that shrinks continent’s size

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Member states back Correct the Map campaign that urges governments and organisations to use more accurate map

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This summer, 1,601 people took part across Nottinghamshire spotting 19,980 butterflies and day-flying moths during the three weeks of the Big Butterfly Count.

On average, butterfly spotters saw 8.7 butterflies and moths per count, a 48% increase compared to 2024, and the most-spotted butterfly in Nottinghamshire was the Large White.

While the numbers are a vast improvement compared to 2024's, the charity has warned that urgent measures are still needed to reverse long-term decline.

The sunniest spring and hottest summer ever recorded in the UK provided good weather conditions for butterflies after 2024's record-breaking lows. However, the results from the UK-wide survey show that it was definitely not a bumper summer for our beleaguered butterflies.

Between July 18 and August 10, over 125,000 citizen scientists got involved in Butterfly Conservation's Big Butterfly Count across the UK - more than ever before - and recorded 1.7 million butterflies and moths, with the top five species being Large White, Small White, Gatekeeper, Red Admiral and Meadow Brown.

On average, participants recorded 10.3 butterflies during each 15-minute count. While a marked improvement on last summer's record low of just 7, it is only broadly average by modern standards, and has done little to reverse longer-term declines.

Butterflies need two things to thrive: good weather and a healthy environment.

Dr Richard Fox, Head of Science at Butterfly Conservation, warns that "We may feel like we've seen lots of butterflies this summer, but that's only because last year was so awful.
"Last summer's results were the lowest we've seen and a stark warning that many of our common butterfly species are facing significant pressure from challenges linked to habitat loss, climate change and pesticide use. "Whilst we've seen noticeably more butterflies during 2025's Big Butterfly Count, the figures suggest it's actually been a pretty average year for them by modern standards. "The 15-year Big Butterfly Count trends show that more than twice as many widespread species have declined significantly than have increased. And, while most species had a better than average summer, one-third of species fared poorly even in the generally beneficial weather.
"There remains a need for us to take urgent action to support our butterfly populations, including by improving the environment in which they live, restoring habitats and reducing pesticide use. Until we do these things we are unlikely to see a great recovery in butterfly numbers, regardless of how much the sun shines."
Winners and losers
Across the UK, some species did show marked increases this summer. The Large White and Small White both recorded their best ever Big Butterfly Count result.

Meanwhile the Small Tortoiseshell, which had its worst Big Butterfly Count result on record in 2024, showed some improvement but still recorded a below average year and has declined by 60% since 2011.

The Jersey Tiger moth had a record year. The species was recorded more widely and in higher numbers than ever before.

By contrast, Holly Blue had its second worst Big Butterfly Count result on record, Common Blue had its third worst and Meadow Brown had its fourth worst Count result.
What can Nottinghamshire's butterfly-lovers do to help
Butterflies are key indicators of the UK's biodiversity and environmental health. Tracking their numbers helps Butterfly Conservation understand the impacts of climate change, habitat loss, and conservation action.

This year's results are a reminder of how much we still need to do if we want to restore butterfly numbers in the UK.

Dr Richard Fox added: "We've reached a critical moment. The time to take action for UK butterflies is now. We know the weather impacts their numbers and with the summer we've just had we should be seeing them in far greater numbers. Even when the weather is good, the environment is only able to support far fewer butterflies than it used to.
"We must now do more to improve the habitat that our butterflies live in. This is why Butterfly Conservation is calling for an end to the unlicensed use of butterfly-killing synthetic pesticides, and asking retailers to take them off the shelves. We are in a nature crisis. We should be providing people with the tools to help and not the means of destruction." A rescue mission
Butterfly Conservation has launched a rescue mission for the UK's butterflies and is asking the people of Nottinghamshire to sign its open letter to retailers calling for the removal of toxic synthetic pesticides from sale for domestic use. You can add your name by visiting www.butterfly-conservation.org

Big Butterfly Count will return in 2026. Next year's event will take place between July 17 and August 9 so be sure to make a note in your diary - let the countdown begin!

