UN: Contaminated Food Sickens 600 Million, Kills 420,000 Every Year

GENEVA – In advance of World Food Safety Day, U.N. agencies are calling for concerted action to ensure food is free of the toxins that every year cause the deaths of hundreds of thousands of people.

A U.N. report on global food security finds nearly 690 million people suffered from chronic hunger in 2019, before COVID-19. The full impact of the pandemic on food insecurity is not yet known. However, the report estimates as many as 132 million more people will have been short of food in 2020 because of COVID-19 lockdowns.

Dominique Burgeon is director of the Food and Agriculture Organization Office in Geneva. He said food safety is key to food security.

“Every year, 600 million people fall ill and one in 10, about 420,000 die from eating food contaminated with bacteria, viruses, parasites, toxins, or chemicals. Yet, this is the tip of the iceberg as comprehensive surveillance data for foodborne illnesses is not available everywhere,” said Burgeon.

Moreover, he said unsafe food causes significant financial burdens in low-and-middle income countries, amounting to productivity losses of some $90 billion a year.

U.N. agencies say food safety is a shared responsibility and everyone has a role to play in keeping food safe and keeping people healthy. Burgeon said this includes those who produce the food, industry, governments, and consumers.

“The way you store your food, the way you cook it. But, of course, I would say it goes from farm to fork. So, really at the beginning of the process. The way food is being produced…the way the food is stored, and then the way it is transported, processed, etc.,” he said.

U.N. agencies say food safety involves a holistic approach that considers human, animal, plant and environmental health. Understanding and keeping all aspects of the food chain safe they say will contribute to a healthy life and a healthy planet.

Source: Voice of America

FORMER MILITARY INTELLIGENCE SERVICE BOSS DIES

Luanda – The former head of the Military Intelligence and Security Services (SISM) Apolinário José Pereira died Sunday morning in Luanda.

According to the Ministry of National Defense and Homeland Veterans, in a death note, Apolinário Pereira died suddenly.

The document signed by minister João Ernesto dos Santos “Liberdade”, highlights Apolinário Pereira as having been a soldier who, from an early age, was available to fight for the conquest and preservation of National Independence.

He stood out in the fulfillment of his duty, qualities that were at the base of his successive appointment, by the Superior Command, for the performance of top positions in the Angolan Armed Forces (FAA), including that of Head of the Military Intelligence Services.

Apolinário Pereira foi exonerado do cargo de chefe dos Serviços de Inteligência e Segurança Militar no passado dia 31 de Maio, por Decreto Presidencial.

“On behalf of the Ministry of National Defence and Motherland Veterans, the Angolan Armed Forces and myself, I bow to the memory of the deceased and present to the bereaved family, the expression of our heartfelt condolences for the unfortunate event”, stresses the minister.

Apolinário Pereira was sacked from his position as head of the Military Intelligence and Security Services on 31 May, by the Presidential Decree.

Source: Islamic Republic News Agency – IRNA

Delta COVID Variant More Transmissible, UK Official Says

The delta variant of the coronavirus, first identified in India, may be up to 40% more transmissible than the alpha variant, Britain’s health minister said Sunday.

Matt Hancock told reporters Sunday that the delta variant has become the dominant strain in the country, replacing the so-called alpha variant first identified in Kent. It is possible the delta variant could threaten plans to lift lockdown restrictions by June 21, he said.

Hancock stressed the importance of Britons getting their vaccinations. The early data show the vaccine is effective against the delta variant after people have received both doses, he said.

Currently, 40% of the United Kingdom’s population has been fully vaccinated, according to the Johns Hopkins Coronavirus Resource Center. New cases of COVID-19, the disease caused by the coronavirus, have dropped dramatically since the United Kingdom began its vaccination campaign.

On Sunday, a bipartisan trio of U.S. senators, Democrats Christopher Coons of Delaware and Tammy Duckworth of Illinois along with Republican Dan Sullivan of Alaska, stopped in Taiwan, which is dealing with a spike in coronavirus cases.

The democratically ruled island has fared well during the pandemic using testing, tracing and pandemic protocols such as mask wearing and social distancing to limit cases to nearly 11,000 and deaths to 224.

