Food
Ceuta: Spain says most migrants have returned to Morocco
Jenipher Camino Gonzalez | Mark Hallam with AFP, AP, EFE, dpa, Reuters
Published 07/31/2026Published July 31, 2026
Spain’s government said that an estimated 48,300 migrants were back in Morocco on Friday evening. Italy has temporarily suspended its Schengen free-travel pact with Spain. DW has more.
https://p.dw.com/p/5I5Cr
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Skip next section What you need to know
What you need to know
Ceuta estimated 60,000 people entered the city, at least 57 died in the attempt
Italy temporarily suspends Schengen free-travel pact with Spain
PM Pedro Sanchez visited Ceuta, blamed the influx on people smugglers manipulating a recent Supreme Court ruling
Spain’s military sends personnel to assist Guardia Civil border police
Germany’s Merz calls on Morocco to take back the irregular migrants ‘without delay’
Follow this blog for continuing coverage and updates on the developing situation in Ceuta, Spain’s North African territory.
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Skip next section Migrants lured by rumors and social media, Spain says
07/31/2026July 31, 2026
Migrants lured by rumors and social media, Spain says
Dmytro Hubenko Editor
Authorities in Ceuta and Madrid are linking the border surge to a recent Spanish Supreme Court related to migration.
The court ruled that migrants arriving by sea could not be summarily deported, unlike those who cross by land or climb the border fence.
According to Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez, human smugglers misinterpreted the ruling and encouraged people to go to Ceuta in droves.
The misinformation about the Supreme Court’s ruling “spread like wildfire over the past few hours through the networks of human trafficking organizations,” Sanchez said.
He condembed human smugglers saying they “deceive so many young people and ultimately lead many of them to their deaths,” whether in the ocean or in the city.
Experts say poverty and limited prospects for young Moroccans played a role in this week’s surge.
A quarter of Moroccans between the ages of 15 and 24 are not enrolled in education, are not employment or recieving any work training, official data show.
https://p.dw.com/p/5I6u4
Skip next section Spain says Schengen zone integrity is ‘absolutely guaranteed’
07/31/2026July 31, 2026
Spain says Schengen zone integrity is ‘absolutely guaranteed’
Spanish Foreign Minister Jose Manuel Albares said that the integrity of the Schengen free-travel area was “guaranteed.”
He made the remark on the social media platform X after Italy announced it was temporarily suspending the Schengen free-travel pact with Spain.
“Practically the entirety of those who entered Ceuta have already returned to Morocco,” Albares said.
Albares explained that individuals are not able to travel from Ceuta or Melilla to mainland Spain without passing through police identification checks.
He said critics of Spain’s handling of the Ceuta situation were spreading “confusion.”
https://p.dw.com/p/5I6oq
Skip next section Italy temporarily suspends Schengen free-travel pact with Spain
07/31/2026July 31, 2026
Italy temporarily suspends Schengen free-travel pact with Spain
Italy has suspended its Schengen agreement with Spain for one month, in response to the influx of migrants into Ceuta, Italy’s Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani said Friday.
“The temporary suspension of Schengen with Spain is a necessary decision to protect the security of our citizens and defend Europe’s borders,” Tajani wrote on X.
Italy’s interior ministry told AFP news agency that while Italy had closed its maritime and air entry points to Spain, it cautioned that travel for Spanish and European citizens to Italy would not be impacted.
AFP reported that any checks at air and sea borders with Spain would be “targeted” and concern only non-EU citizens arriving from Spain.
The measure will reportedly remain in force for one month beginning on Saturday, the Interior Ministry said.
Tajani said the the temporary measure to suspend Schengen was “provided for by the treaties and, today, rendered unavoidable.”
https://p.dw.com/p/5I6fO
Skip next section Spain says most migrants have returned to Morocco
07/31/2026July 31, 2026
Spain says most migrants have returned to Morocco
Spain’s government said that and estimated that 48,300 migrants had returned to Morocco by 6 p.m. local time (4 p.m UTC) on Friday. The figures would mean that most of the 60,000 migrants estimated to have breached the border into Ceuta have already left.
