Mohammed told SaharaReporters that life has been difficult for him since 2015 when they had the accident along Maraban/Jos Expressway in Kaduna.
A soldier, Abdullahi Mohammed of the 212 battalion in Maiduguri has accused the Nigerian Army of deceiving and abandoning him after an accident he had with two of his colleagues.
Mohammed told SaharaReporters that life has been difficult for him since 2015 when they had the accident along Maraban/Jos Expressway in Kaduna.
He added that two of his colleagues, Jamilu Ahmed and Peter Hamisu died in the accident.
Mohammed said they were guarding the residence of a Colonel identified as Dr Hassan on the 5th of June, 2015 when his wife called them around 2 am that some Fulani herdsmen were about to steal cows at the husband’s farm.
He claimed they insisted they would not leave the building but were forced by Colonel Hassan who told them to move immediately to his farm and protect the cows from being stolen.
He added that they had the accident on their way the farm.
“It was A. A. Babalola that selected us to go to Colonel Hassan’s house, about four of us. While on duty in his house, the wife called us around 2 am in the night, she said some Fulani people were at her husband’s farm, stealing their cows, and that we should go and rescue them,” he told SaharaReporters.
“We insisted that we would not go but we were forced to move out at that time to the farm. On our way to the farm, we had an accident that led to the death of two of my colleagues while I was unconscious in the hospital for months. Later, I was told my colleagues were dead. L/cpl Jamilu Ahmed and one Peter Hamisu of the same battalion.
“From that time, till now, I swear to God, Nigerian Army has not done anything for me. I have really suffered, I don’t have anybody, I’m an orphan. Even the Colonel we were told to guard his house didn’t say anything. My wife left me, I lost my father in 2001, I lost my mum in 2003 before I finished secondary education.
“I have written several letters to the army; they should please take care of me. I’m a poor person, I don’t have the kind of money needed for my treatment. I know people who had the same injury I sustained but are now walking well, some are walking with sticks. I feel pain everywhere on my body, even in my leg.
“It’s sad that the army can abandon me like this, so sad. I met with the former Chief of Army Staff (Lt Gen Tukur Buratai) who promised to help me then but nothing was done till he was sacked by the President. Nigerians can as well help me to walk again.
“I’m a gallant soldier who is ever ready to serve my fatherland but this is how life has changed my situation. I cannot walk, I cannot urinate unless through a pipe and rubber. I have a problem with my spinal cord. Nothing serious has been done by the commander
“I’m now calling on all Nigerians to come to help me as I have no one to assist me. Please, I don’t want my life to end like this, I have no one currently as I’m an orphan.”
In addition to nasal or throat swab tests, foreign travellers into China would now undergo mandatory anal swab testing, the state media said.
The Chinese Center for Disease Control says the anal swab test is performed with a sterile cotton swab, which looks like a very long ear bud, that is inserted 3 cm to 5 cm (1.2 inches to 2 inches) into the anus before being gently rotated out.
The Times UK on Wednesday said that a resrespiratory disease expert, Li Tongzeng believed that results from the anal swabs test were more accurate than others since coronavirus traces can be detectable in the anus for longer than in the respiratory tract.
The Times further disclosed that anal swab testing hubs would be in place at the Beijing and Shanghai airports.
The anal swab test has been stoking debate over its necessity. The Chief Cabinet Secretary, the Japanese government, Katsunobuh Kato, had asked the Chinese government at a news conference to stop performing the new testing method on its citizens who complained of ‘psychological pain” after the test.
However, the Chinese foreign ministry spokesman, Wang Wenbin, who disclosed that the screening is “science-based,” explained that the new testing method was performed “in accordance with the changes in the epidemic situation as well as relevant laws and regulations.”
The Nigerian Army has declared 12 officers and 86 soldiers missing in the wake of last week’s Boko Haram attacks on Marte and Dikwa local government areas of Borno State.
A signal dated March 1, 2021 from Operation Lafiya Dole Headquarters in Maiduguri, sighted by the Daily Trust, showed that the soldiers were declared as deserters.
It indicated that three majors, three captains, six lieutenants, three sergeants and 89 soldiers fled in the aftermath of the attacks on Marte and Dikwa.
The signal, signed by Col. A.O. Odubiyi, on behalf of the Theatre Commander of Operation Lafiya Dole, partly read, “I am directed to connect Reference A on above subject and to respectfully forward details of additional officers and soldiers who absconded from the defensive location during the BHT attack on New Marte and Dikwa.
“You are requested to declare the named officers and soldiers’ deserters WEF 19 Feb 21. You are also requested to cause HQ NAFC to freeze their accounts and apprehend/bring them under military escort to this Headquarters if seen within your AOR.”
When contacted last night for official reaction, the spokesman of the Nigerian Army, Brig.-Gen. Mohammed Yerima, told our correspondent that, “If Army has anything to tell the world, shall we wait for the media to prompt us? No! Well, if we have anything to tell the world on that, we will tell the world, we won’t allow you to prompt us.”
