KANO, NIGERIA (AFP) – Gunmen known locally as “bandits” killed at least 140 people in multiple raids this week in northwest Nigeria, four residents told AFP yesterday, but there was no official confirmation.
Northwest and central Nigeria have been plagued by criminal gangs for years but violence has become more widespread now. On Wednesday, the Nigerian government officially labelled bandits as terrorists.
“We buried a total of 143 people killed by the bandits in the attacks,” said one of the four sources, Balarabe Alhaji, a community leader in one of the affected villages in Zamfara state.
Hundreds of motorcycle-riding gunmen rampaged through ten villages in Anka and Bukkuyum districts on Wednesday through Thursday, shooting residents, looting and burning homes, locals said.
Officials and security agencies have not yet commented on the attacks.
Babandi Hamidu, a resident of Kurfa Danya village said the militants who rode into the villages were shooting “anyone on sight”.
SYDNEY (AFP) – Tennis superstar Novak Djokovic was given a COVID-19 vaccine exemption because he tested positive for the virus in December, his lawyers said in a court filing yesterday, three days after Australian border agents placed him in a Melbourne detention centre.
The world number one has also requested to be moved to a facility where he can train for the Australian Open, his lawyers said, after a vaccine exemption to play the tournament was rejected.
“The date of the first positive COVID PCR test was recorded on 16 December, 2021,” his lawyers said in a filing to the federal court seeking to overturn the cancellation of his Australian entry visa.
Djokovic, an outspoken vaccine sceptic, will have his appeal heard in court tomorrow.
Border agents tore up Djokovic’s entry visa for failing to meet the country’s tough COVID-19 vaccine requirements when he landed in Melbourne on Wednesday.
Foreigners are still mostly banned from travel to Australia, and those granted entry must be fully vaccinated or have a medical exemption.
Protesters and fans of Serbia’s Novak Djokovic gather outside the Park Hotel, where Djokovic is confined in Melbourne, Australia. PHOTO: AP
CNA – Amazon on Friday told workers they only have to isolate for a week after testing positive for COVID-19, instead of 10 days, following updated United States (US) health guidance.
The Omicron variant of the coronavirus has prompted a spike in cases in the US and worker shortages at schools, airlines and businesses. On Tuesday, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) backed recent guidance that people who contract the virus can end their isolation after five days.
In a message to staff, which Amazon shared with a news agency, the online retailer said its new week-long isolation policy took effect immediately.
Workers with the virus can receive up to 40 hours paid leave, a decrease corresponding to the shorter isolation period.
“Do not come to work if you are sick,” the message said. “Additional leave options are available for individuals who remain symptomatic beyond one week.”
The Wall Street Journal earlier reported the news.
With hundreds of thousands of warehouse and logistics staff, Amazon is the second-largest US private employer. Walmart Inc, the largest, this week told workers it was halving its COVID-19 paid leave in line with the updated CDC guidance.
An employee working at a packing station in Amazon’s fulfillment centre in Staten Island. PHOTO: AFP
MEXICO CITY (AP) – Mexico ended 2021 with an annualised inflation rate of 7.36 per cent, the highest in 20 years, the national statistics institute said on Friday.
Inflation in December continued at about the same rate as in November, and was led by fresh food products, air travel and other rising costs.
The institute said inflation was last that high in 2001.
Mexico’s central bank faces pressure to increase interest rates, without constraining economic growth. The country’s interbank interest rate is around 5.50 per cent, and the target inflation rate of three per cent seems a very distant goal.
Some analysts see inflation continuing high through the first quarter of 2022.
A vendor waiting for customers at the La Nueva Viga seafood market in Mexico City. PHOTO: AP
AFP – McDonald’s in Taiwan said on Friday some of its stores were running out of hash browns imported from the United States (US) and would have to suspend sales due to “unstable global shipping supply”.
The company put up signs in some storefronts announcing the suspensions while the item is listed as “temporarily unavailable” on its menus.
“There is a shortage of hash browns in McDonald’s restaurants and sales will be temporarily suspended after they are sold out,” a statement posted on the company’s website said.
“We thank customers for their support and we are sorry for the inconvenience,” it added.
The company said it aims to resume selling hash browns in the second half of this month after restocking, and added that sales of French fries are “normal”.
Supply chain shortages have rippled across the globe during the coronavirus pandemic affecting everything from building materials, wood and food to books, microchips and electronics.
