France bans plastic packaging for fruit and veg

   PARIS, Jan 2 (NNN-AGENCIES) — A ban on the use of plastic to package a range of fruit and vegetables came into force in France on Saturday, to the dismay of the sector’s packaging industry.    Environmentalists have long campaigned against single-use plastics as pollution worsens globally while President…

Ethiopia-Tigray conflict: UN reports record number of civilians killed in airstrikes across Tigray Region

ADDIS ABABA, Jan 1 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Dozens of civilians have been reportedly killed over the past week in a barrage of air strikes in Ethiopia’s northernmost Tigray region – the highest casualties recorded since October. Last week, the Ethiopian government said that its troops would not advance further into Tigray,…

France culls over 600,000 poultry in new bird flu outbreak

The culls include flocks where outbreaks occurred, as well as preventive slaughtering of birds in surrounding areas PARIS, Jan 1 (NNN-AGENCIES) — France has culled 600,000 to 650,000 chickens, ducks and other poultry over the past month, officials said, in a race to contain a bird flu virus threatening to…

Covid-19: WHO optimistic about beating coronavirus in 2022

GENEVA, Jan 1 (NNN-AGENCIES) — The World Health Organization (WHO) chief says he is optimistic that the coronavirus pandemic will be defeated in 2022, provided countries work together to contain its spread. Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesu warned against “narrow nationalism and vaccine hoarding” in a New Year statement. His comments…

Sudan crisis: Transitional Sovereign Council denounces violence in mass protests

People chant slogans during a protest in Khartoum, Sudan KHARTOUM, Jan 1 (NNN-Xinhua) — Sudan’s transitional Sovereign Council denounced violence in recent mass protests, which led to the deaths of four protesters and injuries of hundreds of others. The council ordered authorities concerned to take all legal and military measures…

Nigerian police kill 38 bandits in Katsina state

Some of the guns which were recovered from bandits ABUJA, Jan 1 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Thirty-eight bandits were killed in a police operation carried out in parts of Nigeria’s North West Katsina state to rid the region of bandits that have continued to attack, kill and kidnap people. Five police officers…

Nigerian pastor, six others die in New Year’s eve boat collision

ABUJA, Jan 1 (NNN-AGENCIES) — A New Year eve boat mishap has thrown Ogbinbiri community in the Southern Ijaw Local Government Area of Nigeria’s Bayelsa state into mourning following the death of a 39-year-old pastor and six others.According to eyewitnesses, the accident occurred when two boats collided Friday afternoon, causing…

Covid-19: France, Greece reports record new cases

People wearing protective face masks shop amid the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak in Athens, Greece PARIS, Jan 1 (NNN-AGENCIES) — France reported 232,200 new COVID-19 cases on Friday, the highest-ever recorded total. New infections over the last 24 hours were above 200,000 for the third day running, making France one…

Jaguar released in Argentina to help endangered species

BUENOS AIRES, Jan 1 (NNN-AGENCIES) — A jaguar named Jatobazinho was released into a national park in Argentina Friday as part of a program to boost the numbers of this endangered species.    This was the eighth jaguar freed this year into Ibera National Park but the first adult male,…

DR Congo: ‘Intense activity’ at Nyiragongo volcano

 GOMA (DR Congo), Jan 1 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Vulcanologists in the Democratic Republic of Congo reported “intense activity” at the active Nyiragongo volcano in the country’s east, where a May eruption killed 32 people.   “As well as activity in Nyiragongo’s central crater, intense activity of volcanic tremors can be observed…