US: House scraps Thursday session as FBI, police warn of militia threat of US Capitol

WASHINGTON, March 4 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Washington’s security posture has been bolstered after threats of a possible Thursday “breach” of the USCapitol, with the House of Representatives changing its voting plans to avoid gathering members on a day of potential unrest. The warning was relayed by US Capitol Police, who said…

Covid-19: New cases in US fall below 50,000

WASHINGTON, March 4 (NNN-AGENCIES) — For the first time since Oct 18, the number of new coronavirus cases in the United States came down below 50,000.With 48,092 new cases reported, the total number of infections in the country rose to 28,664,463, as per the COVID Tracking Project’s latest update.The seven-day…

Covid-19: World Bank readies vaccine funding for about 30 African countries

The global lender has yet to disclose how much money is involved WASHINGTON, March 4 (NNN-AGENCIES) — The World Bank is preparing emergency financing to help about 30 African countries access COVID-19 vaccines, as the continent scrambles to secure doses and start immunising vulnerable groups.Only a handful of African governments have launched…

France admits ‘torture and murder’ of Algerian freedom fighter

Malika Boumendjel, widow of Algerian lawyer Ali Boumendjel PARIS, March 4 (NNN-AGENCIES) — French forces “tortured and murdered” Algerian freedom fighter Ali Boumendjel during his country’s war for independence, President Emmanuel Macron admitted, officially reappraising a death that was covered up as a suicide.Macron made the admission “in the name…

Ethiopia releases media workers detained in Tigray

Media watchdog groups reported the arrests of at least 13 journalists in Ethiopia last year ADDIS ABABA, March 4 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Four media workers recently arrested in Ethiopia’s conflict-hit northern Tigray region have been released.Fitsum Berhane and Alula Akalu, translators working for AFP news agency and Financial Times respectively, BBC…

Pregnant woman, five others killed as ambulance hits landmine in Burkina Faso

OUAGADOUGOU, March 4 (NNN-AGENCIES) —  A pregnant woman and five other people died when an ambulance carrying them hit a land mine in northern Burkina Faso, in an area that has come under repeated militant attacks, the government said.The ambulance was carrying the woman, her husband, a girl and two…

Somalia: UN delays Amisom exit as Somalis push for a political deal

Amisom troops patrol in Merca, in southern Somalia UNITED NATIONS, March 4 (NNN-AGENCIES) — The mandate of the African Union Mission in Somalia (Amisom) has been extended by two weeks from end of February to March 14 as the country’s leaders push for a political deal.A unanimous decision reached by…

Covid-19: Pres Biden promises vaccines will be available for every US adult by end of May

 WASHINGTON, March 4 (NNN-AGENCIES) — The US will have enough coronavirus vaccines for every adult by the end of May, President Joe Biden said. This will be two months earlier than previously expected, but Biden said the vaccination drive must be extended, too, and people convinced to take it. And he…

Russia says new Western sanctions ‘absolutely unacceptable’

MOSCOW, March 3 (NNN-AGENCIES) — The Kremlin said Westernsanctions on Russia were “absolutely unacceptable” and dismissed as“outrageous” claims that the country’s security agency was behind thepoisoning of opposition figure Alexei Navalny. “We believe such measures are absolutely unacceptable because theysignificantly damage already bad relations,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told journalists…

10 killed in airplane crash in South Sudan

JUBA, March 3 (NNN-AGENCIES) — A commercial plane crashed in South Sudan, killing all 10 people on board, according to the governor of Jonglei state.  Ten people including eight passengers and two pilots lost their lives after South Supreme Airlines flight HK-4274 bound for the capital Juba took off from the town of Pieri…