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Nottinghamshire spots 20,000 butterflies and moths during UK's hottest summer on record | West Bridgford Wire

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This summer, 1,601 people took part across Nottinghamshire spotting 19,980 butterflies and day-flying moths during the three weeks of the Big Butterfly Count.

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https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c9qyw1r502go

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One of the world’s most sacred places Mount Sinai is being turned into a mega-resort

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The biblical site of Mount Sinai in Egypt is at the heart of an unholy row over plans to build a huge new tourism project.

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US pilot and influencer released from Chilean air base in Antarctica

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Ethan Guo, 20, had been detained since June after being accused of landing his Cessna illegally in Chilean territory in the Antarctic.

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Antarctica’s frozen heart is warming fast, and models missed it

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New research has revealed that East Antarctica’s vast and icy interior is heating up faster than its coasts, fueled by warm air carried from the Southern Indian Ocean. Using 30 years of weather station data, scientists uncovered a hidden climate driver that current models fail to capture, suggesting the world’s largest ice reservoir may be more vulnerable than previously thought.

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Severe weather thunderstorms in South Africa this week.

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Why there’s an argument over Africa’s largest hydroelectric dam

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Work to build an enormous dam in Ethiopia has been finished, but not everyone agrees with how it should be used…

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African Union Headquarters, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

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African Union Headquarters, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

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African Union Headquarters, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

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Hopes rise for green economy boom at Africa Climate Summit. Renewables are thriving, with Africa breaking solar energy records – but action is needed to plug financing gap.

What is solar energy etc?

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Exporting Brazilian Coffee Beans to US Via Third Countries Not an Option, Industry Says

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US News is a recognized leader in college, grad school, hospital, mutual fund, and car rankings. Track elected officials, research health conditions, and find news you can use in politics, business, health, and education.

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New Brazil development law risks Amazon deforestation - UN expert

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A new environmental licensing law has been criticised by environmentalists as Brazil prepares for COP30.

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The southern part of South America is counting the societal and economic cost of an extreme cold spell which brought frost and freezing morning temperatures intensified from Patagonia to central regions of Chile and Argentina.

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On 30 June, both Chile and Argentina ranked among the coldest places on Earth, excluding the polar regions. It was due to the persistence of a powerful polar-origin anticyclone which extended into parts of Paraguay and Uruguay, causing unusually low temperatures for the season.

Although the Andean mountains and Patagonia are no strangers to cold temperatures in winter, the severity of this event was exceptional and even affected low-lying areas. Between 26 until the peak on 30 June, the cold air mass affected the southern part of the continent.

According to reports from the Chilean Meteorological Directorate (DMC) and Argentina's National Meteorological Service (SMN), numerous weather stations set new temperature records, with some falling below -15 °C, particularly in Patagonia, the Andes, and inland continental areas.

The cold spell also impacted agriculture, with preliminary reports of damage to sensitive crops in agricultural valleys of central Chile and northern Patagonia, where early frost could affect fruit and winter crop production. Snowfall in towns which are not used to receiving snow also disrupted transport and education.

Chile declared a Preventive Early Warning in worst affected areas. Thanks to accurate forecasts and early warnings, no casualties were reported. However, cold and stagnant air caused a buildup of pollutants and poor air quality in several central Chilean cities-such as Santiago, Rancagua, and Talca.

On 26 June 2025, a rare snowfall event affected the arid expanse of the Atacama Desert, known as the driest place on Earth. The snow covered the Operations Support Centre of the ALMA Observatory in Chile, situated at an altitude of 2,900 metres. Snowfall in this location is highly uncommon, with the last significant event occurring over a decade ago.

New records of low temperatures included:

In Argentina, the polar cold wave severely affected much of the southern and central regions, with temperatures between 10 and 15 °C below the seasonal average.