According to Reuters news agency, several hundred people could be seen voluntarily making their way back to Morocco through border posts and holes in the fence. Some of them reportedly they were unable to find food or shelter in Ceuta.
Moroccan police in riot gear used tear gas to disperse some of those were still gathering near the border fences, according to Reuters.
Spain: 60,000 migrants crossed into Ceuta
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https://p.dw.com/p/5I6jo
Skip next section Germany to extend border controls after Ceuta breach
07/31/2026July 31, 2026
Germany to extend border controls after Ceuta breach
German Interior Alexander Dobrindt said Berlin intends to reinforce and extend checks at Germany’s borders in view of the situation developing in Ceuta.
“We will extend the possibility of internal checks beyond September,” Dobrindt said.
Germany reintroduced some border checks within the Schengen zone on September 16, 2024, with Berlin citing the need to curb the number of unauthorized entries.
Since then, authorities have been carrying out checks at the borders with Denmark, France, Belgium, Luxembourg and the Netherlands.
The Schengen area is intended to be a zone free of regular border checks.
Despite growing criticism, the measure has been extended three times. It was extended most recently until mid-September 2026.
“The situation in Ceuta highlights the volatile nature of the illegal migration crisis,” Dobrindt said, explaining the latest extension.
Germany ramps up border checks
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https://p.dw.com/p/5I6dp
Skip next section Denmark says EU should consider suspending Spain from Schengen
07/31/2026July 31, 2026
Denmark says EU should consider suspending Spain from Schengen
Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen said in a statement on social media that “the EU must immediately take all necessary measures and consider all options, including a suspension of Schengen cooperation.”
Frederiksen expressed her rejection of the scenes from Ceuta, saying that her government would not accept a repeat of the 2015 refugee crisis.
“Uncontrolled immigration is a threat to Europe. And to Denmark,” she wrote.
Frederiksen said she had spoken with Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, who also slammed Spain for the crisis in Ceuta, adding that the two leaders planned to discuss the situation.
https://p.dw.com/p/5I6do
Skip next section Authorities revise death toll to 57
07/31/2026July 31, 2026
Authorities revise death toll to 57
The Spanish government’s representative in Ceuta said on Friday evening that authorities had since recovered 57 bodies on the Spanish side of the border.
This increased a previous tally of at least 34 dead.
It cautioned that further casualties were possible on the Moroccan side.
Some drowned and others were crushed in a stampede trying to cross a breakwater near a border checkpoint.
https://p.dw.com/p/5I6Xt
Skip next section ‘Not the time to divide’ — Sanchez
07/31/2026July 31, 2026
‘Not the time to divide’ — Sanchez
Without singling anyone out by name, Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez seemed to issue a response to critics including Italy’s government and right-wing politicians across much of Europe on Friday evening.
“Solidarity and empathy are optional. Respect for European treaties and data is not,” Sanchez wrote on X.
He then listed statistics from the EU’s Frontex border enforcement agency on irregular migration between 2021 and 2026. This showed the largest number of arrivals, 478,600, from Italy, with 340,600 from the member states in the Western Balkans, 259,800 from Greece and then 234,760 via Spain.
“This is not the time to divide. It is the time to continue building a strong and united EU,” Sanchez wrote.
Frontex data for 2025 specifically also showed the Western Mediterranean crossing route to Spain as a much smaller route for irregular migration than crossings to Italy. However, it was also the only major route listed where Frontex recorded a year-on-year increase rather than a reduction.
https://p.dw.com/p/5I6OU
Skip next section US State Department lays blame with Spain, Trump draws Mexico parallel
07/31/2026July 31, 2026
US State Department lays blame with Spain, Trump draws Mexico parallel
The US State Department issued a statement saying it stood with “the people of Spain, and all Europeans, against this egregious violation of their sovereignty and human rights.”
It seemed to link developments to a decision months ago by Sanchez’s government to offer and amnesty and temporary residency permits to irregular migrants already living in Spain. That’s despite the fact that no new arrivals in Spain after it came into effect will be eligible to benefit, and Pedro Sanchez citing a different motivating factor.