It would be recalled that Boko Haram fighters had dislodged Nigerian troops in Marte on February 14, prompting the troops to relocate to Dikwa.
The insurgents reportedly foisted their flags at Marte area after killing seven troops of the 153rd Task Force Battalion.
Thereafter, the terrorists waged another war against the troops in Dikwa on February 19 but were repelled.
Shortly after the attempted attack, the Chief of Army Staff, Maj.-Gen. Ibrahim Attahiru went to Dikwa and gave a 48-hour ultimatum to the troops to recapture Marte and other towns which they did.
A military source told Daily Trust that the case of the 101 soldiers that deserted was a source of concern.
“This case should not be seen as mutiny because they went different ways when they were dislodged by the insurgents. It is possible that some of them have been killed; some may have retreated to their main bases and others maybe on the run.
“This is not a new thing. It happens when military bases are dislodged,” he said.
Another military source familiar with the recent development said most of the deserters left in protest because the terrorists had superior weapons and not because they didn’t want to continue serving their country.
“The fact is that the weapons procured by the federal government between 2013 and 2014 have all worn out while others have been stolen by the terrorists during raids on military bases.
“Also, the terrorists have procured additional weapons from other sources which they are now using to take the war to the doorsteps of our troops.
“The terrorists also believe that they are fighting a religious battle and therefore are ready to fight all the time, confronting the troops with the conviction that they would either win or die. All these factors have collectively dampened the morale of our troops and the federal government must do something to revive it,” he said.
File photo of the graduation ceremony for Batch 4/2019 deradicalized former Boko Haram combatants at the ‘Operation Safe Corridor Mallam Sidi’ in Gombe State on July 25
Deradicalised Boko Haram fighters pick up arms again
Meanwhile, many deradicalised Boko Haram members have reportedly re-joined the group and picked up arms against the state, Governor Babagana Zulum of Borno State said.
Zulum, who is the Chairman of the North East Governors Forum (NEGF), said this on Wednesday in Bauchi during the meeting of the six governors.
He lamented that the Boko Haram terrorists have changed tactics and were becoming more vicious, saying the federal government should halt the deradicalisation exercise and prosecute all terrorists in order to end the over 11-year insurgency.
“It has been confirmed that the concept of deradicalisation or Safe Corridor is not working as expected. Quite often those who have passed through the Safe Corridor initiative or have been deradicalised, usually go back and re-join the terror group, after carefully studying the various security arrangements in their host communities, during the reintegration process,” he said.
Zulum also said most communities were not amenable to accepting the so-called deradicalised terrorists.
“The host communities where the reintegration process is going on usually resent the presence of Boko Haram terrorists, even if they have been deradicalised, because of the despicable and atrocious activities they have committed in the past.
“So the idea of deradicalisation, as currently being implemented, needs to be reviewed because the main goals and the underlying objectives behind the initiative are not being achieved.
“The best option is to immediately prosecute the terrorists, in accordance with the Terrorism Act. However, those people who, ab initio, were forcefully recruited but have been rescued or have escaped from the group, should be the ones to be subjected to the deradicalisation process.
“On the prosecution of terrorists, we must make effort to avoid the current encumbrances and intricacies associated with the process, which usually takes considerable time, by urging the appropriate federal authorities to devolve the powers of the Minister of Justice and Attorney-General of the Federation to state attorneys-general in order to facilitate the prosecution process,” he said.
While applauding the appointment of new service chiefs in his welcoming address during the meeting which is their fourth, Zulum said: “As it is now, especially in Borno State, violence, being perpetrated by the insurgents, seems to be on the increase, both in scope and viciousness; and it has become a matter of tactical necessity for the new service chiefs to devise new offensive strategies to counter the current attacks and forestall any future attacks.
“Undoubtedly, the commitment of our military to the war against the insurgency is unquestionable and their determination to succeed is undeniable, as they have considered and acted upon a full range of options to deal with the insurgency.
“However, with the current escalation of deadly attacks by the terrorists, the various courses of action being pursued seem to have some limitations in terms of the expected impact; hence the need for a new set of pragmatic and result-oriented initiatives to completely subdue the terrorists and ultimately end the insurgency.
North East govs mull regional security outfit
The North East governors have also considered the idea of a regional security outfit because of the rising insecurity in the region.
Zulum said the current escalation of deadly attacks by terrorists and the various causes of action being pursued to fight insurgents have some limitations in terms of the expected impact, hence the need for a new set of pragmatic and result-oriented initiative to be deployed to completely subdue the terrorists.
“On our part, in addition to the logistic and financial support we are rendering to the armed forces in their fight against general insecurity in the sub-region, we should also look into the possibility of forming a security outfit within the ambit of constitutional precedent and operational feasibility as has been done in other parts of the country,” he said.
