Im not scheduled to get COVID-19 vaccine Trump

Outgoing U.S. President Donald Trump on Sunday night said he was not scheduled to be vaccinated against the Coronavirus (COVID-19), after a media report indicated he could receive a jab as early as Monday.

Earlier in the day Bloomberg reported Trump could be vaccinated as soon as Monday, and other top White House officials would also have the option to be inoculated in the coming days.

However, Trump took to Twitter to announce that he was not scheduled to take the vaccine, but look forward to doing so at the appropriate time.

People working in the White House should receive the vaccine somewhat later in the programme, unless specifically necessary.

I have asked that this adjustment be made, Trump wrote.

Bloomberg had reported that vaccinations for government officials will be staggered over the following 10 days to ensure critical government personnel dont experience possible side effects simultaneously.

The report also said National Security Council spokesman John Ullyot had confirmed the plan.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on Friday granted an emergency use approval for a COVID-19 vaccine produced by Pfizer and BioNTech for people over the age of 16.

Health authorities had previously said that healthcare workers and nursing home residents would be first in line for the vaccination, while most people are not expected to get inoculated until spring or summer.

A U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention advisory panel on Saturday signed off on the vaccine.

The government has already pre-ordered 100 million doses of the vaccine, which is enough to cover 50 million people since it must be administered in two stages.

Source: NAN News

NCDC Coronavirus ( COVID-19 ) update

By Abujah Rachael

The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) has recorded 418 new cases of COVID-19 in the country.

The NCDC made this known on its verified website on Sunday.

It said the new cases were recorded in 16 states and the Federal Capital Territory(FCT).

The health agency said that Lagos State topped the chart with 113 new infections followed by FCT, Abia and Kaduna with 86, 47 and 39 cases respectively.

Others were Rivers-27, Katsina-22, Benue-14, Oyo-13, Kano-12, Enugu-8, Edo-7, Imo-7, Bauchi-6, Ebonyi-6, Ogun-6, Ondo-4 and Nasarawa-1.

The NCDC also stated that 240 patients had recovered and had been discharged in the last 24 hours.

Our discharges today include 74 community recoveries in Kaduna State, 49 in Lagos State, 29 in Abia State and 20 in Plateau State, managed in line with guidelines, it said.

The health agency, which said three additional coronavirus-related deaths were recorded, added that the new infections brought the total number of COVID-19 cases in the country to 73,175.

The agency also said that a multi-sectoral national Emergency Operations Centre, activated at Level 3, was coordinating response activities.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the country had conducted about 845,458 tests since the first confirmed case of COVID-19 was announced.

The NCDC further said that till date, 66,090 cases had been discharged while 1,197 deaths had been recorded in the 36 states and the FCT.

It advised Nigerians to ensure theywash their hands with soap in running waterwhile also observing all other safety protocols.

Source: NAN News

Katsina: UNICEF calls for unconditional release of abducted children

By Zubairu Idris

The United Nations Childrens Fund (UNICEF) has called for the unconditional release of all the children abducted by gunmen at the Government Science Secondary School, Kankara, Katsina State.

The call is contained in a statement issued by UNICEF Regional Director for West and Central Africa, Marie-Pierre Poirier, and made available to newsmen in Katsina.

The statement said in part: UNICEF condemns in the strongest possible terms this brutal attack and calls for the immediate release of all children and their return to their families.

UNICEF is deeply concerned about this act of violence. Attacks on schools are a violation of childrens rights.

Children should feel safe at home, in schools and in their playgrounds at all times.

We stand with the families of the missing children and the community affected by this horrifying event.

The director acknowledged the efforts of the Nigerian government in ensuring the safe return of all the missing children.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the children were abducted on Friday night from the boarding school.

Though some of the students had returned, the state government, however, said it was still searching for the remaining.

Source: NAN News

26 army officers test positive for COVID-19 Official

By Sumaila Ogbaje

COVID-19

The Nigerian Army says 26 personnel have so far been tested positive for COVID-19 following the death of the General Officer Commanding (GOC) 6 Division Port Harcourt, Maj.- Gen. Johnson Irefin.

The Acting Director, Army Public Relations, Brig.-Gen. Sagir Musa, disclosed this in a statement on Sunday in Abuja.

