The Chinese government refuses to acknowledge the crisis in the rare earths mining town of Baotou, where chemical waste has poisoned everything around it including land, livestock, and villagers. [The Guardian]
Severe flooding has destroyed farmland and forced hundreds of thousands from their homes in North Korea. The World Food Programme is sending food to the country, whose population is already suffering from malnutrition. [CNN]
The reaction of Chadians to the impending trial of former dictator Hissène Habré is a mixture of skepticism, relief, and a wish to forget the past. [The Guardian]
Thailand’s prime minister introduced generous subsidies to rice farmers—who also happen to be his biggest supporters. But the inflated prices are hurting the country’s exporters and the international markets. [The Economist]
Large areas of eastern Congo are falling into chaos as the country’s military fights rebel groups. [Washington Post]
