BrazilStarting April 5, widespread mud slides in the Rio de Janeiro area have resulted in an estimated 224 deaths, although the toll continues to rise with each passing day. According to Reuters, the disaster has left over 50,000 people homeless, but the results have drawn the government’s attention towards the slums and poor infrastructure in the area. The Brazilian federal government has mobilized troops and sent $113 million for disaster relief. The United States announced on Friday that it would be donating $50,000 to help with recovery and relief.

Nigeria

In Lagos, Nigeria, on April 13, over 200 young activists filled the streets with music and signs to demand that Nigeria’s polls scheduled for next year be free of corruption. The protestors marched through the streets, followed by a van with massive speakers, blasting Bob Marley and Afrobeat classics, and carried a team of people who were video-streaming the event. According to the Associated Press, some of the signs declared “Our Votes Must Count,” and “Jonathan (the current president of Nigeria) We are Watching.” The march ended peacefully at the state governor’s office.

Ukraine

The newly elected president of Ukraine, Viktor Yanukovych, took the spotlight at the Nuclear Security Summit on April 12. According to the Washington Post, he has agreed to turn over highly enriched uranium to the United States and, at the same conference, made it clear that he would be seeking a free trade agreement with the European Union, instead of joining a customs union with Russia, Belarus, and Kazakhstan. This decision not to ally with Moscow marked a shift for Ukraine, whose politics have traditionally aligned itself with Russia.

Kyrgyzstan

On April 7, protestors in Bishkek ousted the president of Kyrgyzstan, Kurmanbek Bakiyev, in a riot that left at least 65 people dead and about 500 injured. As the president fled the city, leaders of the opposition negotiated with members of his administration about a transfer of power. Upon Bakiyev’s return he has begun to negotiate with country officials, agreeing to resign if guaranteed safety for himself and his family, according to BBC. On Tuesday, the interim leader of Kyrgyzstan ensured these conditions would be met.