No urgent need for mass monkeypox vaccinations: WHO

LONDON, May 24 (NNN-AGENCIES) — The World Health Organization does not believe the monkeypox outbreak outside of Africa requires mass vaccinations as measures like good hygiene and safe sexual behaviour will help control its spread, a senior official said. Richard Pebody, who leads the high-threat pathogen team at WHO Europe,…

UN says rich countries putting children around the world at risk

UNITED NATIONS, May 24 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Rich countries are creating unsafe living conditions for children both at home and around the world, a UNICEF report released Tuesday said, calling on states to reduce waste and cut pollution. UNICEF’s Innocenti Research Center studied 39 countries from the Organization for Economic Co-operation…

Three migrants dead as smuggling boat sinks in Mexico

AGUA DULCE (Mexico), May 24 (NNN-AGENCIES) — At least three Honduran migrants died and four were missing on Monday after a people-smuggling boat capsized in eastern Mexico, authorities said. Several others survived the accident in Agua Dulce in Veracruz state, where the Tonala river flows into the Gulf of Mexico,…

South Africa: Johannesburg’s growing problem of plastic pollution

JOHANNESBURG, May 24 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Johannesburg’s landfill sites are bulging with plastic waste. The city’s biggest landfill site located in the Turffontein area is a hive of activity as waste trucks arrive to drop off their deposits. Despite a 2018 move by South Africa’s most populous city, making it mandatory…

Tunisia’s trade union rejects president Saied’s proposed dialogue

The secretary-general of the Tunisian General Labour Union Noureddine Taboubi (R) chairs a meeting in Tunis TUNIS, May 24 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Tunisia’s powerful trade union centre UGTT has refused to take part in a dialogue proposed by President Kais Saied with the aim of founding a “new republic” after taking…

Zimbabwe opens conference to promote sales of elephant ivory

HARARE, May 24 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Zimbabwe has opened an international conference to try to win international support for its campaign to be allowed to sell its stockpile of seized ivory. If the southern African country is not permitted to sell off its 130 tons of ivory, estimated to be worth…

Africa: AfDB Board approves $1.5 billion facility to avert food crisis in Africa

Dr. Akinwumi Adesina, President of the African Development Bank ABIDJAN, May 24 (NNN-AGENCIES) — The African Development Bank (AfDB) Group’s board of directors announced that it approved a $1.5 billion facility to help African countries avert a looming food crisis in the continent. In a statement, the bank said with the disruption…

Somalia’s Farmaajo hands over presidency to Mohamoud

Outgoing President Mohamed Abdullahi Mohamed handing over Somalia flag to newly elected president Hassan Sheikh Mohamoud MOGADISHU, May 24 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Somalia’s tenth President Hassan Sheikh Mohamoud, who was elected eight days ago, has taken over the presidency from his predecessor Mohamed Abdullahi Farmaajo in a handover ceremony at the…

Russia-Ukraine conflict: EU oil embargo ‘in days’ as Ukraine isolation drives Russia closer to China

BERLIN/KREMLIN, May 24 (NNN-AGENCIES) — The European Union will likely agree an embargo on Russian oil imports “within days,” according to its biggest member Germany, as Moscow said it saw its economic ties growing with China after being isolated by the West over its invasion of Ukraine. Ukrainian President Volodymyr…

Germany to release monkeypox guidance, mulls vaccine options

Symptoms of the monkeypox virus on a patient’s hand GENEVA, May 24 (NNN-AGENCIES0 — Germany’s health minister expressed concern about monkeypox outbreaks and said the country was due to release quarantine guidelines on Tuesday after reporting three cases. Nearly 20 countries where monkeypox is not endemic have reported outbreaks of…