Nigeria evacuates citizens from South Africa amid rising anti-migrant sentiment
via The Namibian3 min read
Nigeria has repatriated 268 of its citizens from South Africa, with a flight landing in Lagos from Johannesburg. This follows a rise in anti-migrant sentiments in South Africa, where approximately 1,000 Nigerians have registered for repatriation. Ghana, Zimbabwe, and Malawi have also conducted evacuations. Many individuals from other African nations moved to South Africa after 1994, seeking improved living conditions. However, with South Africa's unemployment rate exceeding 30%, anti-migrant sentiments have intensified, leading to protests and xenophobic attacks. One Nigerian passenger, Justin, who had lived in South Africa since 1998, stated he was leaving due to safety concerns and a June 30 deadline for undocumented migrants. He reported being attacked and insulted. While no official figures on recent xenophobic violence deaths are available, police confirmed two Mozambican men were killed in Western Cape, though without a stated motive. Mozambican authorities claim a higher death toll due to xenophobia. Protesters attribute South Africa's high unemployment and strain on public services to migrants. However, Nigeria's consul general in South Africa, Ninikanwa Okey-Uche, argued that migrants, comprising less than 10% of the population, cannot be blamed for systemic issues and are being scapegoated. A spokesperson for South Africa's Border Management Agency indicated that none of the repatriated passengers had legal documentation. Okey-Uche suggested that processing delays c
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This summary was AI-generated from a story originally published by The Namibian.
Adam Ramsay-Peaty, a three-time Olympic gold medallist, secured a bronze medal in the 100m breaststroke at the Commonwealth Games, falling short of his bid for a fourth Commonwealth gold. Sam Williamson of Australia won gold in the event with a time of 59.17 seconds, while Filip Nowacki took silver, earning Jersey's first Commonwealth medal in 36 years. Ramsay-Peaty, whose wife Holly Ramsay was present, hinted at considering his future in the sport, questioning the commitment required for the 100m event as he anticipates becoming a father of two. He is scheduled to compete in the 50m breaststroke final. Meanwhile, Australia dominated the swimming events, securing five golds and leading the medal table with 12 golds compared to England and Nigeria's three. Notable Australian victories included Sam Short leading a 1-2-3 finish in the men's 400m freestyle and Mollie O鈥機allaghan contributing to another 1-2 in the women鈥檚 200m freestyle. Pieter Coetze of South Africa set a new Commonwealth record in the 50m backstroke. In other sports, Australia won the women's team final in gymnastics and began their netball title defense with a win against Tonga. England defeated Northern Ireland in netball, setting up a match against Australia. Scottish athlete Eilish McColgan will miss the 10,000m title defense due to injury. English teenage gymnast Gabriel Langton was cleared after a fall during the men's gymnastic final.
Two-time heavyweight world champion Anthony Joshua secured a second-round knockout victory against Kristian Prenga in Jeddah, despite being knocked down twice in the first round. This win paves the way for a highly anticipated all-British fight against Tyson Fury. The match marked Joshua's return to the ring after a car crash in Nigeria in December, which resulted in the deaths of two close friends, Sina Ghami and Latif Ayodele. Joshua attributed his comeback in the second round to the spirit of his friends. Prenga, an Albanian fighter with a strong knockout record, initially dominated, sending Joshua to the canvas with a right uppercut and then again later in the first round. However, Joshua recovered in the second round, using his jab and left hand to inflict damage before a combination, capped by a right hand, sent Prenga through the ropes at 2:43 of the second round. Joshua, now with a record of 30-4, including 27 knockouts, and Fury, who also won his recent fight against Mariusz Wach, are expected to face each other in November. Promoter Eddie Hearn confirmed that the contract for the Joshua-Fury fight has been signed.
Must ReadTranslocated Namibian cheetahs in India's Kuno National Park are successfully spearheading the revival of the species in Asia, with the national cheetah population now at 57, including 37 Indian-born cubs. This milestone is attributed to the adaptability of individual cheetahs like Jwala, Aasha, and Siyaya, who have produced multiple litters. Jwala, a matriarch, recently delivered her third litter of five cubs, marking the tenth successful litter in India. Aasha has shown remarkable adaptability across varied habitats, while Siyaya's seven wild-born cubs have reached maturity and hunt independently. Male founders Elton and Oban also contributed to the genetic legacy before their deaths. The program achieved a critical benchmark when Mukhi, the first cheetah born in India under Project Cheetah, reached adulthood and gave birth to five cubs. These free-ranging cheetahs hunt naturally, maintaining a kill interval of 6.68 days on native prey. Despite initial challenges and sharing the landscape with native predators, adaptive management by Indian and Namibian scientific teams has led to high survival rates, with adult annual survival over 85% and juvenile cub survival nearly 70%. Project Cheetah, a symbol of South-South cooperation between Namibia and India, aims to restore open-forest and grassland ecosystems, drawing inspiration from India's successful Project Tiger.