ETHIOPIA

30 dead in flooding caused by heavy rains

Thirty people have died in flooding caused by heavy rains in the Gamo Zone of southern Ethiopia, the local government said. "Due to the heavy rainfall … especially in Degama areas, the administration of the zone has expressed its grief over the death of 30 people," the communications department for Gamo said in a statement on Facebook late on Tuesday. There has been heavy flooding across East Africa in recent days. Dozens were killed in neighboring Kenya after torrential rain hit the capital Nairobi and other areas on Friday. Scientists have long warned that human-driven climate change is increasing the likelihood, length and severity of severe weather events such as torrential downpours.

SWITZERLAND

Bus fire that caused 6 deaths likely deliberate

A bus fire that killed at least six people in western Switzerland was likely ignited deliberately but probably not as an act of terror, police said on Wednesday. The fire broke out on the bus on Tuesday evening on the main street of Kerzers, a town of about 5,000 inhabitants in the canton of Fribourg, about 20 kilometers from the Swiss capital Bern. Videos shared on social media showed flames several meters high bursting out from the windows, and black smoke rising into the sky. In an interview on Wednesday with national broadcaster RTS, Fribourg Canton police communications chief Martial Pugin confirmed that while "an intentional act is the most likely scenario", "at present there is no evidence" that it was a terror attack.

UNITED KINGDOM

Wildlife to replace humans on banknotes

Images of animals will feature on the next series of banknotes from the Bank of England, as it shifts away from historical figures such as William Shakespeare, Winston Churchill and Jane Austen over the coming years. "Nature is a great choice from a banknote authentication perspective and means we can showcase the UK's rich and varied wildlife on the next series of banknotes," said Victoria Cleland, the central bank's chief cashier. Bank of England banknotes have featured monarchs since Queen Elizabeth first appeared on one in 1960, while Shakespeare was the first historic figure to appear in 1970. King Charles' portrait will continue to appear on the next series of notes as well, the bank said.

SUDAN

Drone strike on road kills 40 people: Source

A truck carrying dozens of people to a funeral in southern Sudan was hit by a drone strike, killing 40, a medical source at the local hospital told AFP on Wednesday."Yesterday, 40 people, mostly women, were killed when their pick-up truck was hit by a drone strike on the road between Abu Zabad and El-Fula," two towns in Sudan's West Kordofan state, a medical source at Abu Zabad Hospital said. "They were on their way to El-Fula for a funeral, which is why several members of the same family died," Abu Zabad resident Hamad Abdallah added, saying they had all been "buried in the same place".