Death toll in Türkiye, Syria earthquake surpasses 20,000

More than 20,000 people are now confirmed to have died in a disastrous earthquake that struck Turkey and Syria early on Monday.

Türkiye’s disaster and emergency management authority reported that at least 17,134 people have died in the country, while in Syria, the death toll stands at 3,317 deaths.

Both countries experienced a 7.8 magnitude earthquake that reduced buildings to rubles, trapping many families underneath them.

Search and rescue missions are facing the challenge of fuel and truck shortages, blocked roads, and slow access to relief materials.

The Turkish president is facing growing scrutiny from citizens frustrated with the slow response of the rescue effort.

“It is not possible to be prepared for such a disaster. We will not leave any of our citizens uncared for,” said Turkey’s president Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

The earthquake hit southeastern Türkiye and northwestern Syria, leaving many dead and millions injured.

Meanwhile, six UN lorries carrying aid have now crossed the border from Turkey to Syria, marking the first international relief reaching Syria.

UN, others restate commitment to credible elections in Nigeria

The United Nations and other members of the diplomatic community have restated their commitment to supporting Nigeria in ensuring peace, credibility and inclusion in the upcoming general elections.

This was disclosed in a statement by Oluseyi Soremekun, spokesman for the UN Information Centre (UNIC) in Nigeria, on Thursday.

UNIC noted that the commitment was given at the first quarterly briefing of the diplomatic community convened by UN Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator Matthias Schmale at the UN House in Abuja.

Mr Schmale highlighted the importance of peaceful and credible elections to consolidate Nigeria’s democracy and that of the African region.

He also expressed concern about fuel, naira scarcity, and violence’s possible adverse effects on the forthcoming elections.

Mr Schmale said INEC had made significant progress in preparing and administering elections, adding that its significance needed to be acknowledged.

“At the same time, INEC is facing some challenges, for instance, around logistics, power supply, employing and deploying the right personnel at the right time,” he stated.

The UN official further expressed concern about some strong statements of intolerance and hate speech across party lines in public space, urging political parties and their candidates to exercise caution and adhere to the terms of the peace accord they had signed.

Speaking on the UN Strategic Development Cooperation Framework signed with the Nigerian government, Mr Schmale said the UN needed to support the government in accelerating the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

“Amongst other transformative initiatives, the importance of domestic resource mobilisation, private sector investment and conducive business environment are critical success factors in moving the needle in achieving greater prosperity for all in Nigeria,” the UN representative noted.

The resident coordinator also reaffirmed the reality of climate change and its impact in Nigeria and called on the international community to support accelerated climate change adaptation and mitigation measures.

“Last year’s devastating flood episodes and cholera outbreak have shown that humanitarian crises are not limited to the North-East alone.

Therefore, we need to support the government in addressing humanitarian challenges outside the North-East,” he said.

Media mogul, police officer, dozen others detained in Cameroon over journalist’s murder

Authorities in Cameroon have detained popular media mogul Jean-Pierre Amougou Belinga, a senior police officer and dozens of other people in connection to the murder of Radio host and journalist Martinez Zogo.

Mr Zogo, 50, was a popular voice in the West Africa nation, regularly speaking against cronyism.

He was abducted in front of a police station in the capital city of Yaounde on January 17. Five days later, his corpse was found mutilated.

The murder attracted condemnation from notable people and groups around the globe, and calls for the perpetrators to be brought to justice.

In an update on the matter, the president’s office said an additional seven people were detained yesterday including Mr Belinga, who was picked up at his Yaounde home.

The seven joined the other 20 people who were detained on Friday.

According to VOA, a former presidential guard commander, who is Mr Belinga’s chief of security, and the head of his Vision 4 TV channel were also detained.

However, It’s not clear if anyone has been officially arrested or charged.

VOA also reported that Mr Zogo had said during one of his radio programmes before his death that Mr Belinga was planning to kill him for reporting on his alleged corrupt dealings with some officials in the country.

Two days before Mr Zogo was killed, a Catholic priest and radio host Jean Jacques Ola Bebe was also found dead in Yaounde after receiving several death threats believed to be from people in government.

Until now, the authorities in Cameroon are yet to issue any statement about Mr Bebe’s death, for whom the now late Zogo had called for justice for his murder.

