US snow storms: Anger over huge power bills in ‘preventable’ Texas weather crisis; 70 died

HOUSTON, Feb 22 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Millions of Texans were still withoutsafe water as officials fielded angry complaints over shockinglylarge power bills spawned by a cold weather crisis that Houston’s mayor said was ultimately preventable. The frigid air mass that paralyzed parts of the southern and central UnitedStates early in the…

Covid-19: India’s tally crosses 11-mln mark

NEW DELHI, Feb 22 (NNN-Xinhua) — India’s COVID-19 tally crossed the 11-million mark, reaching 11,005,850 on Monday as 14,199 new cases were registered during the past 24 hours, said the latest data from the federal health ministry. According to the official data, the death toll mounted to 156,385 as 83…

Ebola: DR Congo’s death toll rises to four as people resist measures

KINSHASA, Feb 22 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Four people have died from Ebola during a new outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo, where people are resisting measures to contain the disease, officials said.Since the epidemic’s resurgence this month, “we have already registered six Ebola cases. We have lost four infected people,”…

Covid-19: UK’s PM eyes end to lockdown as vaccines reach one-third of adults

LONDON, Feb 22 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Prime Minister Boris Johnson is set Monday to start unwinding England’s third and — he hopes — final coronavirus lockdown, as a quickening UK-wide inoculation drive relieves pressure on hard-hit hospitals. In a statement to parliament, Johnson is expected to confirm the reopeningof all English…

Covid-19: New Zealand says vaccinations ‘small step in long journey’

WELLINGTON, Feb 22 (NNN-AGENCIES) — New Zealand launched its Covid-19 vaccination programme over the weekend but warned the initial rollout was only a small step in the long battle against the pandemic. The Pacific nation has been widely praised for its handling of the coronavirus and has seen just 26…

Six Mexican military personnel killed in air crash

MEXICO CITY, Feb 22 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Six military personnelhave died after the airplane they were traveling in crashed on takeoff ineastern Mexico, the defense secretariat said. The Airforce LearJet 45 crashed at around 1545 GMT Sunday after taking off from Emiliano Zapata in Veracruz state, the secretariat said in a…

Covid-19: US nears 500,000 deaths as globally, figure approaching 2.5 million

WASHINGTON, Feb 22 (NNN-AGENCIES) — The United States stood on the brink of recording 500,000 Covid-related deaths since the start of thepandemic, while nations globally pressed on with vaccination rollouts,including with Australia giving its first shots. The catastrophic US toll comes as some signs of hope are emerging in theworld’s…

Covid-19: Israel starts reopening with vaccine “passports”

Israel reopened large parts of its economy on Sunday after an almost two-month COVID-19 lockdown JERUSALEM, Feb 22 (NNN-Xinhua) — Israel reopened large parts of its economy on Sunday after an almost two-month COVID-19 lockdown, using “Green Pass” to lift some restrictions for vaccinated people while maintaining several bans on…

Algerian president partially reshuffles cabinet, dissolves lower house of parliament

Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune ALGIERS, Feb 22 (NNN-Xinhua) — Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune made a partial cabinet reshuffle, and signed a decree to dissolve the National People’s Assembly (lower house of Parliament). Tebboune on Sunday signed a decree to partially reshuffle the cabinet, noting that Abdelaziz Djerad has been maintained…

GIBRALTAR: Four injured on Hong Kong-registered cargo vessel explosion, two transferred to Seville burns unit

Four crew members were injured in the incident aboard the Hong Kong-flagged 120,600-dwt CSSC Cape Town GIBRALTAR, Feb 22 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Two crew members who sustained severe burn injuries during an explosion on a Hong Kong-registered bulk carrier on Friday evening have been transferred to Seville’s burns unit as more…