Covid-19: Ecuador to further relax restrictions from Monday amid “clear” drop in cases

QUITO, Feb 19 (NNN-Xinhua) — Ecuador’s National Emergency Operations Committee decided to stop using the color-coded risk monitoring system and further relax restrictions from Monday Feb 21, following a “clear” drop in COVID-19 infections. After the peak of the pandemic in the second week of January, the number of infections…

Cuba unveils food security plan

WFP launches its first Country Programme to support food security in Cuba HAVANA, Feb 19 (NNN-Xinhua) — Cuba on Friday unveiled a national program for food security, including increasing production to reduce its reliance on imports. “We are taking steps towards developing the agricultural sector amid the intensification of the…

Death toll hits 130 in Brazil mudslides

BRASILIA, Feb 19 (NNN-Xinhua) — The number of fatalities due to floods and mudslides in Petropolis, a town in southeast Brazil’s Rio de Janeiro state, rose to 130 on Friday, according to local authorities. The latest report from the local Civil Defense agency also said the number of people reported…

Last UN staffer detained in Ethiopia released

Thousands of people have been killed in the yearlong war in Tigray, thousands have been detained, and millions have been displaced UNITED NATIONS, Feb 19 (NNN-Xinhua) — The last UN staff member detained by authorities in Ethiopia is now free, a UN spokesman said. “This is an issue that the…

Storm Eunice batters Netherlands, killing three

People walk in strong wind caused by Storm Eunice in Zandvoort, the Netherlands THE HAGUE, Feb 19 (NNN-Xinhua) — Storm Eunice killed three people in the Netherlands on Friday, all of whom were killed by falling trees in the Amsterdam region. Two people died in the city of Amsterdam, and…

Two trapped in burning ferry off Greek island rescued, 12 still missing

Smoke rises from the burning Italian-flagged Euroferry Olympia, after a fire broke out on the ferry, off the island of Corfu, Greece ATHENS, Feb 19 (NNN-Xinhua) — Two men who had been trapped for several hours in a ferry that caught fire off Greece’s Corfu island were rescued, and the…

3 killed as record wind batters Britain

People clinging onto a tree during Storm Eunice in London, Britain LONDON, Feb 19 (NNN-Xinhua) — Seen as one of the worst storms in three decades, Eunice has brought record high wind to Britain Friday, killing three people while causing massive power cuts, flight cancellations and school closures across the…

Russian Pres Putin to oversee huge nuclear drills amid Ukraine tension

Russia’s President, Vladimir Putin MOSCOW, Feb 19 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Russia says President Vladimir Putin will personally oversee military drills involving “strategic forces” on Saturday, Feb 19 at a time of soaring tensions at the country’s border with Ukraine.The defence ministry said the exercise will include multiple practice launches of intercontinental…

UN World Food Programme boss raises alarm on hunger crisis in the Sahel

World Food Programme boss, David Beasley NIAMEY (Niger), Feb 19 (NNN-AGENCIES) — The World Food Programme raised alarm over an “absolute crisis” unfolding in the Sahel.In a tweet, WFP Executive Director, David Beasley wrote, “Families have been chased from their homes by extremist groups, starved by drought and plunged into…

Tanzania President drums up EU support for Burundi

Tanzanian President, Samia Suluhu Hassan BRUSSELS, Feb 19 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Tanzanian President Samia Suluhu Hassan has drummed up support for neighbouring Burundi by calling upon the European Union to lift economic sanctions imposed on the country six years ago.The Tanzanian leader in Brussels, Belgium, where she held talks with the…