UN launches emergency response after Türkiye, Syria quakes

UN agencies on Monday launched emergency response to help many thousands of reported victims, including those still believed to be buried under the rubble in a massive earthquake in southern Türkiye and northern Syria.

The initial 7.8 magnitude quake struck close to Gaziantep, followed by another 7.5 magnitude earthquake several hours later in early hours of Monday

“My heart goes out to the people of Türkiye and Syria in this hour of tragedy. The United Nations is fully committed to supporting the response,” UN secretary general António Guterres said in a statement.

“Our teams are on the ground assessing the needs and providing assistance.”In a situation overview published shortly after 4:00 p.m. GMT, UN aid coordination office OHCHA said there had been “close to 2,000 death reported” in the two countries impacted, with at least 78 aftershocks reported, ahead of the second earthquake.

The Turkish government has issued a Level 4 alarm, calling for international assistance.Northwest Syria is home to around 4.1 million people who rely on humanitarian assistance, the majority, women and children.

Syrian communities have been hit by an on-going cholera outbreak together with harsh winter weather.

So far there is a 48 per cent funding gap for the last quarter of 2022, with 371 million dollars pledged, out of a required total of just over 800 million dollars.

Mr Guterres said the UN was counting on the international community to help the many thousands caught up in the disaster, “many of whom were already in dire need of humanitarian aid in areas where access is a challenge.”

Emergency medical teams from the World Health Organisation (WHO) had been given the green light to provide essential care for the injured and most vulnerable, WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said in a tweet.

Specialist UN surge teams from the Office of UN Disaster Assessment and Coordination (UNDAC) also tweeted that they were “ready to deploy,” amid multiple horrifying social media posts showing huge buildings collapsing in heavily built-up areas.

In a statement issued via Twitter, the UN in Türkiye expressed deep sadness over the loss of lives and the destruction of property. The team expressed its condolences to the families of victims “as well as to the people and government,” wishing the injured a speedy recovery.

“United Nations Türkiye expresses its solidarity with Türkiye and is ready to assist,” said the statement.

UN humanitarian coordinating office, OCHA, underscored that the initial 7.8 magnitude quake hit at the height of winter.The epicentre was in southern Türkiye, where nearby Gaziantep – an important UN aid hub for northern Syria – was among the cities affected.

“Deeply saddened by the loss of life caused by this morning’s earthquake,” the UN refugee agency in Syria (UNHCR) tweeted.

It added that it was “actively coordinating a response with UN Agencies and other humanitarian actors to deliver assistance and support to those in need in Syria.”

The UN along with humanitarian partners, assists some 2.7 million people every month in northwest Syria, via cross-border air deliveries.

The UN reported that 224 buildings were completely destroyed and at least 325 partially destroyed by the quakes, in 17 different subdistricts there, according to initial information from local authorities.

Although the earthquake was felt as far away as Lebanon, closer to home, northern Syria’s Aleppo and Idlib also reportedly saw thousands of building collapse, including two hospitals.

Humanitarian needs in northern Syria are already huge, as the region is home to millions of people displaced by the country’s long-running war.

Snow and rain have hampered the work of rescue teams, whose families are also among those believed to be buried under collapsed buildings.

Buildings in Idlib, Syria, have been damaged by the earthquake which struck the region.

After an official request for international assistance from Ankara, the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF), confirmed that it was ready to support the emergency response.

“Our hearts and thoughts are with the children and families in Türkiye and Syria affected by the devastating earthquakes.

Our deepest condolences to those who lost loved ones,” UNICEF Executive Director, Catherine Russell, said.

Echoing that message of support, UN Migration Agency (IOM), said a warehouse in Gaziantep had prepared non-food items and essential relief ready to be deployed.

“IOM teams are also doing on-the-ground assessments to inform the response,” spokesperson Safa Msehli, said.

Director-General of IOM, Antonio Vitorino, tweeted his solidarity “with people in Türkiye, Syria, Lebanon, the Palestinian Territories, Jordan and all those affected following the deadly earthquake.

“We will be working closely with governments in the region to support those affected and help alleviate their suffering.”

