International

The death toll in the collapse of a school in central Nigeria rise to 17

The death toll in the collapse of a two-story school in the center of Nigeria this Friday rose from 12 to at least 17, the Plateau State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA, in English), where the events took place, confirmed to EFE.

“So far, we have removed 17 bodies while another 70 (people) are currently receiving treatment for the wounds suffered in different hospitals,” Samuel Abdu, executive secretary of SEMA, told EFE by phone.

However, a worker of the agency’s rescue teams who wanted to maintain anonymity numbered 21 fatalities after the death of four other people in the hospital.

The school was located in the Busa Buji community, in the town of Jos North and, according to local media, the collapse occurred around 8:30 local time (7:30 GMT), when many of the teachers and students were already in the classrooms.

About 120 of the more than 200 that were in the building at the time of the collapse are still trapped in the rubble, Pleteau’s Information Commissioner, Musa Ashoms, explained in a statement.

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“To ensure immediate medical care, the Government has ordered hospitals to prioritize treatment without documentation or payment,” Ashoms said.

“We heard a loud noise and we ran out just to see that the school building had collapsed (…) Many students and teachers are still trapped under the rubble,” Peter Auta, a neighbor of the area who witnessed the events and said that there were about 40 students inside the school when it collapsed, told EFE on the phone.

The teams of the SEMA and the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), among others, traveled to the area and are looking for survivors.

Building landslides are common in Nigeria – the most populous country in Africa with more than 213 million inhabitants – a problem that is attributed to the use of poor quality construction materials and the negligent review of buildings by the authorities.

In November 2021, at least 45 people died in the collapse of a 21-story building under construction on the outskirts of Lagos, Nigeria’s largest city and the country’s economic capital.

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International

U.S. Senate Rejects Budget, Bringing Government Closer to Shutdown Amid DHS Dispute

The U.S. Senate voted on Thursday against a budget proposal in a move aimed at pressuring changes at the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), following the killing of two civilians during a deployment of immigration agents in Minneapolis.

All Senate Democrats and seven Republican lawmakers voted against the bill, which requires 60 votes to advance, pushing the country closer to a partial government shutdown that would cut funding for several agencies, including the Pentagon and the Department of Health.

The rejection came as Senate leaders and the White House continue negotiations on a separate funding package for DHS that would allow reforms to the agency. Proposed measures include banning Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents from wearing face coverings and requiring them to use body-worn cameras during operations.

The vote took place just hours after President Donald Trump said he was “close” to reaching an agreement with Democrats and did not believe the federal government would face another shutdown, following last year’s record stoppage.

“I don’t think the Democrats want a shutdown either, so we’ll work in a bipartisan way to avoid it. Hopefully, there will be no government shutdown. We’re working on that right now,” Trump said during a Cabinet meeting at the White House.

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International

Trump Says Putin Agreed to One-Week Halt in Attacks on Ukraine Amid Extreme Cold

U.S. President Donald Trump said on Thursday that he secured a commitment from Russian President Vladimir Putinto halt attacks against Ukraine for one week, citing extreme weather conditions affecting the region.

“Because of the extreme cold (…) I personally asked Putin not to attack Kyiv or other cities and towns for a week. And he agreed. He was very pleasant,” Trump said during a Cabinet meeting broadcast by the White House.

Trump acknowledged that several advisers had questioned the decision to make the call.
“A lot of people told me not to waste the call because they wouldn’t agree. And he accepted. And we’re very happy they did, because they don’t need missiles hitting their towns and cities,” the president said.

According to Trump, Ukrainian authorities reacted with surprise to the announcement but welcomed the possibility of a temporary ceasefire.
“It’s extraordinarily cold, record cold (…) They say they’ve never experienced cold like this,” he added.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky later commented on the announcement, expressing hope that the agreement would be honored.

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International

Storm Kristin Kills Five in Portugal, Leaves Nearly 500,000 Without Power

Storm Kristin, which battered Portugal with heavy rain and strong winds early Wednesday, has left at least five people dead, while nearly half a million residents remained without electricity as of Thursday, according to updated figures from authorities.

The revised death toll was confirmed to AFP by a spokesperson for the National Emergency and Civil Protection Authority (ANPEC). On Wednesday, the agency had reported four fatalities.

Meanwhile, E-Redes, the country’s electricity distribution network operator, said that around 450,000 customers were still without power, particularly in central Portugal.

Emergency services responded to approximately 1,500 incidents between midnight and 8:00 a.m. local time on Wednesday, as the storm caused widespread disruptions.

The Portuguese government described Kristin as an “extreme weather event” that inflicted significant damage across several regions of the country. At the height of the storm, as many as 850,000 households and institutions lost electricity during the early hours of Wednesday.

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Several municipalities ordered the closure of schools, many of which remained shut on Thursday due to ongoing adverse conditions.

Ricardo Costa, regional deputy commander of the Leiria Fire Brigade, said residents continue to seek assistance as rainfall persists.
“Even though the rain is not extremely intense, it is causing extensive damage to homes,” he noted.

In Figueira da Foz, a coastal city in central Portugal, strong winds toppled a giant Ferris wheel, underscoring the severity of the storm.