Musa said that a total of 417 personnel had so far been tested as at Sunday in line with the directive of the Chief of Army Staff that all officers who attended the just concluded COAS conference be isolated and tested.

According to him, the late GOC, who died of COVID-19 complications on Dec 10, was among the officers, who attended the conference in Abuja.

He said that the cause of his death was reported as respiratory failure secondary to the complications of COVID 19 infection.

On the confirmation that Gen Irefins COVID-19 test was positive on Dec. 9, the Chief of Army Staff directed the immediate suspension of the conference.

And, all participants were directed to move into self isolation in line with the Federal Government protocols on COVID 19 pandemic, he said.

According to him, equally, comprehensive testing of all participants commenced immediately.

Consequently, as at Sunday the Dec. 13, a total of 417 personnel have so far been tested with 26 confirmed positive cases.

Currently, all participants are in self isolation irrespective of their results while Nigeria Centre for Disease Control recommended COVID-19 treatment drugs were immediately issued to those that tested positive, he said.

The army spokesperson also disclosed that all officers and soldiers working at the Army Headquarters were being tested while COVID-19 protocols were being strictly enforced across all units and formations of Nigerian army.

He said that the entire Army Headquarters complex was thoroughly fumigated on Saturday Dec. 12.

Source: NAN News

Gov. Dapo Abiodun

By Abiodun Lawal

The Commissioner for Rural Development in Ogun, Mr Oludotun Taiwo, says the State Government had concluded plans to rehabilitate 207 rural roads in 2021.

Taiwo stated this while defending the ministrys 2021 budget proposal before the states House of Assembly Committee on Finance and Appropriation, on Monday in Abeokuta.

He said that the government conducted needs assessment and also considered the importance of the roads to the socio- economic development of the people.

According to him, rehabilitation of the rural roads which cut across 20 Local Government Areas of the state will improve the commercial activities in the rural areas.

The commissioner said that the ministry had proposed N4 billion for capital expenditure in the 2021 budget while N181.6 million was earmarked for recurrent expenditure.

He said that the state government would provide effective and efficient distribution of power, as well develop and implement water projects to improve standard of living in the rural areas.

In his remarks, Mr Olakunle Sobukanla, Chairman, House Committee on Finance and Appropriation, called on the ministry to furnish the assembly with list of the proposed rural roads that the state was planning to rehabilitate in 2021. (NAN)

Source: NAN News

Sport Minister Mr Sunday Dare

By Blessing Odega

The Minister of Youths and Sports Development, Mr Sunday Dare, has urged corps members to key into the Federal Governments Youths Initiative Programme .

Dare, who made the call on Monday in Mangu, near Jos, at the NYSC permanent Orientation Camp in the state, said that in spite of the fact that they were corps members they could still benefit from some of the youths initiatives introduced by the federal government.

He said this would serve as a means of bridging the technical and digital skills gap in the country.

He said that the corps members could benefit from the N75 million Nigerian Youth Investment Fund (NYIF), adding that all that was required of them to benefit from the initiative was a Know Your Customer (KYC) viable business plan which would be rated, and the beneficiaries could get between N250,000 and N3 million, with which to start a business.

The minister also urged them to apply, and that if they did, their information should be channeled to their state coordinators, whom would in turn channel same to the NYSCs headquarters in Abuja, for submission to the Ministry of Youths and Sports Development.

He promised that the corps members with good business plan would be given priority.

Similarly, he said, due to the digital skills gap in the country, the ministry had a Digital Skills Acquisition, Employability, Entrepreneurship Leadership initiative (DEEL initiative) as a means of bridging the gap.

Dare said that in the 21century economy, educational qualification were not enough, pointing out that there was need for extra skills, be they technical or digital.

He said that the aim of the initiative was to provide 500,000 youths with digital skills in about 15 to 20 different areas such as robotics, and enjoined them to key into the DEEL initiative.

According to him, the NYSC represents the nations single largest concentration of youths in the country annually, and as such, the corps members should serve as foot soldiers of positive change, development and as youth ambassadors to help to disseminate the works of the government.

The minister thanked the NYSC Coordinator in Plateau, MS Caroline Embu, for the warm reception accorded him and his entourage at the orientation camp.

Earlier, Embu, who received the minister and his entourage, thanked him for the visit and described it as a morale booster for the corps members.

