Here’s a statement issued by international personalities, from Adam Clayton to Bishop Desmond Tutu, from Wole Soyinka to Mary Robinson, calling for free and fair elections and a stop to the intimidation of Bobi Wine and other opposition leaders as Uganda goes to the polls: —– Please Help Bobi Wine and the People of Uganda Urge the International Community to …

The annual Henley Passport Index has just been released. It ranks passports according to the number of countries their holders can travel to visa-free. The latest ranking named Japan as the country with the most powerful passport in the world followed by Singapore while Germany and South Korea tie for third place Holders of the Japanese passport can travel visa-free …

The Nigerian Embassy in Germany has announced new fees for its services in line with a recent Federal Government’s directive. The notice announcing the changes indicates that consular services will henceforth attract administrative charges in addition to regular charges. The notice, which is also published on the embassy’s website, reads: “In furtherance to our notice of 15.12.2020, the general public …

A survey conducted by the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) in partnership with the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine (LSHTM), has shown that a predominant majority (79% average) of respondents in Africa would take a COVID-19 vaccine if it were deemed safe and effective. Conducted between August and December 2020, the survey interviewed more …

DW Akademie is accepting applications for its International Media Studies program (IMS) in Bonn, Germany, which will start in September. Students who successfully complete the four-semester program will be awarded a master of arts degree. DW Akademie is part of Deutsche Welle (DW). It is the centre for education and knowledge transfer at Germany’s international broadcaster. Its activities include international …

Due to drastically increasing numbers of infections, London has declared a “state of emergency” or “major incident”. The mayor of the British capital, Sadiq Khan, wrote in a press release that the threat from the virus had reached a critical point. “One in 30 London residents currently has Covid-19. If we don’t respond immediately, our health service is at risk …

Dr Pierrette Herzberger-Fofana, Member of the European Parliament, representing Germany on the platform of the Green Party, writes on her efforts to make Europe leave up to its self-professed commitment to upholding the memory of the trans-Atlantic slave trade and work for the mitigation of its present-day negative legacies, such as racism and discrimination —– In June 2020, the European …

The United Kingdom on Thursday announced a ban on travellers entering England from southern African countries in a measure to prevent the spread of a new coronavirus variant identified in South Africa. The UK said it was responding to “new evidence showing an urgent need to halt travel from all southern African countries to help prevent the spread of a …

After the disruption of its joint session on Wednesday, the United States Congress has reconvened and affirmed President-elect Joe Biden’s Electoral College victory over President Donald Trump at the November 2020 elections. The counting of Vermont’s three electoral votes during the ceremonial counting of the electoral votes, at 8pm ET, put Biden and Vice President-elect Kamala Harris over the 270-threshold …

Against the background of the mayhem caused by supporters of President Donald Trump in Washington on Wednesday, former President Goodluck Jonathan has issued a press statement addressed to American leaders. The US capital was engulfed in chaos as Trump supporters breached the hallowed chambers of Congress to stop the ceremonial counting of the electoral votes that will confirm President-elect Joe …

Because of the persistently high coronavirus infection rates in the country, Germany’s state and federal governments resolved on Tuesday to extend the lockdown rules in the country. In addition to the extension of the shutdown, the latest resolution also contains an expansion of the containment measures. Accordingly, the current lockdown regulations, which have been in effect since 16 December and …

Scientists at the University of Birmingham said on Tuesday that they had developed a new COVID-19 test capable of delivering results in less than five minutes. According to the university, the new test simplifies the testing method to a single step and uses an alternative amplification method called Exponential Amplification Reaction (EXPAR). The new test can reduce testing time from …

A new book with invaluable tips on how to have a successful marriage was launched on Christmas day in the Dutch city of Almeres. Written by Pastor Elvis Iruh, an ordained minister of the Victory Outreach International, Getting to know you highlights simple principles that are often taken for granted in a marital relationship. “Whether you’re preparing for marriage or …

Police had to be called to maintain order in front of the Nigerian embassy in Berlin on Monday. According to the police, about 150 people wanted to enter the embassy ostensibly on appointment for various consular services. As they were not allowed to enter the grounds of the chancery, which cannot take that number of people at a time, a …

Graduate journalism students and recent graduates can apply for a two-week summer fellowship in Germany and Poland. The Fellowships at Auschwitz for the Study of Professional Ethics (FASPE) will choose 14 to 16 individuals to examine the role journalists played in Nazi Germany, the Holocaust and current issues that raise ethical concerns today. The next journalism program, which is open …

The last may not have been heard about Ghana’s last general elections. The candidate of the main opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC), John Mahama, has gone to court to challenge the victory of President Nana Akufo-Addo in the hotly contested polls, held on 7 December. According to the result announced by the country’s election commission, Akufo-Addo of the governing New …

After months of delays caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) went into operation on 1 January. “Truly today is a historic day, a day in which we start officially trading under the preferences of the African Continental Free Trade Area. Today is a day we take Africa a step closer to a vision of …

President-Elect of the United States, Joe Biden, has named Osaremen Okolo, a Nigerian-American, as his COVID-19 policy advisor. Okolo was among 100 names announced as additional members of the White House staff by the Biden transition team on Wednesday. According to Biden and Vice President-elect Kamala Harris, the COVID-19 Response Team will “work to quickly implement a comprehensive, whole-of-government COVID-19 …

The solidarity surcharge will be abolished for most taxpayers and a CO2 tax will make petrol more expensive and there are also new regulations affecting employees, taxpayers, home builders and families. The year 2021 starts with many new laws and regulations.  An overview of the most important changes: Minimum wage The statutory minimum wage will rise from 9.35 euros to …

Monsooq is the first-of-its kind model which utilises time as the currency. Users pay only for the time they spend consuming content and are not required to take out any contracts or subscriptions