Malawi
A stunning comeback for Malawi’s former leader, Peter Mutharika, who has returned to power after trouncing incumbent President Lazarus Chakwera in an election campaign dominated by a beleaguered economy. Mutharika, 85, had been expected to mount a strong challenge in his fourth presidential contest with Chakwera, 70, but the scale of the victory had not been predicted. The former law professor was credited with bringing down inflation when in office from 2014 to 2020. “You missed me right?” he had asked voters at campaign rallies.
More from Africa News here.
India
At least four people were killed and dozens wounded during protests over statehood in India’s Himalayan region of Ladakh, according to officials and residents. Ladakh lies in a strategic position along the border with China. The Indian government in 2019 carved it out of the state of Jammu and Kashmir, took away its autonomy and placed it under the direct control of New Delhi. The demonstrations erupted as part of an ongoing campaign for self-rule and control over land and agriculture decisions. The home ministry has been in talks with Ladakh’s leaders since 2023 and says it is considering their demands.
More from AP here.
DR Congo
We’ve covered the Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) in recent editions of Proximities and noted that DRC is highly experienced at containing the spread of the virus. That remains true, but though not out of control, the current outbreak is proving recalcitrant and the UN’s health agency today reported 11 new cases. That makes it 57 confirmed cases, including 10 probable cases and 35 deaths. “The outbreak shows a decreasing trend of cases in the recent week, nevertheless the attention remains high”, the UN said.
More from Reuters here.