Morocco Jews ‘already packing’ for direct Israel flights

CASABLANCA, Jan 17 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Fanny Mergui has no doubt:Moroccan Jews “are already packing their suitcases” to board direct flightsto Israel after the kingdom normalised ties with the Jewish state. Morocco, home to North Africa’s biggest Jewish community and the ancestral homeland of some 700,000 Israelis, is also hoping for…

Covid-19: Mexico hit by deadliest week of pandemic yet

MEXICO CITY, Jan 17 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Mexico reeled from its worstweek of the pandemic yet, with deaths averaging nearly 1,000 a day and ahealth system that was close to reaching a breaking point. The Latin American country has seen a spike in infections and fatalitiesfollowing the Christmas and New Year…

Outgoing Pres Trump to leave town early Wednesday before Biden inauguration

WASHINGTON, Jan 17 (NNN-AGENCIES) — By the time Joe Biden is sworn in as the 46th US president Wednesday, his scandal-tainted predecessor Donald Trump will already be far away, having helicoptered out of the White House a last time earlier that morning. Trump will be the first president in a…

Covid-19: Global death toll passes two million

PARIS, Jan 17 (NNN-AGENCIES) — The global death toll from Covid-19surpassed two million on Friday, with the World Health Organization (WHO) urging mass vaccinations as the pandemic progresses at a record pace. As of 1825 GMT on Friday, at least 2,000,066 people worldwide had beenconfirmed dead of the virus that…

Covid-19: UN head warns of ‘vaccinationalism’ as virus deaths top two million

UNITED NATIONS, Jan 17 (NNN-AGENCIES) — UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres deplored the “heart-wrenching milestone” of the global death toll from Covid-19 topping two million, and lamented the fact that “solidarity is failing” in the world’s response to the virus. “Today we are seeing a vaccine vacuum,” the UN head…

Covid-19: Northern Brazilian state declares curfew over virus

SAO PAULO, Jan 17 (NNN-AGENCIES) – Amazonas state in northern Brazil announced a 10-day curfew to try to slow the spread of thecoronavirus, as cases soar and hospitals run out of beds and oxygen. Authorities warned of a dire situation across the vast state. In itscapital Manaus, the health system…

US ‘deeply troubled’ by reports of violence, irregularities in Uganda poll: State Dept

WASHINGTON, Jan 17, 2021 (BSS/AFP) – The US State Department said it is “deeply troubled” by reports of violence and irregularities surrounding Uganda’s presidential election, which saw Yoweri Museveni win a sixth term in office. “The Ugandan people turned out to vote in multiparty national elections on January 14 despite…

Ethiopia unrest: Returning displaced persons find Tigray homes, infrastructure looted, damaged: UN

Ethiopian refugees await transfer at a border reception centre in Hamdayet, Sudan  UNITED NATIONS, Jan 8 (NNN-Xinhua) — Displaced persons who are returning to Ethiopia’s conflict-stricken Tigray region find their homes, government buildings and infrastructure looted and damaged or destroyed, UN humanitarians said. Two joint needs assessment missions were deployed…

South Korean court orders Japan to compensate former sex slaves

SEOUL, Jan 8 (NNN-AGENCIES) — A South Korean court on Friday ordered the Japanese government to pay compensation to 12 World War II sex slaves or their families, in an unprecedented ruling likely to infuriate Tokyo. The Seoul Central District Court ruled that Japan should pay the victims100 million won…

China draws comparison between storming of US Capitol, HK protests

Capitol police look on as pro-Trump protesters attempt to storm the US Capitol BEIJING, Jan 8 (NNN-AGENCIES) — China drew a comparison on Thursday between the storming of the U.S. Capitol by supporters of President Donald Trump and last year’s often-violent pro-democracy protests in Hong Kong but noted that no…