March 29, 2020

General Charged With Drug Trafficking Surrenders To U.S.

General Charged With Drug Trafficking Surrenders To U.S.

March 29, 2020 6:20 pm

A retired Venezuelan general has turned himself over to Colombian authorities after the United States charged him with drug-trafficking and offered a reward for his capture, local media said on Saturday.

Cliver Alcala turned himself in on Friday to the Colombians, who in turn handed him over to US authorities, the El Tiempo de Bogota newspaper said.

Washington on Thursday indicted Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and several current and former top government officials for “narco-terrorism” and offered a $15 million reward for information leading to Maduro’s capture.

As part of the US Justice Department indictment, up to $10 million

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S.African Police Fire Rubber Bullets At Lockdown Defaulters

S.A Police Fire Rubber Bullets At Lockdown Defaulters

March 29, 2020 6:19 pm

South African police fired rubber bullets towards hundreds of shoppers queueing outside a supermarket in Johannesburg as authorities battled to keep people at home in a bid to halt the spread of the coronavirus.

With 1,187 confirmed infections and one death, the country has the highest numbers of confirmed infections on the continent.

President Cyril Ramaphosa has ordered a 21-day lockdown for the country’s 57 million inhabitants, deploying police and the military to enforce the restrictions.

But on day two of the nationwide lockdown, the government was struggling to get people to observe the restrictions.

Many in working-class neighbourhoods ventured

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Saudi Intercepts Missiles Over Curfew-Locked Riyadh

Saudi Intercepts Missiles Over Curfew-Locked Riyadh

March 29, 2020 6:18 pm

Saudi air defences intercepted ballistic missiles over Riyadh and a city along the Yemen border late Saturday, leaving at least two civilians wounded in the curfew-locked capital amid efforts to curb the coronavirus pandemic.

Multiple explosions shook Riyadh in the attack, which the Saudi-led military coalition blamed on Yemen’s Iran-aligned Huthi rebels who have previously targeted Saudi cities with missiles, rockets and drones.

It was the first major assault on Saudi Arabia since the Huthis offered last September to halt attacks on the kingdom after devastating twin strikes on Saudi oil installations.

“Two ballistic missiles were launched towards the cities …

Why Coronavirus Became A Social Media Nightmare

Why Coronavirus Became A Social Media Nightmare

March 29, 2020 6:15 pm

The biggest reputational risk Facebook and other social media companies had expected in 2020 was fake news surrounding the US presidential election. Be it foreign or domestic in origin, the misinformation threat seemed familiar, perhaps even manageable.

The novel coronavirus, however, has opened up an entirely different problem: the life-endangering consequences of supposed cures, misleading claims, snake-oil sales pitches and conspiracy theories about the outbreak.

So far, AFP has debunked almost 200 rumors and myths about the virus, but experts say stronger action from tech companies is needed to stop misinformation and the scale at which it can be …

lockdown Italy's 'Very Long' Lockdown To Only End Gradually

Italy’s ‘Very Long’ Lockdown To Only End Gradually

March 29, 2020 6:14 pm

Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte’s government prepared Italians for a “very long” lockdown Sunday that would only be lifted gradually despite its economic hardship and traumatic impact on daily lives.

The message from ministers and health officials came as Italy’s world-topping toll rose by 756 — well bellow Friday’s record of 969 — and the rate of coronavirus infections slowed to under six percent for the first time.

Yet the government appeared more focused on the nearing April 3 deadline to lift a national lockdown that had never been tried by a Western democracy — and has since been replicated across …

Coronavirus - Trump Backs Away From New York Quarantine

Coronavirus: Trump Backs Away From New York Quarantine

March 29, 2020 12:51 pm

US President Donald Trump has said quarantining New York “will not be necessary”, after the state’s governor said doing so would be “preposterous”.

Mr Trump said the latest decision was taken on the recommendation of the White House Coronavirus Task Force.

The president had earlier said he might impose a quarantine on New York, and parts of New Jersey and Connecticut, to slow the spread of Covid-19.

There are more than 52,000 cases in New York.

The state has about half of the total confirmed Covid-19 cases in the entire US.

Mr Trump tweeted that instead of quarantine, a “strong …

Belarus League Attracts Global Attention As It Plays On

Belarus League Attracts Global Attention As It Plays On

March 29, 2020 12:51 pm

Football is suspended in the UK and across most of world because of the coronavirus pandemic – but the game rolls on in Belarus.