He also reiterated his call on the federal government to seek support from mercenaries from neighbouring countries to enable it win the war against insurgents in the country.
“The government should also seek support from neighbouring countries such as the Republic of Chad, Cameroon and Niger with a view to providing a joint action that will look into the possibility of ending this crisis.
“The federal government has to look into the possibility of involving mercenaries with a view to ending this insurgency because it seems that the commitment is not there.
“Therefore, for us to end this insurgency, we must be committed enough, we must bring in external support to ensure that mercenaries are hired to end this insurgency,” he said
Earlier in his remarks, Governor Bala Mohammed of Bauchi State emphasised the need for standing up and fighting the insurgents so that after the defeated, they will not be able to regroup again.
“Our fight against insurgency must be total because by the time Maiduguri is subdued, then we are not safe here too. Security infrastructure must be put in place to be able to fight this war considering the sophistication of the terrorists.
“If we must be honest, the public opinion at the moment is that we have failed, that many of our people have resorted to self-help in order to get away from this despondency. We must accept the fact that the over-centralization of the security arrangement is an obsolete school.
“We will not just sit down and watch until terrorists overrun us, we must stand up to fight them, chase them away and ensure that our areas are well secured,” he said.
Learning a vocational skill is a must on DRR camp. Tailoring is one of it
Reservations about deradicalisation not new
Daily Trust reports that the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Army, Senator Ali Ndume (APC, Borno), had in November last year faulted the deradicalisation, rehabilitation and reintegration of the repentant terrorists, saying it was not in order.
Ndume’s words: “I am in disagreement with the government on the issue of deradicalising and reintegrating (repentant Boko Haram members). I still maintain that. You can’t be resettling people, pampering them while the war is on.
“The committee is on the same page and I believe many Nigerians are on the same page with this. In my village, mallams that are Muslims, not ordinary Muslims but mallams, elders above 60, were taken to an abattoir and slaughtered by Boko Haram. 75 of them,” he said.
The background
Daily Trust reports that the deradicalisation exercise is part of Nigeria’s Operation Safe Corridor aimed at facilitating the rehabilitation of ex-insurgents.
It was also part of the carrot and stick approach of the government towards ending the over 11- year Boko Haram insurgency that has claimed thousands of lives, displaced millions and destroyed their economy.
The initiative was first proposed at the Nigerian National Security Council (NSC) meeting in September 2015, after which repentant Boko Haram members were encouraged to surrender and embrace peace.
During their stay at the deradicalisation camps, such as the one in Gombe, they would be subjected to a combination of psychotherapy, art therapy and psycho-spiritual counselling.
They would also be subjected to skill acquisition programmes, offered certificate of “psychosocial normalcy” and then reintegrated into the society.
However, those against releasing the ex-Boko Haram militants said many of them ended up re-joining the terror group. They said that was partly responsible for the inability of the Nigerian security forces to end the crisis.
Security has been ramped up at the US Capitol in response to “a possible plot to breach” the building.
The move was prompted by intelligence that an unnamed militia group planned the attack for 4 March – the day US presidents used to be inaugurated.
The House of Representatives cancelled Thursday’s session, but the Senate will continue with its agenda.
The threat comes two months after the deadly attack on the building by a mob loyal to former President Donald Trump.
They breached the Capitol building in January while lawmakers were inside moving to certify Democrat Joe Biden’s election victory. Mr Trump still refuses to admit losing the election.
The riot saw five people including a police officer killed and shook the foundations of American democracy. The head of the Capitol police force later resigned.
Supporters of an unfounded conspiracy theory believe Mr Trump will return to the White House on 4 March.
What does the intelligence say?
“As of late February, an unidentified group of militia violent extremists discussed plans to take control of the US Capitol and remove Democratic lawmakers on or about 4 March and discussed aspirational plans to persuade thousands to travel to Washington, DC, to participate,” a new intelligence bulletin issued by the FBI and Department of Homeland Security says.
“We have already made significant security upgrades to include establishing a physical structure and increasing manpower to ensure the protection of Congress, the public and our police officers.
“Due to the sensitive nature of this information, we cannot provide additional details at this time.”
Why is Thursday significant?
Supporters of an extremist conspiracy theory known as QAnon falsely believe Thursday will mark Mr Trump’s return to the White House for a second term.
They have latched onto this date because before the 20th amendment of the US Constitution – adopted in 1933 – moved the swearing-in dates of the president and Congress to January, American leaders took office on 4 March.
QAnon is a wide-ranging and completely unfounded theory which says that President Trump is waging a secret war against elite Satan-worshipping paedophiles in government, business and the media.
Security services were aware of online QAnon discussions surrounding 4 March, but did not “have any indication of violence or a specific, credible plot at this time”, an FBI official had told The Washington Post last week.
