COVID-19: ANGOLA ANNOUNCES 23 NEW INFECTIONS AND 8 RECOVERIES

 Twenty-three new Covid-19 infections, two deaths and eight recovered patients is the balance announced this Saturday by the Angolan health authorities.

Of the new cases, according to the clinical bulletin, seven were diagnosed in Huíla Province, four in Luanda, four in Zaire, three in Lunda Norte, two in Cuanza Sul, one in Benguela, Cabinda and Cuanza Norte each.

These patients, whose ages vary from 12 months to 81 years, 14 are male and new female.

Both deaths were recorded in the provinces of Huíla and Benguela.

Among the recovered patients, seven happened in Luanda and one in Benguela.

So far, Angola has 20,782 positive cases, 506 deaths, 19 315 recovered and 961 current diseased.

Of the diseased ones, two are in critical condition with invasive mechanical ventilation, 12 severe, 25 moderate, 26 with mild symptoms and 896 asymptomatic.

The Health authorities control 65 patients admitted to treatment centers in the country.

Eight hundred and forty-three samples have been processed in the labs on the past 24 hours.

See Cardi B and Daughter Kulture Take You on an Adorable Virtual Tour of an Aquarium

  Cardi B, Offset and their daughter Kulture Kiari visited the Aquarium of the Pacific in Long Beach. Get details on how the family enjoyed their outing.

Cardi B had a family day at the aquarium, and brought fans along for the ride. 

On Feb. 26, the "Bodak Yellow" rapper went with her husband Offset and their daughter Kulture Kiari to the Aquarium of the Pacific in Long Beach, Calif. Cardi documented the field trip with her family on her Instagram Story, which showed the trio at nearly every point on their tour of the facilities. The family stopped to explore exhibits featuring sea anemones, starfish, sea urchins, sting rays and jellyfish. Kulture, 2, even got to touch some aquatic life during her visit.

Naturally, Cardi cracked some classic "Cardi-isms" during her trip—such as saying how much she'd love to eat one of her new underwater friends. One fan who watched her Instagram Story of the aquarium visit tweeted, "DYING at cardi b at the aquarium in her IG stories look at all the fish and crabs saying she wants to put hot sauce on them and eat them."

Another fan was just happy to be along for the ride, adding, "I enjoyed visiting the aquarium today :) through cardi B insta."

While Cardi's toddler no doubt had a ton of fun meeting different creatures alongside her parents, it was the mom who had an emotional reaction to the day.

On Feb. 27, the day after the aquarium visit, the Grammy winner shared a few photos from the special trip to Instagram, writing, "My baby was soo happy yesterday. I'm going to enjoy every little tiny moment with my family cause when crunch time comes it gets really lonely."

Fortunately for Cardi, she's had plenty of time to hang with her family as of late. On Feb. 14, she shared a sweet pic of her and Offset to Instagram, along with the caption, "Let's make it last forever." The photo comes mere months after the artist called off her divorce from the Migos rapper. 

How The Rock Showed His Gratitude After Being Honored By Critics

 When it comes to Hollywood careers, few have been bigger in the past decade than Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson. Consistent blockbuster hits have made Johnson one of Hollywood’s most reliable film stars. While many have praised the actor for his physique and box office prowess, his contribution to film has been a sight to behold. With this, the Hollywood Critics’ Association have chosen to honor him, and The Rock expressed his gratitude for their decision to recognize his work.

In his two-plus decade career in entertainment, Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson has done just about everything, and his transition from wrestling superstar to top box office draw has been emulated by many after him. The actor has also also become known for speaking out against any wrongdoing within and outside of Hollywood. When it was recently announced that Dwayne Johnson would be honored by the Hollywood Critics Association with the Trailblazer Award, he took to Instagram to show his appreciation. He thanked the organization for selecting him:

''This one is very special to me and I’m deeply honored and even more so - deeply grateful to receive this high honor from the @hollywoodcriticsassociation.''

Having been humbled by the honor, Dwayne Johnson spoke using his career to impact others’ lives. He expressed how not everyone is given such an opportunity:

''Over the course of one’s career, you hope to make a little impact in your business - do some good for people and hopefully add a little value to their lives, with what you’re lucky and blessed enough to have.''

