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Clinic Explosion in Iran capital Tehran kills at least 19
Not less than 19 people have been killed in an explosion at a clinic in Iran’s capital Tehran, officials say.
Dozens were injured at the Sina Athar clinic, and there are fears the death toll will rise further.
Iran’s state media quoted senior officials as saying the explosion was due to a gas leak.
Television pictures showed plumes of smoke billowing in the sky. Firefighters extinguished the blaze several hours later.
Most of the victims of yesterday’s blast were women, according to the authorities.
Some of the victims “were in upper floors, in operation rooms – who were either patients being operated on or those with them”, Tehran fire department spokesman Jalal Maleki was quoted as saying by state media.
“They unfortunately lost their lives due to the heat and thick smoke,” he said, adding that firefighters had rescued 20 people.
The clinic, which carries out light surgeries and medical imaging, had 25 employees inside at the time of the explosion, Mr Maleki said.
Source___BBC
“I won’t be holding rallies”-Joe Biden
US Democrat Joe Biden has make known that he will not be holding presidential campaign rallies during the coronavirus pandemic.
“This is the most unusual campaign, I think, in modern history,” Mr Biden said at a press conference in Delaware.
His rival, President Donald Trump, saw lower-than-expected turnout for a rally in Tulsa, Oklahoma, in June and his campaign has announced no new rallies.
People’s view on the polls show Mr Biden with an almost double-digit lead over Mr Trump as the 3 November election looms.
On Tuesday, Mr Biden told reporters: “I’m going to follow the doc’s orders – not just for me but for the country – and that means that I am not going to be holding rallies.
The former US vice-president under Barack Obama also said he has not yet been tested for Covid-19, which has killed almost 130,000 people in the US.
Source___BBC
Malawi Opposition Wins Election
Malawi opposition leader Lazarus Chakwera has been sworn in as the country’s new president after beating the incumbent Peter Mutharika in an historic rerun vote.
Acceptance speech by His Excellency Dr. Lazarus Mccarthy Chakawera, President of The Republic OF Malawi Reads:
My Fellow Citizens,
To stand before you as your President today is an honor.
It’s an honor that fills me with unspeakable joy and immense gratitude.
It’s an honor forged in the furnace of your desire and demand for change.
It’s an honor crafted by your hand when you braved the winter chill to cast your vote.
It’s an honor that has reignited the dream of our nation’s founders for a New Malawi.
When the founders of Malawi emerged from the womb of the great struggle that birthed our Independence in 1964, the dream was not merely for us to be freed from oppression. And when their children marched against the one-party state to birth our Democracy in 1993, the dream was not merely for us to be freed from tyranny.
The dream that binds us together is for us to enjoy shared prosperity, not just freedom. For of what use is freedom from oppression if you are a slave to starvation? Or freedom from colonialism if you are a slave to tribalism? Of what use is freedom from tyranny if you are a slave to poverty?
No! The dream was for all of us, together, to be the ones who enjoy the riches of Malawi’s soil; to be the ones who make the products of her industries; to be the ones who harvest the bounties of her fields; to be the ones who are served by her taxes; and to be the ones who raise the skylines of her cities.
Today, we too have emerged from great struggle and marched our sore feet towards this moment of victory and justice. But unlike our forebears, we have done so not just because we have a dream. We have done so because the time has come for us to go beyond dreaming. The time has come for us to arise from the slumber of our dream and make the dream true.
Dr. Chilima and I accept this challenge and task. We will pursuit it, not just as servants accountable to you voters, but as stewards of the hopes of millions of children, born and unborn, who have no vote. With your help, we will restore a new generation’s faith in the possibility of having a government that serves, not a government that rules; a government that inspires, not a government that infuriates; a government that listens, not a government that shouts; a government that fights for you, not against you.
Now, I am no stranger to the benefits of good government. Although I was raised in a poor village like most Malawians; raised without inherited riches or political connections like most Malawians; raised without electricity or running water like most Malawians; I stand here today because I had one of the blessings of God that young Malawians today do not: The blessing of growing up in a well-governed Malawi.
So I pledge to run Malawi well, for that is the surest path to Tsogolo Labwino, a path that has long been in ruins, riddled with the potholes of greed and corruption. In making this pledge, I am accepting this call to serve you with joy and holy fear, for I am duty bound to God and all of you to give it my best.
