WORLD

The World Health Organization (WHO) has agreed rules for the testing of African herbal remedies to fight Covid-19. Sound science would be the sole basis for safe and effective traditional therapies to be adopted, it said. Any traditional remedies that are judged effective could be fast-tracked for large-scale manufacturing. Madagascar’s leader has been promoting an untested product he says can ...

HSBC allowed fraudsters to transfer millions of dollars around the world even after it had learned of their scam, leaked secret files show. Britain’s biggest bank moved the money through its US business to HSBC accounts in Hong Kong in 2013 and 2014. Its role in the $80m (£62m) fraud is detailed in a leak of documents – banks’ “suspicious ...

Japan’s parliament has elected Yoshihide Suga as the country’s new prime minister, following the resignation of Shinzo Abe. After winning the leadership of the governing party earlier this week, Wednesday’s vote confirms the former Chief Cabinet Secretary’s new position. A close ally of Mr Abe, the new prime minister is expected to continue his predecessor’s policies. Shinzo Abe announced his ...

The state assembly in Kaduna, in north-western Nigeria, has approved full surgical castration as punishment for those convicted of rape. State commissioner for woman’s affairs and social development, Hafsat Baba, described the approval by the state assembly as a “welcome development” and said that it will serve as “deterrent” for rapists. State governor Nasir Ahmad el-Rufai will now need to ...

The Brazilian legend was quick to pay tribute to the Juventus star’s international milestone Brazil great Pele has congratulated Cristiano Ronaldo for surpassing a century of international goals for Portugal. The 36-year-old scored in either half of his country’s 2-0 win over Sweden in the Nations League on Tuesday to bring his tally on the international stage up to 101. ...

The Red Devils legend wants to see the potential of a player he works with in the Wales national team set-up handled with care Ryan Giggs is hoping to see Dylan Levitt and Manchester United make the right call when it comes to the teenager’s future, with a loan move being mooted for the highly-rated midfielder. At 19 years of ...

Barcelona have contacted Arsenal over a potential move for Spain defender Hector Bellerin. (Sport – in Spanish) French champions Paris St-Germain also want to sign right-back Bellerin and have made contact with the 25-year-old’s representatives. (Independent) Rennes have confirmed they are in talks with Chelsea over a deal for Senegal goalkeeper Edouard Mendy, 28. (Goal) Real Madrid are willing to ...

Renowned pollster, Ben Ephson has cautioned former president John Dramani Mahama who is seeking re-election on the ticket of the NDC and President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo on the risks posed to their respective parties in engaging in public rebuttals. His comments follow recent string of unsavoury political statements on ethnic lines made by John Mahama and a subsequent reply from president Akufo-Addo. John ...

Europe’s largest migrant camp, Moria, has been “completely destroyed” after massive fires broke out early Wednesday at the overcrowded site on Greece’s Lesbos island, according to an eyewitness. Firefighters are trying to contain the fire at the refugee camp, home to an estimated 13,000 people, more than six times its maximum capacity of 2,200 people. There are no reports of injuries ...

Drug giant AstraZeneca said Tuesday it had paused global trials of its coronavirus vaccine because of an unexplained illness in one of the volunteers. It’s a standard precaution in vaccine trials that is meant to ensure experimental vaccines don’t cause serious reactions among participants. “As part of the ongoing randomized, controlled global trials of the Oxford coronavirus vaccine, our standard ...