Lassa fever kills 1,047 Nigerians

ABUJA, Feb 13 (NNN-AGENCIES) — A total of 1,047 Nigerians have died of Lassa fever since the first reported case in 1969, the Nigerian Academy of Science, NAS, has stated. The NAS is the apex and official science academy of Nigeria, established in 1977 as an association of Nigeria’s foremost…

For ninth year, Dangote named Africa’s wealthiest person

Aliko Dangote NEW YORK, Feb 13 (NNN-AGENCIES) — The Chairman of Dangote Group, Aliko Dangote has been named the wealthiest person in Africa for the ninth consecutive year.However, the latest ranking of the world’s billionaires by Forbes estimated that his net worth dropped by $200m from $10.3bn to $10.1bn in…

Russian Pres Putin, Turkish counterpart Erdogan discuss Syria’s Idlib by phone

MOSCOW, Feb 13 (NNN-XINHUA) — Russian President Vladimir Putin andhis Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan discussed the situation in the Syrian city of Idlib during a phone conversation on Wednesday. The leaders discussed “various aspects of the Syrian crisis settlement,primarily in the context of the aggravation of the situation in…

Nicaragua opens special police station to protect women

MANAGUA, Feb 12 (NNN-TELESUR) — Managua has a new police station specifically created to protect women from gender violence as part of the Women for Life campaign, Vice President Rosario Murillo announced Tuesday. The first of several police stations of this kind will be responsible for the protection of 68,000 women attached to the Police, Citizen…

Bolivia’s electoral body bars more than 350 candidates

LA PAZ, Feb 12 (NNN-TELESUR) — The president of the Supreme Electoral Tribunal (TSE) of  Bolivia, Salvador Romero, said that the electoral body had barred 365 candidates for the next presidential and legislative elections, allegedly for failing to comply with legal requirements. “They [the candidates] did not present any document,…

Dutch order poultry to be kept indoors after German bird flu outbreak

THE HAGUE, Feb 12 (NNN-AGENCIES) — The Dutch farm ministry has ordered all commercial poultry farmers should keep their birds confined indoors as of midnight on Tuesday following reports of a German outbreak of the highly pathogenic H5N8 bird flu virus. The measures are to ensure that Dutch commercial poultry…

US evacuees freed from Covid-19 quarantine, officials fear discrimination

Evacuees from the China coronavirus outbreak toss their masks after finishing quarantine in Riverside, California LOS ANGELES, Feb 12 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Nearly 200 people evacuated from the China Covid-19 outbreak were released from quarantine in California on Tuesday with officials urging Americans not to shun them, or workers who helped…

Mexico City killing sparks fury over violence against women

MEXICO CITY, Feb 12 (NNN-AGENCIES) — The gruesome murder of a 25-year-old woman in Mexico’s capital has unleashed outrage among authorities and rights groups after leaked photos of her mutilated body appeared on the front page of a newspaper. Prosecutors will seek the maximum punishment for Ingrid Escamilla’s murder, the…

Russia discharges second Chinese man to recover from Covid-19

MOSCOW, Feb 12 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Russia discharged a Chinese national from hospital in the Siberian city of Chita on Wednesday after he recovered from a Covid-19 infection, local authorities said. He was the second of Russia’s two confirmed cases of coronavirus to recover. The other victim, also a Chinese national,…

US authorises Hong Kong staff to leave over Covid-19

US Consulate General, Hong Kong WASHINGTON, Feb 12 (NNN-AGENCIES) — The United States said it had authorised consulate staff to leave Hong Kong as concerns spread over the Covid-19 that originated in mainland China. Non-essential staff and their family members will be allowed, but not required, to leave the metropolis “out…