Capitol riot aftermath
The US justice department has charged more than 300 people with participation in the 6 January attack. Those arrested include members of the right-wing militia groups the Oath Keepers and the Three Percenters.
Democrats said the attack amounted to an insurrection and the House voted to impeach Mr Trump for allegedly inciting the mob. The former president – the first in US history to be impeached twice – was later acquitted in the upper chamber, the Senate, with many Republican senators sticking by him.media captionWhen a mob stormed the US capitol
In late February Acting Capitol Police Chief Yogananda Pittman told Congress that the Trump supporters behind the January attack want to “blow up” the Capitol and kill lawmakers.
Leon Panetta, a former US Defence Secretary and CIA chief, told the BBC that police would take no chances following January’s attack.
“We have got to have constant intelligence on domestic terrorists, have to track their possible efforts to again repeat what happened on January sixth and I think that’s what you’re seeing now, is an abundance of caution to make sure that we are properly prepared to react, if in fact any group attempts any kind of armed attack again on the United States Capitol,” he said.
At least one person has been killed while some have sustained injuries in Jangebe, the Zamfara community where some schoolgirls were abducted last week.
After the students regained freedom, the government took them for counselling and rehabilitation.
On Wednesday, they were brought back to the school to reunite with their family members.
Pandemonium broke out after anxious parents disrupted the speech of Alhaji Nasiru Muazu Magarya, Speaker of the Zamfara House of Assembly, and forcefully took their daughters away.
The schoolgirls, who arrived at the school in the evening, were seated in the examination hall and were being addressed by the speaker when the visibly disturbed parents broke in to the hall and started throwing insults at the dignitaries that were meant to address the parents and the school girls.
All speeches were disrupted and after sensing trouble, the speaker and commissioners attending the event quickly left.
Shots were fired by security operatives to disperse the crowd that was waiting outside the school.
The youths began to throw stones at the security operatives that were moving out of the community.
A young man stained blood and was seen being held by other youths at the scene.
The vehicle conveying journalists had to quickly move out of the community as the youth were pelting vehicles with stones.
Last week, some journalists who visited the school a day after the abduction were attacked.
The leadership of Cattle and Foodstuff dealers under the aegis of Amalgamated Union of Foodstuff and Cattle Dealers of Nigeria (AUFCDN) has agreed to end the blockade of supplies to the south.
They reached the agreement at an ongoing meeting with Governor Yahaya Bello of Kogi State in Abuja on Wednesday.
Abdullahi Tom, a youth leader of the cattle dealers who is attending the meeting, told Daily Trust that the union has agreed to shelve the strike.
Femi Fani-Kayode, former Aviation Minister, is attending the meeting.
Last week, the union commenced strike to protest the attack on some of their members during the #EndSARS protests and the recent Shasha market crisis in Ibadan, Oyo state capital.
They had initially given the federal government a seven-day ultimatum to weigh into the situation and look into their demands.
Baskets of tomatoes waiting to be loaded for movement to the southern parts of the country at Kwanar Gafan Tomato Market in Kano State.
The Union had demanded protection of its members, and payment of N475 billion compensation for lives of members and properties lost during the #EndSARS protest and the Shasa market crisis.
They also demanded the dismantling of all roadblocks on federal highways where their members are harassed and money extorted from them by security operatives.
The strike entailed closing all routes between the North and South for vehicles conveying cattle and food items. Such vehicles were stopped from reaching the Southern region.
Both sides have been affected by the strike. Food prices soared in the South, while farmers in the North complained of poor patronage.
Daily Trust had reported how onion traders lamented over the crash in the price of the item.
A bag of onion which sold at N35,000 before the strike, plummeted to N7000
As preparations are in top gear for mass vaccination in Nigeria, the National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA) has said COVID-19 cannot change the DNA of recipients.
There have been allegations that chips have been implanted into COVID vaccines.
When he featured on Sunrise Daily, a Channels Television breakfast programme, on Wednesday, Faisal Shuaib, Chief Executive Officer of NPHCDA, dismissed the allegations.
He said it is the responsibility of health workers and scientists to address any concern that Nigerians may have regarding the vaccine.
“We as health workers; we as scientists have been working in the last few years to make sure that we don’t take for granted any questions or concerns that Nigerians will have. It is our responsibility not to just offer the vaccine but we also have to put in the hard work to convince Nigerians, to provide them with the information around their questions.
So is there a chip for example? No there is no chip in the vaccine. Is it possible that this will change your DNA? No, that doesn’t happen.”
”We have not already allotted these vaccines to the rich people or the people in the urban areas. Absolutely not. The president has been very clear and the vice-president has also added his voice.
Chairman of the presidential task force (PTF) has communicated this, and in our PTF media briefing, we’ve made it very clear in terms of who we’re going to prioritise. The first group of people who are going to be taking this vaccine are the frontline health workers,” he said.
On Tuesday, Nigeria received its first batch of the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine containing close to 4 million doses.
