Covid-19: UK PM Johnson unveils “tougher” tiered system of restrictions to replace lockdown

Another 15,450 people in Britain have tested positive for COVID-19, bringing the total number of cases in the country to 1,527,495 LONDON, Nov 24 (NNN-Xinhua) — British Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced a “tougher” tiered system of coronavirus restrictions to replace England’s current lockdown when it ends on Dec 2.…

Covid-19: Poorest must not be trampled in vaccines stampede – WHO

GENEVA, Nov 24 (NNN-AGENCIES) — With Covid-19 vaccines on the horizon, the planet’s poorest must not be trampled as countries scramble to get their hands on them, the World Health Organization said. WHO director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said the latest batch of promising results from final-phase candidate vaccine trials showed…

US election: Pres Trump finally agrees to Pres-elect Biden transition – but still not conceding

WASHINGTON, Nov 24 (NNN-AGENCIES) — President Donald Trump came his closest yet to admitting election defeat Monday after the government agency meant to ease Pres-elect Joe Biden’s transition into the White House said it was finally lifting its unprecedented block on assistance. Trump acknowledged it was time for the General…

Ethiopia unrest: PM Abiy gives Tigray forces 72 hours to surrender

The conflict is believed to have killed hundreds of people and displaced thousands more ADDIS ABABA, Nov 24 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Ethiopia’s prime minister has given rebel forces in the northern region of Tigray 72 hours to surrender as government troops advance on the capital, Mekelle. Abiy Ahmed told Tigrayan leaders they were “at…

Covid-19: UK vaccine news gives hope as US plans mass rollout

LONDON, Nov 24 (NNN-AGENCIES) — The developers of a coronavirus vaccine in Britain on Monday claimed success after mass testing, as the United States announced plans to give jabs to 20 million people before the end of the year to combat surging infections. AstraZeneca and Oxford University said their drug…

Russia: Pres Putin says it’s early to congratulate US election winner as legal issues not sorted out

MOSCOW, Nov 24 (NNN-TASS) — Russian President Vladimir Putin explained that he has not yet congratulated the presumptive winner of the US presidential election because there is the need to wait until all legal issues are ironed out. In an interview with “Moscow. Kremlin. Putin” program on Rossiya-1 TV channel,…

At least 13 die in two massacres in Colombia: officials

BOGOTA, Nov 24 (NNN-AGENCIES) — At least 13 people died in two massacres in different parts of Colombia, authorities said. The killings took place in Antioquia department in the northwest and Cauca in the southwest, areas hit hard by violence this year. Since January, Colombia has suffered dozens of massacres…

Cattle thieves kill five in mosque attack in Nigeria: police

KANO (Nigeria), Nov 24 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Gunmen have killed five worshippers and kidnapped 18 in an attack on a mosque during Friday prayers in northwestern Nigeria’s Zamfara state, police said. Around 100 cattle thieves on motorcycles opened fire on a Muslim congregation in remote Dutsen Gari village in Maru district…

Mauritanian ex-president Abdallahi, country’s first to be elected democratically, dies

NOUAKCHOTT, Nov 24 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Mauritania’s former president Sidi Ould Cheikh Abdallahi, the West African state’s first democratically elected president, died overnight, his family members and the president’s office said Monday. The politician died at a private clinic in the capital Nouakchott aftersuffering heart complications, according to his relatives. Born…

Covid-19: Seven dead after drinking hand sanitiser in Russian village

MOSCOW, Nov 24 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Seven people in Russia’s Far East republic of Yakutia have died and two were in a coma after consuming diluted hand sanitiser widely available during the Covid-19 pandemic. A statement published by Russian investigators said a group of nine locals fell violently ill in the…