But it has vaccinated only about 3% of its population and says China is blocking efforts to obtain COVID-19 vaccines.

“I’m here to tell you that the United States will not let you stand alone,” Duckworth said. “We will be by your side to make sure the people of Taiwan have what they need to get to the other side of the pandemic and beyond.”

The U.S. will donate 750,000 shots to Taiwan, as part of the White House’s announcement that it is donating millions of vaccine doses to the global community. Duckworth did not say which vaccine Taiwan would receive or when.

The Johns Hopkins Coronavirus Resource Center reported early Sunday that the global count of COVID-19 cases has reached 173 million, while the death toll is approaching 4 million.

India, with the second highest number of cases globally, reported early Sunday that it had recorded 114,460 new infections in the previous 24-hour period, the lowest count in 60 days. The daily death toll of 2,677 was the lowest tally in 42 days. Public health officials have warned that India’s infection and deaths totals are likely undercounted.

Source: Voice of America

COVID-19: ANGOLA REPORTS 287 NEW CASES, 6 DEATHS AND 64 RECOVERIES

Luanda – Health authorities reported Saturday 287 new infections 6 deaths and 64 patients recovered in the last 24 hours.

According to the daily report, 153 cases were diagnosed in Luanda, followed by Huambo with 64, Huila (49), Benguela (7) , Cabinda (6), Zaire (6), while Uíge and Cuando Cubango reported one each.

The fresh cases feature 174 male and 113 female, with age ranging from 4 months to 80 years old.

Fatalities were reported in Luanda, with 3 cases, Huambo (2), and Zaire (1).

The recoveries are 32 patients residing in Luanda, 14 in Huambo, 12 in Huila, 4 in Benguela and 2 in Lunda Norte.

Laboratories processed 2,788 samples.

The sources also mentioned 209 patients as being hospitalised in the treatment centers, while 164 people in institutional quarantine.

According to the data, under epidemiological surveillance there are 2,556 contacts of positive cases.

The country has, so far, a total of 35,594 positive cases, 794 deaths, 28,866 recoveries and 5,934 active patients.

Source: Islamic Republic News Agency – IRNA

US Sends Pakistan Health Supplies to Combat COVID-19

ISLAMABAD – The United States mobilized an airlift of critical health supplies that arrived in Pakistan Saturday to help the country combat the coronavirus outbreak.

The donation includes tens of thousands of “critically needed and requested” personal protective items for healthcare professionals, hundreds of oximeters and other supplies, the U.S. Embassy said.

“Today, the United States continues our proud partnership with the government of Pakistan in our fight against the COVID-19 pandemic,” said U.S. Embassy Chargé d’affaires Lesslie Viguerie.

“Pakistan is not alone in its fight against the coronavirus,” Viguerie said.

Washington has allocated more than $40 million to Islamabad for COVID-19 response assistance, including a donation of 200 ventilators, to care for those suffering from the disease.

The support, U.S. officials said, has benefited more than 2.5 million Pakistanis across the country, providing life-saving treatment, strengthening case-finding and surveillance, and mobilizing innovative financing to bolster emergency preparedness.

Pakistani Foreign Ministry spokesman Zahid Hafeez Chaudhri said his government “greatly appreciates” the U.S. assistance.

“This timely gesture is part of the continued assistance that the U.S. has provided to Pakistan to support our COVID relief and prevention efforts,” Chaudhri said.

Pakistan has reported more than 21,000 deaths among at least 930,000 cases of coronavirus infections since the pandemic hit the country of about 220 million early last year.

Islamabad recently received 1.2 million doses of Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine and 100,000 Pfizer doses under the United Nations-backed COVAX program launched to support the purchase and delivery of COVID-19 vaccine to 92 low- and middle-income countries.

The United States has contributed $2 billion to the COVAX initiative, with another $2 billion commitment planned by 2022.

While initially close ally China provided massive COVID-19 medical supplies to Pakistan and donated a large quantity of vaccine, the Pakistani government says it has purchased or is in the process of procuring more than 90% of the vaccine to inoculate 70% of its eligible population by the end of 2021.