She said that since the arrival of the Batch B stream 1B corps members to to camp, they had adapted well and that none of them corps had developed any adverse health challenge. (NAN)

Source: NAN News

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen delivers a press statement after a phone call with British Prime Minister Boris Johnson, in Brussels

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen named competition as the biggest stumbling block to a trade deal with Britain, and warned London it will have to play by the EUs rules or accept the price of tariffs.

What is essential now to finalise the one and only important question, that is if the UK wants a seamless access to the (EU) single market, the German politician said during an OECD event.

They are welcome. But they either have to play by our rules, because this is a matter of fairness for our companies in the single market or put up with tariffs, she added.

Some of the EU rules have to do with the ones on cartels, market dominance, mergers and state aid, how to report anti-competitive behaviour.

Some others are on antitrust policy in the EU, procedures in anticompetitive case, procedures in abuse of dominance case. (dpa/NAN)

Source: NAN News

By Philip Yatai

Kaduna, Dec. 14, 2020 (NAN) The Institute of Education at the Ahmadu Bello University (ABU), Zaria, on Monday began a five-day training to develop the managerial capacities of 500 head teachers and other officials on basic education in Kaduna State.

Mr Tijjani Abdullahi, the Executive Chairman of the Kaduna State Universal Basic Education Board, said that the training was funded by the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC) in his address.

Abdullahi, represented by the Director of School Services, Malam Aliyu Idris, said that the trainings were taking place simultaneously in Zaria, Kaduna and Kafanchan.

According to him, the goal is to equip the head teachers with the necessary skills for effective and efficient management of basic education in the state.

This is part of Gov. Nasiri El-Rufai-led administrations efforts to improve the quality of education delivery at the basic level which is critical to the educational development of the state.

We have over 30,000 teachers and head teachers in basic schools and we will continue to train and retrain them to keep tab with the best practices for quality teaching and learning,Abdullahi said.

He identified other participants attending the training to include: School support officers and the officials of Kaduna SUBEB, the Ministry of Education and the Kaduna State Schools Quality Assurance Authority.

He thanked UBEC and ABU for supporting the state in building the capacities of the head teachers and other education officials toward ensuring effective management of the basic schools.

Also speaking, Prof Bashir Maina, the Director of the Institute of Education, ABU, Zaria, listed: research, training and development as the core mandate of the institute.

Maina added that the training, organised by the institute and funded by UBEC, is to equip the head teachers with the needed skills that would make them deliver the best in the states primary schools.

The training will, among other things, address the goals, objectives and policy framework of basic education, principles and functions of educational management and the roles of leadership in school effectiveness.

Other areas include: personnel management, management of records in schools, financial management, monitoring school effectiveness and school governance and stakeholders management, Maina said. (NAN)

Source: NAN News

By Sumaila Ogbaje

The Nigerian Army says its troops of Operation Lafiya Dole on Saturday killed more than 20 Boko Haram terrorists and captured equipment in an attempt to attack Askira Uba in Borno.

The Deputy Director, Army Public Relations, 7 Division Maiduguri, Col. Ado Isa, disclosed this in a statement on Sunday.

Isa said the terrorists who mounted on 15 gun-trucks suspected to have come from Sambisa Forest, approached the town from different directions simultaneously.

He said the troops responded and engaged the criminals with superior fire power, with the terrorists suffering huge losses both in men, materials and equipment.

Specifically, the troops captured four gun trucks from the criminals while some additional gun trucks were also destroyed by the Air Task Force that responded swiftly.

Scores of the terrorists were killed and over 20 terrorists dead bodies were counted.

Additionally, three boxer motorcycles, three Anti-Aircraft Guns, two PKT Machine Guns, 10 AK 47 Rifles and 13 Rocket Propelled Grenade (RPG) Bombs as well as large cache of ammunition and other weapons were captured.

Isa said that one soldier was killed while two others were wounded during the encounter, adding that the wounded were stable and responding to treatment.

May God grant repose to the soul of the dead soldier and quick recovery to the two wounded in action.

Troops under the guidance of the Chief of Army Staff, Lt.-Gen. Tukur Buratai, will continue to sustain the aggressive, offensive posture to rid the entire North East of remnants of Boko Haram/ISWAP terrorists, he said. (NAN)

Source: NAN News

Scores of terrorists killed in massive airstrikes on hideouts in Borno DHQ

By Sumaila Ogbaje

The Defence Headquarters says the Air Task Force of Operation Lafiya Dole has eliminated scores of Boko Haram terrorists through air strikes, at Njimia on the fringes of Sambisa Forest in Borno.

