Sierra Leone: weekend coup attempt foiled
The information minister has declared that attacks on several locations in the capital, Freetown, were in fact a failed coup attempt led mainly by bodyguards of the previous president, Ernest Koroma. On 26 November they attacked a military barracks and a prison, freeing over 200 prisoners, but by the next day calm had been restored by the security forces, with most of the attackers killed or captured. President Bio remains unharmed. Sierra Leone, which is still recovering from a 1991-2002 civil war in which more than 50,000 were killed, has been tense since Bio was re-elected in June. The result was rejected by the main opposition candidate and questioned by international partners including the USA and the EU.
Australia: apology to thalidomide victims
Prime minister Anthony Albanese has issued a national apology to survivors of the thalidomide scandal and their families, marking the government's first acknowledgment of its role in the tragedy. Thalidomide, initially a sedative but widely used as a morning sickness drug in the 1950s, led to severe birth defects in at least 10,000 babies globally. A report in 2019 revealed that 20% of cases could have been prevented with earlier action. Survivors have long sought acknowledgment and compensation, pointing to the examples set by Canada (in 1991) and the UK (in 2010). 140 survivors have registered for a financial support programme which gives a one-off payment of £260,000 each, with subsequent annual payments of between £2,600 and £30,000. Mr Albanese has now reopened the application process for those who might have missed it previously.
Ecuador: new president sworn in
In October we prayed for the presidential election in Ecuador. Now millionaire Daniel Noboa has been sworn in as president, marking a significant shift in the country's political landscape. A businessman with no prior political experience, he surprisingly won the snap election which former president Guillermo Lasso called to avoid possible impeachment. He will serve only 18 months, the remainder of Lasso’s term. Once considered one of the safest countries in the region, Ecuador has seen violence explode in recent years; there was an unprecedented increase in bloodshed, and drug violence has led to some 3,600 murders so far this year. Noboa has said he will target the violence by tackling unemployment, but also implement a state of emergency, suspend some citizen rights such as freedom of movement, and deploy the military to the streets. There is a considerable sense of uncertainty and anticipation surrounding his presidency.
Ocean giants return to 'safe' tropical haven
Blue whales, Earth's largest creatures, have returned to a part of the Indian Ocean where they were once decimated by whaling. Researchers in the Seychelles captured footage of these magnificent creatures in 2020 and 2021. Recent underwater audio recordings of their hauntingly beautiful low-frequency songs throughout the year have revealed their prolonged presence, suggesting potential breeding activities. This rediscovery is hailed as a ‘conservation win’ after decades of commercial whaling, which severely reduced blue whale populations. The end of mass-scale hunting has allowed them to rebound; however, their numbers remain small, and they are still classified as endangered. The Seychelles' role as a habitat for blue whales is a cause for excitement and underscores the importance of conservation efforts.
