Day: August 15, 2022

At least 50 people have been killed in floods triggered by torrential rains in northern Nigeria, authorities said on Sunday.

Parts of Jigawa state have been lashed by heavy rainfall almost continuously since late July.

Thousands of homes have been damaged across Jigawa, according to Sani Yusuf, executive secretary of the state’s Emergency Management Agency.

Images circulating on social media showed vast tracts of land completely submerged, largely due to a lack of drainage infrastructure and overflowing water bodies in some areas.

In the village of Balangu alone, nearly 250 houses were destroyed and at least four people have died, Yusuf said.

At least 13 deaths have been reported in the Kafin Hausa district, including seven members of a family who were killed on Sunday, he added.

“We have set up 11 temporary camps in various parts of Jigawa, which are currently housing hundreds of people from across the state,” the official said.

In a statement on Saturday, Sadiya Umar Farouq, Nigeria’s humanitarian affairs and disaster management minister, lamented that deadly floods have become a “perennial” problem in Jigawa.

The Nigerian Meteorological Agency has warned of more rains in several northern states – Jigawa, Katsina, Kano, Borno, Yobe, Kaduna and Bauchi – over the coming days.

Source: Anadolu Agency

The Pakistani Embassy in Türkiye’s capital Ankara on Sunday marked the country’s 75th Independence Day.

Pakistan’s Ambassador to Ankara Muhammad Syrus Sajjad Qazi hoisted the national flag to the tune of the national anthem in the presence of the Turkish dignitaries, Pakistani community and media.

Messages of the president and prime minister of Pakistan were read out on the occasion.

In their messages, the Pakistani leadership paid tribute to the sacrifices of ancestors and vowed to transform Pakistan in accordance with the vision of the nation’s founder Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah and national poet Allama Muhammad Iqbal.

The Pakistani leadership also expressed solidarity with the people of Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu & Kashmir who are facing military siege for the past three years and reassured Pakistan’s political, moral and diplomatic support for their legitimate right to self-determination.

Speaking on the event, Qazi felicitated the nation, particularly the Pakistani community in Türkiye, on the 75th anniversary of the independence.

Qazi stated: “Aug. 14 reminds us of the epic democratic struggle of our ancestors to secure a separate homeland for the Muslims of the subcontinent where they could live according to their own will.

“It is a day to reiterate the firm resolve to uphold our national values of unity, faith and discipline as envisioned by our Quaid and renew our commitment to the objectives of the creation of Pakistan.”

The ambassador also thanked the Turkish leadership and people for congratulatory messages and for participating in the Pakistan Independence Day celebrations.

Ankara’s landmark, ‘Atakule’, the tallest tower and best-lit building, will be showcasing messages of Pakistan-Türkiye brotherhood and solidarity.

Moreover, bridges in Istanbul on the Bosporus linking Asia with Europe will be illuminated in Pakistan’s flag colors this evening.

On Aug. 14, 1947, the independent state of Pakistan appeared on the world stage for the first time when the Indian subcontinent was formally divided into two new dominions of India and Pakistan under the terms of the Indian Independence Act, adopted by the British Parliament.

The Muslims’ proposal to establish a separate state was accepted on March 23, 1940.

Source: Anadolu Agency

Defending champions Bayern Munich continued their flawless start to the Bundesliga season with a comfortable 2-0 victory over Wolfsburg on Sunday.

Bayern’s goals came in the space of 10 minutes in the first half.

Midfielder Jamal Musiala opened the scoring in the 33rd minute, shrugging off two defenders to drive home a powerful shot from just outside the box.

Two minutes before the break, Thomas Muller deflected in Joshua Kimmich’s strike to double the advantage and seal Bayern’s first home win of the season.

Bayern sit top of the Bundesliga standings with six points, ahead of rivals Borussia Dortmund on goal difference.

Matchday 2 results

Friday

Freiburg vs Borussia Dortmund: 1-3

Saturday

Bayer Leverkusen vs Augsburg: 1-2

Hertha Berlin vs Eintracht Frankfurt: 1-1

Hoffenheim vs Bochum: 3-2

RB Leipzig vs Cologne: 2-2

Werder Bremen vs Stuttgart: 2-2

Schalke vs Borussia Monchengladbach: 2-2

Sunday

Mainz vs Union Berlin: 0-0

Bayern Munich vs Wolfsburg: 2-0

Source: Anadolu Agency

Anadolu Agency is here with a rundown of the latest developments around the world.

The UN human rights chief arrived in Bangladesh on Sunday on a four-day official visit to assess the state of human rights in the South Asian nation and monitor the plight of the persecuted Rohingya community.

The Communications Directorate of Türkiye will hold panels in 12 countries to emphasize the critical need for UN Security Council reform.

A Turkish military delegation will visit the US on Monday for talks on the sale of F-16 fighter jets to Türkiye.

At least 41 people were killed and 14 others injured in a fire that erupted at an Egyptian church west of Cairo early Sunday, the Coptic Church said.

More than 20,000 people have crossed the English Channel in small boats in attempts to enter the UK, setting a new record for this year.

