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WHO reconsiders stance after 239 scientists pressured the agency The virus could be more airborne than was previously thought The World Health Organization acknowledged there was "emerging evidence" on airborne transmission of the coronavirus after an international group of scientists said it could spread far beyond two metres (6 feet). "We acknowledge that there is emerging evidence in this field ... therefore we believe that we have to be open to this evidence and understand its implications," the WHO's Professor Benedetta Allegranzi told a virtual press briefing. More than 200 scientists called on the WHO to acknowledge the coronavirus can spread in the air - a change that could alter some measures taken to stop the pandemic. It would mean people in certain indoor conditions could be at greater risk of being infected than was previously thought. For months, the World Health Organization (WHO) has said COVID-19 spreads mainly via direct contact with large res...

Local technician reveals he was asked to lighten up an oven,allegedly sees skewers of meat in oven Khashoggi's murder is believed to have been ordered by the Saudi crown Prince A Saudi consulate worker in Istanbul has told a Turkish court he was asked to light an oven less than an hour after Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi entered the building where he was killed in 2018. Zeki Demir, a local technician who worked for the consulate, was giving evidence on Friday, on the first day of the trial in absentia of 20 Saudi officials over Khashoggi's killing which sparked global outrage. Demir said he had been called to the consul's residence after Khashoggi entered the nearby consulate. "There were five to six people there ... They asked me to light up the tandoor [oven]. There was an air of panic," said Demir. Khashoggi disappeared after entering the consulate building in October 2018 to get papers for his upcoming marriage. Some Western governments, as well as the CIA,...

Palestinians decry Israel's planned annexation of parts of Jordan valley and the West bank 'Its the last nail to the coffin of a future Palestinian state'- Protesters Despite a delay in the long-anticipated declaration of an Israeli plan to annex one-third of the already illegally occupied West Bank, including parts of the strategic Jordan Valley, Palestinians decried the plan with some holding protests in Ramallah and Gaza City. Israel's Foreign Minister Gabi Ashkenazi said in a radio interview on Wednesday the announcement of the annexation plan was not imminent, despite the July 1 date set by the coalition government to start the fiercely opposed process. He instead told the interviewer to refer further questions about the matter to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Still, about 150 Palestinian demonstrators gathered on Wednesday evening in the centre of Ramallah, the seat of the Palestinian Authority, to denounce the plan. They said despite the postponed declaratio...

The Satellite TV had proposed a hike in fees to be paid by consumers FG wants to break TV's monopoly of Sporting rights The Acting Director General of Nigerian Broadcasting Commission, NBC, Mr. Armstrong Idachaba, yesterday ordered the management of MultiChoice, to suspend the implementation of its new hiked tariffs on different bouquets on its Digital Satellite Television, DSTV. Besides, the Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, also disclosed Federal government’s plan to break the Sporting rights monopoly of DSTV. The duo spoke at the National Assembly, while briefing members of an Ad Hoc Committee looking into the hike in tariffs. “I want to agree, with the Committee and call on DSTV to suspend the hike in tariffs”, Idachaba, said when pushed by the Committee. Earlier, Mr Mohammed told lawmakers that he already signed a code to break the monopoly of MultiChoice in the country, saying “our amendments to the Broadcasting Act, will affect the break in the monopo...