“This unacceptable incident is the direct result of the Spanish Government’s deliberate efforts to enable and facilitate mass illegal migration into Europe,” the State Department said of its NATO ally. “We are considereing actions to defend Americans at home and abroad from this threat and stand ready to assist other European allies considering similar options.”
US President Donald Trump, meanwhile, seemed to seek to equate the issue to the US border with Mexico and domestic elections in an interview with Fox News.
“It’s terrible. Remember that picture. That’s going to be us in three years if the wrong side gets in,” Fox quoted him as saying.
Trump and Sanchez’s governemnts have clashed repeatedly in recent months over the war in Iran and relations with Israel, among other issues.
A US Congressional report published at the end of April of this year also raised eyebrows, when it described Ceuta and Melilla as “Spanish-administered cities” located “in Moroccan territory.”
https://p.dw.com/p/5I6JK
Skip next section AfD’s Weidel takes aim at Merz government after Ceuta breach
07/31/2026July 31, 2026
AfD’s Weidel takes aim at Merz government after Ceuta breach
German anti-migration Alternative for Germany (AfD) opposition leader Alice Weidel took aim at Friedrich Merz for his response to developments in Ceuta.
“The chancellor doesn’t dedicate a single word to how he wants to secure the German border, and he also does not comment on a suspension of the Schengen Zone, as Italy, Finland and Denmark have done in the mean time,” Weidel wrote, along with an image embedding Merz’s response on social media. “Merz wants to sit out this crisis too, without acting in any way.”
Merz’s comment had explicitly said he supported Spain’s intentions “not to allow the illegal migrants onto the European continent” and had called for their return “without delay.”
Earlier in the day, Weidel had said that Ceuta was “ravaged” overnight and had said Germany must prepare itself.
https://p.dw.com/p/5I6Gm
Skip next section Portugal: Integrity of Schengen depends on ‘rigorous border control’
07/31/2026July 31, 2026
Portugal: Integrity of Schengen depends on ‘rigorous border control’
Portugal’s government has issued a statement saying it is monitoring development in Ceuta with “great concern” and it laments the loss of life.
It said it had been kept informed by its Iberian neighbors “from the very beginning” and noted that Madrid’s government had provided assurances that it would work with Morocco to “reverse the flow of the thousands of people who have arrived.”
“The Portuguese government reaffirms that the integrity of the Schengen system depends on rigorous border control and a determined fight against all forms of illegal immigration,” the government said.
It said domestic authorities like the maritime police and the GNR national guard that combats illegal migration were “cooperating and acting in concert” with their Spanish counterparts.
https://p.dw.com/p/5I67h
Skip next section RECAP — Italy, France plan additional border vigilance
07/31/2026July 31, 2026
RECAP — Italy, France plan additional border vigilance
France’s Interior Minister on Friday said he had ordered tougher controls at the Spanish border overnight.
“In response to the situaton observed in the Ceuta enclave, I gave instructions as of last night to immediately strengthen the controls a the Spanish border,” Interior Minister Laurent Nunez wrote. “Furthermore, I am activating the Rapid Intervention Border Force for in-depth checks.”
Italy’s far-right Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni went a step further late on Thursday, calling for the “suspension” of Spain’s membership in the open-border Schengen zone.
On Friday, Finland’s Interior Minister, a member of the right-wing populist Finns Party that’s the second-largest in Helsinki’s coalition government, said she supported this proposal.
“Spain has completely failed to protect the Schengen Area’s external border from infiltration. This cannot continue. All European countries must support Meloni’s proposal,” Mari Rantanen wrote on Friday.
https://p.dw.com/p/5I5zy
Skip next section UK’s Burnham ‘making contact with the Spanish government’
07/31/2026July 31, 2026
UK’s Burnham ‘making contact with the Spanish government’
British Prime Minister Andy Burham said his government had offered support to Spain amid the developments.
“Obviously that’s a matter for the Spanish government first and foremost, but it is a cause for concern,” Burnham told reporters on Friday.
