Wednesday, May 1

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U.S. joins West in rare criticism of Egypt on human rights abuses
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U.S. joins West in rare criticism of Egypt on human rights abuses

GENEVA (Reuters) - Western countries on Friday called on Egypt to end the prosecution of activists, journalists and perceived political opponents under counter-terrorism laws, and to unconditionally release them. The United States, which has observer status at the U.N. Human Rights Council, was among 31 signatories of the joint statement on Egypt, the first since 2014, which called on the government to lift curbs on freedoms of expression and assembly. Egypt is a close ally of the United States, but the Biden administration has vowed to speak out about human rights violations and abuses of the rule of law worldwide. © Reuters/AMR ABDALLAH DALSH FILE PHOTO: Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi attends the opening ceremony of floating bridges and tunnel projects executed un...
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Tanzania opposition leader says Magufuli in India with COVID-19
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Tanzania opposition leader says Magufuli in India with COVID-19

NAIROBI (Reuters) - Tanzania’s main opposition leader said on Thursday that President John Magufuli, an avowed COVID-19 sceptic out of public view for nearly two weeks, is in India receiving medical treatment for the virus and is in a serious condition. Tundu Lissu, who lost last year’s election to Magufuli, cited medical and security sources in Kenya for his information that the president had been transferred from hospital in Kenya to India and was in a coma - but did not provide evidence. Tanzanian government spokesmen have stayed mum during days of speculation over the 61-year-old Magufuli’s whereabouts and health. Representatives of Kenya’s and India’s governments also contacted by Reuters have not given information either. In power since 2015 and nicknamed “The Bulldozer...
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Somalia: Former President Ali Mahdi Mohamed Dies in Nairobi
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Somalia: Former President Ali Mahdi Mohamed Dies in Nairobi

Somalia's former president Ali Mahdi Mohamed has died in Kenya's capital Nairobi aged 83, officials in Mogadishu and members of his family announced on Wednesday. According to the family, the former president fell ill in Mogadishu last week and was flown out to Kenya for further treatment. Mr Mahdi was appointed president of Somalia by loyalists of the United Somali Congress (USC), the rebel group that deposed the late dictator Mohamed Siad Barre in January 1991. But his rule was immediately challenged by the late rebel leader Mohamed Farah Aideed. The power struggle between Gen Aideed and President Mahdi led to months of bloodshed in Mogadishu. Decades later, the country is still struggling to rise from the aftermath of the conflict. Somalia's President Mohamed Farmaajo a...
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Garment factory fire kills at least 20 in Egypt
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Garment factory fire kills at least 20 in Egypt

CAIRO (Reuters) - At least 20 people were killed and 24 others injured in Egypt on Thursday when a fire broke out in a garment factory north of Cairo, the local governor’s office said in a statement. The fire started in a four-story factory in El-Obour City, just north of Cairo, at about 11 a.m. (0900 GMT) and was later brought under control, the statement added. Ambulances and firefighting trucks were sent to the scene and victims were transferred to several nearby hospitals.
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Pfizer/BioNTech say COVID-19 vaccine likely to prevent asymptomatic infection
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Pfizer/BioNTech say COVID-19 vaccine likely to prevent asymptomatic infection

(Reuters) - Pfizer Inc and BioNTech SE said on Wednesday that real-world data from Israel suggests that their COVID-19 vaccine is 94% effective in preventing asymptomatic infections, meaning the vaccine could significantly reduce transmission. The companies also said the latest analysis of the Israeli data shows the vaccine was 97% effective in preventing symptomatic disease, severe disease and death. That is basically in line with the 95% efficacy Pfizer and BioNTech reported from the vaccine’s late-stage clinical trial in December. The analysis also shows real-world evidence of the vaccine’s effectiveness against a highly infectious variant of COVID-19 first discovered in Britain, known as B.1.1.7. More than 80% of the tested specimens when the analysis was conucted were varia...
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Norwegian Air makes final restructuring offer to creditors
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Norwegian Air makes final restructuring offer to creditors