Also on Friday, McDonald’s Japan said it would ration French fry orders to small size only from January 9 for around a month – the second time it has been forced to impose such a restriction on its customers.
For a week in late December, only small size fries were available at Japanese McDonald’s stores as the pandemic combined with floods in Canada squeezed potato imports.
“In addition to the ongoing import delays, a combination of unforeseen circumstances, including cargo hold-ups in Vancouver, disruptions caused by snow and bad weather on the route, is causing further delays in the arrival of shipments,” the company said in a statement on Friday.
MELBOURNE (AFP) – Naomi Osaka pulled out of a warm-up tournament for the Australian Open yesterday, saying her “body got a shock” after playing her first matches for four months, opening the Melbourne Summer Set title door to Simona Halep.
Osaka, the reigning Australian Open champion, hit the court this week for the first time since her tearful early exit at the US Open, after which she took a long break to deal with personal matters.
In Melbourne, she played three matches in quick succession and they took a toll. She withdrew before the start of her semi-final on Rod Laver Arena against Russian Veronika Kudermetova.
“Unfortunately I have an abdominal injury which I need to rest and prepare for the #AusOpen,” the Japanese superstar and top seed said in a statement released by the Australian Open on Twitter.
Osaka added on her own Twitter feed that it had been a tough return and she didn’t want to push too hard with the opening Grand Slam of the year starting on January 17.
“Sad to withdraw due to injury from my match today, my body got a shock from playing back to back intense matches after the break I took,” she said.
“Thank you for all the love this past week I’ll try to rest up and I’ll see you soon.”
The four-time Grand Slam champion had beaten France’s 61st-ranked veteran Alize Cornet 6-4, 3-6, 6-3 in her first match back on Tuesday.
She then demolished Belgium’s Maryna Zanevska 6-1, 6-1 before blasting past Germany’s Andrea Petkovic 6-1, 7-5 to make the semi-finals.
Her withdrawal sent Kudermetova into the final with a walkover where she will meet Halep, who crushed Chinese teenager Zheng Qinwen 6-3, 6-2.
Naomi Osaka plays during the match against Andrea Petkovic at a warm-up tournament ahead of the Australian Open. PHOTO: AP
The Mobile COVID-19 Vaccination Clinic services will next week perform house-to-house services across several mukims for pre-selected patients with limited movement or are bedridden.
Minister of Health Dato Seri Setia Dr Haji Mohd Isham bin Haji Jaafar said at the press conference yesterday that the house-to-house service will be conducted from 9am to 2.30pm.
House-to-house services will be made across homes in Mukim Batu Apoi, Mukim Bokok, Mukim Bangar and Mukim Amo on January 10; in Mukim Pekan Tutong, Mukim Keriam and Mukim Liang on January 11; Mukim Telisai and Mukim Liang on January 12; Mukim Berakas ‘B’ on January 13; and Mukim Berakas ‘B’ and Mukim Pekan Tutong on January 15.
The Ministry of Health (MoH) will contact patients eligible for the house-to-house service in advance for an early screening, and they will be required to provide details of their identity card or passport, as well as Bru-HIMS card (or number) if available.
SWINDON, UNITED KINGDOM (AFP) – Manchester City shrugged off the absence of manager Pep Guardiola and seven first-team players due to coronavirus to ease past League Two Swindon 4-1 in the FA Cup third round on Friday night.
Rodolfo Borrell took charge of the English champions with Guardiola and assistant Juanma Lilo among 14 backroom staff affected by a major outbreak.
“We were in touch at half time. There was not a massive change because everything was as planned as before,” said Borrell on his contact with Guardiola.
“He has great confidence in all of us. Not just me but all the backroom staff.”
City were still able to name a strong starting line-up featuring just four changes from their 2-1 win at Arsenal last weekend with England international Kyle Walker and captain for the night Ilkay Gundogan among those coming into the side.
Manchester City’s Cole Palmer scores his side’s fourth goal during the English FA Cup third round match against Swindon Town. PHOTO: AP
Seventy-one places separate the sides in the English football pyramid and the visitors’ class quickly showed.
Cole Palmer was one of the few youngsters handed a chance by City’s absences and laid the opening goal on a plate for Bernardo Silva with a sublime turn and cross on 14 minutes.
