Nigeria: We’ll act decisively to stop spread of ethno-religious violence – Pres Buhari

ABUJA, Feb 14 (NNN-NAN) — The president warns that his government will not allow any ethnic or religious group to fan the embers of hatred and violence against other groups. President Muhammadu Buhari has vowed that his government will protect all religious and ethnic groups, whether majority or minority, in…

US condemns executions of Turks in northern Iraq

US State Department spokesman Ned Price WASHINGTON, Feb 15 (NNN-AGENCIES) — The United States condemned the execution of 13 Turkish hostages held by the PKK terrorists in northern Iraq. The executions, which included military and police personnel, took place during a Turkish military operation launched on Feb 10 against the…

Sudan accuses Ethiopian forces of cross border, raising tensions

Ethiopians, who fled the ongoing fighting in Tigray region, carry their belongings after crossing the Setit River on the Sudan-Ethiopia border KHARTOUM, Feb 15 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Ethiopian forces crossed into Sudanese territory in an act of “aggression”, Sudan’s foreign ministry said, marking the latest flare-up in a long-standing border dispute.…

Covid-19: Peru’s foreign minister resigns over coronavirus vaccine scandal

Health workers wait for a dose of the Sinopharm’s coronavirus disease vaccine in Lima LIMA, Feb 15 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Peru’s foreign minister resigned Sunday in a growing scandal over the revelation that government officials received Covid-19 vaccinations well before the general public. The South American nation has been badly hit…

Fuego volcano erupts some 50 km of Guatemala capital

GUATEMALA CITY, Feb 15 (NNN-TASS) — Guatemalan rescue services reported that the Fuego volcano, located 50km away from the capital city of Guatemala, has started to erupt. Lava flows reach up to 1.5 km long, and a column of ash rises above thevolcano, spreading up to 5 km away, the…

UK rolls out hotel quarantine for ‘high risk’ country returnees

LONDON, Feb 15 (NNN-AGENCIES) — The UK government will on Monday introduce mandatory hotel quarantine rules for arrivals from dozens of countries deemed “high risk” for coronavirus variants, as it tries to stop new strains spreading. The new policy requires all UK citizens and permanent residents enteringEngland from 33 countries…

Nigerian diplomat set to be first woman to lead World Trade Organization

Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala poses outside a Nigerian diplomatic residence in Chambesy, near Geneva GENEVA, Feb 15 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Nigeria’s Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala looks set to be confirmed on Monday as the first woman and first African leader of the beleaguered World Trade Organization (WTO), a near-paralysed institution desperately needing a kick-start. The…

Spain: Separatists headed for Catalan election majority, preliminary results show

Regional election in Catalonia BARCELONA (Spain), Feb 15 (NNN-AGENCIES) –: Separatist parties were on track on Sunday to jointly win enough seats to strengthen their majority in Catalonia’s regional parliament, according to preliminary results with over 80 per cent of the votes counted. But the Socialists, the ruling party in Spain’s national…

Covid-19: French hospitals to move into crisis mode over possible surge of cases

PARIS, Feb 15 (NNN-AGENCIES) — The French Health Ministry has asked regional health agencies and hospitals to go into “crisis organisation” from Feb 18 to prepare for a possible surge in coronavirus cases due to highly contagious variants. The move, which would echo measures taken in March and November 2020…

Covid-19: Chile calls on citizens to take care of health despite vaccination campaign

Coronavirus cases and deaths continue to increase in Latin American countries, the Pan American Health Organization said SANTIAGO, Feb 15 (NNN-Xinhua) — Chilean Health Minister Enrique Paris said that despite the success of the vaccination program, through which 1.8 million people have received the first dose of the vaccine against…