Malawi police on Wednesday fired tear gas at protestors and arrested vocal civil rights activist Sylvester Namiwa at the Parliament Building in the capital, Lilongwe.

“Namiwa went ahead to hold vigils after being prevented from doing so by the city authorities,” National Police spokesperson James Kadadzera told Anadolu Agency.

He said protestors were not granted approval to hold a vigil in the city that is currently hosting the 41st Southern African Development Community (SADC) Summit meetings.

The southeast African nation of about 18 million is hosting the summit from Aug. 9 - 18 with more than 10 African leaders expected on Aug. 17.

Kadadzera said Namiwa, who leads a local civil society group, the Centre for Democracy and Economic Development Initiatives, will be taken to court after 48 hours where he will be charged accordingly.

Several people have also been arrested for joining the protests which were meant to force parliament to act on individuals involved in the smuggling of a loan authorization bill to the National Assembly in June.

The bill was meant to allow the government to borrow €98,360,000 (4116,473,978, or Malawi kwacha K93 billion) to finance the construction of houses for police and defense forces.

The country’s attorney general and finance minister did not approve the bill to go to parliament.

The scandal resulted in the dismissal of President Lazarus Chakwera’s special advisor Pastor Martin Thom. Investigations by the president revealed Thom played a role to fast track the loan process./aa

At least 65 Ugandans have been arrested in South Sudan for not having valid visas, a community representative said on Wednesday.

The United Nations Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL) expressed deep concern Tuesday over the abduction of a senior Libyan government official. 

UNSMIL "is deeply concerned about the abduction and disappearance of Mr. Rida Faraj Fraitis, Chief of Staff for the First Deputy Prime Minister of the Government of National Unity [GNU]," it said in a statement on its website.

It said unidentified armed men abducted Fraitis with his colleague on Aug. 2, following Fraitis’ visit to the GNU premises in Tripoli.

UNSMIL called on the authorities to investigate the incident and warned that such acts of targeting Libyan officials of the current transition period have "serious implications for the peace and reconciliation process and for the full unification of national institutions."

This year, Libya has witnessed a political breakthrough under UN auspices. On March 16, an elected transitional authority made up of a unity government and a presidential council assumed their duties to lead the country through a transitional phase to parliamentary and presidential elections slated for Dec. 24.

Libyan warlord Khalifa Haftar openly disregards the government and leads an armed militia that controls large swathes of the North African country, calling himself the "commander-in-chief of the Libyan Armed Forces" and challenging the Presidential Council's authority./aa

Turkiye Scholarships is a scholarship program that receives applications from the largest number of countries in the world, and this puts it among the world’s most outstanding scholarship programs, the head of the Presidency for Turks Abroad and Related Communities (YTB) said Tuesday. 

Addressing 233 students who are continuing their Turkish studies in the capital Ankara and central Kirikkale province through the "Welcome to Turkiye Scholarships Program,” Abdullah Eren congratulated them for successfully passing the qualification among 170,000 applications received by YTB for Turkiye Scholarships in 2020.

"Under normal circumstances, we should have brought you to Turkey in September 2020 and made this program at that time. But due to the COVID-19 pandemic, we could not bring you to Turkey. But what did we do? We brought you the opportunity to study Turkish online for about eight months,” he said.

Noting that there are international students from 55 countries in the program, Eren said he is pleased that students from each continent bring their Turkish language knowledge to a certain level by following online courses.

He noted that students will also take an accelerated Turkish course for two months.

"We welcome you to Turkey. Turkiye Scholarships are one of the most outstanding scholarship programs in the world. It is a scholarship program that receives applications from the largest number of countries in the world.

"Whatever your goal is, whatever you believe in, follow it to the end. If you succeed, opportunities will come to you both at the university and outside the university," he emphasized.

-Turkiye Scholarships

Higher education scholarship programs provided by Turkey were branded "Turkiye Scholarships" in 2012.

More than 165,000 applications from 178 countries were received in 2021.

Nearly 15,000 international students are currently studying in Turkey as part of the Turkiye Scholarships program, while nearly 3,000 students from 104 countries have graduated in 2021.

International students who graduated attended the "10th International Student Graduation Ceremony and 2020 Turkey Alumni Awards" ceremony in Ankara./aa

Twenty-four members of a family in northwestern Nigeria died after consuming poisoned food, a local government official said Tuesday.  

