World

China outlaws new corporal punishment, verbal abuse in schools

Ihesiulo Grace 1 March 2021 0

China’s new rules governing school disciplinary methods came into force on Monday, banning physical punishment and verbal abuse in primary and secondary schools. Educators are prohibited from carrying out disciplinary procedures that would inflict direct physical pain on students, according to

Technology World

Russia accuses Twitter of breaking law by failing to delete content

Ihesiulo Grace 1 March 2021 0

Russia’s communications regulator accused Twitter on Monday of violating Russian law, saying the social media platform had not complied with some of its requests to delete banned content. Roskomnadzor said Twitter had failed to delete 2,862 posts containing material linked to suicide, pornography and drugs since 2017. It could be fined heavily if found guilty […]

World

EU expels Venezuelan Ambassador, declares diplomat “persona non grata”

Ihesiulo Grace 26 February 2021 0

The European Union (EU) has expelled Claudia Salerno Caldera, head of the Venezuelan Mission to the EU, and declared the diplomat persona non grata, media reports on Friday said. The EU decision followed Venezuela’s expulsion of the EU Ambassador to Venezuela, Isabel Brilhante Pedrosa and giving her 72 hours to leave. “The EU considers this […]

World

Protesters clash with police as Niger opposition decries election

Ihesiulo Grace 25 February 2021 0

Supporters of Niger’s opposition leader Mahamane Ousmane set up burning barricades and clashed with riot police in the capital Niamey on Wednesday, as the former president declared himself the winner of Sunday’s vote, despite losing the official tally. On Tuesday the election commission declared ruling party candidate Mohamed Bazoum winner with 55.75% of the ballots […]

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US to release declassified report on Jamal Khashoggi murder

Ihesiulo Grace 25 February 2021 0

The United States of America is preparing to release a declassified intelligence report that is widely expected to implicate Saudi Arabia’s crown prince over the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi in 2018. The White House said President Joe Biden, who has read the report, would speak “soon” to the Saudi king. Mr Biden wants to […]

Technology World

Facebook, Instagram place immediate ban on Myanmar military

Ihesiulo Grace 25 February 2021 0

Facebook, the social media giant, removed the military of Myanmar and its allies from its sites. The company said it acted after determining that “the risks are too high to allow the Tatmadaw [Myanmar military] on Facebook and Instagram.” Facebook was used by the military to raise its assertion of voter fraud in the 2020 […]

World

Zuma corruption trial over arms deal set for May

Ihesiulo Grace 23 February 2021 0

A corruption case will commence in May against former President Jacob Zuma and French defense firm Thales over a $2 billion state arms deal, a South African court reports. Mr. Zuma faces 16 charges, all of which he denies, including bribery, racketeering and money laundering. Mr Zuma is accused of receiving Thales’ annual payments unlawfully […]

World

Biden marks ‘heartbreaking milestone’ of 500,000 US COVID deaths

Ihesiulo Grace 23 February 2021 0

US President Joe Biden marked on Monday the “truly grim, heartbreaking milestone” of more than 500,000 deaths in the US due to COVID-19 since the beginning of the pandemic. Bells tolled from the Washington National Cathedral in tribute to those who have lost their lives. A sunset moment of silence and a candle-lighting ceremony at […]

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Italian ambassador to DR Congo killed in UN convoy attack

Ihesiulo Grace 22 February 2021 0

Italy’s ambassador to the Democratic Republic of Congo has been killed in an attack in the east of the country, its foreign ministry has said. Luca Attanasio, 43, died in hospital on Monday after the United Nations convoy he was travelling in came under fire near Goma, a statement said. The convoy reportedly belonged to […]

World

Swedish prosecutor charges man with spying for Russia

Ihesiulo Grace 22 February 2021 0

A 47-year-old man in Sweden was on Monday charged with alledged espionage, providing Russia with information about Swedish companies in return for payment. The man was caught meeting a Russian intelligence officer working under diplomatic cover at a Stockholm restaurant in February 2019, the Swedish security service said. He was alleged to have been recruited […]