“And we are making contact with the Spanish government, the Spanish authorities, to provide support but also to understand the implications of that situation,” he said.
The leader of the UK’s populist right-wing opposition Party Reform UK, Nigel Farage, had already sought to draw attention to the situation, issuing a video as early as Thursday calling the situation a “battle for the future of our civilization.”
Following up on the issue on Friday, Farage said of the people who had entered Ceuta: “Before long many will be crossing the English Channel to enter Britain illegally.” He did not explain how in his estimation they were likely to reach the European mainland or the French port of Calais thereafter.
Amid the typical summer increase in illegal English Channel crossings into the UK, as calm seas render the trip less perilous, and as Burnham enjoys a brief honeymoon period in the polls after taking over from Keir Starmer, Farage and other British right-wing populists have turned their focus to the issue of irregular migration by boat in recent days.
https://p.dw.com/p/5I5xn
Skip next section What, and where, is Ceuta?
07/31/2026July 31, 2026
What, and where, is Ceuta?
Ceuta is an autonomous Spanish exclave on North Africa’s coast, bordering Morocco, not that far east of Tangiers.
It’s roughly 17 kilometers (or 11 miles) away from the Cadiz province and the Spanish mainland, across the Strait of Gibraltar.
The city of roughly 85,000 people has a similar size and status as Melilla, further east along the coast. As well as the local autonomous administration, one lawmaker represents the territory in Spain’s national parliament.
Ceuta is part of the territory of the European Union, although it’s only possible to reach the Spanish mainland via ferry, with ID or passport checks nominally required in order to board.
When Spain recognized the independence of Spanish Morocco in 1956, Ceuta and other so-called “strongholds of sovereignty” (plazas de soberania) remained under Spanish control. Morocco disputed this.
https://p.dw.com/p/5I5lr
Skip next section EU’s von der Leyen: ‘Dangerous crossings must stop immediately’
07/31/2026July 31, 2026
EU’s von der Leyen: ‘Dangerous crossings must stop immediately’
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen on Friday called the images coming from Ceuta unacceptable.
“We cannot allow anyone to come to our Union without abiding by our rules,” she wrote online. “Dangerous crossings must stop immediately. Smuggling networks must be dismantled. And returns must be swift, as our rules allow.”
Von der Leyen said she’d asked two relevant European Commissioners to provide support.
Commissioner for Internal Affairs and Migration Magnus Brunner was already working closely with Spain and was “ready to travel to critical points,” she said.
She added that Commissioner for the Mediterranean and Demography Dubravka Suica was “in contact with her Moroccan counterpart.”
Von der Leyen said she was “confident that our close partnership with Morocco will help deliver concrete results.”
https://p.dw.com/p/5I5ln
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Food
Major Food Recall Expands To Trader Joe’s, Walmart, Target & More As 345 People Get Sick
Taylor Farms isn’t going to be able to relax this summer, and neither will we. Taylor Fresh Foods’ (which also operates as Taylor Farms) is recalling a number of products that contain jalapenos. This comes on the heels the Cyclospora epidemic which has affected leafy greens.
In Minnesota, 110 people were reported to have become ill after eating jalapenos at Chipotle stores earlier this month. Qdoba pulled the affected product out of their stores due to a lack of confidence. The FDA has determined that these restaurants do not pose a risk to the public due to the removal of the product in question from their store.
Government agencies have reported that the jalapenos contaminated by Salmonella were distributed to 27 retailers across states. The affected jalapenos were grown in Sinaloa in Mexico. Taylor Farms is one of the suppliers to Coast Citrus Distributors.
What products are being recalled?
The recall is now being expanded to include 345 illnesses confirmed and 36 hospitalizations. The contaminated products were sold by retailers such as Hannaford and Kroger. List of affected products is extensive and includes:
The UPC 030223082712 is used on the diced jalapenos that are sold by Hannaford in Maine and New York. It’s best to use them between 8/7/2026 and 8/14/2026.