Greece, Italy promise Turkey aid after earthquake

Greece has offered aid following strong earthquakes that hit Turkey and Syria on Monday morning.

Greece’s head of government, Kyriakos Mitsotakis, said the country would help immediately despite tension between his country and Turkey.

Mr Mitsotakis said Greece had rescue teams with extensive experience in earthquake-hit regions.

The two NATO members had helped each other during major earthquakes in Turkey and Greece in 1999.

The “earthquake diplomacy” ushered in a phase of détente at the time.Italy’s civil defence also offered help, according to the government.

Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni is following the situation in the disaster area, expressing sympathy to those affected.

The tremor hit south-eastern Turkey and north-eastern Syria on Monday morning.

Both countries reported hundreds of fatalities and thousands of injuries.

Killers of 16 Nigerians in Burkina Faso will be punished — Buhari

The President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.), on Monday said those who killed several travellers, including 16 Nigerians, in Burkina Faso will be “appropriately sanctioned.”

This was as he said the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, through the Nigerian Embassy in Burkina Faso, is engaging with the Burkinabe authorities to ensure that the soldiers who allegedly shot and killed the Muslim Pilgrims are prosecuted.

Buhari revealed this in a statement signed Monday by his Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu, titled ‘President Buhari calls killing of Nigerians in Burkina Faso unwelcome.’

At a news conference on Sunday in Abuja, the Jam’iyyatu Ansariddeen Attijaniyya of Nigeria revealed that 16 of its members were shot dead by the Burkinabe soldiers on patrol.

They were reportedly on their way to the home country of their leader, Sheikhul-islam Ibrahim Niasse in Senegal, when they met their untimely death.

The national secretary of the Islamic group, Sayyidi Yahaya, said that the Ansaruddeen members were “randomly selected and cold-bloodedly shot to death in a most horrendous display of bestiality,” after being stopped the Burkinabe soldiers.

Reacting to the incident on Monday, Buhari said he “received the tragic news of the murder of a number Nigerian Muslim pilgrims on their way to Kaolak, Senegal, when the buses conveying them came under gun attack in Burkina Faso.”

The President expressed his condolences and prayed for the safety of other Nigerians stranded there.

He also revealed that “the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, through the Nigerian Embassy in Burkina Faso, is engaging with the Burkinabe authorities and awaits the outcome of their investigation of the unfortunate incident, and if necessary, to ensure that all culprits are appropriately sanctioned.”

Buhari added that the Nigerian Government will make every effort to secure the mortal remains of the deceased and the survivors of the attack

Over 1,200 dead as quake hits Turkey, Syria, Lebanon, Israel

Over 1,200 people have been reported to have died and thousands more wounded in a 7.8 magnitude earthquake that rocked Turkey, Syria, Lebanon and Israel on Monday.

The New York Times reported that millions of people in Turkey, Syria, Lebanon and Israel were jolted from their beds after the 7.8 magnitude quake hit early Monday.The death toll is expected to rise.

NPG had earlier reported that at least 200 people were killed and millions displaced from their homes.

According to the United States Geological Survey, the 7.8-magnitude earthquake, which struck at 4:17 a.m., had its epicentre around 33km from Gaziantep, a major Turkish city.

The earthquake, reportedly 18km (11 miles) deep, generated a very strong 6.7 aftershock that caused vibrations in Lebanon and Cyprus.

Multiple buildings had collapsed as a result of the earthquake, trapping numerous individuals beneath the rubble.

According to reports, 200 people have died in Syria, 76 people have died in Turkey, and the death toll is expected to rise.

President Recep Tayyip Erdogan of Turkey said search and rescue teams have been ‘immediately dispatched to the areas affected by the earthquake.”

16 Nigerian civilians killed by Burkina Faso soldiers-Ansariddeen

Sixteen members of The Jam’iyyatu Ansariddeen Attijaniyya of Nigeria claims 16 of its members have been shot dead by Burkina Faso soldiers on their way to Senegal.

The national secretary of the Islamic groip, Sayyidi Mohammad AlQasim Yahaya, disclosed this at a news conference on Sunday in Abuja.

He claimed that the Ansariddeen members were “randomly selected and cold-bloodedly shot to death in a most horrendous display of bestiality,” after being stopped the Burkinabe soldiers.

