Covid-19: UN chief receives vaccine in New York

UNITED NATIONS, Jan 29 (NNN-XINHUA) – United Nations (UN) Secretary-General Antonio Guterres received his first dose of a COVID-19 vaccine here on Thursday, according to a report published on the UN official website. The UN chief said on Twitter that he was fortunate and grateful to get the shot, and…

Colombia: Tribunal charges former FARC members with war crimes

BOGOTA, Jan 29 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Eight high-ranking members of Colombia’s now-defunct FARC guerilla movement, including serving politicians, are being charged with war crimes for kidnapping more than 21,000 people during a decades-long civil conflict, a court said. The eight belonged to the secretariat of the FARC, its highest decision-making body,…

US: At least six dead in poultry plant chemical leak near Atlanta

GAINESVILLE (Georgia, US), Jan 29 (NNN-AGENCIES) — A liquid nitrogen leak at a food-processing plant killed at least six people and injured another 11 near the southern US city of Atlanta Thursday, police said. There were “5 fatalities confirmed on the scene” of the leak, police fromGainesville, Georgia told reporters,…

Stranded Nigerians evacuated from UAE arrive in Abuja

The returnees are part of the 802 Nigerians stranded in Saudi Arabia ABUJA, Jan 29 (NNN-AGENCIES) — The Nigerians in Diaspora Commission has announced the return of 384 Nigerians from the United Arab Emirates.The returnees are part of the 802 Nigerians stranded in Saudi Arabia that the Nigerian government had…

Algeria upholds prison terms for ex-prime ministers convicted of corruption

The two former prime ministers Ahmed Ouyahia (L) and Abdelmalek Sellal ALGIERS, Jan 29 (NNN-AGENCIES) — An Algerian court on Thursday upheld hefty prison sentences against two former prime ministers who served under ex-president Abdelaziz Bouteflika.The judgement confirmed sentences of 15 years for Ahmed Ouyahia and 12 years for Abdelmalek…

Mali’s interim leader Bah N’daw meets with French Pres Macron in Paris

Mali’s transitional president, Bah N’Daw with French president Emmanuel Macron PARIS, Jan 29 (NNN-AGENCIES) –Mali’s transitional president, Bah N’Daw has met with French president Emmanuel Macron in Paris to discuss bilateral cooperation.N’daw was received by Macron on Wednesday for a working lunch and discussed the transition in Mali and the…

US calls for withdrawal of Russian, Turkish forces from Libya

UNITED NATIONS, Jan 29 (NNN-AGENCIES) – The United Statescalled for the immediate withdrawal of Russian and Turkish forcesfrom Libya, after a deadline for them to leave was ignored. This appeal marked a firmer expression of US policy toward oil-rich Libyaunder the new administration of President Joe Biden. “We call on…

Dutch court rules on Shell Nigeria oil spill case

THE HAGUE, Jan 29 (NNN-AGENCIES) — A Dutch court will hand down itsverdict on Friday in a long-running case pitting oil giant Shell against fourNigerian farmers who accuse it of causing widespread pollution. After 13 years of legal wrangling, an appeals court in The Hague will ruleon the farmers’ demands…

Covid-19: German vaccine commission recommends AstraZeneca jabs for under-65s only

BERLIN, Jan 29 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Germany’s vaccine commission STIKO said it was recommending the use of AstraZeneca’s coronavirusvaccine only for under-65-year-olds, due to insufficient data on itseffectiveness on older people. The panel of scientific experts said the vaccine, jointly developed withthe University of Oxford, should only be used for “persons…

US freezes giant UAE jet package, Saudi arms for review

WASHINGTON, Jan 29 (NNN-AGENCIES) – US President Joe Biden’s administration has temporarily frozen for review a massive package of F-35 jets to the United Arab Emirates and arms to Saudi Arabia, officials said. The nearly week-old administration has already signaled it plans to end support for the Saudi-led, UAE-backed offensive…