João Lourenço talks to Vladimir Putin and Mario Draghi

Luanda – The Angolan Head of State, João Lourenço, had this Thursday, a call with his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin and the President of the Italian Council of Ministers, Mario Draghi.

At different times, President João Lourenço discussed with the two entities the situation in Ukraine and its consequences.

In a note, by the way, the Secretariat for Institutional Communication and Press Affairs of the President of the Republic states that President João Lourenço's contacts with his interlocutors were made within the framework of the obligation that the member states of the United Nations have to contribute to the world peace and security.

The conversation took place in an atmosphere of "quite cordiality" and aimed to reach an immediate ceasefire and the return to the table of talks aiming to find peace, not only for Ukraine but also for Europe.

 

US Cases Trending up Again: Covid-19

The US is in a “transition phase” of the pandemic, Dr. Anthony Fauci told CNN yesterday.

The nation’s leading infectious disease expert noted that, in fact, Covid-19 cases are trending up again, though it’s not anywhere near the rise we saw over the winter with the Omicron wave.

While new cases and hospitalizations are ticking back up in most states, fewer people are dying of Covid-19 now than during most of the pandemic.

Fauci said that although the coronavirus won’t be eradicated, the level of virus in society could be kept very low if people are intermittently vaccinated, possibly every year.

In Washington, DC, a White House official also confirmed yesterday that Vice President Kamala Harris does not have Covid-19 symptoms a day after testing positive.

Harris completed her two-dose regimen of the Moderna Covid-19 vaccine in January 2021 and has received two booster doses.

DNT News

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Burkina Faso – 8 miners trapped in pit for 6 days

Eight miners – six Burkinabes, one Tanzanian, and one Zambian – have been trapped in a pit near the town of Reo for six days, authorities say.

The miners were last seen on Saturday at the Perkoa mines located in the center west part of the country, some 15 kilometers fro the nearest town of Reo.

some of the family members of the miners have made theor way to the site as rescuers work to extract them in what has thus far been a vain exercise.

The mine was evacuated, and rescue efforts are ongoing with support from the government, local communities and other mining companies in the area, the company told The Northern Miner by e-mail on Monday.

“We are deeply saddened by this unexpected event,” the company’s CEO Ricus Grimbeek said in a press release on April 18. “Our immediate focus is on search and rescue. We will provide further updates as the situation unfolds and we determine the cause of the flooding event. Our thoughts are with the family, friends, and colleagues that have been impacted.”

DNT News

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‘May God Judge You Both’, Yul Edochie’s Wife Reacts As Husband Shares Photos Of New Wife & Son

The wife of Nollywood actor, producer and director, Yul Edochie has reacted to a post the husband made on his verified Instagram page on Wednesday announcing the birth of his son by Nollywood actress, Judy Austin, who he also confirmed as his second wife.

Vanguard reports that Yul Edochie who is married to May Edochie with 4 lovely kids welcomed a bouncing baby with his colleague turned baby mama, Judith Austin in 2021.

Announcing the birth of his son, Yul wrote: “It’s time for the world to meet my son.

“His name is STAR DIKE MUNACHIMSO YUL-EDOCHIE. Born by my second wife @JudyAustin and I love him so much, just as much as I love my other children.”

May Edochie who commented on the post minutes after wrote:

“May God judge you both.”

This has attracted comments from concerned followers who feel it could be a stunt of reality.

Meanwhile, going through May Edochie’s Instagram page, she had shared a cryptic post hours before Yul made public the birth of his son.

Source: vanguardngr

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Russia ponders, then backs out of referendum on southern Ukraine

As part of the second phase of its invasion, Russian officials say they are actively trying to secure all of Ukraine’s eastern regions.

Russian President Vladimir Putin warned yesterday that any country interfering in Ukraine would be met with a “lightning-fast” response from Moscow.

This comes as Ukrainian officials said that almost the entire territory of the Luhansk region suffered shelling over the past 24 hours.

In Kherson, there had been reports that the Russians would organize some form of a referendum on whether the southern region should become an independent republic, but a Russian-appointed official said its return to Ukrainian control is “impossible” and has ruled out a referendum to decide its future.

Separately, Canadian lawmakers yesterday voted unanimously to recognize “acts of genocide” being committed by Russia in Ukraine. The Kremlin, however, continues to deny any involvement in the mass killings of Ukrainian civilians.

DNT News

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Meet Nadra Mao, the Somali Swiss beauty settling Black refugees from Ukraine

Her organization MOKO has stepped up to provide relocation help to "people of color" fleeing war-torn Ukraine

There is a heroine in Switzerland, and the Africans who left Ukraine and made their way to that country cannot stop talking about her.

Nadra Mao’s belief that people fleeing the same war should not be treated differently by virtue of their original country of citizenship has successfully resonated with the authorities in Switzerland.

When the war broke out in Ukraine and residents were fleeing westward, rumours were ripe that some European countries were discriminating against the mostly African students also fleeing to safety.

Many countries eventually opened their doors to all refugees, but when it came to processing their stay in those countries, Ukrainian and other European nationals were treated favorably in what resident status was assigned to them.

Switzerland was no different. And that is what prompted Nadra Mao to seek justice using the right channels based upon relationships she had built over the years.

Mao petitioned a member of the Swiss Parliament Sibel Arslan of the Green Party to champion two motions to the Federal Council of Switzerland.

Sibel Arslan, Green Party, Switzerland

 

 

The motion was to grant all refugees from Ukraine legal entry into Switzerland for a free 90-day stay regardless of original country.

This motion was granted and that is what precluded African students fleeing the war in Ukraine to obtain legal entry into Switzerland for that 90-day stay.

Absent of this motion by Nadra Mao, those the African students would have had to enter Switzerland illegally and would have been compelled to seek asylum. This legal entry is significant because it qualifies the students to apply for an ‘S’ status.

The second motion asks that those with no reason to, or unwilling to return to Ukraine to not be forcibly sent back and be allowed to obtain the ‘S’ status. This was also granted.

A third motion, which was denied, asked that the law concerning the ‘S’ status should be used on everyone regardless of citizenship.

In addition to these successful bold motions to the Swiss government, Nadra Mao was also highly instrumental in helping to settle the African students fleeing Ukraine. Her organization MOKO is the one supporting the students and making them comfortable at their new settlements.

Mao was always at the arrival points to personally welcome the African students. Mao’s activism not only shows how great it is to see Africans fight for each other regardless of the region they come from, but also shows that an attitude of not taking ‘no’ for an answer can open many doors and opportunities.

DNT News with Special reporting from Magdaline Nonkwia, Bern, Switzerland.

 

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