Attacks, ethnic massacres leave ghost villages in central Mali

Central Mali is now prey to tit-for-tat killings and routine jihadist attacks BAMAKO, March 15 (NNN-AGENCIES) — After years of ethnic massacres and unrelenting jihadist attacks, central Mali has been left a harrowed area of deserted villages and displaced people. An Islamist insurgency erupted in the north of the vast…

Africa is one-step away from wild polio eradication verdict

ABUJA, March 15 (NNN-ALLAFRICA) — The African region completes a critical step towards wild polio eradication. No wild poliovirus has been detected anywhere in Africa since 2016. The independent commission to decide on the African Region’s wild poliovirus-free status has concluded its final field visit to Nigeria Saturday, after conducting…

Covid-19: Sub-Saharan Africa braces for full-fledged outbreak

The number of coronavirus cases in Africa is creeping up FREETOWN (Sierra Leone), March 15 (NNN-AGENCIES) — After escaping mostly unscathed by the coronavirus pandemic, sub-Saharan Africa is bracing for the worst after its first outbreaks of the illness that has already engulfed China and Italy and spread to other…

Covid-19: Argentina, Ecuador deaths take LatAm virus toll to five

MONTEVIDEO, March 15 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Argentina announced its second coronavirus-related death as Ecuador reported its first, taking thetotal death toll in Latin America to five as the virus shows signs ofspreading rapidly. Venezuela, Uruguay, Guatemala and Suriname reported their first cases ofthe COVID-19 pandemic. Overall cases in the region have…

Road accident claims 11 lives in western India

NEW DELHI, March 15 (NNN-XINHUA) — As many as 11 people died andthree injured in a road accident in India’s western state of Rajasthan onSaturday. The dead were six women, four men and one child, said a police official, adding that the mishap occurred in the state’s Jodhpur district. According…

Covid-19: Russia shuts land borders to Poland, Norway to foreigners – PM

Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin MOSCOW, March 15 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Russia will close its land borders with Poland and Norway to foreigners in a bid to limit the spread of the new coronavirus, the country’s prime minister said. The ban will come into force at midnight on Sunday and apply to…

Covid-19: Iran reports 97 new deaths, taking total to 611

TEHRAN, March 15 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Iran said that the novelcoronavirus has claimed 97 more lives, raising the country’s total to 611, asthe number of confirmed cases jumped again. Health ministry spokesman Kianoush Jahanpour said that “1,365 fresh cases have been added to the number of confirmed infections in the past…

Covid-19: UK set to follow Europe in banning large events

LONDON, March 15 (NNN-AGENCIES) — British Prime Minister Boris Johnson, who has faced criticism for his country’s light touch approach to tackling the coronavirus outbreak, is preparing to review its approach and ban mass gatherings, according to government sources. Emergency legislation is due to be passed next week in parliament…

Covid-19: Number of coronavirus cases worldwide passes 150,000

PARIS, March 15 (NNN-AGENCIES) — The number of coronavirus cases worldwide passed 150,000 on Saturday driven by a spike in infections in Italy. Italy announced 3,497 new cases on Saturday, bringing the global total to 151,797, with 5,764 deaths across 137 countries and territories. Italy, the worst-hit country outside of…

Covid-19: SAARC leaders to join videoconference on coronavirus

DHAKA, March 15 (NNN-BSS) — The top leaders of the SAARC nations are set to join a videoconference Sunday to devise a strong strategy to fight the lethal coronavirus. “The heads of state or government of the seven South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) countries will join a videoconference…