Rice and Bean Burrito available at Hannaford stores in Massachusetts, Maine New Hampshire New York and Vermont. UPC 030223082736. Best if consumed between the dates 8/7/2026-8/11/2026.
The Private Selection Spicy Roast Beef Sandwich PS is available at all Kroger stores in Alabama, Arkansas Georgia, Louisiana Mississippi South Carolina Tennessee and Texas. It has the UPC 011110678171 code and should be used between 8/7/2026-8/12/2026.
Spicy Jarlsberg dip sold by Kroger in Illinois, Indiana Kansas, Kentucky Louisiana, Mississippi Missouri, Nebraska Ohio Texas West Virginia and West Virginia. UPC 030223114826. Best if consumed between the dates 8/7/2026-8/15/2026.
The UPC 030223116448 is available at Kroger stores in Illinois, Indiana Kansas, Kentucky Louisiana, Mississippi Missouri, Nebraska Ohio Texas West Virginia and West Virginia. It’s best to use it between the dates 8/7/2026-8/15/2026.
Pico de Gallo Salsa is sold by Stop and Shop and Hannaford in Massachusetts, Maine and New York. The UPC code for this salsa is 688267575778. It’s best to use it between the dates 8/7/2026-8/14/2026.
Taylor Farms Unbranded Taco Dip is available at Target stores in Florida, Ohio and Texas. The UPC number 030223073581 indicates that the best dates to use it are between 8/12/2026 and 8/13/2026.
Taylor Farms Unbranded Mango Pico de Gallo is sold by Target in Ohio and Texas under the UPC 030223073543. It’s best to use it between dates 8/8/2026-8/13/2026.
Taylor Farms Unbranded Spicy Guacamole is sold in Target stores located in Ohio and Texas. The UPC number 030223073574 indicates that the best dates to use it are between 8/7/2026 and 8/13/2026.
Taylor Farms Pico de Gallo is sold by Target in Texas under the UPC 030223073536. It’s best to use it between dates 8/7/2026-8/14/2026.
Taylor Farms Authentic Guacamole is sold by Target in Texas under the UPC 030223073567. It’s best if you use it between dates 8/7/2026-8/12/2026.
Trader Joe’s Fiesta Style Salad Shrimp is sold in Trader Joe’s stores throughout Texas under the UPC 000000818377. It’s best to use it between dates 8/7/2026-8/12/2026.
The UPC Code 681131276351 is for the Hot or Spicy Pico de Gallo Spicy that can be purchased at Walmart stores in Florida, Illinois and Louisiana as well as Minnesota, Nebraska and Wisconsin. It’s best to use it between dates 8/8/2026-8/16/2026.
The Mild Pico De Gallo is sold by Walmart in Florida, Illinois and Louisiana. It can also be found at Walmarts in Minnesota, Nebraska and Texas.
Salsa Fresca Medium is available at Whole Foods in Illinois and Texas under the UPC 030223075080. It’s best to use it between 8/7/2026 and 8/16/2026.
Pico de Gallo Mild is sold by Whole Foods in Illinois and Texas under the UPC 030223075097. It’s best to use it between dates 8/7/2026-8/16/2026.
Pico de Gallo Spicy is sold by Whole Foods in Illinois and Texas under the UPC 030223075608, and it’s best to use between dates 8/7/2026-8/16/2026.
Salsa Roja Medium is available at Whole Foods in Illinois and Texas under the UPC 030223075639, and it’s best to use between dates 8/7/2026-8/16/2026.
Pineapple Mango Salsa mild sold by Whole Foods in Illinois and Texas under the UPC 030223075653 with best used between dates 8/7/2026-8/14/2026.
Food Safety and Inspection Service of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (FSIS), has also released a public alert regarding meat and poultry products that contain FDA-regulated Jalapenos, which may be contaminated by Salmonella.
Why are they being recalled?
A multistate outbreak outbreak was investigated, and food that contained Salmonella caused salmonellosis. Foodborne illnesses can result in diarrhea, stomach cramps and fever from 6 hours up to 6 days after consuming contaminated foods.