The Coordinator, Defence Media Operations, Maj.-Gen. John Enenche, in a statement on Sunday, said the air strikes were executed on Dec. 10.

Enenche said the air raids were conducted after series of aerial surveillance missions showed uptick of activities in the settlement.

Consequently, the ATF dispatched an appropriate force package of Nigerian Air Force (NAF) fighter jets and helicopter gunships to engage the location.

The NAF attack aircraft delivered accurate hits in the target area resulting in the neutralisation of several BHTs, he said. (NAN)

Source: NAN News

Abducted students to be rescued soon, says Defence Minister

By Zubairu Idris

The Minister of Defence, retired Maj.-Gen. Bashir Salihi-Magashi, has given an assurance that the abducted students of the Government Science Secondary School,Kankara, Katsina State, will be rescued soon.

Salihi-Magashi gave the assurance on Sunday in Katsina when he led a Federal Government delegation to Gov. Aminu Masari on a sympathy visit.

He said that security agents were working hard to ensure that the students were rescued.

So far, we have been briefed by the Police Commissioner, GOC, Brigade Commander, Air Commander, DSS, and other security officers.

Our interest is to keep ourselves abreast with what actually happened two days ago and we believe with their briefings, this task is going to be simple for us.

We have strategies and I believe we can do it without any collateral damage to the people of Katsina State.

We have the intelligence, the information, their whereabouts, their movements and their methods of operations.

The task is easy for the armed forces and the police.

The only thing is that we need prayers from you so that there will be no collateral damage in the event of being hostile.

We assure you that all hands are on deck, he said.

In his remarks, Masari said that the school has a population of 839 students.

He said that the state government was still searching for some of the missing students.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that members of the delegation included the National Security Adviser, retired Maj.-Gen. Babagana Monguno and the Chief of Defence Staff, Gen. Abayomi Olonisakin.

Also in the delegation were the Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshall Sadique Abubakar, Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Ibok Ekwe Ibas and the Inspector General of Police, Mohammed Abubakar.

Others were the Director General of the Department of State Services, Yusuf Magaji-Bichi and Director-General, National Intelligence Agency, Ahmed Rufai.

NAN reports that some students of the boarding school were kidnapped on Friday night by gunmen.

Source: NAN News

APC logo

By Kola Adeyemi

Candidates of the All Progressives Congress (APC) have been declared winners of all 21 chairmanship and 239 councillorship positions in Kogi.

The Chairman of the Kogi State Independent National Electoral Commission (KOSIEC), Mr Mamman Eri, said this in Lokoja on Sunday while announcing the results of the local government elections conducted on Saturday.

While announcing the results, Eri said that candidate of the APC in Lokoja Local Government, Mr Mohammed Dan Asabe, polled 41,731 votes to defeat Mr Ahmed Yabagi of PDP, who scored 14 votes and Mr Isah Yerima of SDP with 28 votes.

According to him, other elected APC candidates and their local governments are Mr Joseph Salami, Adavi; Mr Mustapha Akaaba, Ajaokuta; Mr Ibrahim Abagwu, Ankpa; Mr Mohammed Shuaibu, Bassa; Mr Shaibu Siaka, Dekina and Mr William Obiora, Ibaji.

Others included: Mr Abu Odoma, Idah; Mr James Onoja, Igala-Mela/Odolu; Mr Taofiq Isah, Ijumu; Mr Isah Abdulkarim, Kogi; Mr Moses David, Mopa-Muro; Mr Ibrahim Amodu, Ofu; Mr Goke Oparison, Ogori-Magongo and Mr Abdulraheem Ohiare, Okehi.

Also elected on the platform of the APC were Mr Abdulrazak Yusuf, Okene; Mr Friday Adejoh, Olamaboro; Mr Ibrahim Aboh, Omala; Mr Asiru Abdulrazak, Yagba East and Mr Kolawole Pius, Yagba West.

Eri also announced that APC candidates won all the 239 councillorship positions in the 21 local government councils in the state.

Meanwhile, the state chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has described the conduct and outcome of the election as a mockery of Nigerias nascent democracy.

