Latest news with #US Embassy
Russia Today
5 days ago
- Health
- Russia Today
African state disputes US claim over Chinese-owned mine
The Zambian government has rejected a local US Embassy warning of toxic contamination following a waste spill from a Chinese-operated mine into one of the country's main waterways in February. The situation following the Sino Metals Leach Zambia dam breach, which released millions of gallons of acidic effluent, has been under control for months, according to government spokesperson Cornelius Mweetwa. A US health alert on Wednesday advised embassy staff to evacuate the Kitwe region, citing environmental data and warning of 'hazardous and carcinogenic substances,' including arsenic, cyanide, uranium, and other heavy metals, allegedly present in the area. The embassy described the risk as posing both immediate and long-term health threats. During a press conference on Thursday, Mweetwa stated that the water's pH levels had returned to safe ranges. 'Concentrations of heavy metals are steadily decreasing, which means that the immediate danger to human, animal and plant life has been averted,' he said, adding that there was no need to sound the alarm or scare residents and the international community. Mweetwa claimed that 37 out of 200 tested water samples had met safety standards, with the rest still undergoing testing. He noted that no deaths had been recorded as a result of the pollution incident. Local media outlets have reported that the contamination spread over a distance of more than 100 kilometers. The spill is reported to have led to the fish and livestock kills, raising concern among nearby communities and environmental groups. According to Reuters, the Chinese-owned mine operator has been fully cooperating with the authorities and is funding the implementation of mitigation efforts. This case echoes a long-standing environmental crisis tied to Zambia's Kabwe mine, where lead poisoning affected over 100,000 people. The Copperbelt province in Zambia, which ranks among the global top-10 copper producers, is the site of several Chinese-backed mining operations.
The Independent
7 days ago
- General
- The Independent
6 months after toxic mine spill in northern Zambia, US Embassy orders personnel out of the area
The United States Embassy in Zambia ordered all U.S. government personnel Wednesday to leave a region in the north of the country affected by a toxic spill from a Chinese-owned mine that happened six months ago. The embassy said in an alert on social media that new information revealed that 'hazardous and carcinogenic substances' including arsenic, cyanide, uranium and other heavy metals had polluted a major river system flowing through the town of Chambishi and the nearby city of Kitwe, and had possibly become airborne, following an accident at the mine in February. The embassy didn't immediately say how many U.S. government personnel were in the copper mining area. It also advised other U.S. citizens in the area to take precautions against exposure to harmful heavy metal contamination in water and food. Around 700,000 people live in Kitwe, one of Zambia's biggest cities and a hub for international mining companies. Environmentalists and others raised concerns over the extent of the damage months ago following the spill at the mine run by Sino-Metals Leach Zambia, a division of China 's state-owned China Nonferrous Metal Mining group. China is the dominant player in copper mining in Zambia, which is one of the world's biggest producers. The spill happened when a tailings dam that holds acidic and heavy metals waste from the mine collapsed, according to investigators from the Engineering Institution of Zambia, resulting in some 50 million liters (13.2 million gallons) of toxic materials flowing into the Kafue River system. Within days of the spill, dead fish could be seen up to 100 kilometers (60 miles) downstream, raising fears that the contamination could affect millions living along the Kafue River, which runs for 1,500 kilometers (930 miles) through the heart of the southern African country. Sino-Metals apologized and committed to help with cleanup efforts, which included the Zambian Air Force dumping hundreds of tons of lime into the river in an attempt to counteract the acidic waste. ___
BBC News
28-07-2025
- Politics
- BBC News
Birth tourism: US go deny visa to foreign nationals wey wan go America to born for citizenship
Di United States Mission for Nigeria don announce say dem go deny di visa application of foreign nationals wey dem suspect say wan travel go America to go born, just so dat dia child go get U.S. citizenship. Di embassy wey give di informate for one statement on dia X account on Monday, 28 July tok say, "we go deny your visa if we believe say di primary purpose of travel na to give birth for di United States to get U.S. citizenship for your pikin." For di statement, di embassy say dem no go permit anyone to travel go America for di purpose of "birth tourism." "Consular officers go deny your visa application if dem get reason to believe say dat na your intention," dem add. Dis advisory dey come afta one Supreme Court ruling for June wey allow US President Donald Trump to go ahead wit im executive order of ending