NEWS

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Landslides in a remote region of southern Ethiopia on Monday have claimed lives of 229 individuals. The communication affairs department of Gofa Zone said Tuesday that 148 males and 81 females had been killed. Ethiopia has been recently experiencing heavy rainfall being the main cause of the landslides. These type of weather has been witnessed in most parts of the world including Kenya, India and other countries.

A local official, Habtamu Fetena, had earlier told state-run broadcaster, the Ethiopian Broadcasting Corporation (EBC) that children were among the dead and the death toll was likely to increase.

Officials said the heavy rainfall had caused two landslides. Many people were buried in the first one; a second then claimed the lives of several people helping the rescue efforts. An administrator for the zone, Dagmawi Ayele, told the EBC that five people stuck in the mud were rescued and are being treated at a medical facility, adding that the local community was searching for more survivors. Photos from the site showed a rescuer combing through the mud with his bare hands in search of bodies. Ayele said the excavation has largely been done by manpower.

Ethiopia is prone to landslides during the rainy season, according to geological surveys. In parts of the country, including the southern region, floods triggered by heavy rains have displaced thousands of people in recent months, the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said in a report last month. At least 43 people died from floods and landslides last year, OCHA said in November.

Southern Ethiopia has previously suffered devastating landslides that killed and displaced dozens of people. In May 2018, 45 people were killed in twin landslides that happened within hours of each other in the West Arsi, Sidama, and Gamo Gofa zones.

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The New York State Commission on Judicial Conduct wants to remove Judge Erin Gall over racist remarks she made at a graduation party towards four black teenagers.

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The former Niger's president might face death penalty for 'treason'. The lawyer for Niger’s ousted President Mohamed Bazoum has said as the country marks a year since the coup.

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A small plane crashed after it skidded off the runway in Nepal’s capital Kathmandu on Wednesday killing 18 people. The pilot, who has been hospitalized, is the sole survivor of the Saurya Airlines crash, said Gyanendra Bhul, a spokesperson for Tribhuvan International Airport. All those on board - 18 Nepalis and a Yemeni citizen - were employees of the carrier, according to police.

Images from Nepal police showed thick smoke billowing from the burning aircraft on the the airport runway. The aircraft crashed during takeoff from Kathmandu to the city of Pokhara around 11 a.m. local time, Bhul said. The plane was en route for technical maintenance, he added.“Rescue efforts were started immediately and the situation was brought under control,” the aviation authority said.

The crash once again highlights the dangers of air travel in Nepal, a country often referred to as one of the riskiest places to fly due to multiple factors including its mountainous terrain. The Himalayan country, home to eight of the world’s 14 highest mountains including Everest, has a record of air accidents. Its weather can change suddenly, and airstrips are typically sited in difficult-to-reach, mountainous areas. Aircraft with 19 seats or fewer are more likely to have accidents due to these difficulties, according to a 2019 safety report from the Civil Aviation Authority.

While the country has made improvements in safety standards in recent years, challenges remain, and a lack of investment in aging aircraft only adds to the risks of flying. Last year, Nepal saw its worst plane crash in more than 30 years when at least 68 people died when a Yeti Airlines flight went down near Pokhara.

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Barack Obama and his wife Michelle Obama have officially backed Vice President Kamala Harris's presidential campaign Barack Obama emphasized the significance of Harris's candidacy, stating, "Michelle and I couldn’t be prouder to endorse you and to do everything we can to get you through this election and into the Oval Office."