Covid-19: Colombia receives first shots, vaccination may begin early

Military escorts stand outside the DHL warehouses where a batch of doses of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccine is expected to be unloaded at El Dorado International Airport BOGOTA, Feb 16 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Colombia’s first COVID-19 vaccines – 50,000 doses from Pfizer – have arrived in the Andean country, President Ivan…

Kosovo election winner Kurti wants new tack in Serbia talks

Kurti will be under pressure from the West to reboot the EU-led dialogue with Serbia PRISTINA, Feb 16 (NNN-AGENCIES) — After a landslide win in Kosovo’s parliamentary elections, left-wing reformist Albin Kurti said he wants to reframe talks with Serbia to put the two sides on equal footing. The Balkan neighbours…

Ebola: Guinea tracking potential contacts, says it can overcome new outbreak

Guinea’s Minister of Health Remy Lamah CONAKRY, Feb 16 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Guinea is tracking down people who potentially had contact with Ebola patients and will rush vaccines to the affected area as soon as possible following at least three deaths from the disease, Health Minister Remy Lamah said. Lamah said that…

Covid-19: Portugal’s daily deaths below 100 for first time in six weeks

LISBON, Feb 16 (NNN-AGENCIES) — The number of new daily COVID-19 deaths in Portugal fell to its lowest level in around six weeks on Monday, with infections also declining, adding to evidence that an alarming post-Christmas surge in the coronavirus pandemic is slowing. The good news came hours after grim…

Covid-19: South Africa reopens its land borders as cases decline

At least 20 border posts reopened Monday PRETORIA, Feb 16 (NNN-AGENCIES) — South Africa has reopened its major land borders with neighboring countries after closing them last month to prevent the spread of the coronavirus. At least 20 border posts reopened on Monday, with officials saying steps will be taken…

Chad to send troops to Sahel jihadist flashpoint

N’DJAMENA, Feb 16 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Chad will send 1,200 troops to combat jihadists in a flashpoint Sahel border zone, its president said, as France looks to reduce its longstanding military presence in the vast, volatile region. Burkina Faso, Chad, Mali, Mauritania, Niger and France are holding talks on the future…

318 illegal migrants rescued off Libyan coast: UN migration agency

TRIPOLI, Feb 16 (NNN-XINHUA) — The International Organization forMigration (IOM) on Monday said that more than 300 illegal migrants have been rescued off the Libyan coast over the past week. “In the period of 9-15 February, 318 migrants were rescued/intercepted atsea and returned to Libya,” said the UN migration agency.…

French Muslims rally in Paris against perceived Islamophobic Bill

Protest in Paris against anti-Muslim bill PARIS, Feb 16 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Protesters rallied in Paris to demand that the French government abandon a bill aimed at rooting out Islamist extremism. The demonstrators believe the new bill tramples on religious freedoms and stigmatises Islam.Hanane Loukili, the School Principal and Co-founder of…

Ebola: Vaccination campaign begins in DR Congo as Tanzania, Guinea, Sierra Leone, Liberia triggers emergency measures

The campaign started in the city of Butembo in eastern DRC KINSHASA, Feb 16 (NNN-AGENCIES) — An Ebola vaccination campaign has begun in the city of Butembo, in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, the World Health Organization (WHO) said in a tweet on Monday.Health workers at Matanda health centre, where…

History is made: Nigerian Okonjo-Iweala appointed as next Director-General

Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala is the new director-general GENEVA, Feb 16 (NNN-AGENCIES) — WTO members made history Monday when the General Council agreed by consensus to select Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala of Nigeria as the organization’s seventh Director-General.When she takes office on March 1, Dr Okonjo-Iweala will become the first woman and the first…