Reading Dwayne Johnson’s words puts into perspective just how much the wrestler-turned-actor has impacted Hollywood since breaking out of the wrestling world in the 2000s. In his post, he even shouted out all the people associated with the organization for honoring him. You can check out his caption about receiving the award in the post below:

Dwayne Johnson’s recent Instagram post isn’t the first time he’s spoken about his legacy and what it means. Recently, the actor spoke on how his father’s passing made him prioritize his legacy. And that legacy is definitely an extensive one. Outside of blockbuster films, he’s been able to branch out in television and other forms of media. His most recent project is semi-autobiographical sitcom Young Rock, which captures some of his rise to fame and sheds light on big moments and influential people from his younger years.

Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson’s words are a reminder that someone’s work isn’t just for them but all for those who follow in their footsteps. With the number of pivots and highlights Johnson has had in his career, he more than deserves to be called a trailblazer. Let's hope The Rock continues to grow his legacy for decades to come.

Second World War bomb found in Exeter detonated after 2,600 people evacuated

The device was found on a building site near the city's university campus on Friday.

People took to Twitter to talk about the size of the blast, which happened just after 6.10pm, which reportedly could be heard for miles.

Royal Navy bomb disposal teams were sent to Glenthorne Road near the University of Exeter at 9am on Friday.

They found a “possible unexploded World War Two device” on a building site to the west of the university campus and worked through the night ahead of a disposal operation on Saturday.

Today the Army has evacuated around 2,600 properties so teams can examine the device and remove it from the site safely.

A 400-metre cordon and nearby road closures are also in place, Devon and Cornwall Police said.

“Police hope this work will be completed by the end of today, but will be guided by the bomb disposal team,” a statement said.

“Residents should be reassured that military, police and partners are working to maintain public safety.”

They added that “exemptions in COVID-19 social distancing rules exist for matters of public safety such as this”.

Deb Leighton Plom was evacuated from her home on Friday.

She posted a photo of the device on Twitter and said she and her family had been safely moved to a hotel.

………………………………………………………………

Where the Heck Do Stars Really Keep Their Awards?

On mantles, in closets, in bathrooms? Oh my! Oscar-, Golden Globe, Tony-, Grammy- and Emmy-winning stars share the unique spots they've chosen to house their impressive hardware.

Of all the spectacular features on offer at John Legend and Chrissy Teigen's on-the-market eight-bedroom Beverly Hills home, one is a true trophy piece. 

Just to the left of the musician's beloved Yamaha piano is an entire set of shelves installed to house the family's impressive collection of awards. Legend's 11 Grammys, a Tony, an Oscar, a Golden Globe and an Emmy—the last of which was added to the tippy-top shelf just hours after he received it in 2018 for his work as the titular savior in Jesus Chris Superstar—are all accounted for.

But the honors aren't his alone. Teigen's trophy from when she was named one of Glamour's Women of the Year is on display, as is the plastic bauble her mom Pepper received for surviving the Hot Cheetos and Takis Fuego Challenge.   

Though with the ledges overflowing, Teigen has accepted that some of her accolades may have to find a new home, the model-cookbook author-television host-entrepreneur joking ahead of Legend's Emmy victory, "If he wins, he will complete his EGOT and my spike tv award will probably be moved. But it's ok I AM SO PROUD!"

And she's not alone in searching for a spot to house her hardware. Not all stars have a trophy case or mantle or even a shelf dedicated to their achievements. 

Some celebs see their award behavior as an act in humility, stashing their Tony or Grammy or Golden Globe or even Oscar in the, uh, s--tiest of places. Others have passed it off to their parents, either as a show of gratitude for all the work they put in to helping achieve their dreams or because they don't quite trust themselves to be responsible for its safekeeping. And, actually, a few aren't entirely sure where their statuettes are at the moment. 

But they've all got a story. So before the trophies get handed out at the Feb. 28 Golden Globe Awards, see what happened after these stars thanked the Academy, the Hollywood Foreign Press and a room full of their couture-clad peers.

