In Tshopo, a northeastern Congolese province blanketed in rainforest, rumors rippled through villages late last year claiming a mysterious illness had caused men's genitals to atrophy.

Within days, testimonials proliferated on social media that amplified the imaginary threat, triggering a real-life panic that turned deadly before the government could react.

Angry mobs attacked and killed four health workers conducting vaccination research in an episode that took place in October, four officials and a survivor told Reuters - a deadly example of the rising danger posed by online health misinformation in Africa.

From a village on the coast of Rio de Janeiro state, Indigenous people have founded a professional soccer team made up solely of players from across Brazil, turning the state championship into a new front in their ‌struggle for representation.

The purpose of the Originarios team, the first fully Indigenous team to compete in an official soccer championship in Rio, goes far beyond scoring goals.