International

South Africa’s Cape Town blaze ‘under control’

CAPE TOWN, South Africa (AFP) — South Africa’s Table Mountain smouldered on Tuesday after a fire swept the iconic site, destroying a library housing rare collections and forcing thousands to evacuate, but officials said the blaze was under control. Smoke rose from the mountain after firefighters battled to contain the flames with the help of helicopters dumping water on the blaze, which first broke out Sunday. “The fire is very much under control,” City of […]

Mexican president gets Covid vaccine, says ‘no risk’

MEXICO CITY, Mexico (AFP) — Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador on Tuesday received his first dose of the AstraZeneca coronavirus vaccine and urged all senior citizens to be immunized, reassuring them it was safe. “It doesn’t hurt and it also helps a lot. It protects us all,” the 67-year-old said shortly after getting the injection in front of the media following his daily news conference. “I appeal again to all older adults to get […]

Modi asks Indians to do better to stop virus amid new surge

by Bhuvan BAGGA NEW DELHI, India (AFP) — Prime Minister Narendra Modi late Tuesday called on Indians to step up their efforts to battle the coronavirus so that fresh lockdowns are not necessary, as the vast nation reels from an explosion of cases and the capital runs dangerously short of oxygen supplies. In his first address since the start of the record-breaking new wave of infections, Modi acknowledged that the nation of 1.3 billion people […]

Too little sleep in middle age linked to raised dementia risk

PARIS, France (AFP) — Sleeping six hours or less per night in your 50s and 60s is associated with an increased risk of dementia, according to a new study of nearly 8,000 British adults followed for more than 25 years. Scientists said that while the research, which was based on data from a long-running survey, could not prove cause and effect, it did draw a link between sleep and dementia as people age. The study, […]

Dutch to lift Covid curfew, let cafes serve outdoors

THE HAGUE, Netherlands (AFP) — The Dutch government said Tuesday it was relaxing tough coronavirus restrictions, ending a controversial curfew and allowing cafes to serve outdoors from April 28. The introduction of the night curfew in January, the first in the Netherlands since World War II, sparked the country’s worst riots for decades. “We are of course glad that this is possible again because society yearns for more freedom,” Prime Minister Mark Rutte told a […]

Denmark ‘lends’ Germany 55,000 AstraZeneca vaccine doses

COPENHAGEN, Denmark (AFP) — Denmark said Tuesday it would give 55,000 doses of its AstraZeneca Covid-19 vaccine to the neighbouring German state of Schleswig-Holstein after dropping the jab from its vaccination programme amid concerns about side effects. “Following a request from the minister-president of Schleswig-Holstein, the government has decided to put 55,000 doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine at the disposal of the border regions,” the Danish foreign ministry said in a statement. “The vaccine doses […]

‘Justice’: America reacts to Floyd murderer’s conviction

WASHINGTON, United States (AFP) — Politicians, rights activists and family members and even world leaders reacted with jubilation and relief Tuesday as sacked Minneapolis policeman Derek Chauvin was convicted of the murder of George Floyd, a Black man who died when the officer knelt on his neck for more than nine minutes last year. Here are some the immediate reactions following the announcement of the guilty verdicts on all three counts — second degree murder, […]

650,000 African children given malaria jab: WHO

GENEVA, Switzerland (AFP) — Two years into a malaria vaccine pilot scheme, more than 650,000 children have been immunised across Kenya, Ghana and Malawi, the World Health Organization said Tuesday. Global advisory bodies for immunisation and malaria are expected to convene in October to review data on the vaccine and consider whether to recommend using it more widely. The RTS,S vaccine is the only existing jab shown to reduce malaria in children. It acts against […]

Flash floods kill 14, displace 8,000 in Angolan capital

LUANDA, Angola (AFP) — Flash floods triggered by torrential rains in Angola have killed at least 14 people and displaced around 8,000 in the capital Luanda, the national news agency reported. Bridges and homes collapsed on Monday as hours of heavy rain fell on the ocean-facing city, swamping streets and sweeping away cars and trees. Citing the spokesman for the national civil protection agency Faustino Mingues, news agency Angpop said most of the victims were […]

In Latin American first, Argentina to produce Russia’s Sputnik V vaccine

BUENOS AIRES, Argentina (AFP) — Argentina will be the first Latin American country to produce Russia’s Sputnik V coronavirus vaccine, according to Russia’s RDIF sovereign fund, which financed the development of the shot. A deal to this end has been struck with Argentina’s Richmond pharmaceutical company, the fund announced on Tuesday. The vaccine technology has been transferred to Richmond and full-scale production should start in June, RDIF said in a statement. “Sputnik V is approved […]

Italy approves J&J vaccine, recommends it for over 60s

ROME, Italy (AFP) — Italy on Tuesday declared the Johnson & Johnson coronavirus vaccine to be “safe” and said it would prioritise its use for people over 60. The announcement came hours after the European Medicines Agency (EMA) said blood clots should be listed as a “very rare” side effect of the vaccine. In the light of that ruling, the US-made jab should be considered “definitely safe,” Italian health authorities said in a statement. It […]

Cape Town blaze almost contained: parks agency

CAPE TOWN, South Africa (AFP) — A sweeping fire on South Africa’s iconic Table Mountain that choked Cape Town with smoke and destroyed several historic sites including a university library was almost fully contained on Tuesday, officials said. High winds had strengthened the blaze that was first spotted Sunday but calmer weather conditions Tuesday allowed for fire crews to ramp up their aerial attack with five helicopters, said Rey Thakhuli, spokesman for South Africa National […]