$439 mn pledged for peace fund, far short of goal: UN

UNITED NATIONS, Jan 27 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Over three dozen nations have pledged or contributed over $439 million to help secure peace in conflict-stricken states, the United Nations said, a sum that falls far short of the hoped-for $1.5 billion. Member states met via videoconference, committing to “the importance of investing…

Covid-19: Argentinian flight departs to pick up Russian vaccine doses after delay

BUENOS AIRES, Jan 27 (NNN-AGENCIES) — An Aerolineas Argentinas plane left Buenos Aires for Russia late Tuesday on a trip to pick up a third batch of Sputnik V coronavirus vaccines after the flight was delayed from its originally scheduled departure Sunday. “Today, at 9 pm, the third @Aerolineas_AR flight…

Dutch government says won’t bow to curfew riot ‘scum’

THE HAGUE, Jan 27 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Cities across the Netherlands were calmer on Tuesday after three nights of rioting against a coronavirus curfew as authorities vowed to crack down on the unrest, blaming “scum” for the looting and arson and deploying a huge police presence on the streets. There were…

Tunisia parliament reshuffles cabinet as protesters face off against police

TUNIS, Jan 27 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Hundreds of anti-government protesters faced off against riot police outside the Tunisian parliament as lawmakers inside confirmed a cabinet reshuffle amid growing unrest. Mired in a political and economic crisis worsened by the Covid-19 pandemic, the North African country has been rocked by a wave…

Covid-19: Brazil to transfer 1,500 patients from hotspot Amazonas for treatment

Covid-19 patients receive treatment at the regional hospital of Tefé. Amazonas state BRASILIA, Jan 27 (NNN-Xinhua) — The Brazilian government aims to airlift 1,500 COVID-19 patients in the hard-hit northern state of Amazonas to other states for medical treatment, Health Minister Eduardo Pazuello said. Pazuello spoke to reporters at the…

Covid-19: UK coronavirus-related deaths top 100,000

A worker assists a woman in entering The Royal London Hospital LONDON, Jan 27 (NNN-Xinhua) — The number of people who died within 28 days of a positive coronavirus test in Britain has surpassed 100,000 after another 1,631 have been confirmed, according to official figures released Tuesday. The total number…

Covid-19: Global cases surpass 100 mln — Johns Hopkins University

A medical worker receives a dose of COVID-19 vaccine at a hospital in Bangalore, India NEW YORK, Jan 27 (NNN-Xinhua) — Global COVID-19 cases surpassed 100 million on Tuesday, according to the Center for Systems Science and Engineering (CSSE) at Johns Hopkins University. The global case count reached 100,032,461, with…

AU calls for dialogue to ease Kenya, Somalia border tension

Moussa Faki Mahamat, the Chairperson of the AU Commission ADDIS ABABA, Jan 27 (NNN-AGENCIES) — The African Union (AU) raised concern with the rising tensions at the common border between Kenya and Somalia, which saw sporadic violence in Bula-Hawo. It called for dialogue to deescalate tension.The fighting arose between Somalia…

South Korea donates $400,000 towards ending GBV in South Sudan

JUBA, Jan 27 (NNN-AGENCIES) — The government of South Korea is supporting efforts to address sexual and gender-based violence (GBV) among women and girls in South Sudan through a USD 400,000 contribution to UNFPA, the United Nations Population Fund.This support will be used to further support its response to GBV…

Covid-19: Morocco begins vaccine rollout

The AstraZeneca vaccine was received last Friday from India RABAT, Jan 27 (NNN-MAP) — Morocco has started its coronavirus vaccine rollout and began distributing them across the country.The AstraZeneca vaccine was received last Friday from India and will begin its vaccination campaign this week.“We have mobilised a lot of human…