Three miners were killed after a manganese mine collapsed in Zambia’s northern region, officials said.

A wildfire in the Spanish province of Zaragoza triggered the evacuation of some 1,500 residents on Saturday and Sunday, while hundreds more are on standby to leave their homes.

At least 50 people have been killed in floods triggered by torrential rains in northern Nigeria, authorities said Sunday.

Freya the walrus, a popular attraction among visitors to Norway’s shores, was euthanized Sunday by the authorities due to safety concerns.

Source: Anadolu Agency

The Georgian government called Sunday on its “brothers” in its breakaway regions of Abkhazia and South Ossetia to work with it to build a single, peaceful democratic state.

In a statement marking the 30th anniversary of the start of the Abkhazia war, Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili said his government is in favor of a peaceful solution to the country’s longstanding problems with territorial integrity.

“I firmly believe that our peace policy, oriented towards mutual respect and dialogue, brings closer the day when we, together with our Abkhaz and Ossetian brothers, will continue to build a single, strong, peace-loving, democratic state that will create all the conditions for maintaining and strengthening the security, well-being and identity of every citizen,” said Garibashvili.

“The most dramatic event in our recent history, the confrontation between brothers, brought unjustified destruction, turned hundreds of thousands of people into refugees in their own homeland, and, the saddest thing, claimed the lives of many of our fellow citizens on both sides – soldiers and civilians,” he added.

A 13-month conflict erupted in August 1992 between the Georgian army and Abkhazian separatists supported by Russia.

In 2008, a five-day conflict referred to as the South Ossetia conflict broke out between Georgia and Russia over the breakaway regions of South Ossetia and Abkhazia.

Tbilisi ultimately lost control of both areas and Russia later recognized them as independent states.

In response, Georgia cut off diplomatic relations with Russia, after which Switzerland took up the role of mediator country.

Both regions remain internationally recognized Georgian territories.

Source: Anadolu Agency

Nigerian security forces rescued 35 people Sunday who had been taken hostage by armed gangs in Kaduna state.

Kaduna Commissioner for Internal Security and Internal Affairs Samuel Aruwan said operations against gunmen were carried out in the Sabon Gero region of the state.

Aruwan said 35 children and women were rescued in the operation.

Noting that many armed gang members were neutralized during the operation, Aruwan said that weapons, motorcycles and ammunition belonging to the gangs were seized.

Kidnapping is punishable by the death penalty in Nigeria, yet abductions for ransom are common.

The payment of ransom was prohibited as part of the fight against the increasing security problems in the country.

Source: Anadolu Agency

Scotland has become the first country in the world to provide free feminine hygiene products.

The Period Products Act, which was finalized by the Scottish Parliament on Sunday evening, will make it a legal obligation for authorities to provide free period products to those who require them.

The origins of the legislation began in 2018, when the Scottish Labour party’s health spokeswoman, Monica Lennon, launched a nationwide campaign to provide free sanitary products.

“This will make a massive difference to the lives of women and girls and everyone who menstruates. There has already been great progress at a community level and through local authorities in giving everyone the chance of period dignity,” Lennon said in a statement.

“There has been a massive change in the way that periods are discussed in public life. A few years ago, there had never been an open discussion of menstruation in the Holyrood chamber, and now it is mainstream. MSPs (members of the Scottish Parliament) have enjoyed being a part of that, and it has encompassed the menopause, endometriosis, as well as the types of products we use and their sustainability,” she added.

The nationwide campaign was launched after a few local councils in the northern country had been providing their female residents with free period products.

The move by Lennon, however, received popular backing, and in 2020, the Scottish Parliament approved the motion to make such a provision a law with MSPs unanimously voting in support for it.

The law will have a significant effect on reducing “period poverty,” the inability to afford sanitary products, and help many women across the country who experienced period poverty during the coronavirus pandemic in 2020 and 2021.

According to Women for Independence, a grassroots campaign group, approximately one in five women had experienced period poverty which had detrimental effects on their hygiene, health and well-being.

Source: Anadolu Agency

Freya the walrus, a popular attraction among visitors to Norway’s shores, was euthanized Sunday by the authorities due to safety concerns.

“The decision to euthanize the walrus was made based on an overall assessment of the continued threat to human safety,” said Director General of Fisheries Frank Bakke-Jensen in a statement.

“We have considered all possible solutions carefully. We concluded that we could not ensure the animal’s welfare through any means available,” he added.

Noting that the authorities are aware of the backlash the decision may cause, Bakke-Jensen said “human life and safety must take precedence.”

Freya, whose name was a reference to the Norse goddess of beauty and love, had been seen in Oslo Fjord, and the authorities warned the public to avoid the walrus several times.

However, according to the Directorate of Fisheries’ previous statements, the public did not comply with the warnings.

Freya became well-known after clambering on boats to sunbathe and sometimes sinking them due to her weight of 600 kilograms (1,322 pounds). In one incident, police had to cordon off a bathing area after the walrus chased a woman into the water.

Source: Anadolu Agency