Yellow alerts for low temperatures were issued in provinces such as Buenos Aires, Córdoba, and Santa Fe.

In Chubut and Neuquén, extreme lows near or below -9 °C were recorded.

In Patagonia and the Cuyo region, temperatures hovered around -16 °C.

Snowfall occurred in unusual locations, such as Mar del Plata, the Calamuchita Valley in Córdoba, and hilly areas of northern Patagonia.

The presence of this cold high-pressure system brought marked atmospheric stability, which contributed to clear skies and intense frost.

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Southern South America hit by exceptional cold spell

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On 30 June, both Chile and Argentina ranked among the coldest places on Earth, excluding the polar regions. It was due to the persistence of a powerful polar-origin anticyclone which extended into parts of Paraguay and Uruguay, causing unusually low temperatures for the season.Although the Andean mountains and Patagonia are no strangers to cold temperatures in winter, the severity of this event was exceptional and even affected low-lying areas.

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Antarctica - The Latest News from the UK and Around the World | Sky News

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Sky News - First for Breaking News, video, headlines, analysis and top stories from business, politics, entertainment and more in the UK and worldwide.

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Ghana fashion: Designer clothes made from waste

Getting us all to clear up our rubbish and recycle can be a big problem.

But, Elisha Ofori Bamfo, a fashion designer in Ghana thinks he's come up with a solution that might just help.

He makes clothes from the waste he finds on the streets. And he says they are in high demand.

Produced, filmed and edited by Sulley Lansah

Additional editing by Rajni Boddington

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Plastic Fantastic: Designer clothes made from waste

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Elisha Ofori Bamfo is a Ghanaian fashion designer who makes new clothes from waste off the streets.

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Submarine Mysteriously Disappears Under Antarctic Ice After Discovering Strangely Hidden Structures.

A research submarine operating under the Antarctic ice has mysteriously disappeared after detecting what it described as “hidden structures” beneath the frozen surface. The incident coincides with new scientific discoveries about how Antarctica’s glaciers are melting, reshaping global understanding of sea-level rise.

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US pilot donates large sum of money to children's charity after landing in Antarctica.

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The latest breaking news, comment and features from The Independent.

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ByKoh Ewe, BBC News, Singapore and Helen Willetts, Lead Weather Presenter

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While torrential rains pound China, sweltering heat has enveloped places like Japan and South Korea.

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Gerd: What it took for Ethiopia to build Africa’s largest hydro-electric dam - BBC News

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In a fractious nation, the dam’s construction has brought people together despite controversy abroad.

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Baby alligator on the loose in Texas

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ByKalkidan YibeltalBBC News in Addis Ababa

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Gerd: What it took for Ethiopia to build Africa’s largest hydro-electric dam

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In a fractious nation, the dam’s construction has brought people together despite controversy abroad.

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ICC opens war crimes case against Ugandan rebel leader Joseph Kony | CNN

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Prosecutors at the International Criminal Court began presenting evidence Tuesday to support their charges against fugitive Ugandan rebel leader Joseph Kony at the global court’s first ever in absentia hearing, alleging that he inflicted horrors on Ugandan society that still echo two decades later.

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BBC News - Baby stolen during Argentina's military rule found after 48 years

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c4gk9j5n50ko

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https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cr4qx6377qgo

Africas Largest Hydro Electric Dam

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These stranded seals all the way from Antarctica have been rehabilitated and released | Good News Daily

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Good News Daily tells the positive South African stories that are happening all around us every day.

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https://www.themanufacturer.com/articles/viega-north-america-officially-opens-new-ohio-manufacturing-facility/

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Margaret Atwood (author of The Handmaids Tale) comments on American book bans

(Atwood was born in Ottawa, Canada)

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Margaret Atwood takes aim at Alberta’s book ban with satirical short story

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Some school districts in the Canadian province of Alberta have banned Atwood’s The Handmaid’s Tale due to sexual content.