OSLO (Reuters) - Norwegian Air submitted its final restructuring offer to creditors on Thursday in what the budget airline said was a major step in its plan to slash debt and reduce its fleet to survive the coronavirus pandemic. If approved by enough creditors and Ireland’s High Court, the so-called scheme of arrangement will enable Norwegian to raise new capital and emerge from bankruptcy protection in Ireland and Norway. “This is an important milestone in the process of securing Norwegian’s future,” Chief Executive Jacob Schram said in a statement. Financed largely by debt, Norwegian had grown rapidly to become a major carrier by the time of the COVID-19 outbreak, serving routes across Europe and flying to North and South America, Southeast Asia and the Middle East. As a...
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Breonna Taylor’s boyfriend Kenneth Walker cleared of shooting police officer
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Breonna Taylor’s boyfriend Kenneth Walker cleared of shooting police officer

The boyfriend of Breonna Taylor has had an attempted murder charge against him dropped after he shot and wounded a police officer at his home. It happened during the incident when Breonna Taylor, a young black medic with no criminal record, was shot dead. Kenneth Walker had claimed he thought intruders were breaking-in when police raided his home in Kentucky last year. No criminal charges have ever been brought over the shooting. Two officers were eventually fired. Breonna's death was one of several in recent years which contributed to global protests against racism and police brutality in 2020. image captionBreonna Taylor, 26, was killed when police raided her home over a drugs case. During the raid, Kenneth Walker fired at the officers who he said he believed ...
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Sarah Ferguson previously told Oprah royal life is ‘not a fairytale’
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Sarah Ferguson previously told Oprah royal life is ‘not a fairytale’

Ahead of Meghan Markle and Prince Harry’s historic interview with Oprah, a 25-year-old interview featuring Sarah Ferguson has resurfaced. The video sees the Duchess of York sit down with Oprah and discuss life in the Royal family after she and Prince Andrew had divorced. The interview, which was recorded in 1996, saw Sarah Ferguson acknowledge that although people might think life in the Royal family is a dream come true, it was ‘not a fairytale’.© Provided by Evoke.ie Speaking at the time, the mother-of-two said: ‘You didn’t marry the fairytale, you married a man.’ ‘You fell in love and married a man, and then you have to come to terms with the fairytale. Now it’s not a fairy tale, it’s real life.’ One thing Sarah found difficult to adjust to was the rules that had to be o...
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Amanda Gorman and Serena Williams lead support for ‘selfless’ Meghan
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Amanda Gorman and Serena Williams lead support for ‘selfless’ Meghan

Poet Amanda Gorman and tennis star Serena Williams have come out in support of the Duchess of Sussex following the royal couple's interview with Oprah Winfrey. Meghan's long-term friend Williams led the backing, calling the duchess her "selfless friend" who "teaches me every day what it means to be truly noble". Gorman, who became well known after a powerful performance at Joe Biden's inauguration, referred to "the Crown" in one tweet.© Other Poet Gorman and tennis star Williams came out in support of Meghan She said the royals had missed the "greatest opportunity for change" and "didn't just maltreat her light". "Meghan is living the life Diana should have, if only those around her had been as brave as she was," she added in another tweet. "Meghan isn't living a life ...
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From the Arctic to Mars, These Women Made History During the Pandemic
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From the Arctic to Mars, These Women Made History During the Pandemic

In honor of Women's History Month and International Women's Day (March 8th), we're highlighting women making history today and changing the world right now—during a debilitating pandemic, no less. From the first women to overwinter solo in the high Arctic to the engineer who delivered the news to all earthlings that NASA's rover touched down on Mars and the biochemist whose scientific research paved the way for a COVID-19 vaccine, this is merely a selection of women who made historic strides and achievements in a locked-down and downtrodden era. You might not know all their names now, but their impact on the world will go down in history. © Clockwise from Top Left: NASA/JPL-Caltech; PATRICK SEMANSKY/AFP via Getty; Julien Lienard/Contour/Ge... CUL_Map_Women_Banner_02 First Women...
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