However, I know that there are many of you who did not vote for me in this election, and perhaps the prospect of my presidency fills you with fear and grief. But I want you to remember one thing: This new Malawi is a home for you too, and so long as I am its President, it will be a home in which you too will prosper. I only ask you for one thing in return: To give Dr. Chilima and I a chance to earn your trust and make this win a win for all of us. That is how we will fulfil the dream of Malawi Watsopano Okomela…TONSE. God bless you and God bless Malawi.
Malawi opposition leader wins election
Malawi opposition leader Lazarus Chakwera has been sworn in as the country’s new president after beating the incumbent Peter Mutharika in an historic rerun vote.
Acceptance speech by His Excellency Dr. Lazarus Mccarthy Chakawera, President of The Republic OF Malawi Reads:
My Fellow Citizens,
To stand before you as your President today is an honor.
It’s an honor that fills me with unspeakable joy and immense gratitude.
It’s an honor forged in the furnace of your desire and demand for change.
It’s an honor crafted by your hand when you braved the winter chill to cast your vote.
It’s an honor that has reignited the dream of our nation’s founders for a New Malawi.
When the founders of Malawi emerged from the womb of the great struggle that birthed our Independence in 1964, the dream was not merely for us to be freed from oppression. And when their children marched against the one-party state to birth our Democracy in 1993, the dream was not merely for us to be freed from tyranny.
The dream that binds us together is for us to enjoy shared prosperity, not just freedom. For of what use is freedom from oppression if you are a slave to starvation? Or freedom from colonialism if you are a slave to tribalism? Of what use is freedom from tyranny if you are a slave to poverty?
No! The dream was for all of us, together, to be the ones who enjoy the riches of Malawi’s soil; to be the ones who make the products of her industries; to be the ones who harvest the bounties of her fields; to be the ones who are served by her taxes; and to be the ones who raise the skylines of her cities.
Today, we too have emerged from great struggle and marched our sore feet towards this moment of victory and justice. But unlike our forebears, we have done so not just because we have a dream. We have done so because the time has come for us to go beyond dreaming. The time has come for us to arise from the slumber of our dream and make the dream true.
Dr. Chilima and I accept this challenge and task. We will pursuit it, not just as servants accountable to you voters, but as stewards of the hopes of millions of children, born and unborn, who have no vote. With your help, we will restore a new generation’s faith in the possibility of having a government that serves, not a government that rules; a government that inspires, not a government that infuriates; a government that listens, not a government that shouts; a government that fights for you, not against you.
Now, I am no stranger to the benefits of good government. Although I was raised in a poor village like most Malawians; raised without inherited riches or political connections like most Malawians; raised without electricity or running water like most Malawians; I stand here today because I had one of the blessings of God that young Malawians today do not: The blessing of growing up in a well-governed Malawi.
So I pledge to run Malawi well, for that is the surest path to Tsogolo Labwino, a path that has long been in ruins, riddled with the potholes of greed and corruption. In making this pledge, I am accepting this call to serve you with joy and holy fear, for I am duty bound to God and all of you to give it my best.
However, I know that there are many of you who did not vote for me in this election, and perhaps the prospect of my presidency fills you with fear and grief. But I want you to remember one thing: This new Malawi is a home for you too, and so long as I am its President, it will be a home in which you too will prosper. I only ask you for one thing in return: To give Dr. Chilima and I a chance to earn your trust and make this win a win for all of us. That is how we will fulfil the dream of Malawi Watsopano Okomela…TONSE. God bless you and God bless Malawi.
President of Senegal placed under quarantine
Senegalese president, His Excellency, Macky Sall, has been taken into isolation after he came in contact with a person who has tested positive for covid-19, a press release from the Office of the President of Senegal states.
He will be under isolation for two weeks at his private residence starting Wednesday 24 June, 2020, following medical recommendations.
The press release was signed by Seydou Guèye, the Communication Adviser of the President.
For now, the Senegalese Ministry of Health yesterday confirmed104 new cases of covid-19, bringing the country’s total number of infected persons to 6,233; 94 deaths, 4162 recovered, 1976 under treatment.
‘In a related development, Major Musa Diop, a senior official at the Ministry of the Interior in Dakar, Mbaye Ndiaye, Minister of State and his family as well as a member of parliament Yaya Diallo all tested positive of covid-19.’
Source___Point Newspaper
GAMBIA GOV’T TO LEGALISE SKIN BLEACHING
As part of his attempts at social engineering, former head of state Yahya Jammeh passed a law which came into effect on 1st January 1996 prohibiting the importation, sale, possession and use of skin bleaching in The Gambia.
