Covid-19: Top adviser warns France at ’emergency’ virus moment

More than 26,000 are now in hospital with the virus, according to government data  PARIS, Jan 26 (NNN-AGENCIES) — France’s top medical advisor said that a third national lockdown would probably soon be needed to combat coronavirus in the country. A strict curfew was implemented over the weekend, but cases continue to climb.…

UN builds jetty in Somalia to spur fishing industry

MOGADISHU, Jan 25 (NNN-Xinhua) — The World Food Program (WFP) has started building a fishing jetty in Somalia to help boost the fishing industry in the country, a senior United Nations envoy in Somalia said. James Swan, the United Nations secretary-general’s special representative for Somalia, said the project, in the…

Covid-19: Sierra Leone capital goes into 2 weeks lockdown

Sierra Leone’s capital Freetown goes into a two-week lockdown starting Jan 25 FREETOWN, Jan 25 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Sierra Leone’s capital Freetown goes into a two-week lockdown starting Monday, as the government revises measures to contain the second wave of the Covid-19 pandemic.Sierra Leone remains one of the countries least hit…

Covid-19: Dutch PM condemns lockdown riots as ‘criminal volence’

Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte  AMSTERDAM, Jan 25 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte condemned riots across the country this weekend in which demonstrators attacked police and set fires to protest against a night-time curfew to slow the spread of COVID-19, calling them “criminal violence”. The police said hundreds of people…

Argentina’s voluntary abortion law enters into force

BUENOS AIRES, Jan 25 (NNN-EPE) — Argentina’s newly expanded abortion law enters into force on Sunday, after the 10-day preparatory period since being signed by President Alberto Fernandez. Now, women will be able to voluntarily interrupt their pregnancies up until the 14th week of gestation without legal penalty. In addition,…

Tropical Cyclone Eloise: Several dead as storm sweeps Africa’s east coast

MAPUTO, Jan 25 (NNN-ALLAFRICA) — At least nine people died after Tropical Cyclone Eloise hit Mozambique in Africa’s southeast, bringing rain and powerful winds of around 130 kilometers per hour. The victims died in the worst-hit port city of Beira, most of them killed by falling trees, authorities said. Cars…

Ethiopia: Dozens of suspected extremists arrested

Helicopters of the Ethiopian army used in the fight against al-Shabaab ADDIS ABABA, Jan 25 (NNN-Xinhua) — Dozens of suspected Ethiopian extremists have been arrested in a sting operation, state media outlet Ethiopia Broadcasting Corporation (EBC) reported. EBC reported the suspects were caught during a sting operation in Dena-Mena locality…

Venezuela decries another terrorist attack to its oil industry

CARACAS, Jan 25 (NNN-TELESUR) — Venezuela’s President Nicolas Maduro denounced a terrorist attack aimed at disrupting gas supplies in the northern department of Anzoategui. Maduro informed that the sabotage was carried out by unknown individuals in a gas pipeline section of the Anaco-Jose Industrial Complex. The terrorist attack caused a massive fire controlled…

Massacres climb to 6 in Colombia so far this year

BOGOTA, Jan 25 (NNN-TELESUR) — Colombia’s National Police Director Jorge Vargas confirmed another massacre in the Cauca department where four young people were killed and three others were injured. Unidentified armed men opened fire against a group of people aged between 17 and 18 years old in the Buga municipality.  Condemning the…

Climate change: 480,000 killed by extreme weather this century

A flooded area of Buzi, central Mozambique, after the passage of cyclone Idai. PARIS, Jan 25 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Almost half a million people have died in natural disasters linked to extreme weather events in the last 20 years, according to a new assessment of the direct threat posed to humanity by…