The illnesses began on June 19, 2026 and continued until July 20, 2026. Taylor Fresh Foods will no longer source products from the farmer in question and instead fill orders with alternative suppliers.
What should I do if I have the affected products?
FDA warns restaurants and retailers to not sell or serve recalled food products. If you suspect that you have symptoms of Salmonella after eating jalapenos, you should immediately contact your doctor. You should throw away any recalled jalapenos that you have frozen or if you are not sure where you purchased them. You should also thoroughly clean any containers or surfaces that were touched by the product to minimize the chance of contamination.
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Food
Major Russian grain export terminals hit in Ukraine Black Sea port attack
Reports say that a “massive,” Ukrainian drone-and missile attack on Russia’s Port of Novorossiysk damaged two important grain export terminals, and also hit the final major Russian base in the Black Sea.
Local officials reported that three people were killed, including an 8-year-old boy, and 24 others injured, in the attack overnight.
Volodymyr Zelensky, Ukraine’s president, said that Kyiv launched drones and jets to hit the Russian base in an “unique” operation. He did not, however, mention any grain terminals.
Later, the Ukrainian military confirmed that four Russian warships including two frigates were damaged. Russia hasn’t commented on this issue.
Zelensky wrote on Facebook that “the occupying fleet, and the entire infrastructure which supports it” will be unsafe as long as Russian aggressiveness continues.
The majority of Russia’s Black Sea Fleet is now docked at Novorossiysk, one of Russia’s largest ports, after being forced to leave its previous home base, Sevastopol in the Russia-occupied Crimean Peninsula, because it was exposed to Ukrainian attacks.
Reuters, RBK and a major Russian news outlet confirmed that a grain terminal was hit.
On Wednesday, the Russian Agriculture Ministry announced that it is working on redirecting cargo flow to land routes and ports along the Baltic Sea as well as Caspian. The ministry did not mention the attacks in Ukraine, but stated that it “was taking into consideration current logistics constraints”.
On Wednesday, an emergency was declared after drones damaged pipes and struck the area around the port, causing the water to be cut off in the city.
Veniamin Kodratyev, the regional governor said that drone debris killed a man in another part of the region. Kondratyev said that “several hundreds of drones” also hit nearby Krasnodar overnight. Dozens of homes and buildings were damaged.
Moscow, for its part launched overnight aerial strikes in Ukraine that killed 11 civilians between Tuesday and Thursday.
After a relative period of calm on the Black Sea in this summer, Kyiv and Moscow have resumed their attacks against each other’s ports.
The only remaining route to the sea out of Ukraine was severely affected by multiple deadly Russian attacks on cargo ships, and Odesa port. Moscow is trying this way to discourage foreign firms from doing business with Ukraine. The Ukrainian Agribusiness Club reported a 23 percent decrease in exports for July.
Ukraine is also becoming more adept at long-range attacks on Russian soil. Recent attacks by Ukraine on ships in the Black Sea’s eastern part have also disrupted Russia grain shipments.
According to an analytics firm based in Moscow, the Black Sea and Azov Sea disruptions could cause the exports of August to fall more than 50% compared with the same month five years ago.
Maria Zakharova, spokeswoman for the Russian Foreign Ministry, accused Ukraine on Wednesday of striking Russian agricultural and grain infrastructure. This resulted in an increase in food prices globally and a growing shortage of grain.
Zakharova said Russia will continue to strike “facilities [Ukraine’s military forces] use to destabilize the navigation situation on the Black Sea” until the “full elimination of security threats projected towards the Sea of Azov or the Black Sea.”
Food
Mike Lindell Won’t Concede Minnesota Primary Loss, Alleging ‘Anomalies’
Key Facts
Tangent
Lindell has faced several controversies during the campaign. The Minnesota Republican Party questioned whether Lindell has lived in the state long enough to meet the qualifications for governor. Lindell said he lived in Texas as recently as last year, but moved back to Minnesota before the one-year deadline prior to the Nov. 3 general election to qualify as a candidate. A judge also found probable cause last week that Lindell may have violated campaign laws by giving out pillows in packaging that said “Mike Lindell for Governor” during a July Fourth parade. Lindell, who stepped down as CEO of MyPillow, settled a $1 billion defamation suit with Dominion Voting Systems last month after the company sued him for spreading false claims the company rigged the 2020 presidential election.
