Headline

At Least 20 Killed, 19 Missing In China Rainstorms

Published

9 months ago

August 1, 2023

At least 20 people were killed and 19 were missing after heavy rains lashed Beijing and surrounding provinces, state media said Tuesday, in downpours that have submerged roads and deluged neighbourhoods with mud.

Storm Doksuri, a former super typhoon, swept northwards over China after hitting southern Fujian province on Friday, following its battering of the Philippines.

Heavy rains began pummelling the capital and surrounding areas on Saturday, with nearly the average rainfall for the entire month of July dumped on Beijing in just 40 hours.

Swaths of suburban Beijing remain badly hit by the rains — some of the city’s heaviest in years.

On the banks of the Mentougou River, one of the worst affected areas, AFP reporters saw muddy debris strewn across the road.

One man told AFP he had not seen flooding this bad since July 2012, when 79 people were killed and tens of thousands evacuated.

“This time it’s much bigger than that,” he said, declining to give his name.

“It’s a natural disaster, there’s nothing you can do,” a 20-year-old man surnamed Qi, who was waiting for a taxi with his grandmother outside a hospital, told AFP.

“(We) still have to work hard and rebuild.”

On Tuesday, state broadcaster CCTV said that the rains had killed at least 11 people in Beijing, two of whom were workers “killed on duty during rescue and relief”.

Thirteen people were still missing, but another 14 had been found safe, the broadcaster said.

In neighbouring Hebei province, nine people were killed and six were missing, it said.

Another two casualties were reported in northeastern Liaoning province over the weekend.

President Xi Jinping on Tuesday called for “every effort” to rescue those “lost or trapped” by the rains.

More than 100,000 people deemed at risk across Beijing have been evacuated, according to the state-owned Global Times newspaper.

Authorities have allocated 110 million yuan ($15.4 million) for disaster relief work in the capital and surrounding provinces, CCTV said.

‘Endure what we can’

Florist Wang Yongkun, 62, had piled sandbags around the door of his shop, but the floor inside was still coated in mud.

He said in 15 years working there he had never experienced anything like the last few days.

“We started cleaning up in the afternoon yesterday… and woke up again at seven today to continue,” he said.

“You just have to deal with it… We will endure what we can.”

Further south in Fangshan district, the Dashi River had overflowed, with trees along the riverbank partially submerged, and some sections of the road cordoned off.

Roads were caked in mud, foliage and various debris, including an upturned armchair.

AFP reporters saw collapsed bridges at two locations, with locals saying the damage had happened during the rains.

Earlier social media videos tagged in Fangshan had shown multiple cars being swept along roads turned into fast-flowing streams.

Live images from broadcaster CCTV on Tuesday morning showed a row of buses half submerged in floodwater.

In the parking lot of a high-rise apartment complex, cars were piled on top of each other, alarms still sounding, while people lined up with buckets and other containers to collect fresh water.

Chaotic scenes

Local media on Monday published footage of chaotic scenes aboard high-speed rail trains stranded on tracks for as long as 30 hours, with passengers complaining that they had run out of food and water.

Authorities “must properly relocate affected people, work quickly to repair damaged transportation, communication, and electricity infrastructure, and restore the order of normal production and life as soon as possible”, Xi said on Tuesday.

The capital activated a flood control reservoir on Monday for the first time since it was built in 1998, the Beijing Daily said.

Parts of Hebei remain under red alert for rainstorms, with authorities warning of potential flash floods and landslides.

In Handan, Hebei province, rescuers lifted by crane reached a man trapped on top of his car in floodwaters, lifting him to safety before the car was flipped and washed away by the current.

China has been experiencing extreme weather and posting record temperatures this summer, events that scientists say are being exacerbated by climate change.

The country is already preparing for the arrival of typhoon Khanun, the sixth such storm of the year, as it nears China’s east coast.

AFP

Headline

UK Clears The Air On Categories Of Students Eligible To Bring Dependants During Studies

Published

1 hour ago

May 5, 2024

Editor

The United kingdom (UK) says only international students coming in for their Doctor of Philosophy.(PhD) studies were eligible to bring in dependents to the country.

Dr. Richard Montgomery, the British High Commissioner to Nigeria made this known in an interview with the Newsmen on Sunday in Abuja.

He said that, the educational system policy changed earlier this year for international students in higher education not to bring dependents into the UK was to curb the increase of foreign student bringing in dependents.

He explained that the huge surge in dependence was putting an unsustainable pressure on many universities, adding that, it was the reason these changes were introduced.

Montgomery added that before his posting as High Commissioner to Nigeria, he had spoken to some of these universities on the policy change, which had been in the pipeline for some time.

He noted that the universities Chancellors had complained of the huge student populations’ highlighting that accommodation was a huge challenge, access to medical services under the National Health Service and access to school if they brought in dependents.

According to him, the restrictions do not apply to all categories, adding that those doing a long term research degree, like a PhD, or doctorate were not affected.

“Those coming to the UK for doctorate can still bring their dependency but if you are coming to the UK with a study visa for an undergraduate degree, or short term master’s degree am afraid the rules have been changed.

“People need to understand why this change was brought in, and it is a sensible change because we have a large higher education sector and most of these universities are in towns across the country.

“There has been a surge recently, in demand for British education and I can give you the macro figures and there has also been a huge increase in foreign students bringing their dependants.