The delegation were travelling from Nigeria to Senegal when they were stopped by the soldiers. He stated that 16 people in the delegation were killed and many others unaccounted for.

“Tijjaniyya worldwide urgently draws the attention of the Nigerian government, the United Nations, and Human Rights organizations to a matter of urgency and responsibility, wade into this matter by ensuring that the rights of the victims of this massacre are upheld and the bloodthirsty culprits are immediately brought to book,” he declared.

Mr Yahaya urged members of the Tijjaniyya movement to remain calm and law-abiding while the movement seeks justice for their slain members. The Burkina Faso embassy in Nigeria declined to comment on the reported killing.

“I cannot also confirm the story. It is not an embassy affair. The way you are hearing it is the same way we are hearing it in the news. We don’t even have a press department,” a Burkina Faso embassy official disclosed.

Scores feared dead as Earthquake hits Turkey, Syria

Scores of people were killed and hundreds injured in rebel-held areas of Syria after an earthquake rattled neighbouring Turkey on Monday, rescue workers said.

According to Turkey Vice President Fuat Oktay, at least 284 people died in Turkey from a 7.8-magnitude earthquake that struck the country’s South-East on Monday.

Oktay said more than 2,300 people were injured in one of Turkey’s biggest quakes in at least a century, adding that search and rescue work continued in several major cities.

Prisoners to exchange their organs for lesser jail term, U.S. state bill proposes

A new bill in Massachusetts, United States, seeks to enable prisoners to donate vital organs in exchange for a reduced jail term.

The bill by Massachusetts Democrats, tagged HD 3822, permits prisoners to donate their organs or bone marrow to people in need of it.

In return, they will get less jail terms, ranging from sixty days to a maximum of one year, the BBC reported.

“The Bone Marrow and Organ Donation Program shall allow eligible incarcerated individuals to gain not less than 60 and not more than 365 day reduction in the length of their committed sentence in Department of Corrections facilities, or House of Correction facilities if they are serving a Department of Correction sentence in a House of Corrections facility, on the condition that the incarcerated individual has donated bone marrow or organ(s)” the bill states.

According to reports, if this bill is passed, it will increase the “pool of donors for people of colour who struggle to get a match.”

However, the bill has been greatly thumbed down by other lawmakers who believe that the bill might be exploiting and “bargaining with vulnerable people.”

In 2007 a similar bill was passed but greatly criticised as a result of “conflicts with the National Organ Transplant Act of 1984.”

In February 2021, state officials promised inmates shorter sentences if they get complete COVID-19 vaccines.

Couple Abandon Baby At Airport Check-in Over Boarding Pass

A couple with Belgian passports, who abandoned their baby at the check-in desk in Israel’s Ben-Gurion airport before rushing to board a flight to Brussels have been detained by police.

According to Daily Mail UK on Wednesday, the incident happened at the airport in Tel Aviv after the pair arrived with Belgian passports and tickets for a Ryanair flight to the Belgian capital, but did not have a boarding pass for their child.

When they were told by airport staff that they couldn’t board without purchasing a separate ticket, they simply left the child in its pushchair at the check-in desk and proceeded to get on their next flight.

Airport staff however noticed the lone pushchair and discovered the abandoned baby underneath.

Before they could get on the flight, the parents were stopped and told to go collect their baby.

The police arrested them and detained them for questioning.

Two lovers jailed 10 years each in Iran for dancing romantically

A couple in Iran, Astiyazh Haghighi and her fiance Amir Mohammad Ahmadi, are facing jail time of more than 10 years each for dancing “romantically” in front of the Azadi Tower in Tehran, the country’s capital.

They were convicted of “encouraging public corruption and public prostitution” and were also charged with “gathering with the intention of disrupting national security.”

Ms Haghighi, who disobeyed the country’s restrictive laws for women by refusing to wear a headscarf, and her fiancé, Mr Ahmadi, were each given a sentence of 10 years and six months in prison, according to the U.S.-based Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA). Additionally, they were barred from leaving Iran and from using the internet.

According to sources close to their families quoted by HRANA, they were denied access to lawyers during the judicial proceedings, and efforts to secure their release on bail have been unsuccessful.