Reese Witherspoon

Now that's a statement necklace. Though the Walk the Line lead flirted with the idea of turning her 2005 Best Actress Oscar into a piece of jewelry or a very showy door knocker, "Neither one of those options was very practical," the star, who nabbed a Golden Globe for the same role, admitted to People. "I just keep it in my living room." 

Goldie Hawn

Any time the actress needs to clear her head, she pays a visit to the statue she claimed in 1970 for her supporting role in Cactus Flower. "My award is in the room where I study and practice meditation," she explained to InStyle in 2005. "Sometimes it's on the mantel, sometimes I put it away." Which makes sense, you know, out of sight, out of mind...

Paul Drinkwater/NBC

Gina Rodriguez

The Jane the Virgin lead has a unique you-break-it-you-buy-it policy regarding the Golden Globe she won for her work on the CW hit in 2015. "It lives on my TV stand. In the box," she told People. "Any time someone comes over, it's the first thing they ask." And while she's happy to show it off, she admitted she gets nervous each time someone picks it up. "I go, 'Why are you holding it like that?! Be careful! If you drop it I'll have your first child!'"

Getty Images/Bob Riha, Jr.

Dustin Hoffman

Be he ever so humble, at first, the two-time Oscar winner didn't want to set out the statues he'd picked up in 1980 for Kramer vs. Kramer and 1989 for Rain Man. By the early aughts, though, he told InStyle that they'd earned a place on his study's mantle next to his six Golden Globes (including 1997's Cecil B. DeMille Award). "What made me change?" he asked. "Probably years of therapy! I am proud of them, but they are not what propels me in my work."

Frank Micelotta/Getty Images

Jamie Foxx

Blame it on the vodka, blame it on the Henny, blame it on the blue top that got you feeling busy, but Foxx didn't feel entirely comfortable keeping his 2004 Oscar for Ray at his 40-acre California estate. "My manager holds the Oscar. He keeps it at his crib," the actor told InStyle. "I got too much traffic at my house!"

Lester Cohen/WireImage

Jennifer Hudson

And she is telling you, she's not going...to stand for any touching of the trophy. "Where I come from, no one has ever seen an Oscar," the Chicago native told InStyle of her 2007 prize for Dreamgirls. "So I let people take pictures with it—but I do not allow them to touch it. Sorry, no touching the Oscar! It's the ultimate honor, and I need to protect it." Not to mention, give the hardware its proper due: The 13.5-inch piece sits atop its own pedestal, said Hudson, "that I keep lit."

Kevin Costner

After Costner finally got over his fear that someone might walk off with the two Oscars he won for Dances With Wolves in 1991, he retrieved them from his underwear drawer and built them a home inside his screening room. Calling it the "perfect spot," he told InStyle, "As you go to my screening room, you pass posters of movies that have influenced me (Gone With the Wind, Lawrence of Arabia, Bridge on the River Kwai). And it feels appropriate that you have to see a movie to see them."

Frederick M. Brown/Getty Images

Sean Combs

Wait, you don't have a Sunday Room? Because that's where Puff has placed his three Grammys. For those not in the know, he told Us Weekly, it's "this room that just feels intimate, that just feels like it would be the perfect place to do a photo shoot reading the New York and L.A. Times on a Sunday. I don't get to use it a lot, but I fantasize a lot about myself being calm enough to sit down and read the papers and have some coffee and just act really sophisticated and look up at my Grammys. I just haven't gotten to doing that part of it yet."

Mike Coppola/Getty Images

Audra McDonald

TBH, when you have six Tony Awards it can be kinda tough to keep track. "Eh, they're spread out around the house," she admitted to Broadway Roulette in 2017. Between them, she and husband Will Swenson "have four kids and two dogs—and the oldest kid is 16 and the youngest kid is 6 months—so you can imagine all of the stuff that's around our house! We still have more Tony Awards than kids, but we have many more Legos than Tony Awards."

