EU Says Novavax COVID Vaccine Should Carry Heart Side-Effect Warning

The European Medicines Agency (EMA) is recommending Novavax’s COVID-19 vaccine carry a warning of two inflammatory conditions of the heart, based on a small number of reported cases.

The conditions – myocarditis and pericarditis – should be listed as new side effects in the product information for the vaccine, Nuvaxovid, the EMA said on Wednesday.

The agency has also requested that the U.S. drugmaker provide additional data on the risk of these side effects occurring.

Last month, the EMA identified severe allergic reactions as potential side effects of the vaccine. read more

Novavax was hoping that people who have opted not to take Pfizer and Moderna’s vaccines – which are based on the groundbreaking messenger RNA (mRNA) technology – would favour its shot because it relies on technology that has been used for decades to combat diseases including hepatitis B and influenza.

However, only around 250,000 doses of Nuvaxovid have been administered in Europe so far since its launch in December, according to the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control.

Source: Reuters

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Lack of funds hurting DR Congo conflict victims – UN

The UN’s refugee agency (UNHCR) says 4.5 million​ people for have fled their homes in the Democratic republic of Congo will be forced to sleep in churches, schools or out in the open because of insufficient funding.

For the past two decades, DR Congo has been home to high levels of violence by armed groups, which has left more than 5.6 million internally displaced people – the second highest after Syria. However, less than 20% of funding budgeted to help those in crisis in the country has been secured.

Since April, more than 160,000 people have been displaced following clashes between DR Congo’s army and armed groups.

The UNHCR says it does not have enough money to respond to what they describe as a rising humanitarian crisis in the country.

Adding that while attention is focused on crises in Syria, Afghanistan, and Ukraine – other emergencies, many of them in Africa, are not gaining the same levels of attention, support, and resources.

The refugee agency warns that underfunded crises in the world are being made worse by a mix of conflict, climate shocks, the impact of the pandemic and the current war in Ukraine that has driven up the global price of food and fuel.

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Did Pelosi have Biden’s secret approval for Taiwan trip? – A speculative analysis

To the rest of the world, United States House Speaker Nancy Pelosi who is third in line for the presidential succession ignored President Biden’s plea to abort her planned Taiwan trip. But a careful analysis may suggest otherwise.

A careful 360 consideration of global events and a thorough understanding of the United States foreign policy posture in the current Biden administration suggest that the public disagreement between Biden and Pelosi is all a gimmick.

First, the similarities between Russia/Ukraine and China/Taiwan cannot be overlooked. Both Russia and China have expressly anti-democratic regimes. Conversely, positioned in close proximity to both countries are Ukraine and Taiwan both democratic countries which want nothing to do with the superpower next door.

Both Russia and China aspire to claim the democratic smaller countries next to them as within their territorial influence even if those countries insist on their independence and aspire closer relations to the united States to the chagrin of the superpower next door.

Russia made the move to invade Ukraine and has been locked in a protracted war without the United States lifting a visible finger to get directly involved.

The Biden administration would want to make certain that it would not walk away and abandon Taiwan, and what better way to make that statement than to have a surrogate make a high profile trip to Taiwan while pretending in public to be against the trip?

Asked what he thought of Nancy Pelosi’s trip to Taiwan, Biden said “the military thinks it’s not a good idea.” Note that he dodged that question.

After four years of Trump sending mixed signals to America’s allies around the globe about support for them, Biden came in determined to re-establish relations with those allies. And thus far everything he has done is designed to pursue that goal.

He even abandoned the long-held “strategic ambiguity” policy of the United States towards Taiwan and went as far as to state on his Asia trip that the United States would defend the island in the event of a China invasion.

How does Biden make such a bold statement and then shy away from threats from China? Pelosi and Biden are both Democrats, and the former would not do anything to hurt the latter’s foreign policy goals. As a result, does anyone believe that Biden could not have leaned on Pelosi to abort the trip if he seriously wanted her not to go?

Biden and Pelosi are counting on Xi Jingpin being smart enough to see the trouble that Putin has gotten himself into and would not want to get himself also embroiled in a never-ending war as he deals with an obstinate corona virus that is still sunning wild in China.

