Ghana hikes water, electricity tariffs

The 21 activists who had been arrested for attending an LGBTQ event in May have been acquitted. The activists were taken into custody by police in a move that caused outrage among rights groups.

Giant pumps whir deep underground at a plant in Singapore that helps transform sewage into water so clean it is fit for human consumption.

In Andalusia, several groups are fighting large mineral water companies. In the Ducral Valley, citizens are especially worried about water scarcity as millions of liters of drinking water are being diverted.

Ghana's 'lean season' is particularly bad this year in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. Farmers are short on cash and food. But fellow farmer Nanleeb Konlan donates his surplus grain to needy farmers and villagers.

Illegal mining, or "galamsey" is attracting more and more young people in eastern Ghana. Many young people are arrested, but they are adamant that without an alternative, illegal mining remains a viable way of survival.

In the first half of 2021, coal shot up as the biggest contributor to Germany's electric grid, while wind power dropped to its lowest level since 2018. Officials say the weather is partly to blame.

The numbers of children in Accra picking through rubbish for scrap metal and plastic to sell to recycling dealers has surged during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The price of electricity in Spain has skyrocketed in recent months, leaving some consumers with difficult choices to make about their spending. The Spanish government has announced measures including a VAT cut and a windfall tax on energy company profits to try to combat the price increases, which have been triggered by the rising price of gas. Also today, the troubled Chinese property developer Evergrande faces a major debt deadline.

Ghana is blessed with a variety of locally produced food staples but anemia in pregnancy, malnutrition and stunting are still prevalent, especially among poor communities. Health experts attribute the problem to family’s inability to balance the diets. Young nurses in Pelungu, eastern Ghana to organize a cooking exhibition to teach mothers how to cook nutrient-rich foods for their children.

Water shortages and volcanic ash are making life tough for banana farmers on the island of La Palma, where life has been heavily disrupted since the La Cumbre Vieja volcano began erupting in September.

A young Congolese designed a wind turbine in his parents’ backyard in Kinshasa. It generates enough electricity for his household. Now, Francy Kalonji plans to expand production to supply his neighbors with electricity.

Images show partially submerged houses, evacuated residents, and a flooded airport in Nepal where 31 people were reported dead after days of heavy rains across the country. Swelling rivers flooded homes in several districts, damaging roads and bridges and reportedly destroying crops. Landslides are a regular danger in the Himalayan region, but experts say they are becoming more common as rains become increasingly erratic and glaciers melt.