Nicole Kidman

The Big Little Lies star literally couldn't give her two Emmys away. Winning in 2017 for both producing and acting, the actress offered up her precious metals to daughters Sunday and Faith. "I was like, 'OK, I can put one on your shelf, Sunday, and one on your shelf, Faith, and they're yours,'" Kidman recalled on Jimmy Kimmel Live. Except her then-10-year-old wasn't having it. "Sunday didn't want it,'" she continued. "She said, 'Oh, I want to earn my own.' I'm like, 'You go, girl!'"

Kidnappers release 42 abducted from school in Nigeria

Twenty-seven students, three staff and 12 members of their families had been abducted last week by an armed gang.

Gunmen in Nigeria have released 42 people, including 27 students, who were kidnapped from a boarding school last week in the north-central state of Niger, the state’s governor said.

Their release comes just a day after a separate raid on a school in Nigeria’s Zamfara state where gunmen seized more than 300 girls.

Kidnappings for ransom by armed groups, many of whom carry guns and ride motorcycles, are common across many northern Nigerian states.

Last week, 27 students, three staff and 12 members of their families were abducted by an armed gang who stormed the Government Science secondary school in the Kagara district of Niger state at around 2am local time, overwhelming the school’s security detail.

One boy was killed during the raid.

“The Abducted Students, Staff and Relatives of Government Science Collage Kagara have regained their freedom and have been received by the Niger State Government,” Governor Abubakar Sani Bello said in a tweet.

“They spent at least 9-10 days in captivity, and at some point a lot of people gave up that anything good will come out of these negotiations,” he said.

Idris said the government was not saying whether it had paid a ransom, after previously ruling out such a move.

“But we understand that the bandits demanded the release of at least six of their members held in police custody. Banditry and kidnapping has become the biggest criminal enterprise now growing fast across Nigeria,” Idris said.

The recent attacks have raised concern about rising violence by armed gangs and groups and in Nigeria. Armed group Boko Haram carries out abductions in Nigeria’s turbulent northeast, as does a branch of the ISIL (ISIS) group.

The unrest has become a political problem for President Muhammadu Buhari, a retired general and former military ruler who has faced mounting criticism in recent months over high profile attacks by the gangs known locally as “bandits”.

Buhari replaced his longstanding military chiefs this month amid worsening violence in Nigeria.

Violence and insecurity have compounded the economic challenges faced by citizens in Africa’s most populous country and top oil exporter, which is struggling to cope with a fall in revenues due to a slump in crude prices in addition to the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic.

 

SOURCE : AL JAZEERA AND NEWS AGENCIES

Vanessa Bryant Slams Evan Rachel Wood's "Vile" Tweet About Kobe Bryant Following His Death

 A year after Kobe Bryant's death, his wife Vanessa Bryant criticized Evan Rachel Wood for calling her late husband a "rapist" in a tweet the actress posted on the day he died.

Kobe Bryant's wife Vanessa Bryant is slamming a tweet that Evan Rachel Wood posted last year just after his death, in which the Westworld actress called him a "rapist."

The NBA legend, one of the most celebrated athletes of all time, died in a helicopter crash on Jan. 26, 2020, along with his and Vanessa's 13-year-old daughter, Gianna Bryant, one of their four children. After news of their deaths were made public, Evan tweeted, "What has happened is tragic. I am heartbroken for Kobe's family. He was a sports hero. He was also a rapist. And all of these truths can exist simultaneously."

Scores of people had initially criticized the Westworld actress over the tweet that appeared to allude to a 2003 sexual assault case involving Kobe and an unidentified female accuser, which was later dismissed. On Saturday, Feb. 27, more than a year after the deadly helicopter crash, Vanessa said she learned about Evan's post, and shared it on her Instagram Story.

"This just came to my attention," Kobe's wife wrote in her post, in which she tagged the actress. "Your false, insensitive, defamatory and slanderous tweet on 1/26/20 is vile and disturbing to say the least."

Evan has not commented on Vanessa's post and her rep had no immediate comment when reached by E! News.

Last year, shortly following the initial backlash over her initial tweet about Kobe, the actress wrote on Twitter that her post was "not a condemnation or a celebration" but "a reminder that everyone will have different feelings and there is room for us all to grieve together instead of fighting. Everyone has lost. Everyone will be triggered, so please show kindness and respect to all." Following more online criticism, she later deleted both tweets. 