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https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c5yqw996q1ko

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More hot, dry weather forecast as Canada battles wildfires

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More hot weather forecast as Canada battles fires and smoke billows south - BBC News

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A massive fire is closing in on Flin Flon, a community in Manitoba, as air quality advisories reach as far as the US state of Illinois.

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ByKalkidan YibeltalBBC News in Addis Ababa

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Gerd: What it took for Ethiopia to build Africa’s largest hydro-electric dam

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In a fractious nation, the dam’s construction has brought people together despite controversy abroad.

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Scientists Recreate 30,000-Year-Old Ocean Journey

Scientists from Japan and Taiwan may have solved an old mystery: how did ancient people with simple tools and little scientific knowledge make long, dangerous ocean trips to new places? To test their ideas, the researchers made a trip of their own in a canoe they built from a tree using stone tools.

The first humans began appearing in Japan around 30,000-35,000 years ago. Some may have arrived using land bridges that existed at the time. But scientists believe that others arrived by boat. It’s likely that ancient people crossed the sea from Taiwan to reach Japan’s Ryukyu islands.

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UK’s first ‘super-university’ to be created as two merge from 2026

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Universities are facing ongoing financial worries, with the regulator saying other mergers could follow.

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https://www.livescience.com/planet-earth/antarctica/abrupt-changes-taking-place-in-antarctica-will-affect-the-world-for-generations-to-come

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One day, a book will be written about the 21st century, and the topic will be how the denizens in the world's largest cities cleaned up the rivers which flow through them.

Whether that's the Yangtze, the Seine, the Mersey, or the Chicago River, humans have well nigh decided that having a clean, odorless, swimmable, and living river is worth the loss in convenience of dumping and polluting.

Even though it turns green every year to celebrate St. Patrick's Day, that was about the only thing 'green' about the Chicago River for the longest time. But following the passage of the 1972 Clean Water Act, things began to change.

It's now about to welcome swimmers back into its course for the first time in over a hundred years, and many different people, activities, and initiatives have gone into reaching this historic moment.

Before trains reached the Windy City, most goods arrived via boat and barge, and in order to accomodate the traffic, engineers canalized the river by dredging it up and lining its flow with steel panels. This removed all the wildlife and plants that rely on the bank of a river virtually overnight. What was left were a few pollution-tolerant fish species to languish in what was basically a giant metal and concrete log flume.

Waste dumping of all sorts was common, both human and industrial, and as a result, most of the historic architecture along the river doesn't have any windows facing it.

"Really, the river was the alley. It was gross. You didn't look at it, even think about it. You sent that water away," Krystina Kurth, coordinator of conservation action at Chicago's Shedd Aquarium, told Inside Climate News. "You had all your windows facing the lakefront, but the river was not something that you liked to be around."

Shedd has been instrumental in leading the transformation of the river which began in 1972 when the Clean Water Act prohibited dumping of any sort without a permit. Not only does human waste contain fecal coliform bacteria that can lead to all manner of bacterial diseases, but also excess nutrients like nitrogen and phosphorous.

As in all freshwater ecosystems, excess nutrients lead to massive blooms of algae which blind and choke other life in the water.

That basic step-stop throwing your poo into the river-was a foundation on top of which was piled millions in civic investments to modernize the stormwater and sewage storage systems to prevent runoff, known as the Tunnel and Reservoir Program.
CLEANING UP CITIES: Historic Tokyo Bridge Liberated from Concrete Overpass Will Shine Again Thanks to Grassroots Campaign
On top of this water management, non-profits like Urban Rivers have aided in providing a helping hand for wildlife species to return. Through their Wild Mile eco-park, Urban Rivers have engaged the public in river conservation by creating an almost mile-long trail of docks which act as a giant buoy system for an entire underwater ecosystem of plants and habitat which the steel box of the Chicago River cannot provide.
RIVER NEWS: After Scenic Waterway Declines, Government Sides with Activists to Intervene on the Wye River's Behalf
From a low of 5 species of fish, there are now 77 recorded as living in the Chicago River, as well as snapping turtles and freshwater mussels which cling to the habitat provided by the Wild Mile.
SHARE This Great, Great News About The Next Century In Chicago...
Real estate on the northern branch of the river is starting a mini boom powered by a river that's not longer toxic, that no longer stinks, and which offers a lovely place to walk and relax.

