Hard Numbers: Azerbaijan targets journalists, Brazil feels the heat, deadly stampede hits the Republic of Congo, flooding kills in Somalia

Azerbaijan's President Ilham Aliyev speaks during a military parade of his armed forces in Nagorno-Karabakh region's capital city on November 8, 2023.
Azerbaijan's President Ilham Aliyev speaks during a military parade of his armed forces in Nagorno-Karabakh region's capital city on November 8, 2023.
President of the Republic of Azerbaijan/Handout via REUTERS
2: Two journalists investigating government corruption in Azerbaijan were arrested this week, the latest in a long trend of crackdowns on dissent under the rule of the Aliyev dynasty. Police arrested Abzas Media’s editor-in-chief, Sevinj Vagifgyzy, and director, Ulvi Hasanli. Abzas Media has been digging into how senior government officials and the family of President Ilham Aliyev have generated their wealth. Rights groups have condemned the arrests.

112.6: It’s dangerously hot in Brazil. The country just recorded its highest temperature ever on Sunday in the southeastern town of Araçuaí: 112.6 degrees Fahrenheit (44.8 degrees Celsius). The heatwave, which has been linked to El Niño, has seemingly contributed to mass faintings at Taylor Swift concerts in the South American country in recent days. One fan at the pop star’s Friday show in Rio de Janeiro on Friday died amid the unbearable temperatures. Meanwhile, scientists continue to ring alarm bells about climate change as average global temperatures enter threatening territory.

37: At least 37 people were killed on Monday in a stampede at a military recruitment event in Brazzaville, the capital of the Republic of Congo. This came after the army announced it was recruiting 1,500 people between 18 to 25, leading droves of young people to flock to recruitment centers in the central African country — where there are few economic opportunities. Youth unemployment in the Republic of Congo stands at roughly 42%, according to the World Bank. After the deadly stampede, which occurred at a stadium, the Congolese Armed Forces Command announced it was suspending recruitment in the nation’s capital.

700,000: Flash flooding in Somalia caused by heavy rains has killed at least 50 people and displaced nearly 700,000, according to comments on Monday from Mohamud Moalim Abdullahi, director of the Somali Disaster Management Agency. The recent torrential rainfall in Somalia has been tied to El Niño, much like the extreme heat in Brazil, and more downpours are expected before the end of the month.

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