Djibouti president secures 5th term with 98% of votes – provisional results

President Omar Guelleh has been in power for 22 years DJIBOUTI, April 10 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Djibouti president Ismail Omar Guelleh is coasting to a landslide in presidential elections held on Friday, April 9.According to provisional results showed that the incumbent President won more than 98% of the vote.He was largely…

Covid-19: Virus lockdowns around the world as vaccine efforts stumble over shortages, side effects

MUMBAI (India), April 10 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Fresh lockdowns and curfews were imposed on tens of millions of people from India to Argentina on Saturday, as Covid-19 infections surged again and vaccine roll-outs were hampered by shortages and scares over side effects. In India, the worst-hit state of Maharashtra was running…

Ecuador to choose between socialism and free markets in Sunday presidential runoff

Ecuador’s presidential candidate Guillermo Lasso QUITO, April 10 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Ecuadoreans on Sunday will choose between a conservative banker and a left-wing economist in a presidential runoff that follows months of debate over whether the country’s economic malaise can be best treated through socialism or market-friendly policies. Polls broadly indicate…

Chile, India discuss furthering trade under Partial Scope Agreement

SANTIAGO, April 10 (NNN-MERCOPRESS) — Chile and India are discussing furthering bilateral trade under the so-called Partial Scope Agreement (PSA). Authorities from both countries held a series of virtual encounters that concluded on Friday. Heading Chile’s delegation is Felipe Lopeandía, general director of bilateral economic affairs within the Undersecretariat of…

Covid-19: Venezuela investigates mayor for marking homes of infected people

CARACAS, April 10 (NNN-MERCOPRESS) — The mayor of a municipality in the western Venezuelan state of Yaracuy this week forced people to mark the homes of Covid-19 patients in his community with signs to prevent visits and prevent contagion. “Family in preventive quarantine, no visitors allowed,” say the signs that…

US: Pres Biden’s Mexico border tsar to quit

WASHINGTON, April 10 (NNN-AGENCIES) — President Joe Biden’s top official for the Mexican border, where US authorities are struggling to stop a huge flow of undocumented migrants, will step down, the White House said Friday. Roberta Jacobson, officially known as coordinator for the Southwest Border at the National Security Council,…

Myanmar’s envoy leads UN calls for urgent action

UNITED NATIONS, April 10 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Myanmar’s own ambassador to the United Nations pressed for a no-fly zone and sanctions as international pressure grew on the military junta to end a deadly crackdown and restore democracy. The United States and European nations pleaded for action at a meeting of the…

Brazil raises US$620 million in huge concession auction

Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro  BRASILIA, April 10 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Brazil wrapped up a massive auction Friday for concessions to operate 22 airports, a rail line and five ports with a total take of US$620 million and planned investments of US$1.75 billion in all. The three-day auction was seen as a…

Covid-19: Europe’s vaccine drive set to pick up as 100 millionth dose delivered

BERLIN, April 10 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Europe has taken delivery of more than 100 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines that should help the region’s initially sluggish inoculation drive finally gather momentum, according to a weekly monitoring report. A total of 104 million doses have been sent to countries in the European…

Covid-19: No ‘causal’ link found yet between J&J vaccine and blood clots, says US health authorities

WASHINGTON, April 10 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Top US health authorities said they have not yet found a “causal” link between Johnson & Johnson’s Covid shot and blood clots, as the EU drug regulator probed possible instances among those who have received the vaccine. “At this time, we have not found a…