The group also added that Ms Haghighi is currently held in the infamous Qarchak women’s prison outside of Tehran, a dreaded facility whose condition is often criticised by activists.

Brazil’s ex-president Bolsonaro seeks six-month U.S. visa

Brazil’s ex-President Jair Bolsonaro has applied to extend his stay in the United States on a six-month visitor’s visa amid claims that he wants to escape facing a lawsuit on returning home.

The Financial Times first confirmed the development by citing Mr Bolsonaro’s immigration lawyer, Felipe Alexandre.

The 67-year-old politician travelled to Florida in December, two days after the inauguration of Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva as Brazil’s new president.

In the wake of Mr Lula’s inauguration, thousands of Mr Bolsonaro’s die-hard supporters trooped to the street across Brazil, protesting the emergence of the incumbent president.

The protesters invaded and damaged government buildings while demanding the election that brought Mr Lula to power be overturned.

Following the violence across various cities in the country, authorities in Brazil launched an investigation into the part Mr Bolsonaro played in the inciting attacks to topple a democratically elected government official.

It is one of several pending legal issues awaiting the former president once he returns home from the U.S.

Mr Bolsonaro, reported to have entered the U.S. on an A-1 visa, would not be entitled to immunity from legal prosecution once he returns to Brazil.

The A-1 visa is reserved for sitting heads of state.

Chicago prosecutor to drop s*xual abuse charges against R. Kelly

Chicago prosecutor Kim Foxx on Monday announced decision to drop s*xual abuse charges against R&B singer R. Kelly.

Mrs Foxx, who made this announcement in a press conference, noted that “justice has been served” with R. Kelly already convicted for two federal charges that would see him serve time for decades.

“We believe that justice has been served,” Mrs Foxx said.

“Mr. Kelly is potentially looking at never walking out of prison again for the crimes he’s committed.”

R. Kelly was first convicted on racketeering and s*x trafficking charges in 2021, and was jailed for 30 years.

In 2022, R. Kelly was also convicted on another s*x related crimes, coercing minors into sexual activity and producing s*x tapes involving a minor.

The singer is scheduled to be sentenced on this by February.

Two Nigerians arrested over $500,000 fraud in Canada

Two Nigerians, Gbemisola Akinrinade and Adebowale Adiatu, have been arrested by the Canadian police for allegedly enriching themselves with the proceeds from the sales of valid flight tickets to unsuspecting customers.

According to Canada Today, the suspects fraudulently sold more than 250 airline tickets at a value of more than $500,000 in the racket scheme.

The majority of the customers who purchased the tickets were from the Calgary area and the flights were primarily to Africa, a press release by the Peel Regional Police on January 26, 2023, stated.

The suspects are facing charges which include fraud, conspiracy to commit an indictable offence, possession of property obtained by crime, obtaining by false pretences, and unlawful use of a computer.

According to the police authorities, in many fraud-related cases, people in vulnerable situations are coerced, manipulated and taken advantage of for the profit of the fraudster.

However, they urged individuals to properly source the website they are dealing with and verify its legitimacy. Peel Regional Police said;

“Anyone who recognises or has information about this type of case is asked to contact the 21 Division C.I.B or Fraud Bureau at (905) 453–2121, ext. 2133 or 3335 or to your local police service.

Information may also be left anonymously by calling Peel Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477), or by visiting peelcrimestoppers.”

Palestinian shooter kills seven in counter-attack against Israel

No less than seven people were killed in a gunman attack near a synagogue in East Jerusalem on Friday night.

The attack, the deadliest non-war killing in the country in recent years, came a day after the Israeli Army murdered nine Palestinians in a raid in Jenin, West Bank area.

Authorities confirmed that the killer, who was killed in a gun duel with the police, was acting alone.

The Israeli Army has intensified its raid on Palestinian areas in the West Bank, an act that has led to the death of no less than 30 Palestinians since the year began.

Such raids also killed 150 Palestine and dozens of their unarmed children in 2022. The killing occurred in a Jewish area of the city, where police authorities say there have been recent escalations in Palestinian attacks on Jewish people.

The attacks might be regarded as acts of retribution against Israel’s occupation of the West Bank.

The Islamist organisation Hamas, which governs the Gaza Strip, applauded the Jerusalem shooting, saying it was in retaliation for the Israeli raid the day before.