A Porsche car owned by Argentina’s soccer great Diego Maradona during his “forgotten” final season in Europe will go under the hammer this week.
Maradona drove the 1992 silver Porsche 911 to and from training and matches when he was playing for Spanish club Sevilla in the 1992-93 season, his last in Europe, after serving a 15-month ban over a failed drugs test.
Diego Maradona
“It was delivered new to ‘El Diego’, Diego Armando Maradona, and because of this provenance this car probably could be worth double or three times the value of a standard car,” Gregory Tuytens, car specialist at auction house Bonhams, told Reuters at a storage facility in Belgium.
The online auction will last from Wednesday until March 10. The price estimate is up to 200,000 euros ($240,800) but Tuytens said Bonhams felt it could go for a lot more.
“It will definitely appeal not only to car collectors but also football fans and just people who loved the person, the football god Maradona in general,” he said.
Maradona was as much in the headlines off the pitch as on during that season, including when stopped by police for jumping a red light and speeding at 180 km per hour (112 mph) in the city centre, Tuytens said.
The car spent 20 years with another owner on the Spanish island of Majorca before it passed through the hands of several French collectors.
It comes to auction with about 120,000 km on the clock.
Maradona died in November and was honoured with a period of lying in state when thousands of people turned out to pay their last respects.
South Korea’s first transgender soldier, who was discharged from the military for undergoing gender reassignment surgery, has been found dead at her home.
The cause of death of Byun Hee-soo, a transgender rights campaigner, is not yet known.
She launched a landmark legal challenge against the military in January last year over her dismissal.
Her petition for reinstatement was rejected in July.
South Korea remains conservative on matters of sexual identity.
The 23-year-old had been receiving counselling from a mental health centre in her home province of Gyeonggi, north of Seoul. Her counsellor became concerned after not hearing from her since 28 February and called emergency services.
Ms Byun’s case triggered debate about the treatment of transgender troops and soldiers from the LGBTQ community in the country.
She previously told reporters that apart from her gender identity, she wanted to show everyone that she could also be one of the great soldiers who protect the country.
All able-bodied South Korean men are required to carry out military service for nearly two years.
In December, the National Human Rights Commission of Korea said the decision not to allow her to continue to serve in the military had no legal grounds.media captionIn March last year, Byun Hui-soo said she would fight to remain a soldier
South Korea is far less tolerant of the LGBTQ community than its East Asian neighbours.
Byun Hee-soo
Being LGBT is often seen as a disability or a mental illness, or by powerful conservative churches as a sin, and there are no anti-discrimination laws in the country.
In Ms Byun’s case, anti-LGBT campaigners had attempted to identify her online. They also held demonstrations urging the military to dismiss her after news about the case emerged and have called for further demonstrations.
Sowore who spoke to BBC Pidgin said that the man who wore the traditional attire normally associated with ‘Juju men’ is not a herbalist or a ‘Juju man’ as many described. He said the man is an African man who accompanied him to court dressed in what represents his belief.
The human rights activist stated that the reason for the man being there was to discourage people who always look down on African traditions, cultural beliefs, and fashion.
Sowore and the man in traditional attire
According to Sowore, another reason for the man’s presence was to change the belief that European cultures are better than those of Africans.
He dished that the statement he was trying to make while making his court appearance was “Pan Africanism”; breaking the stereotype that African traditions, cultural beliefs, and fashion are inferior to those of the white man.
Speaking further, Sowore added that the man appeared in court to show him solidarity, the same way Christians and Muslims follow him to courtrooms to show him support.
Pictures of Sowore and the man in the traditional attire had gone viral, with many calling him names like ‘Sowore’s herbalist’, ‘Ifa Priest’, ‘Bodyguard’, etc.
While some had hailed the man, saying that he was promoting his African heritage, others had said that Sowore had resorted to fighting the federal government through traditional means.
The US will have enough coronavirus vaccines for every adult by the end of May, President Joe Biden has said.
This will be two months earlier than previously expected, but Mr Biden said the vaccination drive must be extended, too, and people convinced to take it.
And he warned people to “stay vigilant” because “this fight is far from over”, with new variants a major concern.
His caution is at odds with some states, which are relaxing restrictions in order to boost their economies.
Although there has been a sharp fall in confirmed cases since the start of the year – the figure of 68,000 a day now is well down on the 8 January peak of 300,000 – that drop has levelled off over the past week, fuelling fears of another wave.
More than 76 million vaccination doses have been administered – covering 15.3% of the population and the US remains on track to meet Mr Biden’s pledge of delivering 100 million Covid-19 vaccine doses in his first 100 days in office.
Some 1.74 million doses are being administered every day.
“We’re now on track to have enough vaccine supply for every adult in America by the end of May,” he said, adding it was “the type of collaboration between companies we saw in World War Two”.
But the president acknowledged that supply was only one issue, with the nation needing to extend its vaccination drive and convince people to take the shots.