Beijing has also trained Pakistani staff and established a facility at Islamabad’s National Institute of Health, which is locally filling and finishing the Chinese CanSino vaccine from the concentrate China is providing. The facility has the capacity to roll out 3 million doses a month.

Pakistan has inoculated close to 9 million people as of Saturday, but officials say the pace will pick up in coming weeks to about 600,000 a day to achieve the stated target.

Source: Voice of America

Millions of Nigerian Twitter Users Blocked as Ban Takes Hold

ABUJA, NIGERIA – Millions of Nigerians struggled Saturday to access Twitter, a day after authorities suspended the service in response to the company’s deletion of a tweet by President Muhammadu Buhari for violating its terms of service.

The Twitter ban took effect Saturday morning. Millions of users in Lagos and Abuja said they were unable to access their accounts.

Authorities said Friday that they had banned Twitter because it was persistently being used “for activities that are capable of undermining Nigeria’s corporate existence.”

Twitter responded to the ban, saying it was “deeply concerning.”

‘Reverse the unlawful suspension’

Many citizens and rights groups objected to the ban. Amnesty International said it was a threat to free speech and must be reversed without delay.

“Amnesty International condemns the Nigerian government’s suspension of Twitter in Nigeria,” said Seun Bakare, a spokesperson for the organization. Bakare said Amnesty had called on Nigerian authorities “to immediately reverse the unlawful suspension and other plans to gag the media, to repress the civic space and to undermine human rights of the people. The Nigerian government has an obligation to protect and promote International human rights laws and standards.”

The ban mostly affected the country’s largest network providers, MTN and Airtel.

Some users Saturday were able to access Twitter using Wi-Fi connections. Others were avoiding the shutdown by using virtual private networks that make them appear to be using Twitter from another country.

VPN providers have since Friday seen a surge in usage. Abuja resident Basil Akpakavir was among Twitter users getting around the government ban.

“They are relentless in their intolerant attitude toward people that have contrary opinion to theirs,” Akpakavir said. “But the truth is that we’re equal to the task, as well. Whichever way they want it, we’re going to give it to them. We want a Nigeria that is prosperous, that is built on the tenets of true democracy.”

Separatist group singled out

Buhari had threatened earlier in the week to crack down on separatist group Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), in a manner similar to the civil war waged in 1967 when 3 million Biafrans were estimated to have died in battle against the Nigerian government.

The president’s tweet was criticized as a war threat to separatist groups, and Twitter deleted it.

Amnesty’s Bakare said the government must be held accountable for comments capable of instigating division and violence.

“It is important that government platforms, and in this particular instance the president, do not invite violence or division,” Bakare said. “The government must be alive to the increased tensions in the country, given the spate of insecurity.”

The Nigerian government has often attempted to regulate the use of social media to reduce criticism.

Late last year, the government proposed a social media regulation bill after the End SARS protests against police brutality, when social media were used by young Nigerians to mobilize and challenge what they said was bad governance.

Source: Voice of America

MINISTER SPEAKS OF NEED TO REFLECT ON ENVIRONMENT

Luanda – Angolan minister of Culture, Tourism and Environment Jomo Fortunato Saturday highlighted the need to promote a reflection on the environment sustainability.

Speaking, ahead of the World Environment Day, celebrated annually on 5 June, the minister pointed to various factors that hinder the sustainable development of the environment.

Among the factors, he mentioned the soil erosion, forest clearing, water and air pollution, loss of biodiversity, poaching, bushfires and the deforestation.

According to him, these are the results of mismanagement of the solid, liquid, gaseous waste and the issues related to drought, climate change, inadequate exploration of aggregates.

According to him, these are examples of direct disastrous results that become evident in the southern region of the country.

On the other hand, Jomo Fortunato referred to the instruments that have allowed the integration of the competent environment of the sustainable development and in the improvement of the life quality of all Angolans.

They are environment quality programme, national strategic for sanitation, education and environment awareness, use of new environment technology and the national strategic for biodiversity.

He said that various activities will take place across the country this month of June.

