Covid-19: US plane diverted after passengers upset by sneezing

LOS ANGELES, March 11 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Mounting concern over the spread of coronavirus was apparently behind a US flight being diverted at the weekend after passengers became upset over someone sneezing and coughing. United Airlines said in a statement that the flight — headed fromEagle, Colorado, to Newark, New Jersey…

Russia: Pres Putin lays out path to staying in power until 2036

MOSCOW, March 11 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Russian President Vladimir Putin laid out a path to staying in power beyond 2024, as lawmakers approved sweeping reforms to the constitution. In a surprise Tuesday address to the lower house State Duma, Putin said there could be a presidential “reset” allowing him to run…

Covid-19: Italy sees 168 coronavirus deaths, toll outside China over 1,000

ROME, March 11 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Italy recorded 168 deaths Tuesday from the novel coronavirus, its highest single-day toll to date, pushing the number of fatalities outside China to more than 1,000. Overall in Italy, 631 people have died from the COVID-19 disease caused by the virus and 10,149 have been…

Covid-19: Uganda turns back travellers who refused to self-quarantine

KAMPALA, March 9 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Uganda has told 22 foreigners who refused to self-quarantine on arrival for a business forum to return to their home countries. Uganda’s Health Minister Jane Ruth Aceng said the 22 travellers arrived from “category one” countries deemed high-risk in the ongoing coronavirus outbreak. The ministry…

Boko Haram militants attack army base in Niger; several soldiers injured

Boko Haram targeted south-eastern Niger for the past five years NIAMEY, March 9 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Boko Haram militants have stormed an army base in south-eastern Niger on Sunday, injuring a number of soldiers.This is the first such incident in weeks.Local media reported that heavily armed militants arrived in vehicles and…

Covid-19: Germany announces economic measures to stall ‘corona-crisis’

BERLIN, March 9 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Germany announced measures to boost its sputtering economy in the face of the fast-spreading coronavirus on Monday, while also calling for the cancellation of large events. As the number of cases in Germany pushed beyond 900, Health Minister Jens Spahn said gatherings of more than…

Brazil, US sign agreement to develop defence technology

MIAMI, March 9 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Brazilian and US governments signed an agreement for development of defence projects that may give the South American country access to financing. The agreement allows partnerships in development of defence technology by private companies, that may use public financing from both countries. Companies may request financing…

France bans gatherings of 1,000 over COVID-19, two more MPs infected

A sign reads “No more masks, no more hydroalcoholic gel” on the doors of a pharmacy in Creil, in northern France PARIS, March 9 (NNN-AGENCIES) — France has banned gatherings of more than 1,000 people to try and slow the spread of COVID-19, the health minister said, while the number…

COVID-19: People ignoring self-isolation rules in Moscow could face prison

MOSCOW, March 9 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Moscow city authorities threatened prison terms of up to five years for people failing to self-isolate in their homes for two weeks after visiting countries hit hard by the coronavirus outbreak. The city government had announced a “high alert regime” and imposed extra measures on…

Avalanches kill six in Austria: Police

 Six people were killed in Austria in avalanches on Sunday VIENNA, March 9 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Avalanches killed six people in Austria on Sunday in two separate incidents, police said. At least five people were swept away Sunday morning by a large avalanche on a mountain in Upper Austria, part of…