Category: International News

International News

Covid-19 Omicron: UK govt puts Nigeria on red list

Aminu Imam

…Bans foreign travellers The UK Government has said Nigeria will be added to the countries on its red list due to the discovery of Covid-19 Omicron cases linked to Nigeria. The decision was announced in a tweet by the UK yesterday. According to the new protocol, non-UK and non-Irish citizens who are travelling in from Nigeria will not be allowed entry into the UK. Although the ban is described as temporary, the UK said the new protocol does not apply to persons “staying airside and only transiting through”.

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Ethiopia closes schools to boost war effort

Aminu Imam

The Ethiopian government said secondary schools will be closed across the country to help support the ongoing national call amid military operations against the rebel forces. The Ethiopian Ministry of Education announced this on Thursday, state-affiliated Fana Broadcasting Corporate (FBC) reported. The government said all secondary schools will be closed for one week to help in harvesting plantations of those who are on the frontline in the fight against the rebel fighters. The latest move came as the Ethiopian National Defense Force (ENDF) supported by regional allies and the popular…

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Doctor fined for amputating wrong leg of patient

Aminu Imam

A surgeon in Austria has been fined after amputating the wrong leg of a patient earlier this year, AFP news agency reports. The elderly patient’s right leg was removed instead of his left, with the mistake only discovered two days later. On Wednesday, the court in Linz found the 43-year-old guilty of gross negligence and fined her €2,700 (£2,296), equivalent to N1,254,555. The widow of the patient, who died before the case came to court, was also awarded €5,000 in damages. The patient attended the clinic in Freistadt last May…

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Canada bans travellers from Nigeria, 9 other African countries over Omicron fears

Aminu Imam

Canada, yesterday, banned travellers from Nigeria, Egypt and Malawi over fears of the spread of the new Omicron coronavirus variant, bringing to ten the number of African countries targeted by Ottawa, according to the AFP. This is just as members of Nigeria’s House of Representatives at plenary yesterday, mandated the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control, (NCDC), to step-up national response to control the emergence and spread of new Covid-19 omicron variant, in order to spare Nigeria the full brunt of the third wave of the pandemic. “Foreign nationals who have…

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Biden invites Nigeria, others to virtual summit on democracy

Aminu Imam

United States President, Joe Biden, has invited around 110 countries to a virtual summit on democracy in December, including major Western allies but also Iraq, India and Pakistan, according to a list posted on the State Department website on Tuesday. China, the United States’ principal rival, is not invited, while Taiwan is — a move that risks angering Beijing. Turkey, which, like America is a member of NATO, is also missing from the list of participants. Among the countries of the Middle-East, only Israel and Iraq will take place in…

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‘Leave Ethiopia as soon as possible’, US urges its citizens

Aminu Imam

The U.S. embassy in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, has advised all U.S. citizens to leave Ethiopia as soon as possible, a statement on their website said on Friday, after an alliance of anti-government forces threatened to march on the capital city. “The security environment in Ethiopia is very fluid. We advise U.S. citizens who are in Ethiopia to leave the country as soon as possible”, the statement said. US citizens looking to leave the crisis-struck country can do so from the Bole International Airport, the US Embassy said. US Special Envoy…

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Facebook changes its name to Meta in major rebrand

Aminu Imam

Facebook has changed its corporate name to Meta as part of a major rebrand. Facebook boss Mark Zuckerberg announced the new name as he unveiled plans to build a “metaverse” – an online world where people can game, work and communicate in a virtual environment, often using VR headsets. He said the existing brand could not “possibly represent everything that we’re doing today, let alone in the future”, and needed to change. The company said it would better “encompass” what it does, as it broadens its reach beyond social media…

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Coup in Sudan, Prime Minister, others detained by soldiers

Aminu Imam

Sudanese acting Prime Minister, Abdallah Hamdok, was reportedly placed under house arrest yesterday by a group of an unidentified military force. The arrests took place before dawn yesterday. Citing unidentified sources, Al-Hadath said those detained include Industry Minister Ibrahim al-Sheikh, Information Minister Hamza Baloul, and media adviser to the prime minister, Faisal Mohammed Saleh. The spokesman for Sudan’s ruling sovereign council, Mohammed al-Fiky Suliman, and the governor of Sudan’s capital Khartoum, Ayman Khalid, were also arrested. Sudan has been on edge since a failed coup plot last month unleashed bitter…

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Just In: Coup in Sudan; Prime Minister, other top government officials detained

Aminu Imam

An apparent coup attempt has been reported in Sudan. Military forces in the restive African country have arrested several members of the country’s civilian leadership and put Prime Minister Abdallah Hamdok under house arrest, according to Al-Hadath TV. The broadcaster said the arrests took place before dawn on Monday. Citing unidentified sources, Al-Hadath said those detained include Industry Minister Ibrahim al-Sheikh, Information Minister Hamza Baloul, and media adviser to the prime minister, Faisal Mohammed Saleh. The spokesman for Sudan’s ruling sovereign council, Mohammed al-Fiky Suliman, and the governor of Sudan’s…

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Bishop Desmond Tutu, South Africa’s campaigner has died at 90

Aminu Imam

South Africa’s famous anti-apartheid campaigner, Bishop Desmond Tutu, has died at the age of 90.The Bishop of Johannesburg, Stephen Moreo,  announced this via his official Twitter handle yesterday. Moreo’s account stated: “Attention: The Anglican Diocese of Johannesburg receives now the sad news of the death of our dearest Archbishop Desmond Tutu. “The Most Reverend Archbishop Desmond Mpilo Tutu dies at 90. Official note to be released soon.”Tutu was renowned for his work as an anti-apartheid and human rights activist. Between 1985 to 1986 he was the Bishop of Johannesburg and then the…

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