Covid-19: EU plans to start spending huge recovery fund in months

Paolo Gentiloni (L), European Commissioner for Economy, and President of Eurogroup Paschal Donohoe, co-hosting an online press conference BRUSSELS, Jan 19 (NNN-Xinhua) — The European Union (EU) plans to start raising and allocating in the next few months the main part of the 750-billion-euro recovery fund, designed to bail out…

Nigerian troops kill 30 bandits in gunfight

ABUJA, Jan 19 (NNN-Xinhua) — Thirty bandits were killed in a gunfight with troops in Nigeria’s northwest region, a spokesman for the military said. The incident occurred on Sunday at the Maje Riverline axis in the Bugundu local government area of the northern state of Zamfara, said Ibikunle Daramola, a…

Covid-19: Italian 108-year-old woman gets vaccine; oldest person in the world to be vaccinated

ROME, Jan 19 (NNN-AGENCIES) — An Italian centenarian has become one of the oldest people in the world to get a Covid-19 vaccine, months after she survived a coronavirus infection, her retirement home said. Fatima Negrini, who is due to turn 109 on June 3, received the jab on Monday…

Covid-19: Biden team says US will not lift Europe, Brazil travel bans, despite Trump statement

WASHINGTON, Jan 19 (NNN-AGENCIES) — US President-elect Joe Biden’s spokeswoman quickly dismissed Donald Trump’s announcement Monday that a Covid-19 ban on travelers arriving from much of Europe and Brazil would be lifted. “On the advice of our medical team, the Administration does not intend to lift these restrictions on 1/26,”…

Leaving office, Pres Trump has lowest approval rating of his presidency

WASHINGTON, Jan 19 (NNN-AGENCIES) — President Donald Trump will leave the White House Wednesday with the lowest approval rating of his presidency, with just 34 percent of Americans supporting the job he has done, a Gallup poll showed. Gallup noted that Trump’s average approval rating during his one-term presidency was…

Biden to reverse Trump’s Muslim ban on inauguration day

US President-elect Joe Biden WASHINGTON, Jan 19 (NNN-AGENCIES) — On his first day in office, US President-elect Joe Biden, plans to issue a number of executive orders, including one rescinding the controversial travel ban on several predominantly Muslim countries.According to a memo circulated by Ron Klain, Biden’s incoming White House…

Covid-19: Scientists see new evidence South African variant binds more readily to human cells

The variant was identified by South African genomics experts late last year PRETORIA, Jan 19 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Scientists have new biological evidence that the so-called South African coronavirus variant binds more readily and strongly to human cells, making it more infectious, top local epidemiologist Salim Abdool Karim said.He was speaking…

Covid-19: Ghana, Nigeria reopen schools but other African countries have closed up

School kids observing COVID protocols ACCRA, Jan 19 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Schools in GHANA resumed classes on Monday across the country as students and pupils return to school after over 9 months.Closure of schools was part of government efforts to stem the spread of COVID-19 when the index case was registered in March…

Eyes on Djibouti as it mediate in Somalia and Kenya peace deal

Members of Djibouti Fact-Finding Mission on the Kenya-Somalia border dispute DJIBOUTI, Jan 19 (NNN-AGENCIES) — A Djibouti-led mission to resolve accusations of territorial violations between Kenya and Somalia has concluded a fact-finding mission in both countries.Sent by Djibouti’s President Ismael Guelleh, the mission comprised a team of diplomats and military chiefs nominated…

The Gambia bans importation of live birds from Senegal amid bird flu outbreak

Gambia has banned the importation of live poultry from Senegal BANJUL, Jan 19 (NNN-GNA) — The Gambian Ministry of Agriculture announced the imposition of a ban on live poultry birds and poultry products from Senegal following the recent outbreak of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI), commonly called bird flu type H5N1…