Key Background
Walz, Kamala Harris’ running mate in the 2024 presidential election, announced in January he would not seek a third term following revelations of a massive welfare and social services fraud scheme. Walz said he was dropping out of the race to focus on his work as governor and deal with the fallout of the fraud scheme. Federal prosecutors have estimated the amount stolen could top $9 billion, a figure Walz has disputed, but has acknowledged could stretch into the billions. Trump and his allies have used the scheme to target Walz’s Democratic administration and the state’s Somali community, as some of the defendants are of Somali descent. The case involves multiple programs that receive public funding across child services, education, daycares and food security.
Food
Colombia earthquake: Baby rescued from rubble
Brian Osorio Zuluaga jumped out of Cali’s office and rode his motorcycle home when the 7.4-magnitude earthquake hit Colombia Monday.
He stopped when he saw a five-story apartment building that had collapsed.
Osorio, a CNN reporter said: “It covered an entire block.”
Osorio reported that the quake, which was Colombia’s strongest in over a decade, sent many residents of Las Torres del Limonar and their neighbors running into the streets, some in pajamas or sleepwear, while others were in shock and crying.
He walked up to the rubble, and he began screaming for survivors despite the warnings of a gas leak.
He asked everyone to remain silent. The debris emitted a faint, barely audible sound.
“Yes, I’m here. “I’m with my baby,” replied a voice.
Osorio explained how he, along with several other people, began to move debris by hand in order to reach the two. A large slab of concrete blocked the way.
He said, “On our first try we were unable to lift the object.” We all lifted it together, one, two and three.
Osorio feared that there might be other people under the slab. While others made a way to the infant, some volunteers lifted it up.
Osorio explained that the little baby head was a bit purple because it couldn’t breath. Once we removed the rubble from the area, the child began to breathe and his colour started to return.
Osorio filmed the miraculous rescue and shows the dusty baby in the bodysuit carefully being pulled from the wreckage. The bloody arm of a man can be seen on its side awkwardly lying under the concrete plank.
Osorio claimed that a baby boy was given to him and he gave it to a policeman who then took the child to an ambulance. Then they turned to releasing the man trapped in the car.
Osorio saw clothing, shoes and a toy animal in the dust. He thought of the trapped people.
He said, “All these thoughts are going through your head.”
Both the life of the father and that of the infant were saved by the bravery of all those who came to their aid.
He said, “Unity makes strength. No one individual could lift that large piece of rubble alone; it was heavy and huge.”
Osorio said, “it’s always better to move than stand still.” Every little bit counts.
Third day of rescue efforts
Early on Wednesday morning, search and rescue operations began their third day as emergency responders sought to locate more survivors following the deadly quake that struck west Colombia. More than 200 people were killed, CNN reported, based on official reports.
As world leaders offered assistance, the quake hit the coffee growing region of Colombia and threw the communities into chaos.
Kaja Kallas, chief of the EU’s Foreign Policy Department, said that the European Union had mobilized Copernicus satellite and provided funding for the response.
A woman from Cali was rescued on Tuesday by firemen after a multi-national rescue effort. She was carried out of the rubble in a stretcher to cheering.
In Pereira, CNN’s team saw volunteers and rescuers form a chain of people to help remove the debris from an apartment and save trapped residents.
David Culver, CNN’s national correspondent, said that people were not ready for the situation. They were wearing shorts and tennis shoes, as well as athleisure clothing. We have seen similar scenes scattered across Pereira. “This is the worst-hit area.”
Choco, a Colombian indigenous leader, told CNN the help is still not reaching the poorest part of Colombia, the region at the epicenter.
Victor Chamapuro said that “all of our houses were on the ground” when he led the Wounaan “Buenavista”, an indigenous reserve in Choco Litoral del San Juan.