Ali Inname, Sokoto state’s commissioner for health, said the incident occurred in Danzanke village of Bargaja ward in the Isa Local Government Area of the state. 

He said a fertilizer popularly known as ‘Gishirin Lalle’ in Hausa was used as a food seasoning, as it was thought to be salt. 

The 24 victims are said to be members of an extended family living together in a compound.

“Regrettably, the entire family who ate the meal lost their lives except two female members who merely tasted the food and are currently responding to treatment, with very good chances of survival,” he said.

“Attempts to save the lives of all the affected people by providing the needed medical care proved abortive.” 

The commissioner advised the public to keep poisonous chemicals from easy reach and advised residents of the state to always separate storage sites for food items from other agricultural and cosmetic items and to carefully check all ingredients and foodstuff before use. 

“Wells should have covers to prevent contamination from faces of surface water after rainfall. The water should be boiled before use, especially in rural areas,” Inname added. 

“Report to a health facility or isolation camp in your area early when you observe any unusual symptoms or unusual conditions,” he appealed to residents./agencies

A total of 816 people in Nigeria have died from a cholera outbreak since the beginning of the year, the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) said Tuesday. 

The NCDC said in a report that there were 31,425 suspected cases across 22 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) between Jan. 1 and Aug. 1 and 311 have been confirmed.

It said the affected states are Benue, Delta, Zamfara, Gombe, Bayelsa, Kogi, Sokoto, Bauchi, Kano, Kaduna, Plateau, Kebbi, Cross River, Niger, Nasarawa, Jigawa, Yobe, Kwara, Enugu, Adamawa, Katsina, Borno and the FCT.

The agency called on state governments and citizens to take more proactive steps to combat the outbreak.

According to the NCDC, the outbreak has been exacerbated by poor access to clean water, open defecation and poor sanitation and hygiene.

Although the NCDC activated the National Cholera Emergency Operations Centre (EOC) on June 22 and has deployed rapid response teams to support the most affected states, it warned that those actions will not be enough.

“None of these medical interventions will solve the underlying issues leading to cholera outbreaks,” it said.

“Cholera is a waterborne disease, and the risk of transmission is higher when there is poor sanitation and disruption of clean water supply.”

Specifically, practices such as the improper disposal of refuse and open defecation endanger the safety of water used for drinking and personal use.

“These lead to the spread of water-borne diseases such as cholera. Without proper water, sanitation and hygiene (WaSH), Nigeria remains at risk of cholera cases and deaths,” the NCDC noted.

It said that in order to address the underlying issues in the long term, there is a need for access to safe drinking water and maintenance of proper sanitation and hygiene.

“We continue to advocate for state governments to prioritize action for solutions that ensure access to and use of safe water, basic sanitation and good hygiene practices in communities,” it added.

The cholera outbreak has worsened in recent months with more states reporting deaths, adding pressure to an already stretched health sector that has been battling the COVID-19 pandemic and is currently weighed down by a strike by resident doctors which is now in its second week.

On Saturday, the Katsina State government confirmed that it had recorded over 60 cholera fatalities.

“Presently, we have over 1,400 confirmed cases of cholera with over 60 recorded deaths,” Katsina State Commissioner for Health Yakubu Danja said during the 2021 annual general meeting of the state chapter of the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) held in the state capital.

The NCDC in its report advised Nigerians to visit a health facility immediately if they experience a sudden onset of profuse watery diarrhea, nausea, vomiting and weakness.

“Cholera is preventable and treatable. However, it can be deadly when people who are infected do not access care immediately,” it warned./agencies

A pair of Zambian and Turkish non-governmental organizations have partnered to help increase access to clean and safe drinking water to poor communities. 

The AWQAF humanitarian foundation, a Zambian non-profit group is working closely with Turkey’s Diyanet Foundation to install solar-powered water kiosks to provide water free of charge.

It will supplement the government’s efforts to provide clean drinking water to vulnerable communities.

The pilot project is in the capital of Lusaka where the Chilanga, Kabanana and Lusaka West areas have benefitted.

AWQAF managing director Shaban Phiri said access to water is not to be treated as a privilege for a few of the elite in society.

“Where we see a need for water, we respond and we are excited to supplement the Government’s efforts in providing this essential commodity called water to the people in need,” said Phiri.

