US: Pres-elect Biden announces additional nominations for Pentagon posts

Joe Biden, US president-elect WASHINGTON, Jan 1 (NNN-AGENCIES) — US President-elect Joe Biden announced additional nominations to fill the posts in the Department of Defense, days after he blamed current Pentagon officials for obstructing the presidential transition.The Biden transition team announced on its website that Kathleen Hicks has been nominated…

Covid-19: The pandemic has put Europe’s tourism cash cow on life support – annual report

Growth continued in 2019, albeit at a slower pace, ETC said BRUSSELS, Jan 1 (NNN-AGENCIES) — The recent consecutive boom years of Europe’s tourism industry suffered a major blip in 2020 when pandemic travel restrictions left an otherwise rapidly growing sector suddenly gasping for government support.Recent growth peaked in 2018…

Covid-19: Tokyo hit by another massive spike of cases

The Japanese capital has been battered by a third wave of “unprecedented scale TOKYO, Jan 1 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Tokyo posted 1,337 new coronavirus infections on Thursday, the highest daily count ever, local media reported, as Japan is in the midst of the third wave of the Covid-19 pandemic.The figure was…

US racism: Boston removes statue of Lincoln with freed Black man on his knees after 141 years

The controversial statue depicts Abraham Lincoln with a freed Black man kneeling before him BOSTON, Jan 1 (NNN-AGENCIES) — The Boston Art Commission unanimously voted to take down a contentious emancipation statue depicting former US president Abraham Lincoln with a freed Black man kneeling before him.The statue, which was installed…

Egypt intensifies peace efforts with Libyan warring parties to end conflict

Libya has been locked in a civil war after former leader Muammar Gaddafi was ousted in 2011 TRIPOLI, Jan 1 (NNN-AGENCIES) — The recent visit of a high-level Egyptian security delegation to Libya’s capital Tripoli reflects Cairo’s openness to all Libyan parties with the goal of reaching a solution to…

Ethiopia returns home 328 citizens from Middle Eastern countries

Abiy Ahmed, Ethiopia PM ADDIS ABABA, Jan 1 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Around 328 Ethiopians have returned home from Middle Eastern countries in recent days, an Ethiopia Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA) official said.Speaking to journalists, Dina Mufti, Spokesperson for MoFA, said 328 Ethiopian nationals were returned home in recent days from…

130 asylum seekers evacuated from Libya to Rwanda: UNHCR

The UN Refugee Agency, has successfully evacuated a group of 130 vulnerable asylum seekers TRIPOLI, Jan 1 (NNN-AGENCIES) — The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) announced evacuating 130 asylum seekers from Libya to Rwanda.“UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, has successfully evacuated a group of 130 vulnerable asylum seekers…

Covid-19: South Africa moves to address congestions at border posts

Cyril Ramaphosa, South Africa’s President PRETORIA, Jan 1 (NNN-AGENCIES) — South Africa will deploy additional immigration and health officials, and inspectors at the country’s border posts to ease congestion starting on Jan 2, said Home Affairs Minister, Aaron Motsoaledi.Motsoaledi made the remarks at a press briefing about immigration matters and…

Covid-19: Guinea begins coronavirus vaccinations on government ministers

Coronavirus cases rising in Africa BISSAU, Jan 1 (NNN-AGENCIES) — The West African nation of Guinea has begun administering coronavirus vaccines, making the country among the first on the continent to roll out the jabs.Ministers were seen on television receiving their doses at the presidential palace on Wednesday evening.They were…

Covid-19: UK approves lower-cost vaccine as pandemic surges globally

LONDON, Jan 1 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Britain became the first nation to approve a lower-cost vaccine partially developed by Oxford University as the Covid-19 pandemic raged worldwide. New Year’s Eve marks one year since the World Health Organization first mentioned a mysterious pneumonia in China later identified as Covid-19, which went…