Author: straightnewsng.com

Nominees for the Laureus World Sports Awards have been rolled out and winners will be officially announced in May at a virtual awards event. It is an award ceremony honouring individuals and teams from the world of sports along with sporting achievements throughout the year. It was established in 1999 by Laureus Sport for Good Foundation founding patrons Daimler and Richemont and supported by its global partners Mercedes-Benz, IWC Schaffhausen and MUFG. Liverpool have been shortlisted in the Team of the Year category for the Laureus World Sports Awards, while Lewis Hamilton is among the nominees for the World Sportsman of…

Ghana, Wednesday, became the first country to receive COVID-19 vaccines as part of the COVAX initiative to ensure equitable access for everyone. The country took delivery of 600,000 doses of the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine made by the Serum Institute of India (Covishield). The consignment is the first of the vaccines acquired through the COVID-19 Vaccine Global Access Facility (COVAX), which Ghana signed along with 92 other countries. Earlier, UNICEF and the World Health Organization, had in a joint statement asserted that Ghana would receive the first shipment of vaccines from Covax, a global scheme to procure and distribute inoculations for…

Marte Town in Borno State, which was under the custody of Boko Haram terrorists, has been recovered by troops, the Nigerian Army confirmed on Tuesday February 23. Straightnews had reported last week that the terrorists had taken over Marte and hoisted their flag in parts of the town. This came after the Chief of Army Staff, Major-General Ibrahim Attahiru gave the troops a 48-hour ultimatum on Sunday to recover the town. “The troops backed by air cover from the Nigerian Air Force successfully charged through Marte town, destroying several Improvised Explosive Device (IEDs) and landmines laced across their routes and…

Ghana will, Wednesday, collect the first shipment of Covid-19 vaccines from Covax, a global scheme to procure and distribute inoculations for free to poor countries, UNICEF and the World Health Organization said. “We are pleased that Ghana has become the first country to receive the Covid-19 vaccines from the Covax facility,” UNICEF, which organised the shipment from Mumbai, said in a joint statement with the WHO. It said the 600,000 doses are part of an initial tranche of deliveries of the AstraZeneca/Oxford vaccine licensed to the Serum Institute of India, “which represent part of the first wave of Covid vaccines headed…

In an unpredictable manner, Olivier Giroud’s spectacular overhead kick gave Chelsea an outstanding victory against Atletico Madrid in the Champions League last 16 first leg in Bucharest. Though the linesman’s flag was instantly raised, the ball had deflected off Mario Hermoso rather than Mason Mount, which was spotted by VAR, and after three minutes of deliberation the goal was awarded. Giroud’s overhead kick – awarded by VAR – handed Chelsea a vital 1-0 away win against Atletico Madrid, putting Thomas Tuchel’s men in control of the last-16 tie. La Liga leaders Atletico were forced to play their home leg over…

The US surpassed the figure of 500,000 Covid-related deaths, the highest number of any country. Globally, Brazil follows with a death toll of 247,000; Mexico is 180,000, India and United Kingdom stand at 156,000 and 121,000 respectively. So far, the 28.1 million confirmed US infections is nearly double that of second-highest India (11 million) and Brazil (10.1 million), according to Johns Hopkins University research. But the US ranks ninth in terms of deaths per 100,000 population, behind countries like the UK and Italy. At least 90,000 more Americans are expected to have died with the virus by 1 June, an Institute…

Renowned Islamic Cleric, Sheik Ahmad Gumi, has unmasked the worsening security virus afflicting Nigeria. He has doused the security tension by describing what is ongoing in the country as ethnic war, waged by Fulani nomad over threat to his existence. Gumi, speaking on a Channels Television programme aired on Monday evening, said bandits either go on a killing spree as revenge for the killing of their kinsmen or kidnap to get money. In what he described as ethnic revenge, he said bandits usually attack persons and villages when they had discovered that a nomadic man was killed by people of…

Senator Rochas Okorocha is blowing over he sees as ‘witch-hunting’ in the hands of his successor, Governor Hope Uzodinma of Imo State. Okorocha representing Imo West in the Nigerian Senate and some of the state government officials clashed for unsealing Royal Palm Hotel and Apartment owned by his wife, Nkechi, that was sealed by the state government. The immediate past Imo Governor was arrested by the state police command on the order of the state government but released later after intervention by South East Governors’ Forum and Ohanaeze. Yet, his 14 aides were not spared as they were paraded at Imo Magistrate Court…

The UK’s jobless rate climbed to 5.1% in the three months to December, figures from the Office for National Statistics have shown.   The rate is the highest for almost five years.   The figures show 726,000 fewer people are currently in payrolled employment than before the start of the pandemic.   BBC NEWS reports that almost three-fifths of this fall, 425,000, were younger than 25 years.   The ONS said 1.74 million people were unemployed in the October to December period, up 454,000 from the same quarter in 2019.   However, the UK’s statistics body said that there were…

Six Nigerian entrepreneurs have joined their counterparts across the continent to compete for the coveted 2021 Africa Prize for Engineering Innovation. The prize, which was first launched in 2014, celebrates innovative engineers across Africa. The chosen Nigerians are Elohor Thomas, Faith Adesemowo; Jacob Azundah; Olugbenga Olufemi Olubanjo; Taofeek Olalekan; and Yusuf Bilesanmi. The entrepreneurs selected from other African countries are Armelle Sidje (Cameroon); Indira Tsengiwe (South Africa); Marie Ndieguene (Senegal); Eyram Amedzor (Ghana); Noël N’guessan (Côte d’Ivoire). Others are: Juka Fatou Darboe (The Gambia); Atish Shah (Tanzania); Pazion Cherinet (Ethiopia); George Boateng (Ghana); and Tshepo Mangoele (South Africa). Emma Wade…