Industrial properties are finding new lives as office spaces and music venues, a blessing made in part by the waters which now give life rather than take it away.

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Chicago River Follows the Seine to Become Biodynamic and Swimmable Once Again

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From a low of 5 species of fish, there are now 77 recorded as living in the Chicago River, as well as snapping turtles and freshwater mussels

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Ernest Shackleton silver tea service going to auction

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The three-piece set has been on display at the Scott Polar Research Institute in Cambridge.

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What is Trump's goal as US bombs 'Venezuela drugs boat' and deploys warships?

First, the US deployed multiple warships to the Caribbean. Then, Donald Trump announced a deadly strike on a boat he said was carrying drugs.

Since the US president's return to office in January, the Trump administration has steadily intensified its anti-drug-trafficking efforts in Latin America. As part of that, the US has seemingly centred on Venezuela - an effort that has led to the mobilisation of military forces from both countries in recent weeks.

After Tuesday's bombing of a small vessel in the Caribbean that was allegedly travelling from Venezuela, officials in the US made it clear that military action in the region was not over - hinting at more operations that could target drug trafficking.

Venezuela's government has reacted with anger. President Nicolás Maduro denies American accusations that he is involved with drugs trafficking, while another official has questioned the veracity of footage posted by Trump.

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https://www.positive.news/society/capital-grains-the-urban-trees-getting-a-second-life/

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The first UK secondary school with a skatepark

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Folkestone Academy is the UK’s first school with a purpose built concrete skatepark in the school yard.

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Horseshoe Bay, West Vancouver, BC, Canada

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Horseshoe Bay, West Vancouver, BC, Canada

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Horseshoe Bay, West Vancouver, BC, Canada

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Orca encounter

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‘It can’t withstand the heat’: fears ‘stable’ Patagonia glacier in irreversible decline

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Scientists say Perito Moreno, which for decades defied trend of glacial retreat, now rapidly losing mass

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Aid workers use donkeys to reach remote Sudan landslide site where hundreds feared dead

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Sudan landslide: Aid workers use donkeys to reach Tarasin village in Darfur

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It remains unclear how many people died - figures range from two to 1,000.

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BBC newsround article looks at “How Antarctica hides huge mountains under the ice”. Lessons could “look back in time” to the climate change in Antarctica. Story book about polar bears/penguins to assist.

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https://www.kidsnews.com.au/junior-journo/polar-regions-among-the-first-to-feel-the-impact-of-global-warming/news-story/014ef9e2941511528947ce41299ca79b

Could use this to look into the impacts of global warming, what causes it, what animals are effected.

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A Prince George man was pulled over by police after driving a child-size pink toy Barbie Jeep along one of the main roads in the north-central B.C. city on Sept. 5.

And on a day that included a hit-and-run involving an ambulance and a prominent downtown business being destroyed by fire, photos and video of the Barbie Jeep quickly spread online with a mixture of humour and disbelief.

Photos captured by several witnesses show Kasper Lincoln wearing aviator sunglasses and cruising down 15th Avenue near Nicholson Street - one of the main thoroughfares.

Speaking to CBC News, Lincoln said he was getting ready to go get a slurpee with a friend but "got lazy" and decided to borrow his roommate's child's tiny car to get around, as his friend walked along beside him.

"I never drove it before," he said while laughing.

In the images, Lincoln is seen driving near the side of a road that's been closed for construction before turning onto an open side road. Then, an unmarked police cruiser pulls him over and he's arrested.

Some onlookers were in disbelief.

"You're really arresting him for driving a kid's Jeep?" asked Summer Caron, one of the people to film the man being put in handcuffs.