They include online debates, workshops, tree planting campaign, cleaning in the communities, seas and rivers and educational awareness actions among the population.

The annually event marks positive actions for protection and preservation of the environment and warns both populations and governments of the need to save the environment.

Source: Islamic Republic News Agency – IRNA

ANGOLA-CHINA TRADE CHAMBER DONATES GOODS TO DROUGHT VICTIMS

Cunene – Angola-China chamber of commerce donated Saturday forty tons of various goods to the victims of the drought in the southern Cunene province.

The batch includes 800 bags of rice and 500 bags of maize flour, 900 boxes of vegetable oil, biosecurity material and blankets, among others.

Speaking to the press, the president of Angola-China chamber of commerce, Luís Kupenala, appealed for the sensitivity of the other associations toward the neediest.

The goods were received by the vice governor of Cunene for Political, Social and Economic sector, Apolo Ndinoulenga, who highlighted the solidarity demonstrated by the Angola-China chamber of commerce.

Cunene province recently received from the Central Government 631 tons of food to assist 591,087 people in the municipalities of Curoca, Cahama and Ombadja.

Cunene has 1.1 million inhabitants, distributed in six municipalities.

Source: Islamic Republic News Agency – IRNA

TRANSFORMATION OF SADC-PF INTO REGIONAL PARLIAMENT PRIORITY

Luanda – The development of SADC Parliamentary Forum (SADC-PF) into a regional parliament is a priority agenda, according to the Executive Meeting of the regional body, held via videoconference from Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo (RDC).

Speaking at the event, started last Friday, the Angolan Parliament Speaker, Fernando da Piedade Dias dos Santos, reiterated the country’s support for the transformation of SADC-PF into a regional parliament.

The Angolan MP, Amália Alexandre, called for the urgent need to launch the transformation process, in view of the 41st Summit of the heads of State and Government of SADC, scheduled for August in Malawi.

“We would like to have this agenda as part of this Summit”, said the MP.

The next meeting of SADC-PF Executive Commission will take place in Botswana.

Southern African Development Community (SADC) Parliamentary Forum is a regional inter-parliamentary body created in 1997.

The aim of this Forum is to provide a platform to support and improve regional integration through parliamentary involvement, and promote best practices in the role of parliaments in regional integration and cooperation.

SADC comprises Angola, South Africa, Botswana, Comoros, Eswatini, Lesotho, Madagascar, Malawi, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia, Democratic Republic of Congo, Seychelles, Tanzania, Zambia and Zimbabwe.

Source: Islamic Republic News Agency – IRNA

ANGOLA’S COMMITMENT TO PRESERVATION OF SEAS HIGHLIGHTED

Lisbon – Angolan minister of Higher Education, Science, Technology and Innovation Maria do Rosário Sambo Saturday reiterated the country’s commitment to the execution of actions for the scientific development of techniques of defence of the seas to ensure the planet sustainability.

The minister was speaking at Ministerial High-Level Conference with theme Atlantic Cooperation in Research and Innovation for a sustainable ocean.

The event took place under the Portuguese Presidency of the Council of the European Union, in Ponta Delgada Island, in Portugal.

The minister said that Angola has a large maritime zone of the Atlantic coast, one of the key elements for the wellbeing, profitability and security of the current and future generations.

Maria do Rosário Sambo defended the conservation and the sustainable of the oceans, seas and maritime resources, as laid down in the African Union Agenda 2063.

She said Angola is part of the Atlantic International Research Centre, a platform of scientific cooperation for production and knowledge and data sharing on space, atmosphere, the oceans and climate changes.

The minister spoke of the country’s availability to join the international partnerships, aimed at developing the specific scientific programmes to safeguard the Atlantic and its sustainability.

Accompanied by the Angola Ambassador to Portugal, Carlos Alberto da Fonseca, the minister attended the event as special guest of her Portuguese counterpart, Manuel Heitor.

The conference, which gathered specialists from various countries, discussed the role of the oceans in regulating the climate.

The participants also discuss blue economy, the bottom of the sea, the fisheries, the biodiversity, among others topics.

Source: Islamic Republic News Agency – IRNA