Pirates abduct bigger groups of seafarers in the Gulf of Guinea these days.
Why? Because there has been a clear surge in the number of seafarers kidnapped by pirates so far this year, according to multiple reports by international observers. The latest global piracy report by the ICC International Maritime Bureau shows a 40 percent uptick in the number of kidnappings reported in the Gulf.
Widespread lead poisoning from a mine operated by a London-based multinational mining company has recently attracted attention after a legal action by Zambians. Anglo American plc is being sued in a court in South Africa for its operation of the mine in the northern Zambian city of Kabwe from 1925 to 1974. The remnants of the mine are still feeding and poisoning many today.