Briefly

UNITED STATES

6 injured in shooting in capital's northeast

Six people were injured, including several in critical condition, in a shooting in northeast Washington, DC, on Monday night. DC Council member Charles Allen tweeted that the shooting occurred at 1515 F St in Azeeze Bates. "Devastating gun violence for the community tonight," Allen wrote. Police were expected to provide updates later. The United States has had at least 385 mass shootings so far this year, according to the latest data from the nonprofit Gun Violence Archive.

UGANDA

Weekend floods death toll mounts to 24

Heavy rains in eastern Uganda over the weekend caused flooding, leaving 24 people dead and over 1,000 others affected, a relief agency said on Monday. The death toll rose to 24 after more bodies were retrieved from River Nabiyonga on Monday morning, the Uganda Red Cross Society said. The disaster happened two days after the country's meteorological department warned about the northern, eastern and midwestern parts receiving enhanced rainfall in August.

ZURICH

Natural disaster losses hit $72b in first half

Total economic losses caused by natural disasters hit an estimated $72 billion in the first half of 2022, reinsurance giant Swiss Re said on Tuesday. "The effects of climate change are evident in increasingly extreme weather events, such as the unprecedented floods in Australia and South Africa," said Martin Bertogg, Swiss Re's head of catastrophe perils. The Zurich-based group, which acts as an insurer for insurers, said the losses were also fueled by winter storms and heavy thunderstorms.

MONTREAL

HIV treatment goal vowed for children

A new Global Alliance for Ending AIDS in Children by 2030 was announced on Monday to ensure that no child living with HIV is denied treatment by the end of the decade and to prevent new infant HIV infections. Twelve countries have joined the alliance in the first phase. A UNAIDS report showed that only 52 percent of children living with HIV are on lifesaving treatment globally, far behind adults.

Xinhua - Agencies