“We need vaccinators, people who put the shots in people’s arms, millions of Americans’ arms,” he said.
“Great news, but stay vigilant,” Mr Biden said. “It’s not over yet.”
Another key announcement was the pledge to give every teacher at least one shot by the end of March, and speed up the reopening of schools.
But on a general reopening, President Biden was more cautious, saying he was unsure when a return to normal would be possible, although he did then say before “this time next year”.
What are the states doing on reopenings?
Some are now relaxing rules, despite a warning from top federal health officials last week not to ease up.
Mr Biden repeated that, saying: “We cannot let our guard down now or assure that victory is inevitable. We can’t assume that.”
Individual states are in charge of public health policy in the US. At the start of the coronavirus pandemic, most introduced restrictions on businesses and travel.
About 35 required face coverings to be worn in public places, although enforcement of these mask mandates has been patchy.
image captionDrive-through vaccination in Texas. The governor says it is time to open the state “100%”
The governor of Texas on Tuesday issued an executive order, effective from 10 March, that rescinds most of the coronavirus measures he imposed.
“It is now time to open Texas 100%,” the Republican said. “Too many small business owners have struggled to pay their bills. This must end.”
He said that with increased vaccinations and improved treatment for Covid-19, the state was “in a far better position now”.
The Democratic party in the state said the “crazy” move would throw away all of the gains.
Mississippi has followed Texas in removing the order on mask wearing, but it will come into effect even earlier – from Wednesday.
Other states have also announced a relaxation of some rules.
Michigan, which has a Democratic governor, is to ease capacity limits on restaurants, and on public and residential gatherings.
South Carolina has removed limits on large gatherings, while capacity limits on restaurants in Massachusetts were removed.
Some cities have also acted. Chicago has reopened public schools and San Francisco announced the easing of rules on museums, cinemas, gyms and indoor dining.media captionThe ‘colourful’ lives lost to Covid – how obituaries are helping us all mourn
Health officials have warned that the pandemic is far from over and cases could pick up if curbs are lifted too soon.
On Monday the director of the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) warned of a “potential fourth surge of cases” if the country lapsed into complacency.
Covid-19 data shows that, while infections and deaths have declined in recent weeks, they are still at high levels relative to other countries.
The emergence of new variants could also require booster shots for those already vaccinated.
At least ten people, including the two pilots, died when a plane crashed at an airstrip in South Sudan’s Jonglei state, the region’s governor and the airline said.
It was reported that the commercial plane crashed late afternoon Tuesday, March 2, when it took off from the airstrip at Pieri on a return flight to Juba.
According to aviation authorities, all aboard the commercial plane lost their lives.
It could not give a specific death toll, saying up to 24 people could have been on the flight.
“It was with great shock and horror to receive the news of the plane crash (HK-4274) of South Sudan Supreme Airline,” Governor Denay Jock Chagor said in a statement sent to AFP Wednesday.
Ten people including the two pilots lost their lives,” he added.
Ayii Duang Ayii, director of South Supreme Airlines, told AFP Wednesday that it was “not clear how many people” were on board the flight.
“But the first information communicated to us was that there were 11 people on board,” the director said.
“We are still working to send a team… to establish for us the facts. All onboard died,” he said.
“The plane left to Pieri well, landed well and when it was taking off back to Juba that was when it crashed,” Ayii Duang Ayii added.
Over 100 cultists have renounced their membership of various confraternities in Orimekpang community in Boki Local Government Area of Cross River State.
The repentant youths said they were tired of living in bondage and that there is no gain in cultism.
The renunciation programme which began on Saturday, February 20, 2021, was held at a church premises and was hosted by Rev Fr Emmanuel Ukwa in the presence of Pastor John Ewa, Chairman of Boki Local Government Area; Pius Kejuo Osang, Councillor of Abo Ward; the Clan Head of Orimekpang and his Chiefs; Youths and Women Leaders, among others.
Speaking at the denunciation event, Pastor Ewa emphasised on the need for peace and unity which according to him is paramount to the development of every society.
Ewa explained to the youths how his children and other politicians’ children are in good private schools, some schooling abroad and that no politician will allow their children to be a cultist.
He advised the repentant cultists to never return to cultism as it adds no value to their lives and that of society.
On his part, the Local Government chairman promised to ensure that those who denounced cultism “will be speedily reintegrated into society through training and empowerment programmes from ITF, UNICEF, RED CROSS and others.”
He asked the repented cultists not to allow any political leader to lure them back to such devilish acts again.
Rev. Father Emmanuel Ukwa, who handed over the denouncees into the hands of God by praying and baptising them, advised them to fully surrender to God who according to him, is ready to accept them.
The Brazil coronavirus variant now found in the UK appears more contagious and may evade immunity provided by past infection, scientists say.
