Covid-19: Malawi to destroy thousands of expired Covid vaccines – Minister

Medical personnel are seen at an ambulance outside the main COVID-19 treatment center LILONGWE, April 15 (NNN-AFRICANEWS) — More than 16,000 doses of vaccine have reached their expiration date and will be destroyed in Malawi, after arriving in the southern African country three weeks ago, the health minister said.Of the…

Nigerians flee to Niger after third devastating attack in northeast

Damasak hit once again by Jihadists ABUJA, April 15 (NNN-AFRICANEWS) — Civilians are fleeing into the Niger Republic after gunmen attacked Damasak town, Borno state in northeast Nigeria on Wednesday – the third attack in a week and the second in 24 hours. The attacks reportedly by dozens of jihadist…

Covid-19: Empty streets in Tunis as Ramadan begins

Tunis city centre TUNIS, April 15 (NNN-AGENCIES) — The city centre of Tunisia’s capital Tunis, lies almost empty before “iftar”, or breaking the fast at sunset on the first day of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan.The Tunisian government ahead of Ramadan extended its nighttime curfew by three hours, tightening…

Tunisian journalists protest appointment of state news agency boss

Dozens of the journalists gathered infront of the news agency TUNIS, April 15 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Journalists at Tunisia’s state news agency protest the appointment of a new chief executive.The protesting media professionals say the appointment of Kamel Ben Younes is an attempt at undermining editorial independence.Dozens of the journalists gathered…

‘Total mourning’ in Niger as 20 pre-school children perish in fire

Burned chairs, tables and other objects in the school NIAMEY, April 15 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Citizens in Niger are mourning 20 pre-school children aged between three and five – trapped in the flames of a horrific fire at a school on the outskirts of the country’s capital, Niamey.The young victims perished…

Covid-19: Vaccination delays top risk for global economy – IMF official

WASHINGTON, April 15 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Delays in Covid-19 vaccinations are the top risk facing the global economy, and getting people in poor countries inoculated should be a top priority, the IMF’s chief economist said. “The fact that there is this big gap in access to vaccinations is a big problem,”…

Peru’s presidential elections: Pedro Castillo and Keiko Fujimori likely candidates for runoff

LIMA, April 14 (NNN-MERCOPRESS) — Ultra-leftist candidate Pedro Castillo of the Peru Libre party and perennial conservative contender Keiko Fujimori looked poised to advance to the runoff after Peru’s National Office of Electoral Processes (ONPE) had counted 93.479% of the votes. Although these results are still preliminary, Castillo was visibly…

Full lockdown in four Colombian cities going through third wave of covid-19

BOGOTA, April 14 (NNN-MERCOPRESS) — The Colombian government imposed a full-scale lockdown on the cities of Bogota, Medellin, Barranquilla and Santa Marta as new covid-19 infections push Intensive Care Units to their limit, it was reported. President Iván Duque announced on his daily TV show that the new restrictions are…

UN Sec-Gen Guterres endorses millionaire’s tax to help fight covid-19

UNITED NATIONS, April 14 (NNN-MERCOPRESS) — UN Secretary-General António Guterres agreed with several world leaders on the convenience to tax the wealthiest, so that States have more resources to support the vulnerable population which has been severely affected by the coronavirus pandemic. “A paradigm shift is needed to align the…

20 children killed in Niger school fire

NIAMEY, April 14 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Some 20 children died Tuesday after several classrooms caught fire at a school in Niger’s capital Niamey, the fire service said. “Twenty-one classrooms in straw huts caught fire. Around 20 children were trapped in the blaze,” fire service commander Sidi Mohamed said on public television.…