Evan, an activist and rape survivor, has no known personal connection to Kobe. Earlier this month, she made headlines when she alleged that her ex Marilyn Manson, "groomed" her when she was a teenager and abused her for years. He has denied her accusations as well as other abuse claims made by several other women.

In 2003, Kobe was charged with sexual assault of a woman at a Colorado hotel. He denied the allegations, saying they had had a "consensual" encounter. The accuser ultimately refused to testify and the rape charge was dropped.

"Behavior like this is part of the reason why innocent black men go to jail for crimes they didn't commit," Vanessa wrote in her post on Saturday. "An accusation doesn't make someone guilty. YOU DON'T KNOW THE FACTS OF THE CASE."

In 2004, after the case was dismissed, Kobe issued an apology statement. It read, "I want to apologize directly to the young woman involved in this incident. I want to apologize to her for my behavior that night and for the consequences she has suffered in the past year."

"Although I truly believe this encounter between us was consensual, I recognize now that she did not and does not view this incident the same way I did," the statement continued. "After months of reviewing discovery, listening to her attorney, and even her testimony in person, I now understand how she feels that she did not consent to this encounter."

The accuser later sued the Los Angeles Lakers star and the two reached a settlement over that civil case in 2005.

The AFRIKA KOMMT! fellowship Programme 2021/2023 for Future Leaders from Sub-Saharan Africa (Fully Funded to Germany)

Application Deadline: April 2nd 2021 

AFRIKA KOMMT! brings together the most visionary young leaders from Africa and leading German companies. Companies benefit from the expertise, knowledge, local network and unique African perspective of the young professionals. The African fellows dive deep into the German corporate specifics, German business spirit and the German culture.

Benefits

The AFRIKA KOMMT! programme is entirely financed by the participating German companies.

As a fellow, all costs related to your participation in the fellowship programme will be covered (flights, accommodation, monthly stipend, trainings, language course).

Requirements

Be a Citizen of any African country

Have a University degree in a relevant subject

Postgraduate degree (e.g. MBA) is an advantage

Have two to five years work experience

Have excellent English language skills

Basic knowledge of the German language is an advantage

Not be older than 35 years at the time of application

Click Here to apply: https://bit.ly/2ZTGESC

US strike, first under Biden, kills Iran-backed militiaman

A U.S. airstrike in Syria targeted facilities belonging to a powerful Iranian-backed Iraqi armed group, killing one fighter and wounding several others, an Iraqi militia official said Friday, signaling the first military action undertaken by U.S. President Joe Biden.

The African Regent Hotel

The Pentagon said the strikes were retaliation for a rocket attack in Iraq earlier this month that killed one civilian contractor and wounded a U.S. service member and other coalition troops.

The Iraqi militia official told The Associated Press that the strikes against the Kataeb Hezbollah, or Hezbollah Brigades, hit an area along the border between the Syrian site of Boukamal facing Qaim on the Iraqi side. He spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to speak of the attack. Syria war monitoring groups said the strikes hit trucks moving weapons to a base for Iranian-backed militias in Boukamal.

“I’m confident in the target that we went after, we know what we hit,” Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin told reporters flying with him from California to Washington, shortly after the airstrikes which were carried out Thursday evening Eastern Standard Time.

The Biden administration in its first weeks has emphasized its intent to put more focus on the challenges posed by China, even as Mideast threats persist. Biden’s decision to attack in Syria did not appear to signal an intention to widen U.S. military involvement in the region but rather to demonstrate a will to defend U.S. troops in Iraq and send a message to Iran.

The U.S. has in the past targeted facilities in Syria belonging to Kataeb Hezbollah, which it has blamed for numerous attacks targeting U.S. personnel and interests in Iraq. The Iraqi Kataeb is separate from the Lebanese Hezbollah movement.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a Britain-based group that monitors the war in Syria, said the strikes targeted a shipment of weapons that were being taken by trucks entering Syrian territories from Iraq. The group said 22 fighters from the Popular Mobilization Forces, an Iraqi umbrella group of mostly Shiite paramilitaries that includes Kataeb Hezbollah, were killed. The report could not be independently verified.