The party, in its reaction contained in a statement issued by its Publicity Secretary, Mr Bode Ogunmola, described the entire process as a scam, saying that it was deliberately manipulated to favour the ruling APC.

There is no election anywhere in Kogi, he said. (NAN)

Source: NAN News

Lagos State Governor, Mr Babajide Sanwo-Olu.

By Rukayat Moisemhe/Oluwatope Lawanson

Lagos State Governor, Mr Babajide Sanwo-Olu, has reiterated his commitment to ensuring a conducive business environment for Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME) in the state.

Sanwo-Olu made the pledge at the closing ceremony of the 2020 edition of the Lagos International Trade Fair themed: Connecting Businesses, Creating Value on Sunday.

The governor, who was represented by his deputy, Dr Obafemi Hamzat, said the support was to enable the MSME sector maintain its key position of generating wealth and employment opportunities for the nation.

Sanwo-Olu said that his administration would continue to place high premium on providing infrastructure to make the state safe, secure, functional and productive as an impetus towards achieving a sustainable economic growth.

He said the patronage of the fair had further justified the idea of the annual gathering, which continued to provide a platform for businesses to network and establish connections for greater value addition.

We will continue to support the sector to thrive, especially in the area of maximising the huge opportunities in the value chains of the various sectors of the economy.

Our administration will continue to partner with the Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry and the Organised Private Sector through promotion of fiscal and investment initiatives to ease the burden of doing business in Lagos, he said.

Addressing businesses affected by the EndSARS protests, the governor assured of his commitment to providing measures that would facilitate recovery process.

We share the pains of the victims and promise to do all we can, through some of the measures we have initiated including the Trust Fund that was inaugurated a couple of weeks ago.

The Lagos State Employment Trust Fund is already reaching out to stakeholders and concerned business owners and operators of vandalized or looted property to get back on their feet through application of the Lagos Recovery Fund for Looted Businesses.

More than 2,500 business owners and operators have applied to the fund at present, he said.

In her remarks, Dr Lola Akande, Commissioner for Commerce, Industry and Cooperatives, said the fair was a restatement of the LCCIs mandate to drive economic growth in the MSME sector.

Akande urged MSMEs to be intentional about cultivating and maintaining connections beyond the trade fair, saying their networks is their net worth.

She assured the sector of the states commitment to continue to provide conducive environment for businesses, investments and investors to thrive in the state.

The theme of this years Trade Fair- has proven appropriate at this time due to the increasingly urgent need for the nation to diversify her economy through networking and value addition.

As a responsive and responsible government, we are conscious of the gargantuan challenges faced by businesses in the nation during this period of COVID-19.

It is important for us to continue to provide active support to entrepreneurs and business owners to mitigate such
challenges through consistent marketing support activities such as the conduct at this years trade fair.

With the acute awareness that your network is your net worth, you must be intentional about cultivating and maintaining connections; so put in every effort not to let these budding connections fizzle out.

Set up or show up at virtual hangouts and explore virtual meeting platforms with businesses within your sector, she said.

Also, Mrs Toki Mabogunje, President LCCI, urged government at all levels to continue to address the issues of enabling environment in the country, especially as regards infrastructure.

This, she said, was to fully harness the huge enterprising resource of domestic and foreign investors for the diversification of the nations economy and the welfare of our people.

Let me acknowledge the remarkable cooperation and support we received from all concerned as well as the peace that prevailed since the beginning of the event, nine days ago.

I wish to say that despite the numerous challenges of the transportation, logistics and COVID-19 pandemic, we have endeavoured to ensure a hitch-free and successful Fair.

However, as in most human endeavours, there may have been some lapses and we regret these inadequacies, she said. (NAN)

Source: NAN News

Anthony Joshua

By Muhyideen Jimoh

The Federal Ministry of Youth and Sports Development has congratulated Anthony Joshua, the Nigerian-born heavyweight boxing world champion, on his victory over Bulgarian Kubrat Pulev on Saturday in London.

John Joshua-Akanji, Special Adviser (Media) to the Minister of Youth and Sports Development, Sunday Dare, in a statement on Sunday in Abuja saluted Joshua.

We team up with other Nigerians to salute Anthony Joshua on his victory over Pulev.

The courage, tenacity and die-hard spirit you displayed against Puyev is an attestation of your hardwork, commitment and discipline which has kept you at the top.