World

Ugandan opposition leader Wine withdraws election result challenge

Ihesiulo Grace 22 February 2021 0

On Monday, Ugandan opposition leader Bobi Wine said he was withdrawing a court case challenging the outcome of the presidential election that handed victory to incumbent Yoweri Museveni, claiming prejudice by judges of the Supreme Court hearing the case. “We have decided to withdraw from their court,” Bobi Wine told a news conference in the […]

World

Yemen’s Houthi rebels launch attack on civilian plane in Saudi Arabia

Ihesiulo Grace 11 February 2021 0

Yemen’s Houthi rebels on Wednesday targeted Abha International Airport in southwestern Saudi Arabia, causing a civilian plane on the tarmac to catch fire, the kingdom’s state television reported, an attack that threatens to escalate Yemen’s grinding war. Firefighters brought the blaze under control, Saudi state-owned Al-Ekhbariya TV said, without offering word

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EU Chief acknowledges mistakes in Vaccine Rollout

Ihesiulo Grace 11 February 2021 0

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen speaks during a debate on the united EU approach to COVID-19 vaccinations at. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen speaks during a debate on the united EU approach to COVID-19 vaccinations at the European Parliament in Brussels, Feb. 10, 2021. European Commission president Ursula Von der Leyen […]

World

Google announces initiatives to boost online safety

Ihesiulo Grace 9 February 2021 0

Google has announced a number of initiatives across Kenya, Nigeria and South Africa, bolstering its continued efforts to keep children, young people and families safe online. In a statement on Tuesday through its Country Director, Juliet Ehimuan, Google said it had teamed up with some organisations across the continent to boost efforts and develop programmes […]

World

Tesla buys $1.5B in bitcoin, will start accepting for cars

Ihesiulo Grace 9 February 2021 0

Tesla will begin accepting bitcoin, the electric automaker disclosed in an SEC Filing on Monday, citing efforts to “further diversify and maximize returns on our cash” and in a first, may soon accept it as payment for its cars. “We may invest a portion of such cash in certain alternative reserve assets including digital assets, […]

World

Facebook blocked in Myanmar after users protest military coup

Ihesiulo Grace 8 February 2021 0

SHARON ISAALAH Myanmar’s government has blocked access to Facebook in the country after users turned to the company’s services to protest this week’s military coup. In a statement given to The Wall S Street Journal, Facebook confirmed that the country’s telecoms providers had been ordered to block its services. “We urge authorities to restore connectivity […]

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Biden to pursue arms control, seeks to engage China – U.S. envoy

Ihesiulo Grace 4 February 2021 0

The Biden administration views the New Start Treaty clinched with Russia this week as the beginning of engagement on strategic issues including multilateral arms control. The U.S. envoy said on Thursday. Robert Wood, U.S. ambassador to the U.N. in Geneva, speaking at the U.N.sponsored Conference on Disarmament, called for new arms control that covers more […]

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Ukraine probes its alleged meddling into US election

Ihesiulo Grace 29 January 2021 0

Ukraine has launched a criminal investigation into attempts to interfere in the United States presidential election, President Volodymyr Zelenskiy’s office said in a statement on the presidential website on Thursday. Andriy Yermak, the head of Zelenskiy’s office, said Kiev would do everything in its power to bring to justice forces within the country and outside […]

World

China warns that Taiwan’s independence ‘means war’

Ihesiulo Grace 28 January 2021 0

China toughened its language towards Taiwan on Thursday, warning after recent stepped up military activities near the island that Taiwanese “independence means war.” China further warned that its armed forces were taking action to respond to provocation and foreign interference. Taiwan, claimed by China as its own territory, reported multiple Chinese fighter jets and

World

Biden likely to revert to Obama’s policy of arming Syrian rebels – Syrian official

Ihesiulo Grace 28 January 2021 0

The new U.S. administration of Joe Biden will most likely maintain its military presence in Syria and revert to Obama-era policies of arming and training rebel groups, an official said. The Syrian Arab Army, Maj.-Gen. Mohammad Abbas (rtd) said this on Thursday. “These incidents are likely to be the precursors of escalatory attacks in the […]