Videos and pictures also showed Palestinians in the occupied territories cheering and lighting fireworks to celebrate the attack.

WHO urges surveillance as cough syrups kill 300 children in three countries

The World Health Organisation (WHO) has said 300 children have died following the use of contaminated cough syrups in three countries.

WHO issued a medical product alert on October 5, 2022, focused on The Gambia regarding four products — Promethazine Oral Solution, Kofexmalin Baby Cough Syrup, Makoff Baby Cough Syrup, and Magrip N Cold Syrup.

It issued another alert on November 6, 2022, focused on Indonesia concerning about eight products — Termorex syrup (batch AUG22A06 only), Flurin DMP syrup, Unibebi Cough Syrup, Unibebi Demam Paracetamol Drops, Unibebi Demam Paracetamol Syrup, Paracetamol Drops (manufactured by PT Afi Farma), Paracetamol Syrup (mint) (manufactured by PT Afi Farma), and Vipcol Syrup. On January 11, 2023, it also published an alert focused on Uzbekistan regarding two products — AMBRONOL syrup and DOK-1 Max syrup.

In a statement, the global health body said in the past four months, countries have reported several incidents of over-the-counter cough syrups for children with confirmed or suspected contamination with high levels of diethylene glycol and ethylene glycol.

It said the contaminants are toxic chemicals used as industrial solvents and antifreeze agents that could be fatal even taken in small amounts, and should never be found in medicines.

“Last year, WHO raised the alarm by issuing medical alerts in October focused on The Gambia; in November about Indonesia; and earlier this month regarding Uzbekistan.

“The cases in these three countries are associated with more than 300 deaths, but we know that at least seven countries have been affected.

Most of the deaths have been in children under the age of five. “WHO’s medical product alerts were rapidly disseminated to the national health authorities of all 194 WHO member-states,” the statement said.

The global health body said since the incidents were not isolated, various key stakeholders engaged in the medical supply chain should take immediate and coordinated action.

The health organisation said: “WHO calls on regulators and governments to detect and remove from circulation in their respective markets, any substandard medical products that have been identified in the WHO medical alerts referred to above as potential causes of deaths and disease.”

UK to reduce international students’ stay to six months

United Kingdom Home Secretary Suella Braverman is working to implement a new law which will reduce the amount of time international students can stay in the UK upon course completion to six months, after which they have to have a skilled job that makes them qualified for a work visa.

Ms Braverman intends to cut the number of foreign students in the UK from 239,000 to “tens of thousands.”

UK Department for Education is resisting Ms Braverman’s plan as they fear it will make the UK less attractive to foreign students, who pay more tuition than their UK counterparts as they are a significant source of income, generating £25.9 billion per year to the UK economy through fees and spending.

Another measure considered by the Home Office is restricting visa applications only to those who have completed studies in high-demand subject areas, such as engineering.

Update: Aviation workers suspend strike action

The strike action embarked upon by Aviation workers under the aegis of the National Union of Air Transport Employees and Air Transport Services Senior Staff Association of Nigeria and Air Transport Services Senior Staff Association of Nigeria has been suspended.

International flights were disrupted in Lagos and Abuja airports today January 23, as the workers began their strike over an increase in salaries.

Many passengers were left stranded at the airport as all international flights were canceled.

In a new development, the leadership of the Aviation workers said the strike has been suspended and that negotiations are ongoing to address their demands for salary increase.

International flights at Lagos airport grounded as aviation handling company, NAHCO, embarks on strike

Several international flights at the Murtala Mohammed International Airport (MMIA) have been grounded as staff of the Nigerian Aviation Handling Company Plc (NAHCO) began a strike action over salary increment today January 23.

Many travellers arrived at the airport this morning and were shocked when the airport staff informed them they will not be working as they are on strike.

NAHCO officials handle all things that concern check-in, boarding and ramp services for several international airlines including Air France/KLM, Qatar, Ethiopian Airlines, Delta Airlines, Virgin Atlantic, Turkish Air.

The striking members had met with their management on Sunday January 22, but the deliberations yielded no tangible results, hence they proceeded with the strike this morning.

The Ministry of Aviation is yet to comment on this development.