In the end, it is suspected that Biden called Xi Jingpin’s bluff, and secretly nudged Pelosi to proceed with the trip to Taiwan. Jingpin would end up not escalating the tension any higher than he has at this point because after all, what is a trip to Taiwan by the number three person in America?

Note: DNT has no background information for this analysis.

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Minister highlights women’s role in stability, family cohesion

 Luanda – Angolan minister of State for Social Affairs Carolina Cerqueira highlighted in Luanda the women's role in stability, family cohesion and community development.

Carolina Cerqueira was speaking at celebration ceremony of the African Women's Day on July 31, stating that women have been able to reinvent solutions to reduce the difficulties of families in a pandemic period, particularly actions to protect children and rural women. 

She added that they are aware of their obligations to help empower several women, provide financial autonomy to the most disadvantaged women, victims of armed conflict, violence, racism and discrimination. 

According to her, improving their participation in the agricultural sector could contribute to economic growth, as long as they have access to training, new technologies and modern techniques for food production, processing and marketing. 

The minister said it was necessary to guarantee access to credit and organisation in agricultural cooperatives, rural schools and modern equipment. 

“The legal right to land, support for associations and empowerment for integration into the productive economy circuit are practical forms of support for rural women that easier their access to agricultural inputs, seeds and fertilizers, in order to achieve the tools that allow the opening of small workshops and starting family businesses”, she asserted. 

The official also pointed to training in basic management of small businesses, training in savings, production and marketing of products and the modernisation of agriculture and new land cultivation practices, including mechanisation, the creation of economies of scale and storage.

She also defended the implementation of social protection policies (support networks for my groups vulnerable to food and nutrition insecurity, facilitating their access to food and basic services - water, sanitation and health, in order to improve livelihood and promote social inclusion. 

“Special attention should be given to children, pregnant women, the elderly, low-income families and people living with endemic diseases, such as  HIV/AIDS. Small shops and community kitchens, basic food baskets, access to drinking water, free school meals and food education programs are already underway in several African countries,” she said. 

In Angola, Carolina Cerqueira added, the Executive is developing a sustained programme of social monetary transfers that has lifted hundreds of thousands of people and their households out of poverty, with women playing a leading role in this social relief programme. 

She also highlighted the expansion of free school meals aimed at improving children's diet, mainly in the most rural areas of the country. 

She spoke of the main focus on increasing the availability of food as a way of meeting the food needs of the populations through the reinforcement of production, supporting family farmers, one of the groups most vulnerable to food and nutritional insecurity, which must be combined with access to natural resources, technology and markets. 

According to Carolina Cerqueira, the greatest concern of African Governments is the demographic increase in most countries, with an annual growth of 3%, demanding inclusive demographic policies in order to guarantee basic care, such as health, education and employment for young people. 

In order to mitigate the malnutrition situation of children, she said, several initiatives are being implemented, highlighting the commitment made by African countries at the last FAO meeting, based on the “International School Meal Coalition”, in which African governments committed themselves to improve child nutrition in schools and the introduction of food education practices, encouraging school gardens, to awaken in children the values ​​of good practices in food production and protection. 

“The production, processing and marketing of food, as well as food education relies substantially on the female workforce on our continent and there are several local programmes of voluntary construction for access to quality water, education for health and capacity building and sharing of experiences and good practices, which are strengthened with the publicising of literacy in rural and suburban areas, the training and technical qualification of young women and their access to new technologies”, she said. 

To the minister, food security and nutrition are directly linked to the physical and mental well-being of populations, enabling them to be key actors in development programmes. 

The challenges and opportunities, she stressed, must also take into account environmental and human development issues, whose response must be capable of dealing with the risks caused by climate change, drought, natural disasters and other crises. 

The date marks the 60th anniversary of the founding of the Pan-African Organisation of Women, in 1962, in Dar-Es-Salam, United Republic of Tanzania.

Elections2022: First summary of the ninth day of campaign

 Luanda - The campaign for the election of the President of the Republic, Vice-President and MP´s continued on Monday throughout the country, plus the utilisation by each party of the legal airtime in the public radio and television to publicise their respective menifestos.

PHA

 

The head of the Humanist Party of Angola (PHA), Florbela Malaquias, promised in Huambo Province to promote humanism and the dignity of the “zungueiras” (female hawkers), if she wins the general elections on 24 August.