Experiences from Manaus – the Amazonian city hit hard by the P.1 variant – suggest it could be up to twice as transmissible as earlier Covid there, the first detailed study suggests.
The preliminary work puts the chance of reinfection at between 25% and 60%.
But experts say this should not be used to predict what may happen in the UK.
Indeed, one of the lead researchers said it was unlikely P.1 would quickly take off in Britain when only six cases had been identified and these were being closely monitored.
Infectious diseases expert Prof Ester Sabino, from the University of São Paulo, Brazil, said: “You need many introductions [of a virus] to start an epidemic. Six is very few. I would say if you take care and do contact tracing, this is going to decrease.”
Professor Sharon Peacock, who is director of the UK’s centre leading on genetic testing of coronavirus, said: “We are taking appropriate action. These are very interesting and important findings for Brazil, but how they relate to the UK is yet to be determined.”
Updating MPs on the six cases of the Brazil variant seen in the UK, Health Secretary Hancock said: “We have no information to suggest the variant has spread further.”
One of the six people affected has not yet been identified, but the search has narrowed from the whole country down to 379 households in the south-east of England.
Mr Hancock said: “We’re contacting each one.”
The researchers have been tracking coronavirus in Brazil for nearly a year now. Manaus, like many other regions around the world, encountered a large first wave in the spring of 2020.
Lots of people were infected with the original version of the virus at that time, with blood test results suggesting as many as three-quarters of the population getting some degree of protection or immunity from this exposure.
Despite this, people in Manaus were hit badly by another wave of coronavirus in the winter.
The research team from Brazil and Imperial College London have been studying the genetic makeup of coronavirus in some of those who were infected between November and December, as well as modelling the pandemic outcomes.
They say the P.1 variant probably emerged in early November, dominated and spread quickly, and caused many reinfections.
The data is preliminary, but fits with what experts have suspected – that some of these new variants of coronavirus the world is seeing are more infectious and can evade some of the immunity people may have already built against Covid.
This raises questions about how well current vaccines, which were designed around earlier versions of the virus, might work and how countries can ease restrictions without case levels rising too high.
Work is already under way to redesign or tweak the vaccines to make them a better match for some of these new “variants of concern”, although existing ones should still provide some protection, particularly against severe disease.
Updated vaccines could be ready within months, meaning the UK would have millions of doses ready to give people a booster shot before next winter to make sure the population is protected.
The priority, along with mass vaccination, is to keep cases low to reduce the chance of new and emerging variants from spreading.
Mr Hancock said: “Our current vaccines have not yet been studied against this variant and we’re working to understand what impact it might have, but we do know that this variant has caused significant challenges in Brazil, so we’re doing all we can to stop the spread of this new variant in the UK, to analyse its effects and to develop an updated vaccine that works on all these variants of concern and protect the progress that we’ve made as a nation.”
One of reggae’s most important voices, Bunny Wailer, has died at the age of 73.
The musician, from Kingston, Jamaica, was a founding member of The Wailers alongside his childhood friend, Bob Marley.
Together, they achieved international fame with reggae classics like Simmer Down and Stir It Up, before Wailer left to go solo in 1974.
He went on to win three Grammys and was given Jamaica’s Order Of Merit in 2017.
His death was confirmed by manager Maxine Stowe, and Jamaica’s Culture Minister, Olivia Grange.
The cause of death is unknown, but he had been in hospital since having a stroke in July 2020.
The star, whose real name was Neville O’Riley Livingston, had been the last surviving member of The Wailers, following Bob Marley’s death from cancer in 1981, and Peter Tosh’s murder during a robbery in 1987.
His female replacement, Seiko Hashimoto, aims to have women make up 40% of the board members.
The changes – just five months before the games begin – come after public outrage over Mr Mori’s complaint that women talked too much in meetings.
The committee’s chief executive, Toshiro Muto, said on Tuesday the group planned to add 12 new female directors to its board, raising the ratio of women to 42%.
“It is possible to add 12 more members, so we decided to add 12 women to the board of directors.”
During a meeting of the executive board, the organisers agreed to a rule change allowing a maximum of 45 members, up from the current 35.
“We already have seven female directors, so 19 out of 45 will be female directors (after planned addition of new members). Based on the calculation, women will account for 42% of the board members,” Mr Muto said
Ms Hashimoto said the new members would be announced after being approved by committee members on Wednesday.
“Regarding promoting the gender equality, I believe that it is necessary to take swift action and provide solid results in order to rebuild trust in the organising committee,” the seven-time Olympian said.
Mr Mori had previously commented that should the number of female board members increase, they would have to “make sure their speaking time is restricted somewhat, they have difficulty finishing, which is annoying”.
He later apologised for his “inappropriate statement” and added that the priority was to make sure the Olympics were held in July.
The Summer Olympics will begin on 23 July, after already being postponed by a year due to the pandemic.
Zoom boss Eric Yuan, whose business exploded during the pandemic, says working from home is here to stay.