In a statement, the group confirmed one of its fighters was killed and said it reserved the right to retaliate, without elaborating. Kataeb Hezbollah, like other Iranian-backed factions, maintains fighters in Syria to both fight against the Islamic State group and assist Syrian President Bashar Assad’s forces in that country’s civil war.

Defense Secretary Austin said he was “confident” the U.S. had hit back at the “the same Shia militants that conducted the strikes,” referring to a Feb. 15 rocket attack in northern Iraq that killed one civilian contractor and wounded a U.S. service member and other coalition personnel.

Austin said he had recommended the action to President Biden.

“We said a number of times that we will respond on our timeline,” Austin said. “We wanted to be sure of the connectivity and we wanted to be sure that we had the right targets.”

Earlier, Pentagon spokesman John Kirby said the U.S. action was a “proportionate military response” taken together with diplomatic measures, including consultation with coalition partners.

 

 

BAGHDAD (AP)

25th Ghana International Trade Fair Exhibition to be Hosted Virtually

The Ghana Trade Fair Company Limited (GTFC) as part of its statutory mandate to host the international trade exhibition annually,  this year’s exhibition which Mark the  25th Ghana International Trade Fair exhibition is to be hosted virtually.

The month-long event is in collaboration with the Ministry of Trade and Industry, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development, Ministry of Food and Agriculture, Association of Ghana Industries, Council for Scientific and Industrial Research and the Ghana National Chamber of Commerce is expected to commence from February 27 through to March 28, 2021.

The premier virtual edition of this year’s exhibition will be hosted on the domain name or website www.tradefairgh.com.

The fair which has been structured to advance efforts in improving the Value Addition Policy initiated by the current government is on the theme: Developing New Trade Opportunities Through Digital Channels”.

According to the chief executive officer, Ghana Trade Fair company limited, Dr. Agnes Adu, the need to organise the 25th edition on a virtual platform has been necessitated by:

The global covid-19 pandemic  and it’s attendant restrictions on physical gatherings.

The ongoing construction at the premises of the trade fair company as part of the redevelopment project of the entire 156- acres site into a modern, mixed-use commercial estate with convention and exhibition facilities as its centrepiece.

Adding that, the project has begun with the demolishing of structures including the pavilions in which international fairs were hosted and is expected to last a couple of years.

In a press statement released by ghana international trade fair authority in Accra, the CEO announced that over 500 both foreign and local exhibitors have been invited and are expected to participate in this year’s edition of the international trade Fair.

She indicated that adequate interventions have been put in place to ensure the benefit of exhibitors, adding that, no challenges have been recorded so far.

“The exhibition will have pavilions for  businesses from Ghana and several other countries in Africa and beyond with a potential market population of 250 million people and will offer exhibitors and visitors the opportunity to connect and interact in a virtual world”, she said.

She further called on Ghanaians and other related stakeholders to help support and participate in the course of putting Ghanaian businesses on the global stage. 

For more info contact the following numbers: 0500015587, 0244469451, 0558728272 or via mail ghtradefair@gmail.com

Russian diplomats use hand-pulled trolley to cross N Korea border

It took a group of eight, including a three-year-old, 32 hours by train and two hours by bus to reach the border on a ‘long and difficult’

A group of Russian diplomats and family members used a hand-pushed rail trolley to leave North Korea this week, amid Pyongyang’s strict anti-coronavirus measures, which include blocking most forms of passenger transport across the border.

North Korea has not reported any confirmed cases of the coronavirus but has imposed crippling border closures, banned most international travel, and severely restricted movement inside the country.

“Since the borders have been closed for more than a year and passenger traffic has been stopped, it took a long and difficult journey to get home,” Russia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a post on social media.

The group of eight, including a three-year-old, travelled 32 hours by train and two hours by bus from Pyongyang just to reach the Russian border on Thursday, the post said.

