World Tour - Afghanistan earthquake

MARY REICHARD, HOST: Coming up next on The World and Everything in It: WORLD Tour by our reporter in Africa, Onize Ohikere.

ONIZE OHIKERE, REPORTER: Afghanistan earthquake—Today’s World Tour kicks off in Afghanistan, where the aftermath of last week’s 6.1-magnitude earthquake is still unfolding.

AUDIO: [Aid workers/volunteers talking]

The quake struck mountainous villages near the border with Pakistan. The Taliban has reported more than a thousand deaths. The United Nations humanitarian office says the disaster also left about 65 children orphaned or alone.

Ramiz Alakbarov, Afghanistan’s top United Nations official, visited one of the affected villages.

ALAKBAROV: It's our obligation -- moral obligation, professional obligation, religious obligation -- to be here to help these people. To help these people because they deserve it. They deserve more, they deserve better.

Taliban officials have welcomed the support from other countries and international groups but say much more is needed.

Ecuador protests - We head over to Ecuador, where authorities are trying to contain more than two weeks of protests.

AUDIO: [Chants during protest]

Indigenous-led protests have blocked streets and brought the capital city of Quito to a near-standstill. The demonstrators want the government to cut the price of gasoline and agricultural products and provide more education funding.

Maria Elena Navarro belongs to a group of human rights observers.

NAVARRO: [Speaking in Spanish]

She said authorities have detained hundreds of protesters, and about seven people have disappeared.

In the latest concession, Ecuadorian President Guillermo Lasso reduced gasoline and diesel prices by 10 cents per gallon. Protest leaders called the cuts insufficient but agreed to hold discussions with the government.

North Korea war anniversary - Next, to North Korea.

AUDIO: [Music]

Authorities organized three days of anti-American rallies to mark the 72nd anniversary of the Korean War. North Korean officials denounced the United States as imperialists for provoking the war.

The attendees gathered outside the Victorious Fatherland Liberation War Museum, set up by North Korea to commemorate what it calls its victory in the Korean War.

Pyongyang has not held such rallies since 2018.

South Africa pub deaths - We end today in South Africa.

AUDIO: [Mourners talking]

Family members of 21 teenagers are still awaiting answers after the young people died at a pub over the weekend. Some of the eight girls and 12 boys were as young as 13.

They had gathered to celebrate the end of their winter school exams in the coastal town of East London.

Local media reported some of the victims were found strewn across tables and chairs but with no visible signs of injuries. Some of the survivors who were admitted to the hospital complained of chest and back pains.

AUDIO: [Speaking in Xhosa]

This mother said her 17-year-old daughter who died in the incident attended the celebration with a friend.

South Africa’s legal drinking age is 18, but regulations are not always enforced in township pubs. Authorities are conducting autopsies but say the deaths are likely linked to alcohol poisoning.

That’s it for this week’s World Tour. Reporting for WORLD, I’m Onize Ohikere in Abuja, Nigeria.

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