birthright citizenship. Di Supreme Court ruling bin limit di power of federal judges to block presidential orders and allow for di birthright citizenship policy to start in 30 days. Although, some lower courts don file counter lawsuits against di ruling. However, wit dis statement from di US embassy, e be like say Oga Trump administration dey fall-in-line wit di executive order to deny citizenship to children of immigrants wey dey US illegally or children wey dem born for there on temporary visa, as no be only di US embassy for Nigeria issue di statement. For one of im first acts as di 47th president of di United States, Donald Trump bin sign one executive order wey di purpose na ending automatic citizenship rights for nearly everybody born on US territory - known as "birthright citizenship". Na one policy wey for long e promise to change - but to implement am no go dey easy. For nearly 160 years, di 14th Amendment of di US Constitution establish one principle say anybody dem born for di kontri go automatically become US citizen. However, within hours of President Trump order, Democratic-run states and cities, civil rights groups and individuals bin launch various lawsuits against am. Dem argue say di order go against di 14th Amendment to di US Constitution, wey establish say "all pesins born or naturalized in di United States, and subject to di jurisdiction thereof, na citizens of di United States and of di state wia dem reside". However, di Trump administration say di clause "subject to di jurisdiction thereof" mean say di amendment exclude children of pipo wey no dey live for di kontri permanently or lawfully. Three federal judges bin rule against Trump, as dem issue nationwide injunctions to block di orders from taking effect. Most legal scholars agree say President Trump no fit end birthright citizenship wit an executive order. Wetin Supreme Court tok on di birthright citizenship case and wia di mata dey now In a win for President Trump, on 27 June, di Supreme Court rule against nationwide injunctions. Di case bin surround weda Trump attempt to use executive order to end birthright citizenship for non-citizens and undocumented migrants dey allowed. For one 6-3 ruling for June, di Supreme Court conservative justices bin side Trump and say dem no dey address Oga Trump attempt to end birthright citizenship. Rather, dia ruling dey address presidential actions broadly. For di majority opinion wey conservative Justice Amy Coney Barrett deliver, di court say: "Universal injunctions likely exceed di equitable authority wey Congress give to federal courts." Sake of di ruling to limit injunctions, Trump birthright citizenship order go fit take effect 30 days afta dem file di court opinion, di court tok. E go apply to di 28 states wey no participate for di lawsuit. Di Supreme Court dey expected to rule on di merits of di birthright citizenship order itself at some date in di future. Justice Sonia Sotomayor bin write say birthright citizenship na di "law of di land" and di order dey "patently unconstitutional". Embassies wey don issue similar statements wey ban birth tourism No be only Nigerians di US govment cut warning against birth tourism for. Uganda, Jamaica, di Caribbeans, among odas follow for di warning. For 1 July, di US embassy for Uganda warn Ugandans wey dey travel go US just to go born so dat dia pikin go be citizen, say e no dey allowed. Di govment say many Ugandan parents dey travel wit tourist visas go America for di purpose of giving birth, and dem dey use govment assistance to pay for dia medical care. "Na American taxpayer dey bear dis cost, and those parents fit no dey eligible to renew dia visas for future. US embassy for Colombo also issue similar statement to Sri Lankan nationals and foreign travellers, wey advise dem against using tourist visas for di purpose of giving birth di United States to secure U.S. citizenship for dia pikin. Wetin be 'birthright citizenship'? Di first sentence of di 14th Amendment to di US Constitution bin establish di principle of birthright citizenship: "All pesins born or naturalized for di United States, and subject to di jurisdiction thereof, na citizens of di United States and of di state wia dem reside." Immigration hardliners argue say di policy na "great magnet for illegal immigration" and say e dey encourage pregnant women to cross di border in order to born and remain for di US, an act wey dem commonly refer to as "birth tourism" or having "anchor baby". Supporters of birthright citizenship point out say dat na di law of di land for ova a century and to cancel am go create a "permanent subclass of pipo wey dem born for US wey dey denied full rights as Americans." Birthright citizenship worldwide Birthright citizenship, or jus soli (right of the soil), no be di norm globally. US na one of about 30 kontris - mostly for di Americas - wey dey grant automatic citizenship to any child dem born within dia borders. In contrast, many countries for Asia, Europe, and parts of Africa dey follow di jus sanguinis (right of blood) principle, wia children inherit dia nationality from dia parents, regardless of dia birthplace. Oda countries get combination of both principles, dem also dey grant citizenship to children of permanent residents.