Once again, you not only made us proud, but proved to the world that you are the best in the heavyweight class.

We urge you not to relent in sustaining your pole position in world boxing. Keep soaring, we are indeed very proud of you.

We encourage you to maintain the tempo so that you can remain at the top.

Joshua knocked out Pulev in the ninth round of their 12-round clash to retain his WBO, WBA and IBF titles as the undisputed world champion.(NAN)

Source: NAN News

Abike Dabiri-Erewa, Chairman, Nigerian Diaspora Commission (NIDCOM)

By Maureen Okon

Mrs Abike Dabiri-Erewa, the Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NiDCOM) on Sunday congratulated Anthony Joshua for retaining his World Heavyweight Boxing Titles.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Joshua sent his challenger, Kubrat Pulev, thrice to the canvas and ended the fight with a powerful right hand punch to retain his IBF,WBA and WBO titles.

Dabiri gave the congratulatory message via NiDCOM official Twitter handle.

She commended the pugilist for the feat by knocking out Kubrat Pulev three times in a spiteful and vicious performance, saying Hearty congrats @anthonyfjoshua.

Joshua retained his World Heavyweight Titles with a ninth round knockout win over Pulev. (NAN)

Source: NAN News

Sunny weather

By Gabriel Agbeja

The Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet) has predicted sunshine and hazy weather conditions from Monday to Wednesday across the nation.

NiMets weather outlook released on Sunday in Abuja predicted sunny and hazy conditions over the northern region within the forecast period from Monday.

According to the agency, the North Central region is expected to be in partly cloudy skies with intervals of sunshine.

It also forecasts increased cloudiness over the inland and coastal cities with chances of morning thunderstorms over the coastal parts of Cross River and Akwa Ibom.

It further forecast thunderstorms over parts of Cross River, Akwa Ibom, Bayelsa, Lagos, Rivers, Benin, Oyo and Delta later in the afternoon and evening hours.

For Tuesday, sunny and hazy conditions are envisaged over the northern region within the forecast period.

The North Central cities should be in partly cloudy skies with sunshine intervals throughout the forecast period.

The inland and coastal region should be in partly cloudy skies with chances of thunderstorms over parts of Bayelsa and Delta during the morning hours.

In the afternoon and evening hours, thunderstorms are anticipated over parts of Rivers, Akwa Ibom, Cross River and Bayelsa, the agency forecast.

Over the northern region, NiMet envisaged sunny and hazy conditions within the forecast period on Wednesday.

According to the forecast, partly cloudy conditions with intervals of sunshine are expected over the North Central cities throughout the period.

The agency predicted the inland and coastal cities of the South to be in cloudy skies in the morning hours.

It envisaged cloudy skies with chances of thunderstorms over parts of Bayelsa, Rivers, Akwa Ibom and Cross River later in the day. (NAN)

Source: NAN News

COVID-19

In the meantime, many believe that the country is on the threshold of a second wave of the pandemic after it chalked a single day infection rate of 796 in the past week, the highest since the outbreak of the pandemic in the country in March. PTF chairman Mustapha, in a recent briefing, says the taskforce shall be submitting its report to the President before the end of December. It remains to be seen what recommendations they would be submitting to government.

Source: NAN News

Eleven people, believed to have travelled from Venezuela to Trinidad and Tobago, were found dead in waters near the South American nations coast.

Trinidad and Tobagos Coast Guard announced this in a press release on Sunday.

At least 40,000 Venezuelans live in Trinidad and Tobago, the majority fleeing the South American countrys economic crisis, unemployment and lack of basic public services.

They often travel in small rickety boats above their capacity with limited supplies of fuel and food.

Last year, at least, two ships that set off from Venezuela en-route to the archipelago disappeared at sea.

The bodies were found on Saturday near the Venezuelan coastal town of Guiria, Trinidads Coast Guard said, citing information provided by Venezuela.

The statement added that preliminary information suggests the 11 bodies found could be related to a boat that left Guiria town, in the northeast of Sucre state, on Dec. 6.

The boat, with more than 20 people on board, has not been seen or heard from since.

Omalirves, who did not provide her last name, had warned her friend, Noebis Aspudillo, 27, who had been a passenger on the boat about the precarious journey.