She told CBC News that Lincoln had been driving close to the curb and going "maybe three miles per hour."

Nikita Morgan saw part of the incident as she drove in the open lane beside him.

"I was cruisin' down the street, right?" she said in a Facebook message to CBC News.

"And this undercover [unmarked police vehicle] is behind me ... so I roll my window down and say 'Don't let 'em catch you riding dirty,'" a reference to a phrase popularized by the 2005 Chamillionaire song that refers to driving while taking part in an illegal activity.

She was surprised the police got involved, saying the driver of the little car appeared to be playing it safe.

"He didn't look like he was speeding to me."

RCMP say they pulled Lincoln over for a traffic stop and, in the course of talking to him, found he had a suspended licence and believed he was inebriated, later verified by two breath analysis tests, which Lincoln also confirmed to CBC News.

Lincoln also said the police told him they had received multiple calls about him, and told him he'd been driving in the middle of the road, which he denied, saying that for the majority of his journey he had been driving on the sidewalk until he saw the blocked off lane.

But none of that information was available to onlookers like Andrea Stirgard, a mail carrier who was leaving a nearby Canada Post office, was with her co-workers when they saw the Barbie Jeep coming toward them.

"We were just kind of watching him, living his best life," she said of Lincoln. "He was just happy as a clam.... We were actually kind of jealous."

The police action, she said "seems a bit overkill, but that's just me."

"It was honestly epic, I give the guy 10 stars."

Several memes, poking fun at the incident, have been created and shared on social media, including one depicting the day's event in the style of the Grand Theft Auto videogame.

A clear violation of the law: police, lawyer

But according to police, driving an unlicensed motorized vehicle - even one that's made for a child - on a road meant for full-sized cars is against the law.

RCMP media relations officer Staff Sgt. Kris Clark said driving an uninsured vehicle is sufficient grounds to make an arrest, especially when combined with other possible violations including impairment.

Kyla Lee, a Vancouver-based lawyer specializing in driving offences agreed with police, saying it is well-established that toy vehicles are not allowed on the road.

"You are required to have a driver's licence in British Columbia if you're operating any motorized vehicle on the roadway," she said. "That includes Barbie cars, toy cars, electric skateboards - anything like that. It is required to have a licence and insurance."

She said while some cities are seeking to adapt the rules given the increased popularity of electric scooters and e-bikes, when it comes to a Barbie Jeep the law is cut and dry: "Toy cars constitute motor vehicles if they are powered by some sort of an engine."

According to Mattel, the Barbie Jeep Wrangler from Fisher-Price can drive up to eight km/h and comes with power brakes.

It is recommended for children three to seven years of age and for use on hard surfaces.

Generally speaking, Lee said, police aren't likely to get involved for a child playing on a quiet residential street but in this case, the car was driving on a high-traffic road used by other vehicles.

"It's a huge public safety risk," she said. "If you're using it on the sidewalk, you pose a risk to pedestrians, to children. If you're using it on the roadway, it's a safety risk to yourself. Nobody wants to hit somebody in a Barbie car and drivers aren't looking for Barbie cars in the roadway."

Man plans to fight ticket

Lincoln said he has been arrested by police several times in the past but "this is the most hilarious one."

As a result of the incident, Lincoln said he is facing a driving-under-the-influence charge, and that's why he was taken into custody.

He said he plans to dispute the ticket, but added he doesn't hold it against the police for bringing him in.

"He was really nice," Lincoln said of the arresting officer. "He was filling out all of this paperwork, saying 'This is my first time!'"

But he also insists he had no idea he was breaking the law.

"I was using the hand signals and everything," he said.

And Lincoln said he is taking it in stride, enjoying the jokes and messages he is receiving from people who've posted about his arrest.

His takeaway?

"Don't drink and drive."

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Man arrested after driving child-size pink Barbie Jeep through town | CBC News

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Police and a legal expert say driving any motorized vehicle, including a toy, without a licence and insurance is a punishable offence - especially if impaired.