“In the case of Nigeria, in 2019, before the Coronavirus pandemic, there were only one and a half thousand dependents being brought in from Nigeria, with those on study visas,

“In 2022, that figure had increased to fifty two thousand dependants so that’s a thirty fold increase in dependence. And it’s not just about Nigeria by the way.

“It is also about all foreign students, we saw similar rises, for example amongst Indian students coming to study in the UK,” he added.

Speaking on the policy initiation it is early to ascertain the impact of the policy on undergraduates because these changes were announced in 2023, but came into effect early this year and we would have to wait until September 2024, before we get the next run of academic tickets, he said.

“I think what your wider audience needs to hear is that the demand for UK education is really strong, in 2022, 65,000 study visas was approved to Nigerian applicants, 65,000, while in September 2023 we received about 115,000 Study visa applications from Nigeria.

“Of which 95 per cent were approved and over 110,000 study visas were issued last September compared to 65,000 of the previous year, there’s almost a doubling of Nigerian study visas in 2023 which means the demand is really high.

“And it is something which I am genuinely pleased and proud about that the UK has such a good higher educational sector and we are still at the six economy, and is still one of the biggest economies but we are only 2.5 per cent of the global economy.

“So we have 17 of the top 100 universities in the world. We have 17 per cent of the top universities, so it is one of our units.

“I really like the demand but there are other factors at play in terms of schooling in the UK , the value of the Naira in the coming months will also determine how easy or hard it will be for many people to afford our education.

“But I really hope that the number of people who bring dependants in UK may actually not be a majority, but a minority of people have tried to study in the UK so am hoping that the demand will be sustained.”

Headline

Drama As Russia Adds Ukrainian President, Zelensky To Criminal ‘Wanted’ List

Published

2 hours ago

May 5, 2024

Editor

Russia has added Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to its list of wanted criminals, a move Kyiv dismissed as a sign of Moscow’s “desperation”.

Zelensky’s name appeared on Saturday on the Russian interior ministry’s “wanted” list, an online database of alleged criminals sought by the Russian authorities.

It said the Ukrainian leader was wanted “under an article of the criminal code”, without providing further details.

There was no immediate comment from Russian officials as to why Zelensky had been added to the list.

Ukraine’s foreign ministry said the decision demonstrated “the desperation of the Russian state machine and propaganda, which are at a loss for what else to invent to garner attention”.

Moscow has targeted Zelensky since the start of Russia’s military offensive in Ukraine in February 2022.

The Ukrainian president said last year he was aware of at least “five or six” assassination attempts against him that had been foiled.

The day after sending troops into Ukraine, Russian President Vladimir Putin gave an address to the nation in which he urged the Ukrainian army to overthrow Zelensky.

Russia has placed several foreign politicians and public figures on its wanted list, which has tens of thousands of entries.

The commander of Ukraine’s Land Forces, Oleksandr Pavliuk, and former Ukrainian president Petro Poroshenko also appeared in the online database on Saturday.

In February, Moscow said it was seeking Estonian Prime Minister Kaja Kallas for what the Kremlin said was the “desecration of historical memory” over the Baltic country’s move to destroy Soviet era monuments.

Last year the International Criminal Court ordered the arrest of Putin on war crimes charges related to the abduction of Ukrainian children — accusations rejected by Moscow.

Headline

VIDEO: Arsenal Pay Tribute To 14-year-old British-Nigerian Fan Daniel Anjorin Killed In UK

Published

19 hours ago

May 4, 2024

Editor

Arsenal fans have paid tribute to the late British-Nigerian teenage fan Daniel Anjorin, who was tragically killed by a sword-wielding assailant in London on Tuesday.

During the 3-0 victory over Bournemouth on Saturday, Arsenal paused the game in the 14th minute, with fans applauding in tribute to 14-year-old Anjorin, whose favourite player was Bukayo Saka.

Anjorin’s image was displayed on the scoreboard, accompanied by banners reading “R.I.P Daniel” in different sections of the Emirates Stadium as a mark of respect for the Arsenal supporter.

TV presenter Piers Morgan was among a number of Arsenal supporters who paid tribute to the young fan during the game.

Anjorin’s family has issued a statement paying tribute to their son.

His family issued a statement via the Metropolitan Police that said, “We as a family are devastated by the loss of our beloved son Daniel. It is difficult for us at this time to process what has happened to him and that he will never come home. Daniel had left the house for school and then he was gone.

“Our children have lost their loving and precious brother and we have lost the most loved and amazing son. We would like to send our best wishes to the other victims of this unthinkable incident.

“We would also like to thank the local community for all of their support during this most difficult time. We ask that the media please respect our privacy and refrain from contacting us or our family.”

Video: Arsenal pay tribute to 14-year-old British-Nigerian fan Daniel Anjorin killed in UK
Credit: X // AntoineSpeaker pic.twitter.com/b9bUk0LXPw
— Vanguard Newspapers (@vanguardngrnews) May 4, 2024
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According to The Guardian, a fundraiser set up for his family has raised more than £120,000 in three days, with more than 7,000 people donating.

Anjorin died on Tuesday morning as he walked to school in Hainault, in the east of Britain’s capital, when he was attacked by a man wielding what appeared to be a Samurai-type sword.

The suspect, a Spanish-Brazilian national, Marcus Aurelio Arduini Monzo, was remanded in custody by a London Magistrates Court on Thursday.