Source: BBC

A busy bridge in northern Vietnam collapsed after being hit by Super Typhoon Yagi, which has killed more than 60 people since making landfall on Saturday.

Dashcam footage showed the moment the Phong Chau bridge in Phu Tho province gave way on Monday, plunging several vehicles into the water below. Searches were under way for 13 people. 

The storm has wreaked havoc across the north of the country, with flooding and landslides leaving millions of people without power over the weekend.

Although it has now weakened into a tropical depression, authorities have warned Yagi will create more disruption as it moves westwards.

More than 240 people have been injured by the typhoon, which brought winds of up to 203 km/h (126 mph) and is Asia’s most powerful storm so far this year.

Ten cars and two scooters fell into the Red River following the collapse of the Phong Chau bridge, Deputy Prime Minister Ho Duc Phoc said.

The moment a lorry plummeted into the water as the bridge decking ahead fell away before the driver had time to stop was captured on camera.

At least three people have been rescued from the river so far.

Part of the 375-metre (1230 feet) structure is still standing, and the military has been instructed to build a pontoon bridge across the gap as soon as possible.

At least 44 people have been killed in landslides and flash floods, Vietnam’s ministry of agriculture and rural development said on Monday.

Among them were a 68-year-old woman, a one-year-old boy, and a newborn baby.

The typhoon also tore roofs from buildings and uprooted trees.

In the Yen Bai province, flood waters reached a metre (three feet) high on Monday, with 2,400 families having to be evacuated to higher ground as levels rose, AFP news agency reported.

Nearly 50,000 people were evacuated from coastal towns in Vietnam, with authorities issuing a warning to remain indoors.

Schools were temporarily closed in 12 northern provinces, including Hanoi.

Before hitting Vietnam, Yagi left 24 people dead across southern China and the Philippines.

As the world warms, typhoons can bring higher wind speeds and more intense rainfall, although the influence of climate change on individual storms is complicated.

Read our full explainer on the effect of climate change on hurricanes, typhoons, and cyclones here.

 

Stop unethical practices!-CJ  to lawyers  

Story: Nana Peprah 

Ghana’s Chief Justice, Her Ladyship Gertrude Araba Esaaba Torkornoo, has issued a stern warning to legal practitioners to avoid unethical practices in their profession.

Speaking at the 2024/2025 Annual General Conference of the Ghana Bar Association, Justice Torkornoo expressed disappointment at the increasing trend of lawyers prioritizing wealth creation over ethical conduct.

She highlighted that many lawyers have been referred to the Disciplinary Committee of the General Legal Council for unethical behaviour towards their clients, underscoring the need for a shift in professional attitude.

Justice Torkornoo emphasized that the legal profession should not be seen as a quick path to wealth but as a noble field that demands integrity and commitment.

To address these concerns, the Chief Justice revealed that the General Legal Council was collaborating with the Council of Law Deans to integrate legal ethics into the faculty curriculum.

Justice Torkornoo urged lawyers to recognize their role as officers and guardians of the law and to refrain from viewing the law merely as a means of financial gain.

She said, “I must also, very unhappily refer to the consistently increasing numbers of lawyers that are referred to the Disciplinary Committee of the general legal council for unethical practises against their clients. The general legal council is actively working, engaging the council of law deans, concerning the mainstreaming of the study of legal ethics at the faculty level.” 

“There seems to be an untoward notion that the law is the root of becoming rich early. However, as officers and guardians of law, I implore lawyers to appreciate their secret role and reduce the treatment of the law only as an avenue for wealth creation.”