Nigeria.
NYSC Boss Seeks Governors Continuity in Support of the Scheme.
Director-General of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), Brig. Gen. Shuaibu Ibrahim, has sought for the support of state governments for the success of NYSC programmes and activities.
According to a statement signed by the NYSC Director, Press and Public Relations, Adenike Adeyemi, the scheme’s chief executive made this plea when he addressed a meeting of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum in Abuja.
Ibrahim stressed that the roles of state governments were critical to the smooth operations of the scheme. He stated that while the federal government shoulders a greater part of the responsibility of running the scheme, the enabling Act saddled states and local governments with complimentary responsibilities.
These, he said, include the provision of facilities like orientation camps, corps transit lodges, corps lodges, office accommodation and other forms of intervention that are essential for the welfare of corps members and the general success of the scheme.
Unplanned Pregnancies Soar in Kenya as Contraceptive Use Deepens.
About 50% of young people aged above 18 are sexually active and only about 11% use family planning methods, although they all desire to use one method or the other to prevent pregnancy. There is a disconnection between ‘the desire to use, availability to use’. The young girls at risk of being pregnant, due to unavailability of contraceptive. According to Professor Peter Gichangi, the latest Kenya Demographic and Health Survey also shows that one in every 5 teenage girls between the ages of 15-19 years have either had a life- birth or are pregnant with their first child.
Somalia: Govt Warns Kenya of UN Action for Its ‘Destabilising’ Role.
By Kevin J. Kelley
Somalia’s United Nations envoy denounced Kenya on Thursday as a “destabilising force” in his country and threatened to initiate UN action against the country.
In a strongly worded speech to the UN Security Council that is sure to escalate tensions between the two countries, Ambassador Abukar Dahir Osman said Somalia has “exhausted all diplomatic means with Kenya”.
The ambassador accused Kenya of interfering in Somalia’s internal affairs and violating the UN Charter by engaging in “anti-peace actions”.
Mr Osman did not specify the Kenyan behaviour that he found objectionable but condemned its alleged breach of Somalia’s “sovereignty, independence and unity”.
“Kenya continues to be a destabilising force, negating its engagement in Amisom,” the diplomat declared.
Kenya currently supplies about 3500 of the 20,000 troops that are fighting Al-Shabaab under the banner of the African Union Mission in Somalia.
Iran claims jailed Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe is in “good health” following coronavirus scare.
Supporters hold a photo of Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe during a vigil for her outside the Iranian Embassy in London in January 2017. Credit: Chris J Ratcliffe/Getty ImagesZaghari-Ratcliffe’s family released a statement at the weekend saying she believes she contracted coronavirus in Evin prison. Zaghari-Ratcliffe, now 42, was arrested in Iran in 2016 then jailed on espionage charges.
Although authorities have not tested Zaghari-Ratcliffe for the virus, she said in the statement that she has been sick “all week” and described her symptoms as those reported of the coronavirus.
Esmaili said Zaghari-Ratcliffe called her family yesterday and said she was alright, but that the media “are not reporting her healthy condition and do not take corrective action in their previous news.”
Middle East Coronavirus High Alerts Continues with Major Events Cancelled.
Governments have asked people to follow precautionary measures to help prevent the spread of the virus.
DUBAI: Saudi Arabia and Jordan become the latest additions to report coronavirus cases, countries across the Middle East were on high alert as the disease continues to spread around the world.
Kuwait: asked passengers from 10 countries including India, Turkey and Egypt to provide embassy-approved certificates saying they are free from coronavirus, according to a statement.
Saudi: According to the Saudi Press Agency, the Kingdom has barred citizens and residents of Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries from entering Saudi Arabia for 14 days after returning from outside the region due to coronavirus concerns.
Meanwhile Saudi Ministry of Health official says the one person with coronavirus in the Kingdom is in a stable condition and being monitored. A further 70 people have been quarantined and are being checked.
The health official says additional precautionary measures have been taken at border entry points for people coming from countries affected by the disease.
Oman announced six new infections with the virus.
The number of confirmed coronavirus cases in the UK has risen to 51, health minister Matt Hancock said on Tuesday, up from 39 the previous day.
Earlier, the government unveiled its “battle plan” to tackle the spread of coronavirus, warning that as many as a fifth of employees could be off work at the peak of the outbreak.
– Saudi Ministry of Health official says the one person with coronavirus in the Kingdom is in a stable condition and being monitored. A further 70 people have been quarantined and are being checked.
The health official says additional precautionary measures have been taken at border entry points for people coming from countries affected by the disease.
SOCCER.
England’s Mako Vunipola to miss Six Nations match against Wales.
Mako Vunipola will miss England’s Guinness Six Nations match with Wales on Saturday because of a “medical issue”, forwards coach Matt Proudfoot has said.
The Saracens prop missed the 24-12 win over Ireland on February 23 after travelling to Tonga for undisclosed family reasons, but was set to return to the fold after being included in an extended 34-man training squad on Monday.
