Covid-19: Tunisia confirms 1st case of Omicron variant infection

TUNIS, Dec 4 (NNN-Xinhua) — A 23-year-old man from a sub-Saharan African country has been confirmed as Tunisia’s first case of the Omicron COVID-19 variant, the country’s Health Minister Ali Mrabet said. The man landed at the Tunis-Carthage International Airport from Istanbul, Turkey, Mrabet said in a statement carried on…

Armed attacks force over 11,500 Nigerians to flee to Niger in November: UNHCR

LAGOS, Dec 4 (NNN-Xinhua) — The office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) said repeated attacks in northwest Nigeria forced over 11,500 Nigerians to flee across the border into neighboring Niger in November, resulting in humanitarian crisis. Armed groups, locally called “bandits”, have repeatedly attacked villages in…

Portuguese minister resigns after driver’s involvement in deadly car accident

Eduardo Cabrita was in his official car when the fatal accident took place LISBON, Dec 4 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Portugal’s interior minister has stepped down nearly five months after his driver was involved in a car crash that killed a road worker while the government official was on the back seat.…

Covid-19: Wave in Germany could reach “sad peak” by Christmas – health minister

People wait for COVID-19 tests outside a test site in Berlin BERLIN, Dec 4 (NNN-Xinhua) — The fourth wave of the COVID-19 pandemic could reach a “sad peak” in intensive care units (ICUs) across Germany around Christmas even if the measures just agreed were implemented immediately, acting Health Minister Jens…

US: Pres Biden signs short-term funding bill to avert gov’t shutdown

WASHINGTON, Dec 4 (NNN-Xinhua) — US President Joe Biden on Friday signed a short-term funding bill that will keep the federal government running through Feb 18, 2022, avoiding a looming partial shutdown. “Funding the government isn’t a great achievement. It’s a bare minimum of what we need to get done,”…

Covid-19: Oil producers to increase output in January despite Omicron jitters

   LONDON, Dec 4 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Major oil producers decided to keep raising output levels in January, despite the Omicron coronavirus variant raising fresh questions over demand.   The OPEC+ alliance led by Saudi Arabia and Russia had so far resisted US-led pressure to significantly boost output to rein in surging…

Covid-19: WHO has no reports yet of Omicron deaths

  GENEVA, Dec 4 (NNN-AGENCIES) — The World Health Organization said it had not seen any reports of deaths relating to the new Omicron variant of Covid-19.    The WHO said it was collecting evidence about the variant of concern, as countries around the world scramble to stop it spreading.…

Libyan court reinstates Saif Gaddafi as presidential candidate

Saif al-Islam, who is wanted by the ICC for alleged war crimes, had registered to run in the next month’s elections TRIPOLI, Dec 3 (NNN-AGENCIES) — The son of Libya’s longtime ruler Muammar Gaddafi has been given the go-ahead to run in the country’s upcoming presidential election, his lawyer said,…

Covid-19: Germany cracks down on unvaccinated as US eyes winter battle

People line up in front of an information desk at the main railway station in Munich BERLIN, Dec 3 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Germany unveiled strict curbs on the unvaccinated Thursday as alarm fanned worldwide over the Omicron variant, and Joe Biden announced America’s winter battle plans against Covid-19 as signs of…

Mexican gov’t accepts temporary restart of US “Stay in Mexico” scheme

MEXICO CITY, Dec 3 (NNN-Xinhua) — Mexico’s government said that it accepted the temporary reinstatement of an immigration program that forces asylum seekers to remain in Mexico while their cases are being heard in the United States. Better known as “Stay in Mexico,” the Migrant Protection Protocols was accepted by…