Meanwhile, The Gambia government is trying to push through a bill at the National Assembly to amend that law and effectively legalise skin bleaching in the country.
The Skin Bleaching (Prohibition) Bill, 2020 had its first reading at parliament on Monday and will be tabled for a second reading by the attorney general on Thursday, 2nd July.
The bill according what is seen by The Standard outlined that the skin bleaching prohibition law was “found to be discriminatory against women and girls in The Gambia in furtherance of The Gambia’s international obligations and in line with the Constitution…”.
In its known objectives and reasons justifying the made of the skin bleaching prohibition law, the drafters noted: “This bill is the first of its kind in Africa for being the trailblazer for the recognition, observance and domestication of international obligations and commitments relating to women’s rights into domestic law. Since the enactment of the Women’s Act 2010, significant strides have been made to enforce the law and to protect women in line with the provisions of the Act. Section 25 of the Women’s Act recognized the need for periodic review of legislation every ten years to ensure further compliance with our international obligations as enshrined in the Convention on the Elimination of all forms of Discrimination Against Women (Cedaw), and the Protocol to the African Charter on Human and People’s Right on the Rights of Women in Africa. This amendment is intended to review and amend the provisions of this Act that are discriminatory against women as mandated by Section 25 of the Women’s Act.”
Source___Standard Newspaper
Nigeria Confirms Five New COVID-19 Deaths as their Toll of Infections Exceed 23,000
Nigeria has confirmed five new COVID-19 deaths with the total number of infections rising to 23,298.
The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) disclosed this via Twitter on Friday night.
The agency confirmed the new cases in 18 states and the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja.
Lagos still remains the epicentre of the virus with 259, while the FCT recorded 20 cases.
Statistics from the health agency shows that Oyo is trailing behind Lagos with 76 cases, Katsina with 69 cases and Delta having 66.
Source___Channels TV
Air Force Kills ‘Dozens’ Of Boko Haram Terrorists In Borno State of Nigeria
The Nigerian Air Force has killed scores of Boko Haram terrorists in Tongule and Bukar Meram areas of Borno State.
This was make known in a statement issued on Today by the Coordinator of Defence Media Operations, Major General John Enenche.
He noted that the airstrikes were carried out on June 25 after a series of surveillance missions indicated a resurgence of terrorists’ activities at the two settlements.
The latest military action is “another set of successful air interdiction missions executed by the Air Task Force (ATF) of Operation Lafiya Dole under the subsidiary Operation Long Reach,” Enenche said.
Stressing further, the defence spokesman explained: “At Tongule, where recent credible intelligence indicated frequent convergence of BHTs, about 35 terrorists were spotted by the NAF surveillance aircraft in different parts of the settlement as it vectored the fighter jets to attack the target area.
Source___Channels TV
Liverpool fans dismissed by police over celebrating of their title despite the coronavirus
Football fans who were crowded in Liverpool for a second night after their team netted the Premier League title have been asked to leave by police.
A dispersal order was issued around the city centre after groups came out again on Friday to celebrate Liverpool’s first title win in 30 years.
Police and politicians urged Liverpool fans to stay at home due to Covid-19, which was “still a real risk”.
Merseyside Police said the order will be in place until Sunday.
The force said a Section 34 Dispersal Order was issued “following large gatherings in the area this evening”.
“We know a lot of Liverpool fans want to celebrate their Premier League win, but there is a time and a place for this – and this weekend is neither.
“Tonight we have seen masses of people flock to the Pier Head area heightening the risk of spreading Covid-19,” it said.
People took to social media to comment on how people were behaving, about flares being launched at the Liver Building and fireworks being set off.
Source___BBC
UK to Re-open European holidays from 6 July
Blanket limitations non-essential overseas travel will be eased in the UK from 6 July, ministers have said.
The traveler’s are expected to be allowed to travel to limited European countries without having to spend 14 days in quarantine when they return.
They are thought to include Spain, France, Greece, Italy, the Netherlands, Finland, Belgium, Turkey, Germany and Norway – but not Portugal or Sweden.
The full list of travel corridors with the UK will be published next week.
A government spokesman said the new rules would give people “the opportunity for a summer holiday abroad” while also boosting the UK economy – but stressed the relaxation depended on risks staying low.
The travel sector has gone to war with the government over its blanket quarantine policy.
So a more nuanced, risk-based approach will quieten the critics to some extent.
But the storm of controversy swirling around this policy won’t completely go away.
Source___BBC
D5 Creation