Poet Maya Angelou becomes first Black woman to appear on US coin

   WASHINGTON, Jan 11 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Poet and activist Maya Angelou has become the first Black woman to appear on the US quarter, in a new version of the coin unveiled by the US Mint on Monday.     Angelou, author of “I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings,” will also be the first…

Covid-19: Poland records 100,000 Covid-linked deaths

 WARSAW, Jan 11 (NNN-AGENCIES) — More than 100,000 people have died in Poland from Covid since the start of the pandemic, the government said, as the mortality rate in the country is among the highest in the world. “It’s another sad day but particularly so today because we have crossed…

Chilean Electoral Court proclaims Gabriel Boric President

SANTIAGO, Jan 11 (NNN-TELESUR) — Chile’s Tribunal Calificador de Elecciones (Tricel-official electoral body) officially proclaimed Monday the victory of the Apruebo Dignidad candidate, Gabriel Boric, in the presidential elections of Dec 19, two months before his inauguration, scheduled for March 11. On Dec 19, it was indicated in the ceremony,…

Daniel Ortega sworn in for a new term as President of Nicaragua

MANAGUA, Jan 11 (NNN-TELESUR) — The President of Nicaragua, Daniel Ortega Saavedra and Vice President Rosario Murillo Zambrana received the credentials that accredit them in office for the period 2022-2027, before the swearing-in performed by the President of the National Assembly, Gustavo Porra Cortez, who took the promise of the…

6.6-magnitude quake hits off west coast of Cyprus: USGS

US Geological Survey says there are no immediate reports of casualties or damage NICOSIA, Jan 11 (NNN-AGENCIES) — A 6.6-magnitude quake hit off the west coast of Cyprus early Tuesday, the US Geological Survey said but there were no immediate reports of casualties or damage. The strong and relatively shallow…

Kenya suspends passenger flights from Dubai from Jan 10

NAIROBI, Jan 11 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Kenya has suspended all inbound and transit passenger flights from the United Arabs Emirates (UAE) to retaliate against a move by Dubai to ban all passenger flights from Kenya last year. The suspension took effect on Jan 10, for an initial period of seven days.…

Nigerian Amina Mohammed reappointed as Deputy UN Secretary-General

Amina Mohammed with current Nigerian president Muhammadu Buhari UNITED NATIONS, Jan 11 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Nigeria’s former Environment Minister Amina Mohammed has formally been retained as Deputy Secretary-General of the United Nations, UN.This was contained in an announcement from the office of the Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, who himself was handed a…

Mexico’s president once again tests positive for COVID-19

Mexico’s President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador MEXICO CITY, Jan 11 (NNN-Xinhua) — Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador said he has tested positive for COVID-19 for the second time. Lopez Obrador, 68, tweeted that he has “mild symptoms” and will continue to work while being isolated. “I will communicate virtually…

Covid-19: Italian PM says schools reopening “country’s priority,” defends vaccine mandate

ROME, Jan 11 (NNN-Xinhua) — Italy’s main priority in the phase of the COVID-19 pandemic is to keep schools open, Prime Minister Mario Draghi said, meanwhile defending the decision to make the vaccine mandatory for people aged 50 and above. An increase in the practice of distant learning would be…

Man gets genetically-modified pig heart in world-first transplant

Surgeon Bartley P. Griffith pictured with David Bennett earlier this month  BALTIMORE (Maryland, US), Jan 11 (NNN-AGENCIES) — A US man has become the first person in the world to get a heart transplant from a genetically-modified pig. David Bennett, 57, is doing well three days after the experimental seven-hour…