Aspudillo has gotten increasingly desperate during the pandemic, Omalirves said, after she had gotten laid off from the bread shop she had been working at and her mothers heart condition got increasingly severe.

Venezuelas Information Ministry did not immediately respond to request for comment nor did the countrys prosecutors office.

The coast guard said that in the last week it had not intercepted any vessels leaving from Guiria and that authorities are working together with the South American country in a joint search effort. (Reuters/NAN)

Source: NAN News

France said on Sunday its ambassador to Iran would not participate in an online business forum in Tehran this week.

This follows a growing row between Iran and European nations over the execution of Iranian dissident journalist Ruhollah Zam.

Other envoys from Germany, Austria and Italy were also cancelling their involvement in the Dec. 14 event, the French Foreign Ministry said on Twitter.

At the foot of its tweet, the ministry ran the hashtag #nobusinessasusual.

In a separate statement, organisers of the Europe-Iran business forum later said they were postponing the event.

Earlier, Irans Foreign Ministry summoned the envoys from France and Germany, the current holder of the European Unions rotating presidency, to protest over French and EU criticism of the execution on Saturday, Iranian media reported.

France on Saturday called Zams execution barbaric and unacceptable, and said it ran counter to Irans international obligations.

Zam had been based in Paris before he was captured in Iraq and taken to Iran.

Zam was convicted of fomenting violence during anti-government protests in 2017.

His Amadnews feed had more than one million followers.

France and its European allies have strived to keep alive a 2015 nuclear deal between Iran and major powers, in part to save the Iranian economy from collapse, while confronting U.S. efforts to kill the accord.

The new friction over human rights comes as U.S. President-elect Joe Biden, who is set to take office on Jan. 20, has said he will return the United States to the Obama-era deal if Iran resumes compliance with the agreement.

The EU also strongly condemned Zams execution, as did Amnesty International and press advocacy group Reporters Without Borders (RSF).

Iranian officials have accused the U.S. and Tehrans regional rival, Saudi Arabia, and government opponents living in exile, of stoking the unrest that began in late 2017 as regional protests over economic hardship spread nationwide.

Officials said 21 people were killed during the unrest and thousands were arrested.

The unrest was among the worst Iran has seen in decades and was followed by even deadlier protests last year against fuel price rises. (Reuters/NAN)

Source: NAN News

NCDC Coronavirus ( COVID-19 ) update

By Abujah Racheal

The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) has recorded 617 new infections of the Coronavirus (COVID-19) in the country.

The NCDC made this known on its verified website on Saturday.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that COVID-19 cases began to surge around the globe with Nigeria recording over 3, 502 new infections in six days, making it a significant rise in over eight weeks.

The public health agency noted that with the latest infections, the total confirmed COVID-19 cases in the country now stand at 72,757.

It said that the new cases were reported in 14 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

The NCDC stated that Lagos and Kaduna states as well as the FCT had continued to lead in the number of new infections.

It reported that Lagos State recorded the highest number of new cases with 225 infections, followed by FCT and Kaduna with 181 and 125 respectively.

Others were Adamawa -25; Nasarawa -20, Kano 12, Rivers 8, Edo 4, Ekiti 4, Bayelsa 3, Ogun 3, Plateau 3, Akwa Ibom 2, Delta -1 and Sokoto -1.

The health agency also disclosed that 139 patients were discharged after recovering from the infection in isolation centres across the country.

The NCDCfurther said it recorded four additional COVID-19 related deaths in the last 24 hours in the country.

The agency said that a multi-sectoral national Emergency Operations Centre (EOC), activated at Level 3, was coordinating national response activities.

The NCDC noted that till date , 72,757 cases had been confirmed, 65,850 discharged and 1,194 deaths recorded in 36 states and the FCT.

The health agency urged Nigerians not to give up at this critical time.

Avoid large gatherings especially when indoors, wear a face mask, ensure physical distancing and wash your hands.

Been an incredibly tough year,many have lost friends, colleagues and family to the COVID-19 pandemic. We cant let down our guards, it said.

It stated that in the last two weeks, the agencys surveillance system had recorded a sharp increase in COVID-19 cases across the country.

The NCDC urged Nigerians to take its public health advisory on the current situation in the country seriously.

NAN reports that the health agency had conducted about 838,333 tests since the first confirmed case of COVID-19 was announced. (NAN)

Source: NAN News