Presidential election: France braces for Sunday April 24 Le Pen-Macron election showdown

PARIS, April 24 (NNN-AGENCIES) — France on Sunday April 24 prepared to choose between President Emmanuel Macron and challenger Marine Le Pen to rule the country for the next five years after a bitterly contested and polarising election campaign. Macron is the favourite to win re-election in the run-off ballot…

Canada court sentences decades-long fake nurse to seven years in prison

Ottawa police took the unusual step of releasing this photo of Brigitte Cleroux after her arrest in 2021 ONTARIO, April 24 (NNN-AGENCIES) — A Canadian woman who spent decades impersonating nurses and other professionals by using fake identities was sentenced to seven years in prison for fraud. Brigitte Cleroux, 50,…

Russia-Ukraine conflict: Ukrainian refugees queue for food in wealthy Switzerland

People queue for food at a distribution depot of Swiss aid organisation “Essen fuer Alle” (Food For All) in Zurich ZURICH, April 24 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Hundreds of Ukrainians lined up for food handouts in central Zurich as wealthy Switzerland struggles to cope with the arrival of around 40,000 refugees since…

EU reaches deal on new legislation to combat illegal content online

BRUSSELS, April 24 (NNN-Xinhua) — The European Council said that it has reached a provisional political agreement with the European Parliament on a new legislation to combat hate speech, disinformation and other harmful content online. The legislation, named the Digital Services Act (DSA), “aims to protect the digital space against…

Nigeria: Over 100 killed in explosion at illegal oil refinery

Oil from a leaking pipeline burns in Goi-Bodo, a swamp area of the Niger Delta. Poverty has made illegal crude refining an attractive business ABUJA, April 24 (NNN-Xinhua) — Over 100 people have been killed following an explosion at an illegal oil refinery in Nigeria’s southern state of Imo, official…

New Ebola case confirmed in Democratic Republic of Congo

Health workers put on personal protective equipment (PPE) before entering an Ebola quarantine zone in DR Congo KINSHASA, April 24 (NNN-AGENCIES) — A new case of Ebola has been confirmed in northwestern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), the National Institute of Biomedical Research said. A 31-year old man died of the infectious disease…

Somalia: Pres Farmaajo warns of illegal ‘parallel’ elections

Mohamed Abdullahi Farmaajo, Somalian President MOGADISHU, April 24 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Somali President Mohamed Abdullahi Farmaajo claimed ‘parallel’ elections had been launched in the country, indicating a new bone of contention over the much-delayed polls.Farmaajo, in a statement, said there will be consequences after a group announced a plan to run…

Netherlands: Unannounced strike causes chaos at Amsterdam airport as holiday begins

Travellers wait in lines at Amsterdam Schiphol Airport as unannounced strike of ground staff caused delays and cancellations AMSTERDAM, April 24 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Amsterdam’s Schiphol airport urged travellers to stay away for several hours on Saturday as a strike by ground personnel at the start of a school holiday caused…

Covid-19: Only 29% of hospitalised patients fully recover one year on – UK Study

Expert says the limited recovery from five months to one year after hospitalisation is ‘striking’ LONDON, April 24 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Not even one in three people have completely recovered from COVID-19 a full year after being hospitalised with the disease, a United Kingdom study indicated, warning that long COVID could become a common…

At least one child dead after increase of acute hepatitis cases in children: WHO

GENEVA, April 24 (NNN-AGENCIES) — The World Health Organization said that at least one child death had been reported following an increase of acute hepatitis of unknown origin in children, and that at least 169 cases had been reported in children in 12 countries. The WHO issued the figures as…