Covid-19: J&J submits one-shot vaccine for WHO emergency use approval

The Johnson & Johnson vaccine, still under review by the United States health regulator GENEVA, Feb 20 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Johnson & Johnson said that it had submitted data to the World Health Organization (WHO) for emergency use listing of its COVID-19 vaccine, which would allow for wider access to the…

South Sudan’s current violence ‘lot worse’ than during civil war: UN report

The 2013-2018 civil war killed an estimated 400,000 people GENEVA/JUBA, Feb 20 (NNN-AFRICANEWS) — Violence raging on in vast swathes of South Sudan a year after a peace deal was signed to end the five-year civil war is “a lot worse” than during the war itself, according to a United…

Nigeria: Negotiations under way to free children abducted by armed ‘bandits’

Nigeria President Muhammadu Buhari ABUJA, Feb 20 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Negotiations are underway between Nigerian officials and the armed gang that kidnapped 42 people, including 27 children from a boarding school in the Kagara district of Niger state, on Wednesday.Heavily armed men in military uniforms raided the Government Science College in…

Covid-19: Africa CDC secures 300 million doses of Russia’s Sputnik V vaccine

The AVATT team that secured the doses was set up by the African Union ADDIS ABABA, Feb 20 (NNN-AFRICANEWS) — The Africa Vaccine Acquisition Task Team (AVATT), has secured over 300 million doses of Russia’s Sputnik V coronavirus vaccine.The AVATT team had earlier on secured over 270 million doses of…

US: Democrats unveil immigration reforms offering citizenship to 11 mn

WASHINGTON, Feb 20 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Democrats unveiled legislation for President Joe Biden’s plan to create a path to citizenship for 11 million undocumented immigrants, saying there is no justification for denying them a permanent home in the United States. Biden called the policy reforms “long overdue” and said they were…

Covid-19: US Pres Biden and G7 refocus on Covid recovery

LONDON, Feb 20 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Wealthy G7 powers on Friday ramped up health funding for poorer nations after accusations they are hoarding coronavirus vaccines, as US President Joe Biden and the rest of the leaders declared a “turning point” from the psychodramas of the former Pres Trump era. British Prime…

Colombian military accused of 6,400 extrajudicial killings: Special Court

BOGOTA. Feb 19 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Colombia’s military carried out at least 6,400 extrajudicial killings and presented them as combat deaths between 2002 and 2008, a number significantly higher than previously estimated, a special court said. The court, called the Special Jurisdiction for Peace, is investigating crimes and atrocities committed during…

Dutch authorities seize huge cocaine haul hidden among coffee beans

1,300 kilograms of cocaine was hidden between a load of coffee beans ROTTERDAM, Feb 19 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Dutch customs investigators discovered over 1,300 kilograms of cocaine hidden between a load of coffee beans in the port of Rotterdam, the public prosecutor’s office said.The sales value of the illegal cargo was…

Russia, Turkey and Iran call for end to foreign interference in Syria

Group of US backed Syrian rebels surrenders to government SOCHI (Russia), Feb 19 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Representatives from Russia, Turkey and Iran ended a two-day meeting on ways to re-invigorate stalled talks on a new constitution for Syria by calling for a stop to foreign interference.In a joint declaration, the representatives…

Desert locust invasion in northern Kenya could spiral out of control: UN

Swarms were spotted in parts of the Rift Valley region, Kenya’s bread basket NAIROBI, Feb 19 (NNN-AGENCIES) — A new wave of the desert locust invasion currently destroying crops and pastures in northern Kenya threatens to spiral out of control, having spread to more than 15 counties in the country.The…