Author: Amnewsworld

According to local authorities, an estimated 21,000 people, mainly women and children, have been displaced since 28 March by clashes between Luba and Kuba ethnic groups in Kasai’s Bakwakenge locality. UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, is alarmed by a resurgence of violence in the Democratic Republic of the Congo’s Great Kasai Region, that has already displaced thousands of civilians. According to local authorities, an estimated 21,000 Congolese – mainly women and children – have been displaced since 28 March by clashes between Luba and Kuba ethnic groups in Kasai’s Bakwakenge locality. There have also been reports of at least 13…

Cryptocurrency trading platform Coinbase had a spectacular start on Nasdaq earlier this week. But DW’s Daniel Winter warns its success doesn’t mean that cryptocurrencies are now really for the mainstream. Instead of tearing the ground asunder and swallowing Wall Street whole, Coinbase’s direct listing on Wednesday was a conventional, though thoroughly successful, affair. Seen as a litmus test for cryptocurrencies in mainstream finance, investors snapped up the shares and sent the price soaring more than 50% higher directly after launching on the Nasdaq. Briefly topping out at $100 billion, the valuation of the cryptocurrency exchange was not far off Facebook’s back in…

Strong foreign trade has helped the world’s second-largest economy recover from the coronavirus crisis since lockdown measures were eased. China’s GDP expanded by 18.3% in the first quarter of 2021 compared to the same period last year, official data showed on Friday. The increase is the biggest since China started keeping quarterly records in 1992. As the virus has hit global markets, the world’s second-largest economy seems to be recovering from the coronavirus slump, accelerated by industrial activity and better-than-expected exports. While the disease first emerged in central China, the country was also the quickest to get a grip on the pandemic after…

In the first quarter of 2021, China sees its biggest increase in economic growth since records began. But a closer look at the figures suggests caution is warranted. In a world starved of good news, a record rise in Chinese economic growth data comes as a welcome respite from COVID-19 uncertainty and gloom. China’s gross domestic product (GDP) expanded by 18.3% in the first quarter of 2021, compared with the same period last year, marking the highest increase since China began to publish quarterly data in 1992. The jump was way ahead of what analysts had expected, and markets responded…

A thick layer of ash covered parts of St. Vincent after the Caribbean island’s only active volcano erupted after decades of inactivity. Power and water outages have been reported across the island. Residents of St. Vincent faced another turbulent day on Sunday, as thick ash damaged property and the La Soufriere volcano rumbled for the third straight day. The Caribbean island also saw reports of widespread power failures and water outages early in the day. A thick layer of ash covered large parts of St. Vincent after the island’s only active volcano erupted after decades of inactivity. There have been no reports…

Conservative ex-banker Guillermo Lasso won Ecuador’s presidential runoff on Sunday with 52.5% of the vote, declaring himself president-elect with more than 96% of ballots counted. His opponent, socialist economist Andres Arauz, received 47.4% of the votes and conceded the race. “It’s a day in which all Ecuadoreans decided their future, they have used their vote to express the need for change and the desire for better days,” Lasso told supporters in a victory speech. “I congratulate him on his electoral triumph today and I will show him our democratic convictions,” Arauz said in comments conceding the race to Lasso. Arauz previously declared victory…

Merkel loyalist Armin Laschet and Bavarian leader Markus Söder have both said they are ready to run for Germany’s chancellor. The conservative Christian Democrat-Christian Social Union bloc must now decide. Germany’s ruling conservative bloc met on Sunday to discuss who would stand as the successor to Angela Merkel as the bloc’s candidate for chancellor in this year’s election. The leading candidates to fill Merkel’s shoes are Armin Laschet, the state premier of North Rhine-Westphalia, and Markus Söder, the state premier of Bavaria. Laschet is seen as Merkel’s favorite and currently leads her Christian Democratic Union (CDU), while Söder serves as the head of Bavaria’s Christian…

“People fleeing violence arrived in a place ill-equipped to receive them, with many sleeping in makeshift camps at a school and public basketball court in the city of Arauquita,” said CARE. At least 5,500 people from Venezuela had crossed the border between Apure and the Colombian department of Arauca in the last two weeks. They are escaping violent clashes between the Venezuelan military and Colombian irregular armed groups operating in their territory. Women and girls crossing are at risk of gender-based violence or sexual abuse while crossing into Colombia. Even more, arrivals are expected in the following days, with people…

Most parts of the country are facing critical water shortages. We are facing widespread food insecurity, malnutrition, population displacement and disease. We need funding now to save lives. The Federal Government of Somalia and the humanitarian community are deeply concerned about the worsening drought conditions in Somalia. Most parts of the country are facing critical water shortages, with more than 50 districts with the moderate to severe drought conditions. The situation is particularly concerning as forecasts indicate a second consecutive season of below-average rainfall during April to June of the season. Current forecasts indicate little to no rainfall for most…

This is the second attack targeting humanitarians in the past two months in northeast Nigeria, and the fourth attack on Damasak town and its surrounding area this year. Armed men launched an attack on Damasak town in northeast Nigeria. During the attack, compounds belonging to multiple relief agencies and warehouses containing humanitarian stock were looted and set on fire. This is the second attack targeting humanitarians in the past two months in northeast Nigeria, and the fourth attack on Damasak town and its surrounding area this year. Statement by Eric Batonon, Norwegian Refugee Council Country Director in Nigeria “Yesterday’s brutal…