Ethiopia, Niger, Brazil.

Today's three stories you should know.

Aug 22, 2023

Ethiopia

Ethiopia said today it would investigate a report that Saudi border guards killed more than 650 Ethiopians trying to cross into the kingdom from Yemen. The foreign ministry said it would conduct the investigation in tandem with Saudi authorities, though Saudi Arabia has already rejected the Human Rights Watch (HRW) report. HRW said the people were killed - most of them shot dead - from March 2022 to June of this year. According to the UN’s International Organization for Migration, thousands of Ethiopians travel to Yemen each year trying to reach Saudi Arabia.

Niger

The African Union (AU) today kicked Niger out of the 55-member bloc over last month’s military coup. The AU said the suspension would take effect immediately and called on its member states and the international community not to recognize Niger’s new military rulers. A group of generals toppled President Mohamed Bazoum on July 26 in a coup that has been roundly condemned by other West African nations.

Brazil

Brazil’s Supreme Court today ruled that homophobic hate speech is punishable by prison sentences in a move applauded by LGBTQ+ rights activists. The court ruled 9-1 in favor of the measure with the lead judge, Justice Edson Fachin, saying in his ruling that it was a “constitutional imperative" to give members of the LGBTQ+ community equal protection. "Victory against LGBT-phobia," transgender MP Erika Hilton posted on Twitter. Hate speech carries a sentence of 2-5 years in Brazil.