International News
Turkey/Syria Earthquake: Nigerians Don’t Live In Affected Areas-Community Leader
Following the severe earthquake that rocked Turkey and Syria on Monday and has reportedly claimed over 5,000 lives, the President of the Nigerian Community in Turkey, Embre Magboh, has said that most Nigerians are not residents of the earthquake areas.
Magboh told The PUNCH that the areas experiencing the earthquake were not areas where Nigerians are usually domiciled.
He, however, added that they were currently living in fear as the earthquake could spread across to other parts of the country.
Magboh said, “Nigerians rarely live in those areas where the earthquake has currently hit. When someone moves to Nigeria, they are likely to live in Lagos, Abuja, Port Harcourt, or at most Kano. They are likely not going to go to those interior states.
“Those areas experiencing earthquakes are usually for the natives. Nigerians, even Africans generally are more domiciled in Istanbul, Ankara, Konya, and Northern Cyprus.”
Magboh, stated that “ Some of the people caught up had likely gone there for some specific reasons or visited a friend but it is rare for Africans to live in places like Diyarbakir, South East Turkey.
” However, we are afraid because of the possibility that the earthquake could spread to other parts of the country.”
Speaking on the Nigerian population, Magboh noted that over 15,000 Nigerians were residents of Turkey.
He noted that information was still sketchy in terms of casualty recorded at the moment but will be able to give a more concise report before the end of the day.
He added, “Information is still sketchy because none of our members has called us yet or reported any case of a missing person but we will find out more about the situation of things and get back to you before the day ends.”
Earlier, a Dutch researcher, Frank Hoogerbeets, had last Friday predicted an earthquake would occur in Turkey and Syria.
He tweeted, “Sooner or later, there will be a ~M 7.5 #earthquake in this region (South-Central Turkey, Jordan, Syria, Lebanon.”
Turkey’s disaster management agency said it had 11,342 reports of collapsed buildings, of which 5,775 had been confirmed.
The World Health Organization also warned that casualties could exceed 20,000 as the scale of devastation from the 7.8 magnitude earthquake continued to unfold.
International News
DOJ Confirms Federal Criminal Investigation After Agents Raid Ilhan Omar’s Home
Federal agents raided the Washington, D.C., home of Democratic Congresswoman Ilhan Omar early Monday morning as part of an ongoing federal criminal investigation, the United States Department of Justice (DOJ) has confirmed.
Homeland Security Investigations agents arrived at the Minnesota congresswoman’s residence at about 6:00 a.m. Eastern Time, according to a report by Fox News.
SEE MORE: Trump Sparks Outrage With Shock Proposal to Rename New Mexico
The report said both the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and the DOJ are involved in the investigation.
A DOJ spokesperson confirmed the operation, stating: “Today in the Washington, D.C. area, Homeland Security Investigations executed a judicially authorized search warrant secured by the Department of Justice.”
The spokesperson added: “This enforcement action is part of an ongoing federal criminal investigation.”
Details later……….
International News
Bangkok Underwater: Nearly 4,900 Evacuated as Floods Hit Thailand Capital
Heavy rains have triggered severe flooding across parts of Bangkok, Thailand, forcing nearly 4,900 residents to evacuate to shelters as floodwaters swept through roads and residential areas.
The flooding has disrupted movement across parts of the Thai capital, with motorists and pedestrians forced to navigate submerged roads and seek alternative routes.
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According to the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration, about 52,000 households have been affected by the flooding, prompting authorities to declare a flood disaster and intensify emergency response efforts.
Emergency teams have been deployed to assist affected communities and move residents from vulnerable areas to safer locations as water levels rise.
Bangkok is accustomed to seasonal heavy rainfall, but intense downpours can overwhelm drainage systems, particularly in low-lying areas, resulting in widespread flooding and disruption.
Authorities are continuing to monitor affected locations while coordinating evacuations and other emergency measures.
For thousands of residents, the immediate priority remains securing safe shelter and protecting homes and livelihoods as authorities work to manage the situation and restore normal activities once the floodwaters recede.
International News
‘They Are Dying’ — Trump Explains Why He Rejected Iran’s Hormuz Proposal
US President Donald Trump has explained his decision to reject Iran’s latest proposal to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, saying Tehran was seeking an agreement because it was losing revenue.
Speaking to reporters at the White House, Trump said Iran wanted to immediately reopen the strategically important waterway but argued that the proposal was not acceptable to his administration.
“They want to make a deal, and I think that’s fine. I like making a deal, too, but that deal would not be acceptable,” Trump said.
SEE ALSO: How the Strait of Hormuz Attack Could Trigger a Fresh Global Oil Shock
According to the US president, Iran’s push to reopen the strait was driven by the economic pressure it was facing.
“What they want to do is immediately open the Hormuz Strait. Do you know why? Because they are dying,” Trump said.
“You know why they’re dying? Because they have no money coming in, because they get their money from the Hormuz Strait.”
Trump also claimed that the US had established an unprecedented naval blockade against Iran, describing it as “a wall of steel.”
“So they outsmarted themselves. We put up the greatest blockade ever in military history. It’s a wall of steel,” he said.
“And guess what? They don’t have any money now because they wanted to close the strait.”
The Strait of Hormuz is a major global energy shipping route, and disruption to traffic through the waterway has significant implications for international oil markets and countries that depend on energy imports.
Trump’s remarks came amid continued tensions between Washington and Tehran over the reopening of the strategic waterway and negotiations involving Iran.