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Man who brought curry and shampoo to UK honoured

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https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c4gqee4pwl5o

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Surprise as Ivory Coast's ex-first lady cleared to contest presidency

9 September 2025

Ivory Coast's former First Lady Simone Gbagbo, 76, is the surprise inclusion in a list of five candidates who have been officially cleared to contest next month's presidential election.

She will run against President Alassane Ouattara, 83, who took power after she and her former husband, Laurent Gbagbo, were captured in a presidential bunker during the conflict that hit the country after the 2010 election.

But the ex-president has been barred from contesting the poll, along with ex-Prime Minister Pascal Affi N'Guessan and ex-Credit Suisse bank CEO Tidjane Thiam.

Their disqualification has raised concerns about the legitimacy of the 25 October vote and has sparked fears of instability.

Thiam, who was disqualified by the Constitutional Council due to his previous French citizenship, called the decision "an act of democratic vandalism" and accused the Ouattara administration of orchestrating a "sham election" to cling to power.

Ouattara assumed the presidency in 2011, following Laurent Gbagbo's arrest after his refusal to accept defeat in the 2010 election.

Ouattara was originally restricted to serving two terms, but a 2016 constitutional overhaul allowed him to seek re-election in 2020, in a vote that was boycotted by the opposition.

He won that election in a landslide, with at least 85 people killed in ensuing unrest. He later declared that he would run for a fourth term.

Laurent Gbagbo has been barred by the Constitutional Council from running for president because of a 2018 criminal conviction.

He was sentenced in absentia for looting the central bank during the political crisis that hit Ivory Coast after the 2010 election.

Although he received a presidential pardon in 2020, it did not restore his right to vote or run for office.

He also faced separate charges of crimes against humanity at the International Criminal Court (ICC), but he was acquitted.

For Simone Gbagbo, her candidacy is not only politically significant but symbolically powerful in a country where women remain largely underrepresented in national leadership.

Only 30% of Ivorian parliamentarians are women, and few have held senior roles in government.

Once nicknamed "The Iron Lady", Simone Gbagbo is now poised to become the strongest female contender for the presidency in Ivory Coast's history.

She and ex-minister Henriette Lagou Adjoua, representing the Political Partners for Peace coalition, are the two women whose candidacy was approved by the Constitutional Council.

Simone Gbagbo has had a long and active career in Ivorian politics, including as an MP - which was later overshadowed by her role in the violence that followed the 2010 elections in which more than 3,000 people died.

It led to her being sentenced to 20 years in prison in 2015 by a court in Ivory Coast.

She was however granted amnesty three years later by President Ouattara to foster reconciliation. Unlike her former husband, the conviction did not lead to her removal from the voter register.

The ICC had also pursued charges against her in 2012, but they were dropped about nine years later.

Since then, she has been quietly and methodically rebuilding her political base, following her break from the Ivorian Popular Front (FPI) - the party she co-founded with her former husband, ex-President Gbagbo.

Her campaign slogan is a call to "build a new nation" within "a sovereign, dignified, and prosperous Africa."

"Her approval legitimises the idea that Ivorian women can aspire to the highest office, regardless of their past, age, or gender. She's not just a candidate - she's a symbol," said local political analyst Severin Yao Kouamés.

It is unclear if Laurent Gbagbo, now disqualified from the election, will support his ex-wife.

The two were married for more than 30 years, sharing a life of political militancy, imprisonment, and governance. They divorced in 2023.

The official election campaign begins on 10 October.

The country has 8.7 million registered voters and there are fears that the exclusion of some of the other candidates could erode public trust and trigger renewed unrest.

Still all eyes will be on whether Simone Gbagbo can reshape the leadership narrative, and become the president.