Translation: On February 25, eight Russian employees of the Russian Embassy in the DPRK and their family members returned to their homeland.  

Since the borders have been closed for more than a year and passenger traffic has been stopped, it took a long and difficult journey to get home…

The group then had to cross the border on foot, loading luggage and passengers onto a trolley on the train tracks.

Photos and video released by the ministry show the trolley, laden with brightly coloured bags and suitcases, being pushed across a wintry landscape.

Embassy third secretary Vladislav Sorokin was the trolley’s “engine”, the ministry said, by pushing it for more than one kilometre (0.6 miles), including across a rail bridge over the Tumen River, which divides the two countries.

Ministry officials greeted the group at a border station on the Russian side, where they then travelled by bus to Vladivostok airport, the post said.

During the past year, the number of foreign diplomats in Pyongyang has dwindled, with many Western embassies closing, citing the bans on rotating staff.

Those who left often had to negotiate for weeks to arrange for special measures to allow them to depart.

The North has not confirmed even a single case of COVID-19 – although experts have long said it is unlikely to have escaped the pandemic – and in September the commander of US forces in the South said Pyongyang had issued shoot-to-kill orders in its border areas.

It imposed a strict border closure last January to try to protect itself from the virus that first emerged in China, its main ally.

While denying any single COVID-19 case, Pyongyang has attempted to steal information on coronavirus vaccines and treatments by hacking Pfizer, the US pharmaceutical firm whose highly effective COVID-19 vaccine is being given to millions of people around the world, South Korea’s intelligence agency said.

SOURCE : AL JAZEERA, REUTERS

Ivory Coast becomes second country to receive vaccines via COVAX

Vaccination drive to begin on Monday after 504,000 doses of the AstraZeneca jabs arrive through the global vaccine-sharing. 

Ivory Coast has become the second country to receive a shipment of COVID-19 vaccines via COVAX, the global vaccine-sharing programme.

The vaccines, 504,000 doses of the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine made by the Serum Institute of India, arrived on Friday in the commercial capital, Abidjan, paving the way for the West African nation to launch a vaccination campaign next week.

Ghana received the first COVAX shipment on Wednesday, marking the start of what the WHO and UNICEF call the largest vaccine procurement and supply operation in history.

By the end of 2021, COVAX plans to deliver nearly two billion doses to more than 90 low and middle-income countries, hoping to level a playing field that has seen wealthier nations vaccinate millions while comparatively few have received shots in poorer parts of the world.

The initiative – led by the WHO, a vaccine group Gavi, and the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations – has been hampered by the severely limited global supply of doses as well as logistical problems that have set vaccinations behind globally.

Ivory Coast will begin its vaccination campaign on Monday.

Health Minister Eugene Aka Aouele said the first phase will target health personnel, defence and security forces and teaching staff in Abidjan, where 95 percent of the country’s cases have been recorded.

The minister said this first batch will target more than 250,000 people.

Ivory Coast has a population of more than 25 million.

“This is an important step in our shared fight against the common enemy that is COVID-19,” the minister said. “The pandemic has taken a heavy toll around the world and our country is no exception.”

It has recorded 32,295 cases and 188 deaths since its first case was recorded on March 11 last year, according to Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention figures.

“Today is an important first step towards achieving our shared vision of vaccine equity, but it is only the beginning,” said the WHO representative in Ivory Coast, Dr Jean-Marie Vianney Yameogo.

“Global and equitable access to a vaccine, which will protect health workers and those at greatest risk of contracting the disease in particular, is the only way to mitigate the impact of the pandemic on public health and the economy.”

SOURCE : NEWS AGENCIES

COVID-19: ANGOLA REPORTS 55 NEW INFECTIONS, 17 RECOVERIES

 Angola registered, in the last 24 hours, 55 new cases, 17 recovered patients and one death.

According to the clinical bulletin, of the new cases 38 were diagnosed in Luanda, 5 in Huíla, 5 in Zarie, 5 in Cabinda, 1 in Bié and 1 in Cuando Cubango.

Among the new patients, whose ages range from 10 months to 73 years, 32 are men and 23 women. 