He thanked Diyanet and the Turkish government for the support rendered and President Edgar Lungu for creating an enabling environment for local support groups such as his to help the government better the well-being of citizens.

Diyanet Foundation humanitarian relief expert Burak Ince said no one who benefits from the project should charge for water.

Ince said his group’s gesture was a gift from the Turkish people to their brothers and sisters in Zambia and hailed cordial relations between Zambia and Turkey.

Turkey's Ambassador to Zambia Istem Cırcıroglu, who recently witnessed a handover ceremony of one of the kiosks, described the project as a way to improve livelihoods in poor communities.

The installation of one kiosk costs about $15,600 and is the first of its kind to be installed in Zambia.

Access to clean and safe water in Zambia increased to 72% from 65% in 2014 and access to improved sanitation rose to 54% from 25%, according to the Ministry for Water Development, Sanitation and Environmental Protection.

Zambia and Turkey have enjoyed longstanding bilateral relations for decades.

Cooperation includes the private and public sectors working in the economic and social spheres of development./aa

The death toll in Algeria from wildfires that broke out east of the capital has risen to 42, including 25 soldiers, the government said late Tuesday.

Several Algerian provinces have for days witnessed outbreaks of massive fires that were exacerbated because of a severe heatwave and hot and strong southern winds.

Earlier Tuesday, Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune said that 25 military personnel died while rescuing more than 100 people from fires in the eastern part of the country.

"With great sadness and sorrow, I received the news of the martyrdom of 25 members of the People's National Army," Tebboune tweeted.

He emphasized that they were killed "after they succeeded in rescuing more than 100 citizens from the blazing fires, in the mountains of Bejaia and Tizi Ouzou."

He extended his "condolences to all the families of the martyrs."

Turkey's Communications Director Fahrettin Altun expressed sadness over Algeria's loss and expressed his country's support.

"I was deeply saddened by the devastating loss of 25 soldiers in Algeria, who lost their lives whilst saving locals from wildfires," Altun said on Twitter. "I pray for Algeria's sons tonight and offer my heartfelt condolences to their families. Turkey stands with Algeria -- our friend and ally."

The Turkish Foreign Ministry also released a condolence message.

“We are saddened to receive the news that due to the wildfires in many provinces of Algeria, many civilians and 25 soldiers who have participated in the evacuation operations lost their lives,” the ministry said in a statement.

“We wish Allah’s mercy upon those who lost their lives and convey our condolences to the friendly and brotherly people and the Government of Algeria,” it said.

On Tuesday, the Algerian Civil Protection Department said at least seven people were killed and several injured as wildfires spread to 36 locations across 18 provinces.

It was also reported that 19 fires started in Tizi Ouzou, with the rest in the country's central regions, mostly in the east./agencies

KAMPALA, Uganda (AA) - Wild African lions' numbers are falling at an alarming rate, with an international animal welfare group raising a red flag on Tuesday over the decline, partly due to the global wildlife trade.

The population of African lions has fallen drastically over the past 25 years, Edith Kabesiime, the wildlife campaign manager of World Animal Protection, said on the occasion of the Aug. 10 World Lions Day.

"Many lions are killed in Africa due to habitat loss and land fragmentation, wildlife trade, bushmeat poaching, and human conflict which continue to threaten lions," said Kabesiime.

If this is not stopped urgently, Africa will no longer be a known tourist destination for animal lovers, she added.

Lions are also reportedly killed by poachers and cattle herders who live near the game parks to stop them from killing their animals.

According to Kabesiime, countries must quickly take bold steps by enacting and implementing laws that prescribe harsh punishment for those involved in the illegal wildlife trade.

Bashir Hangi, the spokesman of Uganda's wildlife authority, noted that the body had issued a statement to mark World Lions Day, saying that it would continue to conserve and protect lions in Uganda's game parks.

He said that there were currently 400 lions in Uganda, adding that it was unfortunate that some lions are being killed by the wrong elements.

Tom Kabale, a wildlife conservation expert, said that in the last 25 years, over 1,200 lions had been killed in different parts of Africa.

In March 2021, six lions were killed by people living near the Queen Elizabeth National Park in western Uganda. Five people suspected of involvement in the act were arrested and later confessed that they had been hired by others who wanted to use lions' body parts to make charms.