At least 200 dead in flood-hit Nigerian town as rescues called off

Devastating flooding in Mokwa, Nigeria, has resulted in at least 200 deaths, according to local official Musa Kimboku, with rescue operations now called off as authorities believe there are no survivors.
The flooding, triggered by heavy rainfall, affected at least 500 households across three communities, displacing over 3,000 people and causing significant infrastructure damage, including washed-away roads and collapsed bridges.
Authorities are exhuming bodies from beneath the rubble to prevent disease outbreaks, while the Niger State Emergency service reported 11 injuries in addition to the fatalities.
President Bola Tinubu has ordered an emergency response to aid victims and expedite recovery efforts in the region.
Mokwa, a farming region unaccustomed to such severe flooding, experienced prolonged dry spells worsened by climate change, followed by excessive rainfall, leading to the deadly event.

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BBC News

9 hours ago

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Top 10 health benefits of beetroot according to sabi pipo

Sabi pipo say one of di powers of beetroot na say e dey rich in nitrates. Wen we digest food or drink wey dey rich in nitrate, nitric oxide dey dey produced, wey dey known to cause di blood vessels to widen. Sabi pipo believe say dis fit lead to some health benefits. One study find say a daily dose of beetroot juice fit get a significant effect on blood pressure. Di study find say just a few weeks of eating some beets a day lead to a fall in average blood pressure of about 5 millimetres of mercury, if maintained, e dey enough to reduce di risk of stroke and heart attack by 10% . Studies don also find say beetroot fit get effect on blood pressure within a few hours of intake. Prof Andy Jones, Professor of Applied Physiology from di University of Exeter wey spend years investigating di effects of beetroot on sport performance explain how di nitrates inside beetroot improve dey improve di blood flow to our lungs and muscles, resulting in a faster delivery of oxygen. "Di potential dey for di muscle to dey receive more oxygen and to distribute dat oxygen within imsef more effectively because of di effects of nitric oxide", e tok. Not only dis, dem dey help you make more efficient use of oxygen during exercise, so you fit work harder, without feeling di strain. Wetin be beetroot? E belong to di same family as chard and spinach, pesin fit eat both di leaves and root of beetroot fit dey eaten – di leaves get bitter taste whereas di root dey sweet. Although dem dey available all year round, beets dey di sweetest and most tender during dia peak season, wey for kontri like UK na from June to October. While varieties like white and yellow beets dey make pretty dishes, only red beets get cancer-fighting compound betacyanin. How much I fit dey eat? Prof Jones bin advise say two-three medium beetroots, or one shot of beetroot juice, na all you need to see positive effects. Getting about 6 to 10 millimoles of nitrate a day na wetin dey important. E advise to dey keep steady intake of nitrates every day and every week for long term benefit. Researchers from Barts and The London School of Medicine and Dentistry say to drink one cup of beetroot juice fit lower blood pressure. "If you dey drink 250ml (8oz) e go cut high blood pressure readings by 10mm of mercury (mmHg)." One study of 15 patients, bring some into di normal range, di journal Hypertension, external bin report. Afta three to six hours, dem detect di effect one day later. But di researchers, from Barts and The London School of Medicine and Dentistry, wey study beetroot blood pressure lowering effects for years, also warn say more work still dey needed. And dem warn say to dey drink beetroot juice fit get one unexpected consequence - e fit turn your urine pink. Nitrate dey naturally inside soil, wia big vegetables dey take am in through roots to help dem grow. Researcher Dr Amrita Ahluwalia tok: "We dey surprised by how little nitrate dey needed to see dat kind large effect. "Our hope na say to increase one intake of vegetables wit high dietary nitrate content, like green leafy vegetables or beetroot, fit be lifestyle approach wey pesin fit easily employ to improve cardiovascular health." Prof Peter Weissberg, medical director for di British Heart Foundation, wey bin fund di research, tok say: "e dey support current advice say make we all dey eat plenty of green vegetables. "But we need larger studies in patients to determine if nitrate-rich vegetables dey effective to lower blood pressure over di long term." Also, di nitrates dey water-soluble though, so you need dey careful wen you dey boiling beets. To boil your beets go allow nitrates to come out into di cooking liquid, so you no go get as many benefits. Sabi pipo say if you really wan get di most out of dis vegetable e fit be best to buy am raw and bake am, or drink di juice! Top 10 health benefits of beetroot 1. E dey rich in protective antioxidants Red beetroots dey ranked as one of di 10 most potent antioxidant vegetables. Dis mean say dem dey help di body combat di damaging effects of di process weyndem call oxidation. Di plant compounds wey dey responsible for di root purple-crimson colour, anthocyanins, don show to get high anti-oxidant and anti-inflammatory capabilities. 2. E fit get anti-cancer properties. Betacyanin, di powerful plant pigment wey dey give beetroot im rich colour, also dey help suppress di development of some types of cancer, including bladder cancer. Beetroot contain oda potential cancer-fighting compounds including ferric acid, ruin and kaempferol. 3. E fit get anti-inflammatory properties. Some research suggests say betalains, di family of natural colour pigments wey betacyanin belong to, fit help reduce di symptoms and markers of inflammation. Dis include potentially relieving discomfort of inflamed joints, like knees. 4. E fit lower blood pressure Beetroot naturally dey rich in compounds wey dem dey call nitrates, and na dis make beetroot so heart-friendly. Dis na sake of say nitrates dey help to improve blood flow by relaxing di blood vessels, wey potentially dey lower blood pressure. Reduced blood. Studies suggest say nitrate-rich foods, like beetroot, fit also help in heart attack survival. 5. E fit improve exercise performance and support energy levels Studies suggest say wen athletes add beetroot juice to dia regime, e fit support exercise endurance and improve performance. No be all be dat: wen muscles dey resting state afta exercise, di nitrates in beetroot dey help bring more oxygen to di muscle cells wey dey promote efficient recovery. For di rest of us, to dey add beetroot in our diets fit be di energy boost wey we need. 6. E fit improve digestive health. Beetroots dey rich in fibre wey, as well as supporting bowel function, dey help promote healthy environment in di gut. Alongside di fibre, betawains dey help increase di production of short chain fatty acids by di beneficial bacteria wey dey live inside di gut. 7. E fit protect di gut. Beetroots na one of di richest vegetable sources of glutamine, one amino acid wey dey key to di maintenance of our gut lining. E also fit be say di glutamine fit play a role to protect di gut lining from injury and stress. 8. E fit support brain health and reaction time Further studies also suggest say higher nitrate intake appear to lead to significant improvement in motor functions, including reaction time. 9. E fit be useful addition to a post-menopause diet. Afta menopause, blood pressure and heart disease risk dey increase. Dietary changes like di inclusion of nitrate-rich vegetables show to be useful strategy to help keep arteries flexible and in turn manage blood pressure. To drink beetroot juice before exercise fit also help improve mobility and cardio-metabolic outcomes in dis age group. All of wey suggest say beetroot fit get useful inclusion as part of a balanced diet for post-menopausal women. Any improvement in blood flow go also benefit di brain. Studies suggest say to include beetroot in di diet, combined wit exercise, fit improve blood flow to di frontal lobe of di brain - one area wey involve for decision making and memory. 10. E fit relieve symptoms of Raynaud phenomenon. Raynaud phenomenon na one uncomfortable condition wia di blood to di fingers and feet no dey flow properly. Symptoms include pain, numbness and pins and needles. One initial study wey dey examine di effects of beetroot juice demonstrate improvements in blood flow to di thumb and forearm as well as reduction in blood pressure and inflammation. Caution Although dis findings look promising, sabi pipo say more trials dey needed to validate dem. Also, remember to consult sabi person and your doctor if you get any health issue and before you make any change to diet.