The video conferencing company expects sales to rise more than 40% this year, reaching more than $3.7bn (£2.66bn).
The forecast pushed shares in the company up more than 6% in after-hours trade in New York.
Investors have been watching for clues as to how the firm would fare as more people get vaccinated and social distancing restrictions lift.
Eric Yuan
Zoom said it did not expect growth to continue at the pace it enjoyed last year, but so far business remains strong.
The firm’s sales in the last three months of 2020 were up 370% compared to the same period in 2019, hitting $882.5m.
“The fourth quarter marked a strong finish to an unprecedented year for Zoom,” company boss Eric Yuan said. “As the world emerges from the pandemic, our work has only begun.”
The pandemic, which prompted an abrupt shift to remote work for many businesses around the world, transformed Zoom into a household name practically overnight.
The firm, which charges businesses for its remote meeting software in addition to more limited free use for the general public, saw sales soar 326% to $2.6bn in 2020. Profits jumped from just $21.7m in 2019 to $671.5m.
While some companies have started to ease staff back into the office, many others have said they expect that some of the increased flexibility introduced during the pandemic will linger.
“The future is here with the rise of remote and work from anywhere trends,” Mr Yuan said in prepared remarks for investors. “We recognize this new reality and are helping to empower our own employees and those of our customers to work and thrive in a distributed manner.”
Susannah Streeter, analyst at Hargreaves Lansdown, said Zoom’s fate would depend on how it manages to compete against firms such as Microsoft and Google, which have introduced similar features.
“Although it stole an early march on other players in the first few months of the crisis, it does now have much stiffer competition from the likes of Microsoft and Google who have significantly upped their game,” she wrote in a research note.
“It may be that we have become so used to pandemic habits that we will stick with our virtual social lives, particularly for long distance friendships and work relationships. But just how large a slice of the live video pie Zoom manages to hang on to will depend on how it matches up to its powerful rivals.”
“This follows the scaling of several hurdles laid against our efforts,” he added. “I enjoin all well-meaning Nigerians to rejoice with us as our daughters are now safe.”
The authorities said 279 girls had been freed, adding that a figure given last week by police that 317 had been kidnapped was no longer accurate.
One official told Reuters news agency that the discrepancy was due to the fact that some girls had fled shortly after being abducted.
The group’s release was secured through negotiations between government officials and the abductors, authorities in Zamfara state told the BBC.
Mr Matawalle has denied paying for the girls to be released, but last week President Muhammadu Buhari admitted state governments had paid kidnappers “with money and vehicles” in the past and urged them to review the policy.
President Buhari said he felt “overwhelming joy” at the news of the girls’ release. “[I am] pleased that their ordeal has come to a happy end without any incident,” he said.
Vinicius Jr marked his 100th Real Madrid appearance with a late equaliser against Real Sociedad in La Liga.
Madrid dominated the first half with Mariano and Raphael Varane heading off the bar in the space of two minutes.
Real Sociedad were much improved after the break and Portu scored an excellent header from Nacho Monreal’s cross.
Zinedine Zidane changed his front three after 61 minutes and one of the replacements – Vinicius – finished from Lucas Vazquez’s cross late on.
The draw brought to an end Madrid’s five-game winning run in all competitions and means they missed out on the chance to overtake Barcelona into second place.
Britain has drastically cut its aid to Yemen, which has been devastated by conflict for six years, saying the pandemic created “a difficult financial context for us all”.
The UK government said it would provide “at least” £87m ($120m) this year, down from £214m last year.
Yemen before and during the war
Aid officials have condemned the cut. The UN chief, António Guterres, said reducing aid was a “death sentence”.
The situation in Yemen has been called the world’s worst humanitarian crisis.
The conflict began in late 2014, when rebels seized control of much of the west of the country and a Saudi-led coalition of Arab states launched a military operation to restore President Abdrabbuh Mansour Hadi’s rule.
About 80% of the Yemeni population – 24 million people – depend on humanitarian assistance. Some two million children are acutely malnourished.
In addition to conflict, Yemen has seen a collapse of its health system, leaving it incapable of coping with the coronavirus pandemic.
The cut in the UK’s contribution was announced on Monday at a virtual donors’ conference by Minister of State for the Middle East and North Africa James Cleverly.
He said “recent global challenges” had “meant a difficult financial context for us all”. Funding has fallen off in recent years, just as the pandemic has made needs more acute.
Speaking at the event, UN officials warned that if the UN failed to meet its $3.85bn target for 2021, millions of Yemenis could face starvation. It is unclear how much has been raised so far.
David Beasley, Executive Director of UN’s World Food Programme, told the conference: “We’ve got famine knocking on the door.”
Mr Gurerres said that generous donations had averted a famine in 2018, but that “today, reducing aid is a death sentence”.
The US pledged an extra $191m at the event – bringing its total aid for Yemen to $350m this year.
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