 

Florbela Malaquias, who was speaking during an election campaign rally, in the informal Ferro market, on the outskirts of the city of Huambo, said that her political party´s strategy, for the 2022-2027 period, is to improve the well-being of families, through actions to humanise people.

 

P-NJANGO

 

The Nationalist Party for Justice in Angola (P-NJANGO) intends to invest in the promotion of social housing construction in the country in order to facilitate access to housing for citizens.

 

This objective, which was announced during its airtime on the National Radio of Angola (RNA), is one of the key points of its programme planned for five-years (2022-2027).

 

UNITA

 

UNITA, the second largest party in parliament, plans to implement a sustainable social protection system, through allowances for the neediest families.

 

The measure is part of its governance programme, extracts of which was presented Monday during UNITA´s ten minutes of airtime on the public radio.

 

FNLA

 

The FNLA announced the strengthening of foreign policy, political and international diplomatic relations, if Angolans choose this political force, with a view to improving the balance of trade and consolidating bonds with neighbouring countries and friends.

 

In its RNA´s airtime, FNLA addressed foreign policy, with a focus on a long-term economic and social plan, as well as finance and foreign investment.

 

CASA-CE

 

The Broad Convergence for the Salvation of Angola - Electoral Coalition (CASA-CE) defends a real separation of powers and independence of the courts. 

 

Speaking in the ten minutes of airtime on RNA, Faustino Mango, who is on the coalition’s list of candidates for MPs, defends that the high courts judges should be appointed through public competitions instead of being appointed.

 

APN

 

The National Patriotic Alliance (APN) chose the urban district of Zango, municipality of Viana in Luanda Province, to mobilise voters through door-to-door campaign.

 

The activity was led by the candidate for vice-president of the Republic of Angola, Noé Mateus, who said that the initiative served to provide information on the importance of voting and the need for voters to believe in the proposals of the APN.

 

PRS

 

The party's provincial secretary in Benguela, Francisco Chilala, reaffirmed that the fight against corruption will be one of the priorities of the Social Renewal Party (PRS), if it wins the general elections on 24 August.

 

Speaking to ANGOP, he stressed the damaging effects of corruption in the economy, adding that PRS wants to come up with effective measures to change the current situation, without, however, listing them.

 

MPLA

 

The ruling party highlighted the statements of its first secretary in Luanda Province, Bento Bento, who requested the university students to vote in a “conscious way” in the general elections next month.

 

The politician was speaking at the opening ceremony of the 18th edition of the National Holiday Camp of University Students (CANFEU), stressing that the university youth will know how to choose the leader that fits their aspirations in the upcoming polls.

Angolan musician Tonito dies

 Luanda – The 80-year old Angolan musician António Pascoal Fortunato "Tonito" died Monday in Lisbon, Portugal, a victim of disease, an official source has told ANGOP.

Tonito was born on June 6, 1940, in Bengo Province.

 

Singer and songwriter for over 40 years of career, the musician was best known for hits that became classics of Angolan popular music, such as "Marimbondo", "Monangambé" and "Udengue Uami".

 

The singer released his first album in 2015 entitled "Mafumeira", recorded in Luanda, Paris (France) and Faro (Portugal), with songs sung in Kimbundu and Portuguese.

 

He had collaborations with the renowned Ngola Ritmos group.

Elections 2022: CNE extends registration deadline for delegates

 Luanda - National Electoral Commission (CNE) Monday (01 Aug) extended for further three days the deadline for receiving the accreditation list of delegates from the list of political parties competing for the 24 August general elections.

The decision was adopted at the extraordinary plenary meeting, chaired by the President of the CNE, Manuel Pereira da Silva, held in Luanda.

The meeting was intended, especially, to analyze and approve the aforementioned measure and address a proposal presented by the opposition UNITA party.

According to CNE spokesman Lucas Quilundo, the request to extend the deadline, which ended on Saturday (30th), was made by the Humanist Party of Angola (PHA).

It claimed technical reasons, such as operational difficulties with the equipment available for that purpose.

The official explained that, taking into account the legitimacy and fairness of the request, the CNE agreed to it, extending the registration period for delegates from the lists until the 3rd of August so that the municipal electoral commissions can, within the deadlines, print the credentials.