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Ethiopia inaugurates Africa’s largest hydroelectric dam as Egypt rift deepens

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Ethiopian PM says dam will electrify entire region but Egypt fears it could restrict water supply during droughts

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Rio de Janeiro, State of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

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Rio de Janeiro, State of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

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Rio de Janeiro, State of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

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Flames, feathers and fangs: Rio Carnival parade in pictures

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Rio Carnival: Flames, feathers and fangs feature in spectacular parade - BBC News

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Crowds filled the Sambadrome to watch samba schools face off at Rio Carnival.

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In 2020, Yoshihide Suga - who was previously the party's Chief Cabinet Secretary - stepped up to the role after the surprise resignation of the late Shinzo Abe, who had stepped down due to health issues.

After just a year in power, Suga resigned due to plummeting polls - and was replaced by Fumio Kishida, who then went on to win the election late in 2021.

But Kishida didn't last long either - his popularity plunged in the wake of a corruption scandal involving the LDP, rising living costs and a slumping yen.

And in 2024, he was replaced by Ishiba - who announced plans for a snap election just days after being elected, saying it was "important for the new administration to be judged by the people as soon as possible".

And judge him they did.

Many in the electorate were still furious over the corruption scandal that implicated senior members of the LDP, and were struggling to deal with rising inflation and a cost of living crisis. They delivered the LDP its worst result in over a decade and caused it to lose its single-party majority in the powerful lower house.

Earlier this year, the LDP suffered another defeat in the upper house parliamentary elections where it also lost its majority.

Ishiba resisted calls for him to step down at first, saying he needed to take responsibility for the LDP's losses and to deal with a trade deal with Washington.

But on Sunday - ahead of an internal leadership vote that could have forced him out - he bowed out, announcing his resignation.

"Voices had been mounting from within the party that the PM must take responsibility... [and] the writing was on the wall," said Tomohiko Taniguchi, a specially appointed professor at the University of Tsukuba and previously a special advisor to the late PM Shinzo Abe.

"So rather than waiting to endure public humiliation, Ishiba chose to step down," said Dr Taniguchi.

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Japan has seen three prime ministers in five years - who could be its new leader after Shigeru Ishiba??

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Japan's next leader will face the challenge of steering a much weakened government.

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https://www.goodnewsnetwork.org/chicago-river-follows-the-seine-to-become-biodynamic-and-swimmable-once-again/

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An ice core that might be older than 1.5 million years has arrived in the UK where scientists will melt it to unlock vital information about Earth’s climate.

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Unique ice, 1.5m year old, to be melted to unlock mystery

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BBC News went inside -23C freezers to see the ice that could “revolutionise” our knowledge of climate change.

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In order to tackle growing obesity issues, a school in South Africa has introduced a mostly vegetarian itinerary. Parents have been asked to pack only whole foods in an attempt to teach children about healthy eating.

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Discovery of North America’s role in Asia’s monsoons- focus on monsoons in y5/6? 

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Discovery of North America’s role in Asia’s monsoons- focus on monsoons in y5/6? 

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Discovery of North America’s role in Asia’s monsoons offers new insights into climate change

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A study published in the journal Science Advances, indicates how the heating in North America can trigger remote effects in Asia—this could be further exacerbated by anthropogenic global warming and human modification of the North American land surface.

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https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/trump-administration/judge-temporarily-blocks-trumps-firing-lisa-cook-federal-reserve-rcna230241

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Judge temporarily blocks Trump’s firing of Federal Reserve governor Lisa Cook

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The ruling means Cook will remain on the board of the central bank until her case is heard at length.

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Look at the different music and where the artists come from. Look at the cultures surrounding them.

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VMAs: Ariana Grande, Lady Gaga and Sabrina Carpenter among winners

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The MTV Video Music Awards (VMAs) have taken place in New York, with high profile figures in the music industry taking to the red carpet.

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Brazil prosecutors urge tighter

gold mining rules amid price

surge

https://www.bnamericas.com/en/news/brazil-prosecutors-urge-tighter-gold-mining-rules-amid-price-surge