The death, according to the report, was registered in Luanda province, involving an 83-year-old Angolan citizen.

Of those recovered, 10 reside in Luanda, four in Uige, two in Bié and one in Huíla.

The country has 20,695 positive cases, with 502 deaths, 19,238 recovered and 955 active.

Of the active cases, one is critical, 10 severe, 25 moderate, 24 mild and 895 asymptomatic.

The laboratories processed 1,013 samples.

In the country's treatment centres, 60 patients are hospitalised, while in institutional quarantine centres there are 44 people.

The authorities have 1,598 contacts of positive cases under surveillance.

Opportunity: Apple Entrepreneur Camp 2021 for Female Founders and Developers.

 Application Deadline: March 26, 2021.

Applications for the next Apple Entrepreneur Camp for Female* Founders and Developers are now open.

Eligibility

Applications are accepted from developers worldwide. To be eligible to apply:

Your organization must have:

A female founder, cofounder, or CEO;

A female developer proficient in Swift or Objective-C; and

A developed app or functional build that you can demo live.

You must be 18 years of age or older and proficient in English.

The female founder, cofounder, or CEO, the female developer, and additional developer or designer of any gender (if applicable) must be 18 years of age or older, proficient in English, and able to attend together for the entire duration of the program.

Benefits

Apple Entrepreneur Camp consists of an immersive technology lab, as well as mentorship, education, and support. Selected organizations receive the following free of charge:

One-on-one code-level guidance from Apple engineers

Ongoing support from an Apple Developer representative for at least one year

One year of membership in the Apple Developer Program

Access to the Apple Entrepreneur Camp alumni network, a world-class group of inspiring and ambitious leaders

Click here to apply:  http://bit.ly/3kjowLg

WISE Edtech Accelerator Programme 2021 for Education Technology Projects.

 Each year, the WISE Edtech Accelerator selects innovative ventures with high potential for scalability and positive impact. 

Application Deadline: April 23, 2021 

The WISE Accelerator supports innovative initiatives developing solutions in education technology with high potential for scalability and positive impact. Each year, the selected initiatives join the one-year program, during which they benefit from tailor-made support to address challenges that hinder their growth and scaling up process.

For over six years, we have supported founders from around the world build and scale innovative edtech solutions. With the support of our community of edtech founders, investors and education stakeholders, we have delivered a bespoke program aimed at providing access to quality mentorship, coaching and a global network focused on changing the way we learn, teach and work

Benefits

Global Network

Access a community of over 50 edtech founders from 18 countries 

Interaction with industry leaders from the private sector, non-profit  organisations and government  

Networking opportunities with potential donors, investors and partners

Coaching & Mentorship

A hand-picked team of experts providing founders with support on:

Marketing, sales & fundraising  

Product strategy, development and roadmapping 

Market insights and positioning

International Visibility

Selected ventures will have the opportunity to attend our international  events and promotion on our global platforms including: 

WISE@ forums, previous editions were held in Paris, New York and Beijing

WISE social media platforms 

WISE Summit in Doha, convening over 4000 attendees from 100 countries

Click here to apply: http://bit.ly/3qSSb0g

Adidas X Red & Yellow Creative Business School Bursary 2021 for young South Africans.

 Application Deadline: 5th March 2021

adidas SA x Red & Yellow Creative Business School partner to offer two lucky students an opportunity to study 1-year courses in an Advanced Diploma in Marketing & Advertising Communications and a Higher Certificate in Digital Content.

 adidas SA x Red are calling all students looking to further their studies an opportunity to enter and stand a chance of winning a one-year course in the following programs:

1-year Advanced Diploma: Marketing & Advertising Communications– (NQF 7) for students looking to further their studies after completing a bachelor’s degree.

1-year Higher Certificate: Digital Content– (NQF 5) for students looking to further their studies after completing Matric.

The bursary includes the following benefits in assisting students to a comfortable transition:

adidas Mentorship

Supply of adidas product

Monthly stipend towards transport, books, and other costs

Laptop provided by Red & Yellow Creative Business School

Click here to apply:  http://bit.ly/3aUWu5L