Swindon were architects of their own downfall for the second as Gabriel Jesus caught the home side trying to play out from the back and exchanged passes with Kevin De Bruyne before slotting home.
“We will keep working on that, keep improving,” said Swindon boss Ben Garner.
“A fantastic occasion but our priority is League Two and getting promotion.
“The players in there it is a great experience for them. Hopefully there are a few who will go on and play in the Premier League.”
Gundogan’s inch-perfect free-kick found the bottom corner just before the hour mark to make it 3-0.
But there were a couple of moments for Swindon to savour from their big night.
Firstly, Lewis Ward saved Jesus’ poor penalty.
Harry McKirdy then struck a consolation by blasting past Zack Steffen at his near post 12 minutes from time.
But Palmer restored City’s three-goal advantage and rounded off a fine individual display when he smashed into the top corner with the aid of a deflection four minutes later.
“He has great quality, everyone has been able to see it,” added Borrell, on City’s academy graudate who is aiming to follow to path taken by Phil Foden.
“He is still developing quite a lot but there is a lot of talent there. Hopefully very soon he can play more games with us like Phil a couple of years ago.”
PHNOM PENH (AP) – Cambodia’s Foreign Minister yesterday defended Prime Minister Hun Sen’s trip to Myanmar, the first by a foreign leader since the military takeover last year plunged the country into turmoil, though there was little evidence the mission yielded any immediate breakthrough.
Foreign Minister Prak Sokhonn told reporters that talks between Hun Sen and Myanmar’s leader achieved “a very good, positive result with a progressive step forward” on the implementation of peace efforts agreed to by the ASEAN, a regional bloc currently led by Cambodia.
Hun Sen’s meeting with Myanmar’s military chief, Senior General Min Aung Hlaing, who overthrew the elected government of Aung San Suu Kyi last February, triggered protests in Myanmar and criticism abroad. Opponents said it legitimised the military takeover and broke the generals’ near-total diplomatic isolation.
The military’s seizure of power has led to widespread conflict with civilians forming guerrilla groups and thousands of people driven from their homes by army offensives.
“If there is anyone who opposes progressing these negotiations and the agreements like this, it is only those people who love war, those people who do not want to see Myanmar return to stability and peace,” Prak Sokhonn, who is also ASEAN’s special envoy to Myanmar, told reporters after returning home.
Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen and Myanmar State Administration Council Chairman Senior General Min Aung Hlaing hold a souvenir photo after a meeting in Naypyitaw, Myanmar. PHOTO: AP
Friday’s joint statement on the talks, which described them as “frank and candid”, said Min Aung Hlaing was extending a cease-fire until the end of the year, and that both leaders would push for a meeting of stakeholders on delivering humanitarian aid.
The cease-fire offer is unlikely to be taken seriously by the military’s opponents. Such arrangements are routinely broken in Myanmar. The cease-fire also specifically referred only to long-standing ethic armed groups, not the new civilian guerrilla units that are currently doing most of the fighting.
Prak Sokhonn also disclosed that Hun Sen brought up the case of Australian Sean Turnell, a former economic advisor to Suu Kyi who is on trial in Myanmar on charges of violating state secrets. He said that Hun Sen raised the matter at the request of Australian Foreign Minister Marise Payne.
“Hun Sen raised the issue with Min Aung Hlaing directly and he responded that the case is now before the court but he said that once it is completed, the senior general will consider the case. That means he promised that he would get back to Hun Sen with positive news,” Prak Sokhonn said.
Last April, ASEAN leaders, including Min Aung Hlaing, agreed on a five-point roadmap toward a peaceful settlement of the Myanmar crisis, including an end to violence and a political dialogue between all stakeholders.
The Myanmar leader was barred in October from attending ASEAN meetings after the group’s special envoy was prevented from meeting with Suu Kyi and other political detainees, which was one of the stipulations of the agreement.
Myanmar’s military has said Hun Sen will not be allowed to meet with Suu Kyi, who was convicted in December on charges of incitement and violating coronavirus restrictions and sentenced to four years in prison – a sentence that Min Aung Hlaing then cut in half.
Two foreign nationals were slapped with compound fines by enforcement personnel for violation of the directive to stay at home on Friday night, said Minister of Health Dato Seri Setia Dr Haji Mohd Isham bin Haji Jaafar during the press conference yesterday.
The Royal Brunei Police Force said Md Sabbir Ahammed and Md Shahadat were caught in the Tutong District.