Reuters

14 hours ago

• Reuters

Sustainable Switch Climate Focus: Storms hit China and Mexico

June 20 - This is an excerpt of the Sustainable Switch Climate Focus newsletter, where we make sense of companies and governments grappling with climate change on Fridays. To receive the full newsletter in your inbox for free sign up here. Hello, This week's Climate Focus takes a look at the storms that have wreaked havoc across China and Mexico. Central and southern China were on high alert for more flash floods on Friday as the annual East Asia monsoon gathered pace and extreme rainfall threatened disruption in the world's second-largest economy. Extreme rainfall and severe flooding, which meteorologists link to climate change, increasingly pose major challenges for policymakers. They threaten to overwhelm ageing flood defences, displace millions and wreak havoc on China's $2.8 trillion agricultural sector. China's rainy season, which arrived earlier than usual this year in early June, is usually followed by intense heat that scorches any crops that survive waterlogged soil, depletes reservoirs and warps roads and other infrastructure. Economic losses from natural disasters exceeded $10 billion last July, when the rainfall typically peaks. Over in Mexico, Hurricane Erick weakened to a tropical storm after making landfall on the southern Pacific coast on Thursday, leaving flooded streets and damaged boats and buildings in Oaxaca as authorities warned of dangerous rains. In coastal towns, residents began clearing debris. "There are many boats sunk here," fisherman Eduardo Gonzalez said in Puerto Escondido. "We're here to help our colleagues." "Life-threatening flooding and mudslides are expected, especially in areas of steep terrain," the U.S. National Hurricane Center said, forecasting up to 8 inches (20 cm) of rain for Guerrero state with up to 4 inches for its neighboring Oaxaca and Michoacan states. Mexico's environment ministry also had warned of waves of up to 10 meters (33 feet). WHAT TO WATCH - Saving the seas:Click here for a video on marine scientists working to restore underwater forests in Greece's northern Cyclades and click here for a Reuters story on scientists demanding action to protect environmentally important meadows of seagrass at Croatia's Dugi Otok island in the Adriatic Sea. Do check out this Reuters story on the vital underwater forest in the cold seas off Chile's arid northern coast that scientists say are threatened by warming oceans and human pollution. CLIMATE LENS Water watch: Since 2014, India has lost 60.33 billion units of coal-power generation across the country - equivalent to 19 days of coal-power supply at June 2025 levels - because water shortages force plants to suspend generation, according to federal data. Click here for a Reuters analysis on India's coal power boom facing challenges with water supplies. NUMBER OF THE WEEK $10 billion That's the amount raised in deals at a United Nations conference to protect the world's oceans – way below the estimated annual need – as investors seek clearer regulation on ocean management before committing funds. Between 2015 and 2019, only $10 billion was invested against the U.N. estimate of $175 billion in required annual funding. Think your friend or colleague should know about us? Forward this newsletter to them. They can also subscribe here.

Daily Mail​

a day ago

• Daily Mail​

African gay men blame President Trump for their recent HIV diagnoses after he cut prevention funding

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