French Muslim groups deal blow to Macron’s anti-extremism charter

PARIS, Jan 21 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Three Muslim groups refused to back an anti-extremism charter pushed by French officials following a spate of militant-inspired attacks, dealing a blow to a flagship initiative of President Emmanuel Macron’s government. The charter rejects “instrumentalising” Islam for political ends and affirms equality between men and…

Covid-19: Netherlands proposes first curfew since World War Two, flight bans

An empty street in Amsterdam AMSTERDAM, Jan 21 (NNN-AGENCIES) — The Dutch governmentproposed the first nationwide curfew since World War Two and a ban on flights from South Africa and Britain in its toughest moves yet to limit the spread of coronavirus in the Netherlands. Prime Minister Mark Rutte said…

Spain: Three dead as gas blast rips through Madrid building

MADRID, Jan 21 (NNN-AGENCIES) — At least three people were killed when a huge explosion ripped through a building in Madrid, with officials confirming it was caused by a gas leak. Images from the scene showed the walls on the top four or five storeys of the residential building in…

Covid-19: Don’t panic, everyone around the world will get vaccine, says WHO

GENEVA, Jan 21 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Nobody should panic about getting access to a Covid-19 vaccine because everyone who wants one will get one, the World Health Organization said. The WHO’s assistant director-general Mariangela Simao said the UN health agency was working towards ensuring access to coronavirus jabs all around the…

Mexico welcomes Pres Biden halt to border wall construction

MEXICO CITY, Jan 21 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Mexico on Wednesday hailed US President Joe Biden’s order to halt construction of Donald Trump’s wall along the US-Mexican border, as well as his other immigration-linked reforms. “Mexico welcomes the end of the construction of the wall, the immigration initiative in favor of DACA…

US Pres Biden’s first foreign leader call will be to Canada’s Trudeau: White House

WASHINGTON, Jan 21 (NNN-AGENCIES) — US President Joe Biden’s first call to a foreign leader will be to Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, White House spokeswoman Jen Psaki said. “His first foreign leader call will be on Friday with Prime Minister Trudeau,” Psaki told reporters at her first White House…

Covid-19: US deaths exceed WWII military toll – tracker

WASHINGTON, Jan 21 (NNN-AGENCIES) — The number of US Covid-19 deaths on Wednesday surpassed the country’s toll of military fatalities in World War II, according to a tracker maintained by Johns Hopkins University. As of the evening, the tracker showed that 405,400 people have died from the disease caused by…

French Pres Macron rules out official apology for colonial abuses in Algeria

French President Emmanuel Macron PARIS, Jan 21 (NNN-AGENCIES) — French President Emmanuel Macron has ruled out issuing an official apology for colonial abuses in Algeria, his office said. There will be “no repentance nor apologies” for the occupation of Algeria or the bloody eight-year war that ended French rule, Macron’s…

Covid-19: ‘Sustained boom’ in cases straining hospitals in Americas – WHO

WASHINGTON, Jan 21 (NNN-AGENCIES) — The World Health Organization warned that hospital resources in parts of North and South America are being severely stretched by climbing Coronavirus infection numbers.“Throughout our region, especially in North and South America, many hospitals are operating at or very close to capacity,” said Clarissa Etienne, director of…

Covid-19: African countries to start vaccine pre-orders

ADDIS ABABA, Jan 21 (NNN-AGENCIES) — The Africa Medical Supplies Platform (AMSP) has begun its Covid-19 vaccines pre-order programme for all African Union member states.The pre-order, being done on behalf of the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC), will be facilitated by African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank) which…