The Belarusian Premier League rarely gets a mention in normal circumstances yet it is attracting attention from foreign fans as one of the few places around the globe – and the only place in Europe – where football is still being played.

On Saturday, there were six top-flight games in the eastern European country including the derby between FC Minsk and Dinamo Minsk watched by a capacity 3,000 crowd in Belarus’ capital.

“It so happened that …

Modi India's PM Modi Begs For 'Forgiveness' Over Lockdown

India’s PM Modi Begs For ‘Forgiveness’ Over Lockdown

March 29, 2020 12:50 pm

India’s prime minister Narendra Modi has asked for his country’s forgiveness after imposing a sweeping lockdown that he said had hurt millions of poor people.

Criticism has mounted over the lack of planning ahead of the coronavirus shutdown, which was introduced with less than four hours’ notice.

Many of India’s 1.3 billion citizens have been left jobless and hungry.

Tens of thousands of migrant labourers have been forced to walk hundreds of kilometres to their native villages.

In his weekly radio address PM Narendra Modi apologised for the impact of the strict stay-at-home measures.

But he said there was “no …

Why Ventilators Are Very Important In The Covid-19 Fight

Why Ventilators Are Very Important In The Covid-19 Fight

March 29, 2020 12:50 pm

Countries with a large number of cases are struggling to meet the demand for supplies and equipment needed to arm those on the front lines against COVID-19, the highly infectious respiratory disease caused by the virus.

Ventilators – mechanical breathing devices – are crucial in the fight to save patients whose lungs are assailed by the virus.

A ventilator for use during the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak is pictured in Santa Cruz, Bolivia March 26, 2020. REUTERS/Rodrigo Urzagasti
A ventilator for use during the coronavirus outbreak in
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US-Led Forces Pull Out Of Third Iraqi Base This Month

US-Led Forces Pull Out Of Third Iraqi Base This Month

March 29, 2020 12:49 pm
The United States-led coalition forces in Iraq withdrew on Sunday from a military base in the country’s north that nearly launched Washington into an open war with neighbouring Iran.

The K1 airbase is the third site coalition forces have left this month, in line with the US plans to consolidate its troops in two locations in Iraq.

A rocket attack on the base in late December had killed an American contractor and led to a series of tit-for-tat attacks between the US and Iran-backed Iraqi militia groups. The attacks culminated in the US-directed killing of top Iranian General Qassem Soleimani

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Deadliest Day For Spain As Coronavirus Cases Surge

Deadliest Day For Spain As Coronavirus Cases Surge

March 29, 2020 12:49 pm

Spain’s health ministry has announced 838 new coronavirus deaths, marking the country’s highest daily jump in fatalities and bringing its total to 6,528.

Elsewhere, US President Donald Trump backed away from imposing a quarantine in the New York area, instead directing that a “strong travel advisory” be issued for the region to limit the spread of the new coronavirus.

The US now accounts for the highest number of coronavirus infections of any nation, recording more than 122,000 confirmed cases on Saturday. The death toll in the country surged past 2,000, more than double the figure two days ago.

Worldwide, the …

Buhari Speaks To The Nation Today

Buhari Speaks To The Nation Today

March 29, 2020 11:57 am
President Muhammadu Buhari will broadcast to Nigerians today on the state of the coronavirus pandemic in the country.

On Saturday, health minister, Osagie Ehanire briefed the President.

Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Femi Adesina said the broadcast will hold at 7 pm.

Read Also: With Buhari Absent From Frontline, Govs Exercise Powers

“President Muhammadu Buhari will broadcast to the nation Sunday, March 29, 2020, at 7 pm”, he said.

“Television, radio, and other electronic media outlets are enjoined to hook up to the network services of the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA) and Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria (FRCN) respectively

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𝐀𝐟𝐫𝐢𝐜𝐚 𝐃𝐢𝐠𝐢𝐭𝐚𝐥 𝐍𝐞𝐰𝐬, 𝐍𝐞𝐰 𝐘𝐨𝐫𝐤, is a nonpartisan online news portal founded on the truth to provide you with weekly, insightful articles written with precision and current updates on current events from Africa in particular and the rest of the world in general. All of our reports undergo extensive fact-checking to ensure their veracity, and we adhere strictly to the facts, no matter whose ox is gored.

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