Where are we sleeping now?” He said, “We have to stay alert; we are sleeping outdoors.”
Chamapuro asked authorities to send food, medicine and other supplies because a person was injured in his community.
Only by boat can you reach the “Buenavista”, a reserve on Colombia’s Pacific Coast, after a 5-hour trip from Buenaventura.
Chamapuro sent a video from the reserve showing flattened structures that appeared to be constructed from wood and corrugated sheets. Some buildings are still standing, but have varying degrees of damage.
Abelardo de la Espriella’s, Colombia’s far-right president who only took office last week, has already promised to take a hard line against criminal groups in Colombia and militants on the left.
Food
Deaths reported as severe storms unleash tornadoes, flash flooding in Midwest
CHICAGO (AP) — First responders and utility crews worked overnight into Wednesday clearing roads from trees and wires that were downed during severe storms in the Midwest that unleashed tornadoes, heavy rains and flash flooding while knocking out power to hundreds of thousands of customers.
A 4-year-old boy was killed when a tree fell on a home in Geneva, Indiana, during Tuesday’s storms, the Jennings County Sheriff’s Office said. In Ohio, Gov. Mike DeWine said a resident of Roseville died during a health emergency when first responders, faced with flooded roads, couldn’t reach them. Officials in Portage, Indiana, were investigating whether the severe weather played a role in a reported house explosion that killed a person.
Lightning struck a prison complex southwest of Cleveland on Tuesday, injuring 16 incarcerated people who were hospitalized, according to the Ohio Department of Corrections. Their conditions weren’t immediately known.
The storms inflicted a wide swath of damage from the Chicago area to western Pennsylvania, and the National Weather Service said threats of severe thunderstorms and heavy rainfall will continue over the next few days in the Midwest, Ohio Valley and central Appalachians.
More than 700,000 customers were without power Wednesday morning in Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, Kentucky and West Virginia, according to poweroutage.us.
The National Weather Service said it confirmed three tornadoes in counties south of Chicago. Water rescues were reported during heavy rains in several states including Ohio, where DeWine sent 40 Ohio Army National Guard members to help in two counties east of Columbus.
Tornado warning sirens howled Tuesday as the skies darkened in the Chicago area. All flights were temporarily stopped at Chicago’s two major airports, and officials warned of delays as the backlog was cleared.
Photos posted on social media from the Chicago area and across the state line in Indiana showed flooded roads, trees tangled in power lines and homes with gashes in their roofs.
“No power. It was very scary. We were down in the basement,” said Javid Jenkins of Homewood, a Chicago suburb. “We’re built for snow. We’re built for cold. We’re not built for this.”
Jenkins, 54, said he was driving around for gas to fire up a generator to preserve food in his refrigerator.
Forecasters said a wind gust of 99 mph (159 kph) was recorded in Gary, Indiana. Elsewhere there were numerous reports of gusts of 80 mph (128 kph) or more at personal weather stations.
Preliminary information indicated that the intense system that swept from Iowa into Indiana over several hours qualified as a derecho, the weather service’s Storm Prediction Center said Tuesday evening. Derechos are prolonged straight-line wind events that unleash heavy rainfall and travel far distances. The damage they cause is sometimes comparable to the destructive forces of tornadoes or hurricanes.
“Total devastation. No roof,” said Kerry Hourigan, standing outside her home of 25 years in Tinley Park, another Chicago suburb. “Stupid thing, but my focus was I just bought a new barbecue grill, and I have no idea where that is. It’s disappeared.”
Meteorologist Scott Baker said the Midwest was on the outer edge of a “ring of fire,” bringing waves of excessive moisture, instability and storms.
Dayton, Ohio, set a daily rainfall record with 2.07 inches (5.25 cm), shattering a mark set in 1915, the weather service said. Forecasters said multiple rounds of rain would cause flood hazards in the Ohio Valley through early Friday.
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White reported from Detroit. Associated Press writers Dave Collins in Hartford, Connecticut, Jennifer Garske in Washington, Sudhin Thanawala in Atlanta, and Christopher Weber in Los Angeles contributed.
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